Federal Communications Commission FY 2026 Regulatory Fees Are Due September 24, 2026.
The FCC released a Public Notice on September 1, 2026, announcing that the deadline for payment of regulatory fees by licensees and other regulatees is September 24, 2026. The FCC collects annual regulatory fees from most federal licensees and other regulated entities to offset costs associated with the FCC’s enforcement, public service, policy, and rulemaking activities. Fees vary by type of licensee or operating entity. Information regarding the fee schedule for providers of interstate and international telecommunications and telecommunications services, radio frequency spectrum licensees, broadcast licensees, satellite and earth station licensees, submarine cable operators, among others, and the payment process is provided in the Public Notice. The 2026 Fee Schedule is set out in Appendix B to the August 26, 2026, Fiscal Year 2026 Regulatory Fees Report and Order (“Report and Order”).
Of note, the Interstate Telecommunications Service Provider fee has increased slightly for 2026 at 0.0055 per subject revenue dollar for calendar year 2025, including in most cases all interstate and international revenues (compared to a fee in 2025 of 0.005125 per subject revenue dollar for calendar year 2024). Fees for International Bearer Circuits - Submarine Cable Systems (based on capacity as of December 31, 2025) have been increased by slightly more than 20 percent.
- All regulatory fees are to be paid electronically through CORES.
- The FCC will not issue bills for the regulatory fees. It is the payer’s responsibility to pay the fees it owes based on the Commission’s rules and the Report and Order (regardless of the amount posted in the CORES system).
- Failure to meet the regulatory fee payment deadline will result in the assessment of late payment penalties, set by statute at 25%. The FCC does not ordinarily waive late payment penalties.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about the FCC regulatory fee payment process.