FCC Seeks Input to Slim Down Paperwork Burden
Published Date: 12/18/2025
Notice
Summary
The FCC is asking the public and agencies to help reduce paperwork by reviewing and commenting on their information collection process. This affects anyone who provides info to the FCC, especially small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Comments are due by February 17, 2026, and the goal is to make things easier, clearer, and less costly for everyone involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Broadcast Auction Exhibits Required
Broadcast-auction participants must submit exhibits disclosing ownership, bidding agreements, bidding-credit eligibility, and engineering data. The collection (OMB Control No. 3060-0896) covers 2,000 respondents and 5,350 responses, with estimated time per response of 0.5 to 2 hours, an annual hour burden of 6,663 hours, and an annual cost burden of $12,332,500.
Exhibits Tie to Bidding Credits and Anti-Collusion
The FCC uses submitted exhibits to verify applicants are qualified for auctions, to ensure license winners are entitled to new-entrant bidding credits, to prevent collusion via joint-bidding exhibits, and to resolve mutually exclusive engineering applications for non-table services.
Small Businesses Asked About Paperwork Burden
The FCC is asking the public to comment on ways to reduce information-collection paperwork, and specifically requests ways to further reduce the burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. Written comments are due on or before February 17, 2026.
No Penalty Without Valid OMB Number
The FCC states it may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number, and no person shall be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection that does not display a valid OMB control number.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16995, Information Collection Being Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for Emergency Review and Approval
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
2026-16993, Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
2026-16997, Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
2026-16996, Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
The FCC is asking for public feedback on a new paperwork collection related to space launch coordination. This affects businesses, nonprofits, and governments who might spend 4 to 16 hours filling out forms. Comments are due by October 19, 2026, helping the FCC reduce hassle and improve the process without extra costs.
2026-16740, Information Collection Being Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for Emergency Review and Approval
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
2026-16615, Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions-2026
Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review (Sep. 30, 1993), requires each agency to publish a regulatory agenda (Agenda) of regulations under development or review during the next year which will be included in the Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (Unified Agenda). 58 FR 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993). The Agenda required by Executive Order 12866 must include all regulations the agency expects to develop or review during the next 12 months, regardless of whether they may have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Executive Order 12866 provides that agencies may combine this agenda with the regulatory flexibility agenda required under the RFA. To help keep the public informed of significant rulemaking proceedings and meet its obligations under the RFA and Executive Order 12866, the Commission has prepared Agenda entries providing a brief description and summary of each regulatory activity that is currently planned for the 12 months, subject to revision, including the objectives and legal basis for each, and the name and telephone number of an agency official who is knowledgeable about items in the agenda. The Commission's Agenda entries published in the Federal Register are only those entries for rules that are likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities pursuant to the RFA. The Commission's complete list of regulatory and deregulatory actions for the Unified Agenda will be published on the internet in a searchable format at www.reginfo.gov.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-23308, Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority
The FCC is checking in with the public and businesses to see if their paperwork requests are really needed and easy to handle. They want to cut down on extra forms and make things simpler, especially for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. If you have thoughts, you’ve got until February 17, 2026, to share them—no fees or penalties involved, just a chance to help make things better!
Next: 2025-23310, Notice of Public Meeting of the Rhode Island Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
The Rhode Island Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is holding a public Zoom meeting on February 27, 2026, to discuss new ideas about civil rights issues. Anyone interested can join, listen, and even share their thoughts during the open comment time. This meeting is free to attend but phone callers should watch for possible charges on wireless plans.