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47 USC § 547 - Conditions of sale

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t47/s547"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "47 USC § 547 - Conditions of sale"
title_number: 47
title_name: "TELECOMMUNICATIONS"
section_number: "547"
section_name: "Conditions of sale"
chapter_number: 5
chapter_name: "WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION"
subchapter_number: "V–A"
subchapter_name: "CABLE COMMUNICATIONS"
part_number: "III"
part_name: "Franchising and Regulation"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-08-11"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 627, as added Pub. L. 98–549, § 2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2793.)"
---

# § 547. Conditions of sale

**(a)** If a renewal of a franchise held by a cable operator is denied and the franchising authority acquires ownership of the cable system or effects a transfer of ownership of the system to another person, any such acquisition or transfer shall be—

**(1)** at fair market value, determined on the basis of the cable system valued as a going concern but with no value allocated to the franchise itself, or

**(2)** in the case of any franchise existing on the effective date of this subchapter, at a price determined in accordance with the franchise if such franchise contains provisions applicable to such an acquisition or transfer.

**(b)** If a franchise held by a cable operator is revoked for cause and the franchising authority acquires ownership of the cable system or effects a transfer of ownership of the system to another person, any such acquisition or transfer shall be—

**(1)** at an equitable price, or

**(2)** in the case of any franchise existing on the effective date of this subchapter, at a price determined in accordance with the franchise if such franchise contains provisions applicable to such an acquisition or transfer.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 627, as added Pub. L. 98–549, § 2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2793.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

For “the effective date of this subchapter”, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2) and (b)(2), as 60 days after , except where otherwise expressly provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 60 days after , except where otherwise expressly provided, see , set out as a note under .