FCC Proposes Revised Application Filing Fees

Last week, amid the flurry of other actions taken on retransmission consent, rural radio and video accessibility, the Commission released its proposal for revisions to its regulatory filing fees, as it is required to do every two years.  The proposed fees for broadcast applications are set out below.  No other changes in any of the fees or fee categories are proposed.  According to the FCC proposal, the fees will rise by the amount of the cost of living increase since the last time the fees were adjusted - thus the cost to file FCC applications will rise by 3.5%.

Comments on the proposed fees are due 15 days after the Notice is published in the Federal Register, with replies due 30 days after that publication.  The table below sets out the fees for broadcast applications for main stations.   Proposed fees for applications for broadcast auxiliaries and other non-broadcast services are set out in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

Service

FCC Form No.

Fee

Amount

Payment

Type

Code

1. Commercial TV Services

   a. New and Major Change

       Construction Permits

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

$4,350.00

MVT

   b. Minor Change

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

$970.00

MPT

    c. Main Studio Request

Corres & 159

$970.00

MPT

   d. New License

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

302-TV & 159

302-DTV & 159

$295.00

$295.00

MJT

MJT

 e. License Renewal

      (per application)

      (Electronic Filing)

303-S & 159

$175.00

MGT

   f. License Assignment

       (i) Long Form

       (Electronic Filing)

314 & 159

$970.00

MPT*

      (ii) Short Form

       (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDT*

   g. Transfer of Control

     (i) Long Form

       (Electronic Filing)

315 & 159

$970.00

MPT*

    (ii) Short Form

       (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDT*

  h. Call Sign

       (Electronic Filing)

380 & 159

$95.00

MBT

   i. Special Temporary Authority

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGT

    j. Petition for Rulemaking for

        New Community of License

        (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

302-TV & 159

$2,685.00

$2,685.00

MRT

MRT

   k. Ownership Report

       (Electronic Filing)

    

323 & 159

Corres &159

$60.00

$60.00

MAT*

MAT*

2. Commercial AM Radio

     Stations

    a. New or Major Change

       Construction Permit

       (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

$3,870.00

MUR

    b. Minor Change

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

$970.00

MPR

    c. Main Studio Request

        (per request)

Corres & 159

$970.00

MPR

    d. New License

         (per application)

         (Electronic Filing)

302-AM & 159

$635.00

MMR

    e. AM Directional Antenna

        (per application)

        (Electronic Filing)

302-AM &

159

$730.00

MOR

   f. AM Remote Control

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

$60.00

MAR

   g. License Renewal

     (per application)

     (Electronic Filing)

303-S &

159

$175.00

MGR

   h. License Assignment

       (i) Long Form

       (Electronic Filing)

314 & 159

$970.00

MPR*

     (ii) Short Form

       (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDR*

   i. Transfer of Control

      (i) Long Form

       (Electronic Filing)

 

315 & 159

$970.00

MPR*

     (ii) Short Form

       (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDR*

   j. Call Sign

       (Electronic Filing)

380 & 159

$95.00

MBR

    k. Special Temporary Authority

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGR

    l. Ownership Report

          (Electronic Filing)

323 & 159

or

Corres & 159

$60.00

$60.00

MAR

MAR

3. Commercial FM Radio

     Stations

    a. New or Major Change

        Construction Permit

        (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

$3,485.00

MTR

    b. Minor Change

       (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

$970.00

MPR

    c. Main Studio Request

        (per request)

Corres & 159

$970.00

MPR

    d. New License

       (Electronic Filing)

 

302-FM & 159

$200.00

MHR

    e. FM Directional Antenna

       (Electronic Filing)

 

302-FM & 159

$610.00

MLR

    f. License Renewal

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

303-S & 159

$175.00

MGR

    g. License Assignment

       (i) Long Form

           (Electronic Filing)

314 & 159

$970.00

MPR*

      (ii) Short Form

          (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDR*

    h. Transfer of Control

       (i) Long Form

          (Electronic Filing)

 

315 & 159

$970.00

MPR*

      (ii) Short Form

          (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDR*

   i. Call Sign

       (Electronic Filing)

380 & 159

$95.00

MBR

   j. Special Temporary Authority

   

