Broadcast FY 2020 Regulatory Fees Due by September 25, 2020
By September 25, 2020, broadcast (Radio and Television) licensees must pay all required annual regulatory fee payments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission). Payments received after the deadline will be assessed a 25% late payment penalty.
The use of “Fee Filer” in preparing the regulatory fee filings is mandatory. The Fee Filer website is found here.
Payment may be made by online ACH payment, online credit card, debit card, or wire transfer. When paying by wire transfer, a Form 159-E must first be sent by fax so that the FCC can associate the wire payment with the correct regulatory fee information. The FCC no longer accepts checks (including cashier’s checks and money orders) for payment of regulatory fees. Payment by credit/debit card is limited to $24,999.99.
You are required to pay a fee for FCC authorizations held as of October 1, 2019, even if the station is silent or the license was surrendered after that date. For stations that were assigned or transferred after October 1, 2019, the current licensee is responsible for payment.
The FCC has been aggressive about assessing the 25% penalty even in situations where payment is only a day late. The FCC will withhold action on any application filed by any licensee that is delinquent in any non-tax debts owed to the Commission (including regulatory fees) and will ultimately dismiss those applications or other requests if payment of the delinquent debt or other satisfactory arrangement for payment is not made. Failure to pay regulatory fees can also result in the initiation of a proceeding to revoke any and all authorizations held by the delinquent payer.
The FCC’s 2020 Schedule of Regulatory Fees for full power television stations is located here; for other selected fees (e.g. LPTV, Class A, earth stations) here; and for radio stations is located here. For more information about the Commission’s regulatory fee procedures, please review this website or contact the FCC Financial Operations Help Desk at (877) 480-3201, Option 6.
If you would like us to assist you in preparing and/or filing your regulatory fee filing, please contact the Wiley attorney who handles your station matters by Friday, September 11, 2020.
