Last Call: FCC Annual Regulatory Fees Are Due Today

posted on 9.18.2023

Commercial station broadcast licensees face a 10:59pm CDT deadline tonight to pay their FCC Annual Regulatory Fees using the commission’s CORES database.

Noncommercial educational stations are exempt from the FCC’s annual regulatory fees.

Commercial station licensees that have not already made payment are encouraged to act immediately as there is a substantial late payment penalty of 25 percent plus interest.

Stations can refer to the FCC’s second Public Notice that explains this year’s filing procedures, payment methods, and credit card payment limits.

The FCC also has a fact sheet, “What Your Owe – Media Services Licensees for Fiscal Year 2023,” that provides commercial broadcast station fee information as well as filing procedures.

The FCC has discontinued the use of the Fee Filer system and incorporated this payment system into the Commission Registration System (CORES). 

To use CORES, licensees must be registered with the FCC at https://apps2.fcc.gov/fccUserReg/pages/login.htm.           

Station staff should contact the station’s FCC counsel, or the FCC’s Financial Operations help desk with inquiries regarding regulatory fees at (877) 480-3201, Option 6, or email inquiries to ARINQUIRIES@fcc.gov.

Additionally, TAB’s FCC legal counsel, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, has an excellent advisory on the filing of this year’s FCC Annual Regulatory Fees.  

If the fees seem lower this year, it’s because they are, thanks in part to TAB’s continued advocacy and our FCC legal counsel’s fantastic work.  
Questions? Contact TAB’s Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.

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