FY 2026 FCC Regulatory Fees Due September 24 — 25% Late Penalty Starts September 25

The FCC has announced that FY 2026 regulatory fees must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, September 24, 2026. All payments must be made through the FCC’s CORES system.

The Media Bureau’s Fact Sheet explains how fees are calculated for broadcast services, including construction permits, and how to pay. Some station fees may already appear in CORES, but do not rely on that alone.

Before you pay, confirm the amount due for each station on the FCC’s fee look-up site FCCFees. That site also lists the payment codes needed in CORES if a fee must be entered manually.

As in prior years, the de minimis threshold is $1,000. If a licensee’s total regulatory fee obligation is $1,000 or less, no payment is due.

Penalty reminder — do not miss the deadline.

Underpayments and late payments will be assessed a mandatory 25% penalty beginning September 25. Interest may then accrue on the unpaid balance. Until the full amount is paid, the FCC will withhold action on new and pending applications and may dismiss them.

For LPTV, Class A, and TV translator licensees, the FY 2026 fee is $265 per license for authorizations held as of October 1, 2025 (even if the station later went silent or the license was surrendered after that date).