Get Ready: FY 2010 Regulatory Fees due by August 31st

One of the more aggravating regulatory obligations of being a broadcaster is having to pay the annual regulatory fee. Well, get ready, because that obligation is upon us again. The payment date has been moved up to August 31st, so the payment will have to be made in less than a month.

Annually, all non-exempt broadcasters must make these fee payments. The FCC is mailing notifications for each licensee, listing its stations, its fee calculation and the basis for placing each facility within a payment category. (Note: The Commission announced that this will be the last year it will mail out these notifications.) The information and additional reference material may also be viewed on line at http://www.fccfees.com.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Neither the FCC notifications nor the information displayed on its web page include microwave auxiliaries, for each of which an additional $10 fee must be paid.

While the fees can be paid by mail, the Commission prefers that they be paid online in the FCC FeeFiler. Furthermore, even if paid by mail, each broadcaster must begin the payment process through the Commission's on-line Fee Filer system, which may be accessed at http://www.fcc.gov/fees/feefiler.html. However, as of this writing, a visit to the FeeFiler system will yield this message:

The module for making FY 2010 regulatory fee payments is currently not available. At the appropriate time, the Commission will place a Public Notice on its website to inform licensees that it is accepting FY 2010 regulatory fee payments.

Once a licensee has begun the Fee Filer process Payment may be made on line with a credit card or by mail or wire transfer. You will need your FRN and password to enter the system.

If you have any questions, please contact Peter Gutmann or any member of the firm's Communications Law Group.

This column is provided for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice pertaining to any specific factual situation. Legal decisions should be made only after proper consultation with a legal professional of your choosing.