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REGULATORY FEES  

Federal Communications Commission

FACT SHEET

445 12th St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554

August 2012

WAIVERS, REDUCTIONS AND DEFERMENTS OF REGULATORY FEES

The Commission’s automated filing and payment system (“Fee Filer”) is now available for filing and 
payment of FY 2012 regulatory fees. Regulatory fee payments must be made no later than 11:59 PM, 
Eastern Time, on September 13, 2012 at the location and address set forth in the Commission’s rules 
at 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1152 through 1.1156 for the specific category of fee involved.  The
Commission does not mail regulatory fee pre-bills, but instead places pre-bill information in the 
Commission’s “Fee Filer” system. Accordingly, licensees and regulates will not receive in the mail a 
paper copy invoice of the FY 2012 regulatory fee due.  
As set forth in 47 U.S.C. 159(a), the Commission is required by Congress to collect regulatory fees to 
recover the regulatory costs associated with its enforcement, policy and rulemaking, user information, 
and international activities. Licensees and regulatees are assessed fees calculated as set forth in 
Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2012, Report and Order, 77 FR 46307 
at ¶ 4 (August 3, 2012).  The Commission also publishes industry-specific guidance in Who Owes 
Fees & What is My Fee FY 2012, which can be found on the Commission website at 
http://transition.fcc.gov/fees/regfees.html). The guidance in this Fact Sheet does not alter the 
Commission’s rules that describe requirements, deadlines, and the procedures for filing fees and 
associated requests.  If there is any difference between the rules and guidance in this Fact Sheet, the 
rules will control. 
Licensees are solely responsible for accurately accounting for all licenses and for properly paying 
regulatory fees.  Any data omission, erroneous or incomplete data submission, or payment deficiency 
may result in sanctions permitted under 47 U.S.C. 159(c) and 47 C.F.R. § 1.1164, including, but not 
limited to, a mandatory 25% late payment penalty, dismissal of pending actions, and/or revocation of 
any authorization.  The Commission will invoke any lawful authority possessed under the Debt 
Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and the implementing rules to collect fees due or outstanding 
against licensees failing to meet their regulatory fee payment obligations.  Thus, to avoid a 25% late-
payment penalty, your fee must be paid by the due date using one of the methods described in the FY 
2012 Payments and Procedures Public Notice.  
Under 47 U.S.C. 159(d) and 47 C.F.R. § 1.1166, the Commission may waive, reduce, or defer 
payment of a fee in specific instances, on a case-by-case basis, where good cause is shown and where 
waiver, reduction or deferral of the fee would promote the public interest.  A petition for waiver of a 
regulatory fee either must be accompanied by the required fee or it must be accompanied by a 
petition to defer payment due to financial hardship, and supported by the required documentation of 
the financial hardship.  If the fee is paid, and a waiver is granted, the fee that was submitted will be 
returned.  A petition for waiver of a regulatory fee that does not include a payment or the required 
petition for deferral and supporting documentation will be dismissed, and a penalty may be imposed.    
If a request for a waiver, reduction or deferral is accompanied by a fee payment, the fee payment 

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must be submitted to the Commission’s lockbox bank at the appropriate address set forth in the 
Commission’s rules.  If no fee payment is submitted, the request should be filed with the 
Commission’s Secretary.  The Commission’s website at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/electronic-
and-hard-copy-filing-address provides the addresses for filing hardcopy documents.  Requests for 
waiver of a regulatory fee should be clearly marked Attn: Office of the Managing Director, Regulatory 
Fee Waiver/Reduction Request, e.g.:
Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary
Federal Communications Commission
Attn: Office of the Managing Director, Regulatory Fee Waiver/Reduction Request
445 12th Street, S.W., Room TW-B204
Washington, D.C.  20554
All requests for waiver accompanied by a petition for deferral of payment must be received by 

September 13, 2012.  Any request for waiver received after that date will be assessed a penalty 
equal to 25% of the amount of the fee not paid in a timely manner, along with interest and 
other fees.  

- FCC -
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