On June 5, 2025, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) seeking comment on the assessment and collection of Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2025 regulatory fees. The FCC is required to collect $390,192,000 in regulatory fees for FY 2025, which is equal to the Commission’s FY 2025 salaries and expenses appropriation.
The NPRM seeks comment generally on the proposed regulatory fee rates set forth in the Appendices as well as on the following proposals:
- Fee Calculation Methodology: The FCC proposes to continue using a methodology based on Full-Time Equivalent (“FTE”) staff allocations across its core bureaus, adjusted to reflect which services and entities benefit from FCC oversight.
- FTE Reallocations: The FCC proposes to increase the number of FTE employees allocated directly to the licensing bureaus by reallocating 61 indirect FTEs as direct FTEs to core bureaus (Media, Wireless, Wireline, Space, and International Affairs), reflecting more precise alignment of staff work with regulatee oversight.
- Earth Station Fees: The FCC seeks comment on regulatory fee rates in Appendices A and B based on its existing methodology, as well as on proposed regulatory fee rates in Appendix E that are based on the various proposals set forth in the FY 2025 Space and Earth Station Regulatory Fees FNPRM. The FCC is not seeking comment again in this proceeding on the specific proposals to adjust its existing methodology for assessing earth station regulatory fees.
- Under the existing methodology, set forth in Appendices A and B, earth stations would be assessed at $2,900, an increase from the $2,610 imposed in FY 2024.
- Under the various proposals set forth in the FY 2025 Space and Earth Station Regulatory Fees FNPRM, set forth in Appendix E, earth stations would be assessed at $2,840.
- The FCC notes that if these changes are adopted, the FY 2025 space and earth station fees could change dramatically. However, implementation would require timely adoption and submission of a 90-day notice to Congress before the changes could take effect.
- TV Broadcaster Fees: The FCC proposes continuing the use of a population-based method for calculating regulatory fees for full-service broadcast television stations.
- Improving the Regulatory Fee Process: The FCC seeks additional comment on whether it should adopt new fee categories or if there are other ways to improve its regulatory fee process.
Payment Calculations
As a reminder, regulatory fees must be paid for authorizations that were granted on or before October 1, 2024. For wireless services, the number of subscribers, units, or telephone numbers on December 31, 2024 will be used as the basis from which to calculate the fee payment. Permits or licenses transferred or assigned after October 1, 2024, are the responsibility of the holder of the permit or license as of the fee due date.
For Commercial Mobile Radio Service (“CMRS”) providers, the FCC will compile data from the Numbering Resource Utilization Forecast (“NRUF”) report that is based on “assigned” telephone number (“subscriber”) counts that have been adjusted for porting to net Type 0 ports. Non-geographic numbers are included in the proposed calculation of the number of subscribers of each CMRS provider (see Appendix A of the NPRM) and the CMRS regulatory fee factor (see Appendix B of the NPRM). CMRS provider regulatory fees will be calculated and should be paid based on the inclusion of non-geographic numbers. The FCC proposes to set the rounded standard fee calculations for FY 2025 for CMRS Mobile Services at $0.16 per subscriber, and for CMRS Messaging Services at $0.08 per subscriber.
CMRS providers can adjust the total number of subscribers, if needed. Subscriber counts will be posted on the Commission’s Registration System (“CORES”) along with the carrier’s Operating Company Numbers (“OCNs”). A carrier wishing to revise its subscriber count can do so in CORES by following the prompts. Revisions to subscriber counts should be accompanied by an explanation. The FCC will review the revised account and explanation and either approve or disapprove the request.
Comments are due on or before July 7, 2025.
Reply comments are due on or before July 21, 2025.
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