The retail platforms of Fidelity, Schwab, and Merrill Edge do not offer limit-on-close (LOC) orders (I just tried), but IB does offer LOC orders. Suppose an illiquid stock is trading at 10.00 - 10.20. If I place a limit order to buy at 10.10 at 3:58 PM that expires at the end of the day, does that order participate in the closing auction unless someone hits my bid at 10.10 before the close? In general, I am wondering if the ability to place LOC orders is important or if I can get close enough with limit orders placed near the close.
Fidelity allows only market-on-close, giving an error message "A Time in Force of On the Close is only eligible for Market orders" if you try to place an LOC order.
So, to be specific, I could place a limit buy order at 10.10 at 3:58 PM and not be filled even though the price in the closing auction is 10.09? In order to be sure my limit order participates in the closing auction it has to be sent by 3:50 PM?