FCC Sets Requirement to Promptly Update FCC Registration Numbers – No Need to Panic, But Licensees Should Ensure All FCC Information Is Accurate and Up-to-Date
A new registration update requirement for nearly anyone doing business before the FCC becomes effective today, February 5, 2026. Specifically, beginning today, Commission Registration System (CORES) filers must update their FCC Registration Number (FRN) registrations within 10 business days of any change to the associated contact information.
CORES account FRN information includes a taxpayer identifying number (TIN) or social security number (SSN) as well as contact information, including name, position, address, telephone number, and email. Many companies have multiple CORES accounts and multiple FRNs. Some may have a long-unused FRN with an associated CORES registration listing a retired former employee, an out-of-date phone number, or an old address. While the FCC has always technically required that this information “be kept current,” in practice, FRN information has not routinely been updated, especially when an FRN is no longer actively used.
The new rule is shining a spotlight on FRN data quality issues that require attention. Below we offer some information and general guidance about this new requirement and why it may matter to you now and in the future.
We recommend that all parties review the accuracy of their CORES registrations and FRNs promptly. Please let us know if we can be helpful as you update your CORES and FRN data.
What is CORES and do I have an FRN?
CORES is the “gateway” database to many other FCC filing systems, as it allows users to create an FRN, view financial standing (red/green light status), and make payments to the FCC. An FRN allows businesses and individuals to obtain licenses and authorizations and interact with FCC systems. You can access CORES here.
Many companies have multiple CORES registrations and FRNs. For instance, companies may have an FRN for each entity in their ownership structure. A single entity may also have multiple FRNs. Corporate officers and directors as well as employees who make filings on behalf of an entity also typically have their own FRNs.
We suggest you do a search to determine whether the company has any FRNs hanging around that you may not be using on a day-to-day basis. You can search for FRNs here.
If you wish to search by business name, you should add an asterisk (*) at the end of any search term you use so that you capture results with additional words. For example, if “XYZ Corporation” had an FRN, searching “XYZ*” would return the correct result, but “XYZ” would return no results because, without the asterisk, you would have to search the complete name exactly to find it.
I have a Bunch of Old/Unused FRNs. Do I Really Have to Update them All with Current Information?
The new rule requires that all entities and individuals that register in CORES/have FRNs keep an entity’s name, entity type, contact name and title, address, valid email address, and TIN for entities and SSN for individuals current within 10 business days of a change.
As a practical matter, it is most pressing to ensure that any FRNs in use today are updated, if needed. But, as discussed below, old, unused FRNs with outdated information will create a larger enforcement risk going forward.
What is the Potential Enforcement Risk of Outdated FRN/CORES Registration Information?
In general, the FCC may impose monetary penalties for rule violations up to a statutory maximum that varies by segment. As one example, for broadcasters, the inflation-adjusted maximum penalty is $62,829 for each violation or each day of a continuing violation, up to $628,305 for any single act or failure to act. “Base” forfeitures—the starting point for penalties—are typically lower than the statutory maximum. In the same order that the FCC established the CORES requirement, it prescribed a base forfeiture of $1,000 per day for failure to correct information in the Robocall Mitigation Database until the error is corrected. The FCC has not identified specific base forfeiture or method of calculation for failure to update CORES information in a timely manner.
Practically, it may not be likely for the FCC to scour for outdated CORES registrations and pursue enforcement solely based on outdated information. Instead, it may be more likely for the FCC to use CORES registration as a “tool in its toolbelt” in enforcement proceedings in other contexts. For instance, it could cite outdated CORES registrations as an “add on” to an enforcement action, increasing the overall number of violations it identifies and thus the maximum monetary penalty it may impose. It also could threaten enforcement action based on an easily proven CORES violation as additional leverage to encourage a settlement, where enforcement regarding the true matter of interest would rest on less certain factual or legal ground. We therefore recommend that entities at heightened risk of FCC enforcement scrutiny pay particular attention to updating their CORES registrations.
Doesn’t This Just Apply to Voice Service Providers Registered in the Robocall Mitigation Database?
No. The FCC adopted the new CORES requirement in a robocall proceeding, but it applies equally to all entities and individuals that have an FRN and are registered in CORES.
Can I Consolidate or Cancel Old FRNs?
Maybe. If an entity has multiple FRNs and wants to deactivate one or more unused FRNs, it will need to submit a help request to the FCC’s CORES team. Before the CORES team will deactivate an FRN, the FCC needs to ensure that doing so will not break the data integrity of its databases. In some cases, FCC staff may also facilitate swapping an FRN associated with a particular license for a different FRN of the same entity, but this is not always guaranteed and is usually a manual process.
Requests to deactivate FRNs can be submitted to the CORES team at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/available-support-services. You can also call 877-480-3201 (Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET). If you call, we recommend also sending a written help request documenting the request.
I Want to Update Registration Information for Old FRNs, But I Do Not have the Passwords, and I Did Not Set Up the FRNs – What Do I Do?
If you have trouble associating an old FRN with your current CORES account to update it, you will likely need to contact the CORES help desk by submitting a help request at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/available-support-services or calling 877-480-3201 (Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET).
What are the Best Practices for Updating FRNs Going Forward?
As you update FRN information or create new FRNs in the future, we recommend that companies consider creating and using a generic email address (i.e., an alias) that goes to a team of individuals so that if one person leaves, the information is still correct. Similarly, we recommend using a phone number that will not change when an individual leaves the company.
If you do not already have a process in place, companies should develop a process for tracking and periodically reviewing FRNs/passwords so that in the event of a change in information, it is easier to execute an update to all FRNs within 10 business days.
Courtesy of Wilkinson)Barker)Knauer)LLC (Legal Counsel to LPTVBA)
https://www.wbklaw.com/