FCC Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2024 Are Due by September 26

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced in a Second Report and Order (R&O) released Friday and in a subsequent Public Notice released Tuesday that Fiscal Year 2024 (FY 2024) regulatory fee payments must be received by the FCC no later than 11:59 PM, Eastern Daylight Time, on September 26. Payments received after that time will be assessed a 25% late payment fee, which will immediately result in Red Light status, and companies could face additional administrative and interest charges due to the late payment. 

How to Pay 

JSI reminds companies that the FCC has discontinued using the Fee Filer System and incorporated this payment system into the Commission Registration System (CORES). All companies must begin the payment process by accessing the CORES Payment System with their FCC registration number (FRN) and password or with FCC CORES username and password.  All payments must be made online by credit card (limited to payments of $24,999.99 or less), ACH payment, or wire transfer. Be sure to arrange any ACH or wire transfer payments well in advance to ensure the payment is credited by the September 26th deadline. Checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks will not be accepted. 

Some fee data is pre-populated in the CORES Payment System, but carriers are responsible for payment of all regulatory fees owed, regardless of whether data is displayed in the system. JSI highlights key FY 2024 regulatory fees below: 

Interstate Telecommunications Service Providers (ITSPs) 

ITSPs, which include LECs, IXCs, IXC resellers, OSPs, inmate service providers, pay telephone providers, interconnected VoIP providers, and audio bridging service providers, will be assessed a fee of $.005420 per revenue dollar based on the April 1, 2024, Form 499-A. Note that this is an increase from the FY 2023 fee. 

Cable Television (CATV), Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), and Direct Broadcast Service (DBS) Providers 

CATV, IPTV, and DBS providers will be assessed a fee of $1.27 per subscriber based on the company’s total basic cable TV subscribers as of December 31, 2023. 

The de minimis exemption remains at $1,000. If the total FY 2023 annual regulatory fee liability for all categories of annual fees due for the same entity is $1,000 or less, that entity is exempt from payment of FY 2024 regulatory fees. 

If you have questions, please contact Kim Waldvogel or Lans Chase.