e-Lerts
FCC Announces FY 2025 Regulatory Fees with Slight Decrease for Interstate Providers
September 03, 2025
FCC Announces FY 2025 Regulatory Fees with Slight Decrease for Interstate Providers
FCC Announces FY 2025 Regulatory Fees with Slight Decrease for Interstate Providers
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) has released its Report and Order establishing regulatory fees for fiscal year 2025, with interstate telephone service providers seeing a modest decrease in their fee factor from 0.005420 to 0.005125 while toll free number fees increased to $0.10 per year per toll free number. The new fees will become effective immediately upon Federal Register publication rather than after the typical 30-day period. Payment due dates will be announced in a subsequent Public Notice that providers should monitor closely.
Key Fee Changes for Communications Providers
The FY 2025 fee factor of 0.005125 applies to all interstate telephone service providers, including LECs, IXCs, IXC resellers, debit card providers, operator service providers, inmate service providers, pay telephone providers, interconnected VoIP providers, and audio bridging service providers. This represents a decrease from the previous year’s factor, while the toll-free number regulatory fee increased to $0.10 per year per toll free number. The FCC maintained the de minimis threshold at $1,000, meaning providers with total annual regulatory fee liabilities of $1,000 or less remain exempt from payment requirements.
Fee Category
CATV Systems (IPTV & Direct Broadcast Service)
CMRS Licensees
Interstate Telecommunication Service Providers
Earth Stations
International Bearer Circuit – terrestrial/satellite
Small Satellites (non-geostationary)
Space Stations (geostationary orbit)
Space Stations (small constellation, non-geostationary)
Space Stations (large constellation, non-geostationary)
Toll Free Numbers
2025 Fee Amount
$1.47 per subscriber
$0.16 per telephone number/unit
$0.005125 per revenue dollar
$2,060 per license, authorization, or Hub station
$14 per Gbps circuit
$12,330 per license
$141,790 per authorized system
$375,140 per authorized system
$1,917,390 per authorized system
$0.10 per toll free number
Compliance Requirements and Next Steps
All regulatory fee payments must be made through the FCC’s all-electronic payment system within the Commission’s Registration System (CORES). Providers must first register with the FCC at the CORES website before making payments.
Due to timing requirements for collecting FY 2025 fees before the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2025, the Commission waived the typical 30-day effective period. The new fees become effective immediately upon Federal Register publication, which has not yet occurred. Payment due dates will be announced in a subsequent Public Notice. Providers should review these payment deadlines in their TrackNow monitoring system once announced.
Failure to pay regulatory fees and any late penalties can result in serious sanctions, including proceedings to revoke FCC authorizations held by the delinquent payor. The de minimis exemption is not permanent, requiring providers to reevaluate their total fee liability each fiscal year to determine continued eligibility for the exemption.
For assistance with regulatory fee calculations, payment procedures, or questions about how these changes may affect your operations, please contact Lans Chase or Brett Hallagan.
