FCC 2025 Regulatory Fees, Information, and Instructions
Due date: 2025 FCC Regulatory Fees are due no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 25.
How do I know what I owe? Go to http://www.fccfees.com/, known as the fee look-up site. Click “View Fee Information and Exempt Status for any Broadcast Property”. You can look up each station by call sign OR by Facility ID, but Facility ID is more accurate if your station call letters have changed at any point over the past year. Write down the information, or print/save this screen for each station.
How do I pay?You must use the FCC’s CORES system to pay your regulatory fees. Here are the steps:
- Once you are logged in, select the “Manage Existing FRNS | FRN Financial | Bills and Fees” link.
- Next, select “Regulatory Fee Manager”.
- Click on the “Assessments” tab.
- Select your Licensee FRN from the drop-down menu and click “Find Assessments”. Doing this will display a highlighted field with the type of service, the fee, and a link to view details.
- Click the “Add to Fee Summary” button.
o If any of your stations is missing from the system-generated assessments, you can add them manually under the Fee Summary tab. This is where the info from the look-up site is necessary.
- Once you have added all of your fees, select the “Fee Summary” tab.
- Select the box next to each fee, then click “Continue to Pay”.
- This will take you to a Payment Summary page. Select your FRN/Licensee again, then choose from the ACH and Credit/Debit Card Payment method options. Follow the instructions from there. Payments made by ACH must be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the due date to properly apply the funds.
What is “de minimis” and how do I know if I qualify? The FCC establishes a de minimis threshold each year and declares that licensees whose total fees are at or under that threshold do not have to pay. This year’s de minimis threshold is $1,000. If your licensee entity owns three (3) or fewer LPTV/TV Translator stations and no other stations, it owes ZERO in 2025 regulatory fees. This is true even though the FCC fee look-up site will show that each individual station owes $275.
Do I pay if my station is commercial but my FCC licensee entity is a non-profit? No. Non-profit companies are exempt from regulatory fees, regardless of whether their station is designated a commercial or noncommercial station. Non-profit licensees should use the look-up to confirm that the FCC has their stations listed correctly as “Exempt.” There are instructions on the look-up site to correct this if it is wrong.
What happens if I don’t pay or pay late? Licensees who fail to pay or do not pay the full amount due by the due date will be automatically assessed a 25% late penalty. Additional administrative charges and interest will be applied until the balance is paid. A “red light” will be placed on the FRN such that no applications will be able to be filed by the licensee until the outstanding balance is satisfied. Licensees experiencing financial hardship may seek a waiver or reduction of fees pursuant to instructions given on the http://www.fccfees.com/ page (bottom right side).