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGR

 k. Petition for Rulemaking for

     New Community of License or

     Higher Class Channel

     (Electronic Filing)

301 & 159

or

302-FM & 159

$2,685.00

$2,685.00

MRR

MRR

 l. Ownership Report

     (Electronic Filing)

323 & 159

or

Corres & 159

$60.00

$60.00

MAR

MAR

4. FM Translators

    a. New or Major Change

       Construction Permit

      (Electronic Filing)

349 & 159

$730.00

MOF

    b. New License

       (Electronic Filing)

350 & 159

$150.00

MEF

    c. License Renewal

         (Electronic Filing)

303-S & 159

$60.00

MAF

    d. Special Temporary Authority

         

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGF

    e. License Assignment

        (Electronic Filing)

345 & 159

314 & 159

316 & 159

$140.00

$140.00

$140.00

MDF*

MDF*

MDF*

    f. Transfer of Control

        (Electronic Filing)

345 & 159

315 & 159

316 & 159

$140.00

$140.00

$140.00

MDF*

MDF*

MDF*

5. TV Translators and LPTV Stations

    a. New or Major Change

       Construction Permit

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

346 & 159

$730.00

MOL

    b. New License

        (per application)

        (Electronic Filing)

347 & 159

$150.00

MEL

    c. License Renewal

        (Electronic Filing)

303-S & 159

$60.00

MAL*

    d. Special Temporary Authority

 

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGL

    e. License Assignment

        (Electronic Filing)

       

345 & 159

314 & 159

316 & 159

$140.00

$140.00

$140.00

MDL*

MDL*

MDL*

    f. Transfer of Control

        (Electronic Filing)

345 & 159

315 & 159

316 & 159

$140.00

$140.00

$140.00

MDL*

MDL*

MDL*

   g. Call Sign

        (Electronic Filing)

380 & 159

$95.00

MBT

6. FM Booster Stations

    a. New or Major Change

       Construction Permit

       (Electronic Filing)

349 & 159

$730.00

MOF

    b. New License

       (Electronic Filing)

350 & 159

$150.00

MEF

    c. Special Temporary Authority

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGF

7. TV Booster Stations

   a. New or Major Change

       (Electronic Filing)

346 & 159

$730.00

MOF

    b. New License

       (Electronic Filing)

347 & 159

$150.00

MEF

    c. Special Temporary Authority

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGF

8. Class A TV Services

   a. New and Major Change

       Construction Permits

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

301-CA & 159

$4,350.00

MVT

   b. New License

       (per application)

       (Electronic Filing)

302-CA & 159

$295.00

MJT

 c. License Renewal

      (per application)

      (Electronic Filing)

303-S & 159

$175.00

MGT

 d. Special Temporary Authority

Corres & 159

$175.00

MGT

e. License Assignment

       (i) Long Form

       (Electronic Filing)

314 & 159

$970.00

MPT*

(ii) Short Form

       (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDT*

 f. Transfer of Control

(i) Long Form

       (Electronic Filing)

315 & 159

$970.00

MPT*

(ii) Short Form

       (Electronic Filing)

316 & 159

$140.00

MDT*

    g. Main Studio Request

Corres & 159

$970.00

MPT

   h. Call Sign

       (Electronic Filing)

380 & 159

$95.00

MBT

FCC Application Fees Going Up on February 18

Update - February 25, 2009 - The change in fees did not become effective as planned - see our post here

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Months ago, the FCC announced that the fees paid by broadcasters (and other services) for the processing of applications and other filings would be going up.  It was only recently that the notice was published in the Federal Register, and the FCC has now announced that the new fees will go into effect on February 18.  The new fees for broadcast and cable applications can be found in the Media Bureau filing guide, found here.  Most fees will be automatically reflected in the FCC's CDBS electronic filing website when a broadcaster submits an electronic application.  But be prepared for the fees going up.

For example, common application fees include the $940 now charged for a minor technical change in a broadcast station, or for the assignment or transfer of a station.  Call sign changes cost $95, and Special Temporary Authority carries a $170 filing fee.  Ownership Reports are $60.  Look for all of the fees in the FCC's Media Bureau Application Fee Filing Guide.