The FCC announced that Annual Regulatory Fees must be paid by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on September 20, 2023.  The FCC’s CORES database, through which the fees must be paid, is now available for this payment.  See the FCC Public Notice here:  https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-23-764A1.pdf

The FCC also issued a second Public Notice setting out general filing procedures.  That Notice set out the methods for making payments, including limits on credit card payments, and is available here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-23-765A1.pdf

For broadcasters, a third document, a Fact Sheet called “What Your Owe – Media Services Licensees for Fiscal Year 2023,” sets out specific information as to what is owed by commercial broadcasters and restates some of the information from the Notice on filing procedures.  This broadcast-specific Fact Sheet is available here:  https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-396377A1.pdf

The FCC also released a Fact Sheet setting out the details of who is exempt from regulatory fees, including Noncommercial Educational stations and commercial stations whose total fee obligations are “de minimis,” i.e., they total $1000 or less.  That Fact Sheet is here:  https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-396418A1.pdf

Another Fact Sheet setting out the procedures for seeking a waiver or deferral of the fees is available here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-23-771A1.pdf

As being late with regulatory fees can bring substantial penalties, commercial broadcasters should immediately review these documents and prepare their fees so that they can be submitted before the September 20 deadline.