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The Federal Communications Commission has issued a final call for the Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for the 2023 Fiscal Year. The deadline is fast approaching: fees must be paid by tomorrow, September 20, at 11:59p ET.
One of the major changes this year is the phase-out of the Fee Filer system. The FCC has transitioned to the Commission Registration System, or CORES. To complete the payment process, users must register and validate their FCC username, which they can then link to their existing FCC Registration Number.
The FCC has now mandated electronic payments. Acceptable methods include credit card, ACH, or wire transfer. Payments made via checks, money orders, or cashier’s checks will not be accepted.
For commercial AM and FM radio stations, fees depend on the station’s class and the population it serves. New stations with construction permits are looking at fixed fees of $620 for AM and $1,085 for FM stations. Fees for FM translators and boosters are set at $260.
Failure to meet the deadline will generally result in a 25% penalty plus accrued interest. Organizations with an annual regulatory fee liability of $1,000 or less are exempt for this fiscal year, although this exemption must be recalculated each year.
For more details and the complete fee structure, visit the FCC’s website.
Any government “fee” is a tax. Same animal, different name.