PRIA Logo™
Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-102

§537 Sales of Cable Systems

Title 47 › CHAPTER 5 — WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › SUBCHAPTER V–A — CABLE COMMUNICATIONS › Part II — Use of Cable Channels and Cable Ownership Restrictions › § 537

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

If a franchise says the franchising authority must approve a sale or transfer, the franchising authority must decide within 120 days on any approval request that includes the information required by the Commission’s rules and by the franchising authority. If the franchising authority does not make a final decision in 120 days, the request is automatically approved unless the person asking and the franchising authority agree to more time.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §537

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

A franchising authority shall, if the franchise requires franchising authority approval of a sale or transfer, have 120 days to act upon any request for approval of such sale or transfer that contains or is accompanied by such information as is required in accordance with Commission regulations and by the franchising authority. If the franchising authority fails to render a final decision on the request within 120 days, such request shall be deemed granted unless the requesting party and the franchising authority agree to an extension of time.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–104 redesignated subsec. (e) as entire section, substituted “A franchising authority” for “Limitation on Duration of Franchising Authority Power To Disapprove Transfers.—In the case of any sale or transfer of ownership of any cable system after the 36-month period following acquisition of such system, a franchising authority”, and struck out subsecs. (a) to (d) which related to three-year holding period requirement, treatment of multiple transfers, exceptions to holding requirement, and waiver authority.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective 60 days after Oct. 5, 1992, see section 28 of Pub. L. 102–385, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1992 Amendment note under section 325 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 537

Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102