FCC Invites Suggestions for Making Small-Business Paperwork Less Painful
Published Date: 6/16/2025
Notice
Summary
The FCC is asking for public feedback on its paperwork rules to make things easier, especially for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. They want to reduce the hassle of filling out forms and are open to ideas before July 16, 2025. If you’re affected by FCC paperwork, now’s your chance to speak up and help shape simpler rules!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
New FCC paperwork to use 5040–5060 MHz
If you operate uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and want to use the 5040–5060 MHz Non-networked Access (NNA) spectrum, you must register once with a Commission-approved dynamic frequency management system (DFMS) and submit short-term frequency assignment requests limited to a single submitted UAS flight. The FCC estimates 436 respondents, 8,326 responses, per-response time from 0.25 to 10 hours, a total annual burden of 4,219 hours, and total annual costs of $3,000 for this information collection.
FAA certification required for frequency assignment
For each frequency assignment request, you must certify that you have Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight authorization covering the flight and that any remote pilots have required FAA remote pilot authorization when such authorization is required. This certification requirement appears in section 88.135(h) of the information collection.
Interim access before DFMS starts — FAA OK + FCC registration
An Interim Access Mechanism lets NNA users access the 5040–5060 MHz band before the first DFMS administrator begins operation, but you must first obtain concurrence from the FAA and submit an online registration form to the FCC with required certifications; for operations inside the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ) you must state the date of NRQZ Administrator notification or provide NRQZ Administrator approval. These conditions are set out in sections 88.35(b) and 88.141(b).
DFMS administrators must keep and transfer records for 60 months
DFMS administrators are required to maintain all records for at least 60 months and, if they do not continue as the DFMS administrator at the end of their term, must securely transfer all DFMS information to another approved entity; protective DFMS administrators must apply for and be approved by the Commission before starting operation. These requirements are described in sections 88.135(q), 88.137(d), and related text.
DFMS notification for operations near radio astronomy sites
A DFMS must immediately notify the National Science Foundation (NSF) when it approves a frequency assignment that will support UAS operation within 25 miles of one of sixteen specified radio astronomy sites, as required by section 88.135(x).
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Department and Agencies
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