FCC Slaps New Regulatory Fees on TV, Radio, Satellites
Published Date: 9/14/2026
Rule
Summary
The FCC has set the fees that companies must pay for using communication services in Fiscal Year 2026. If you’re a business in TV, radio, satellite, or other communication fields, these fees affect you, and you need to pay by September 24, 2026, to avoid extra charges. The new fee schedule is official starting September 14, 2026, so get ready to pay up on time!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
FY2026 Regulatory Fee Amount and Due Date
The Federal Communications Commission will assess and collect $416,112,000 in regulatory fees for Fiscal Year 2026. Those regulatory fees must be paid by September 24, 2026 to avoid penalties and interest.
Direct FTE Count Rises to 379.5
The Commission reallocated a net increase of 62 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions as direct to core licensing bureaus, raising the Commission's direct non-auction FTE count from 317.5 to 379.5 (a 19.53% increase). The higher direct FTE count is used to apportion the FY2026 fee total across fee categories.
Space and Intl. Fee Shares Increased
Under the FY2026 allocation, Space Bureau payors are responsible for $52.851 million (12.70% of the total) and the Office of International Affairs payors for $9.909 million (2.38% of the total). Commenters’ requests to cap or buffer increases for these categories were declined.
Broadcaster Fee Methodology Upheld
The Commission will continue to calculate television broadcaster regulatory fees using its population-based full-service broadcast methodology and declined proposals to cap earth station fees (including a suggested $2,500 cap). The Media Bureau's FY2026 allocation is $122.681 million (29.48%).
De Minimis and CMRS Data Rules Retained
The Commission reaffirmed the $1,000 annual de minimis threshold for regulatory fees and will continue to use Numbering Resource Utilization Forecast (NRUF) assigned-number data to assess fees on Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers. Several non-core bureaus (e.g., Engineering & Technology, Enforcement, Consumer & Governmental Affairs) continue to be treated as indirect for fee allocation.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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