Client Alert: FCC Sets September 13, 2012 Deadline for Payment of FY 2012 Annual Regulatory Fees

The FCC has announced that full payment of all applicable Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2012 (FY 2012) must be received no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on September 13, 2012. As of today, the Commission’s automated filing and payment system, the Fee Filer System, is now available for filing and payment of FY 2012 regulatory fees.

As we reported last month, the FCC released a Report and Order containing final determinations as to how much each FCC licensee will have to pay in Annual Regulatory Fees for FY 2012. The FCC collects Annual Regulatory Fees to offset the cost of its non-application processing functions, such as conducting rulemaking proceedings.

These annual regulatory fees are owed for most FCC authorizations held as of October 1, 2011 by any licensee or permittee which is not otherwise exempt from such fees. As has been the case since 2009, the FCC requires that licensees use the Commission’s online Fee Filer System to submit their regulatory fees. In order to do so, parties must have a valid FCC Registration Number (FRN) and password. Payment can be made with a credit card, online payment from a bank account, check (after receiving an electronic voucher via Fee Filer), or wire transfer. More information regarding submitting a payment can be found here at the FCC’s Regulatory Fees website. Note that, effective June 30, 2012, the U.S. Treasury is no longer accepting credit card payments greater than $49,999.99.

For more information on annual regulatory fees, including assistance in preparing and filing them with the FCC, please contact any of the lawyers in the Communications Practice Section.