As broadcasters continue to push for regulatory relief amid economic challenges, the FCC’s final FY 2025 fee schedule offers a measure of stability. This year’s fees largely reflect two consecutive years of across-the-board reductions, while not quite as generous.
In FY 2024, the industry saw an average 6% drop in fees. For FY 2025, that decline has slowed, with percentage decreases ranging from 2.1% to just over 3% in every service class.
The most significant cuts occurred among AM Class D stations serving mid-sized populations. Broadcasters serving 10,001 to 150,000 people saw their AM Class D fees fall by 3.1%. AM Class C stations also experienced noteworthy relief, with a 2.86% reduction for the smallest population tier.
FM stations in the high-power categories also saw steady year-over-year declines. Fees for these license classes dropped by approximately 2.5% on average, reflecting the FCC’s cost allocation adjustments.
Of the $391,734,169 the FCC expects to collect in the next fiscal year, $27,107,370 of that is from radio broadcasters.
| Population Served | AM Class A | AM Class B | AM Class C | AM Class D | FM Classes A, B1 & C3 | FM Classes B, C, C0, C1 & C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <=10,000 | $545 | $395 | $340 | $375 | $600 | $685 |
| 10,001 – 25,000 | $910 | $655 | $570 | $625 | $1,000 | $1,140 |
| 25,001 – 75,000 | $1,365 | $985 | $855 | $940 | $1,500 | $1,710 |
| 75,001 – 150,000 | $2,050 | $1,475 | $1,285 | $1,405 | $2,250 | $2,565 |
| 150,001 – 500,000 | $3,075 | $2,215 | $1,925 | $2,115 | $3,380 | $3,855 |
| 500,001 – 1,200,000 | $4,605 | $3,315 | $2,885 | $3,160 | $5,060 | $5,770 |
| 1,200,001 – 3,000,000 | $6,915 | $4,980 | $4,330 | $4,750 | $7,600 | $8,665 |
| 3,000,001 – 6,000,000 | $10,365 | $7,460 | $6,490 | $7,120 | $11,390 | $12,985 |
| >6,000,000 | $15,550 | $11,195 | $9,740 | $10,680 | $17,090 | $19,485 |
The changes stem from the Commission’s revised methodology introduced in the FY 2025 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which continues to reallocate certain overhead and staffing costs away from broadcasters. That shift, first implemented in 2023, has played a central role in keeping regulatory costs stable or declining for most radio licensees.
The 2025 fee schedule maintains the FCC’s recent trend of offering financial relief to local broadcasters facing increased operational pressures, with the Commission leaving the door open for further adjustments in future cycles as cost models evolve.
| Population Served | AM Class A | AM Class B | AM Class C | AM Class D | FM Classes A, B1 & C3 | FM Classes B, C, C0, C1 & C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ≤10,000 | -2.68% | -2.47% | -2.86% | -2.60% | -2.44% | -2.14% |
| 10,001 – 25,000 | -2.67% | -2.96% | -2.56% | -3.10% | -2.44% | -2.56% |
| 25,001 – 75,000 | -2.85% | -2.96% | -2.84% | -3.09% | -2.60% | -2.56% |
| 75,001 – 150,000 | -2.61% | -2.96% | -2.28% | -3.10% | -2.39% | -2.66% |
| 150,001 – 500,000 | -2.69% | -2.85% | -2.53% | -2.98% | -2.45% | -2.53% |
