The latest data from the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) indicates that public-safety land-mobile-radio (LMR) licensing activity is tracking at near-normal levels for the year, while business-industrial LMR licensing is on pace to reach its highest level in five years.

As of mid-August, the FCC has granted 1,968 of the 2,019 public-safety LMR license applications submitted this year, according to the ULS database. Should the 51 pending applications be approved, the public-safety sector is projected to reach approximately 3,066 licenses by the end of the year. This would align with the sector's annual licensing totals from the past six years, excluding the pandemic-affected year of 2020, when only 2,763 licenses were granted.

In the business-industrial sector, 6,984 of the 7,227 LMR license applications submitted this year have already been approved. If all 243 pending applications are granted—a scenario that remains uncertain—the total number of licenses could reach an estimated 10,945 by year’s end. This would mark a significant increase, with the sector potentially surpassing the 10,000-license threshold for the first time since 2019, when 10,780 licenses were granted.

Updated figures from 2023 show the FCC approved 9,791 business-industrial LMR licenses, with three applications still pending. This marks the fourth consecutive year in which the sector has not reached the 10,000-license mark, although the total represents the highest level during this period.

Despite the recent uptick, business-industrial LMR activity remains historically low compared to earlier years. From 2001 to 2016, the sector consistently saw more than 11,250 licenses granted annually. The current pace, however, suggests a positive trend, with potential for significant growth if current licensing activities continue.

For more information, please visit the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS) database