Statutory Licensing Authority

Various provisions of the Interstate Commerce Act require rail carriers and noncarriers to file applications with the Board to seek licensing authority to construct or abandon a line of railroad, transfer rights in a line of railroad, or consolidate ownership in a railroad through a merger or common-control arrangement under 49 U.S.C. §§ 10901-05 and 11323, or to obtain an exemption (through a petition or notice) from filing such an application under 49 U.S.C. § 10502. Pursuant to 49 C.F.R. § 1121.3(d), the Board requires that if a proposed transaction to acquire (by sale or lease) or operate a rail line includes an agreement containing an interchange commitment(whether through restrictions or incentives), the party seeking Board authorization for such transaction must identify the presence of such an interchange commitment and must file with the Board a confidential, unredacted copy of that sales or lease agreement and any related documents containing the terms of such commitment.

The latest form for Statutory Licensing Authority expires 2023-11-30 and can be found here.

Statutory Licensing Authority

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Transportation - Ground Transportation