WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fiscal-year 2026 regulatory fees owed to the Federal Communications Commission must be paid through the agency’s Commission Registration System by 11:59 p.m. Eastern—9:59 p.m. Mountain—tonight, September 24.
Payments received after the deadline are subject to a 25% late penalty. That makes today’s filing more than routine paperwork for radio and television licensees.
Radio Ink reports that AM and FM regulatory fees increased between 2.19% and 3.32%, depending on station class and market population. The Federal Communications Commission expects to collect $416.112 million across regulated industries for fiscal 2026.
Who may be exempt
Entities whose total fee obligation is $1,000 or less are generally covered by the commission’s de minimis exemption. Qualifying nonprofit organizations may also be exempt when the required Internal Revenue Service documentation is on file.
The obligation is generally tied to authorizations held on October 1, 2025. In a station transaction, the acquiring licensee may be responsible for the fee even when it did not own the authorization for the entire fiscal year.
Confirm the amount inside CORES
Licensees should use the Federal Communications Commission’s Commission Registration System, known as CORES, to confirm the authorizations, amount due and payment status associated with their registration number. Stations should not assume that a prior-year amount remains correct.
Source: Radio Ink, September 24, 2026.