Time for Annual Regulatory Fees Again
It’s that time of year again. September is the time of year that Commission licensees, including radio and television broadcasters, get to pay the federal government for the privilege of being a regulated industry. The FY 2006 Annual Regulatory Fees are due to the FCC by September 19, 2006. Payment may be made by check or credit card, and can be submitted either in paper or electronically. Payments not made by 11:59 PM on September 19th will face the addition of a 25% late fee.
The Commission has a helpful web page, which includes instructions for submitting the regulatory fees and a “look-up” database to allow stations to confirm the amount owed for their stations. The site also contains a Frequently Asked Questions section, and links to the database where you can submit the fees electronically. In addition, for those needing more detail, the Commission’s full Order detailing the fees for all types of licensees is available here.
Licensees are warned to submit their fees on time and make sure the payments are accurate. And be sure to keep a copy of all correspondence or electronic confirmations. Historically, the FCC’s recordkeeping regarding regulatory fees has not the best, and the process seems to be conducted by a third-party contractor, further complicating issues. In addition, failure to timely submit the proper regulatory fee can block the processing of future applications. Accordingly, it is better in the long-run to take some extra time to make sure these fees are paid properly, then to try and deal with the headache later.
