This page provides information to help guide visitors through the FCC’s facility security screening process and COVID-19 safety protocols for the FCC’s Headquarters and other facilities.
On March 12, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FCC restricted visitor access to its facilities to only those visitors with a clear operational necessity. In light of the improved pandemic conditions, updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that focuses on COVID-19 Community Levels and the associated Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (the Task Force) guidance, beginning on June 9, 2022 the Commission will permit visitors with scheduled appointments, in conjunction with safety protocols identified by the Task Force, to enter its facilities.
We encourage all visitors to arrive early for scheduled appointments to allow ample time for security screening and, if applicable, any necessary COVID-19 safety protocols.
Security Protocols
Appointments Are Required For All Visitors At All FCC Facilities
All visitors will be required to have a scheduled appointment with an FCC contact at least 48-hours in advance. The FCC contact shall be responsible for escorting the visitor throughout their time in the FCC facility. Visitors without appointments and designated FCC point of contact will not be permitted to access Commission facilities. There are no longer frequent visitor badges for any FCC facility.
Note: Attendees at the FCC’s Monthly Open Meetings do not need to make appointments in advance of arriving. We ask, however, that any visitors planning to attend an FCC Open Meeting in person, arrive early to allow ample time for processing through the Commission’s security screening and, if applicable, the COVID-19 safety protocols.
Security Screening At FCC Headquarters And Gettysburg Facilities
All visitors are required to go through the security screening process in the main lobby, including:
- Review posted signage by security screening area related to applicable COVID-19 safety protocols.
- Place personal items on x-ray machine.
- Walk through the metal detectors.
- Once screening is completed, proceed to guard desk and present a valid, Government issued ID.
- FCC security guards from the Federal Protective Service will sign the visitor in, take photo, and issue a visitor badge which must be prominently displayed at all times above the waist.
- FCC security guards will contact the visitor's designated point of contact (POC) for confirmation of the visitor, and their arrival.
- FCC security guards will direct the visitor to stand to the side in the lobby to await the FCC POC.
- The FCC POC will meet the visitor in the lobby and escort them throughout their time in the building. When required by COVID safety protocols below, the FCC POC will direct the visitor to designated FCC staff designated in clearly marked areas to assist visitors with handling these COVID-19 protocols.
- When exiting the FCC building, the visitor should return their badge at the guard desk.
Security Screening At Columbia
- All visitors should stop at the guard house at the entrance to the FCC facility in Columbia, Maryland.
- The security guard at the gate will direct the visitor to review signage related to applicable COVID-19 safety protocols.
- The visitor must present a valid, Government issued ID to the security guard and inform the guard of their FCC POC, whom the guard will contact.
- Once cleared, the guard will direct the visitor to proceed into the facility.
COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Effective immediately, all visitors entering FCC facilities must adhere to the safety protocols below:
| Visitor Protocol | COVID-19 Community Level in the County of the FCC Facility | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | |
| Scheduled Appointment with FCC POC | Required | Required | Required |
| Symptom Self-Screening on day of FCC facility access using CDC COVID-19 Facility Access Tool1 | Required | Required | Required |
| Completion of Certification of Vaccination Form2 | Not Required | Required | Required |
| Provide dated, FDA-authorized viral COVID-19 Negative Test Result from the past 3 days3 | Not Required | Required only if not attesting to being fully vaccinated4 on Certification of Vaccination Form (including declining to attest to vaccination status) | Required only if not attesting to being fully vaccinated on Certification of Vaccination Form (including declining to attest to vaccination status) |
| Masking | Not required (unless mandated by local requirements or quarantine/isolation guidance) |
Not required (unless mandated by local requirements or quarantine/isolation guidance) |
Required |
| Physical Distancing – 6 ft or more | Required for those who are not fully vaccinated | Required for those who are not fully vaccinated | Required for those who are not fully vaccinated |
| Obey posted signage related to COVID-19 safety protocols | Required | Required | Required |
|
1 Visitors should complete the symptom self-screening using the online CDC COVID-19 Facility Access Tool or paper form; however, the FCC will not be collecting completed forms. Visitors will be asked to attest that based on a completed self-screening, they may access the FCC facility. If a visitor has applicable symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of their visit, they should reschedule their visit to another time. 2 When required, visitors should complete a paper copy of the Certification of Vaccination form, which they will be required to show to designated FCC staff in or near the FCC facility entrance or lobby. After review, the form will be returned to the visitor. The FCC will not be collecting completed forms. 3 Where a negative test result is required, the FCC will accept test results from any test authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to detect current infection and produce a dated result. Self-administered, rapid antigen test results, therefore, will generally not be accepted because they do not produce a dated result. When required, visitors will show their test result to designated FCC staff in or near the FCC facility entrance or lobby. After review, the test result will be returned to the visitor. The FCC will not be collecting test results. 4 A person is considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two (2) weeks after they have received the requisite number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or that has been listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization. For Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca/Oxford, that is 2 weeks after an employee has received the second dose in a 2-dose series. For Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen, that is 2 weeks after an employee has received a single-dose. |
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| FCC Facility | County |
|---|---|
| FCC HQ (DC) | n/a (District of Columbia) |
| Gettysburg (PA) | Adams County |
| Columbia (MD) | Howard County |
| EDG (GA) | Cobb County |
| Anchorage (AK) | Anchorage Municipality |
| Boston (MA) | Norfolk County |
| Chicago (IL) | Cook County |
| Dallas (TX) | Dallas County |
| Denver (CO) | Jefferson County |
| Honolulu (HI) | Honolulu County |
| Los Angeles (CA) | Los Angeles County |
| Miami (FL) | Broward County |
| New Orleans (LA) | Jefferson Parish |
| New York (NY) | New York County |
| Portland (WA) | Clark County |
| San Francisco (CA) | Alameda County |
| San Juan (PR) | San Juan Municipality |
Related Materials
- FCC News Release Announcing New Policy to Again Allow Scheduled Visitor Meetings
- FCC Public Notice Updating Facility Policies to Allow Scheduled Visitor Meetings
- CDC COVID-19 Facility Access Tool
- Certification of Vaccination Form
- CDC Site Designating Community Transmission Levels by County Nation-wide
- Visitor Guidance from the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force