FCC Begs for Ideas to Slash Paperwork Pain for Tiny Firms
Published Date: 5/8/2026
Notice
Summary
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is asking the public and small businesses to share their thoughts on how to make paperwork easier and less time-consuming. They want to reduce the burden especially for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Comments are due by June 8, 2026, so don’t miss your chance to help shape simpler rules!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Annual Filing Burden and Cost for Forms 314/315
The FCC reports that Forms 2100, Schedules 314 and 315 have 4,920 respondents and 13,160 responses, with estimated time per response of 0.075 to 7 hours, totaling 17,159 annual burden hours and $52,976,959 in total annual cost. These totals apply to the identified respondents (businesses, not-for-profits, and state/local/Tribal governments) for this information collection (Control Number 3060-0031).
LPFM/NCE Transfer Rules Change Benefits
The Commission eliminated the absolute prohibition on assignment/transfer of Low Power FM (LPFM) construction permits and removed the LPFM three-year holding period certification from Forms 314 and 315, replacing it with various certifications (for example, four-year "maintenance of comparative qualifications" for certain NCE awards and 18-month certification for LPFM applicants). The FCC says eliminating those restrictions will increase the number of applicants eligible to file Schedules 314/315 and will "benefit the LPFM service" by increasing the likelihood permits will be built and making stations more viable.
Request for Small-Business Paperwork Relief
The FCC is asking for public comments on how to cut paperwork burdens, and specifically requests ideas to reduce information collection burdens for small businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Comments are due on or before June 8, 2026 and must be submitted at www.reginfo.gov and emailed to the FCC contact addresses listed.
Public Notice Modernization Lowers Posting Burden
Stations that used to post public notice in a local newspaper must now post notice online (on the station website or other specified sites) for 30 continuous days after an application is accepted, and on-air announcements are shortened to six total announcements, at least one per week and no more than one per day or two per week between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The FCC states these 2020 changes reduced burdens and costs associated with filing the applications.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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