FCC Application Fees to Increase by About 17% – Get Your Applications on File Now Before the New Fees Go Into Effect

The FCC released an Order this week announcing an upcoming increase in application fees to be paid on any “feeable” application.  For commercial broadcasters, that includes applications for technical changes in facilities, applications for assignments or transfers of control of broadcast companies and stations, license renewal applications, requests for Special Temporary Authority when a station is silent or not operating with its authorized facilities, and even Biennial Ownership Reports (due to be filed by December 1, 2025).  The FCC is required by law to adjust its fees every two years to account for increases in the Consumer Price Index. With the recent increases in inflation in all sectors of the economy, FCC fees, like everything else, will be going up – by an average of about 17.4%, which follows an increase of 11.6% that was imposed in 2022 (see our article here).  This year’s increases brought a concurring statement from Chairman-designate Carr, who observed that these steep increases in fees most hurt smaller entrepreneurs who cannot afford new additional costs.  But, he states that there is not much that the FCC can do as Congress has mandated that these fees increase with inflation  The changes will be effective 30 days after the schedule of fees is published in the Federal Register – so broadcasters who want to save a few dollars on technical changes or other applications that they know to be coming up would be well advised to get their applications on file sooner rather than later.

Fees do not apply to most applications by noncommercial licensees.  Otherwise, the fees apply to most requests by broadcasters for FCC actions.  New fees will also take effect for non-broadcast services including private radio and satellite services for which some broadcasters hold authorizations, as well as for broadcast auxiliary applications (processed by the FCC’s Wireless Bureau). For the principal broadcast services administered by the FCC’s Media Bureau, here are the new fees that will take effect sometime in 2025 – watch for the effective date to be announced in the near future:

§1.1104  Schedule of charges for applications and other filings for media services.

Table 1 to § 1.1104

Full power commercial and class A television stations
TYPE OF APPLICATION PAYMENT TYPE CODE FEE AMOUNT
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MVT $5,000/application (if no Auction)
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MVS $5,675/application (if Auction, include Post-Auction, Consolidated Long & Short Form Fee)
Minor Modification, Construction Permit MPT $1,565/application
New License MJT $425/application
License Renewal MGT $370/application
License Assignment (2100 Schedule 314 &  (long form) MPU $1,460/station
License Assignment (2100 Schedule 316 & (short form) MDT $475/station
Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 315 & (long form) MPU $1,460/station
Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 316 & (short form) MDT $475/station
Call Sign MBT $190/application
Special Temporary Authority MPV $315/application
Petition for Rulemaking for New Community of License MRT $3,985/petition
Biennial Ownership Report (Full Power TV Stations Only) MAT $95/station

Table 2 to § 1.1104

Commercial AM radio stations
TYPE OF APPLICATION PAYMENT TYPE CODE FEE AMOUNT
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MUR $4,675/application
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MVR $5,350/application
Minor Modification, Construction Permit MVU $1,910/application
New License MMR $755/application
AM Directional Antenna MOR $1,480/application
License Renewal MGR $365/application
License Assignment (2100 Schedule 314 & (long form) MPR $1,180/station
License Assignment (2100 Schedule 316 & (short form) MDR $500/station
Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 315 & (long form) MPR $1,180/station
Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 316 & (short form) MDR $500/station
Call Sign MBR $190/application
Special Temporary Authority MVV $325/application
Biennial Ownership Report MAR $95/station

Table 3 to § 1.1104

Commercial FM radio stations
TYPE OF APPLICATION PAYMENT TYPE CODE FEE AMOUNT
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MTR $3,870/application, if no Auction
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MVW $4,545/application, if Auction, include Consolidated Long and Short Form Fee
Minor Modification, Construction Permit MVX $1,485/application
New License MHR $275/application
FM Directional Antenna MLR $705/application
License Renewal MGR $365/application
License Assignment (2100 Schedule 314 & (long form) MPR $1,180/station
License Assignment (2100 Schedule 316 & (short form) MDR $500/station
Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 315 & (long form) MPR $1,180/station
Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 316 & (short form) MDR $500/station
Call Sign MBR $190/application
Special Temporary Authority MVY $235/application
Petition for Rulemaking for New Community of License MRR $3,735/petition
Biennial Ownership Report MAR $95/station

Table 4 to § 1.1104

FM translators
TYPE OF APPLICATION PAYMENT TYPE CODE FEE AMOUNT
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MOF $830/application, if no Auction
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MVZ $1,505/application, if Auction, include Consolidated Long and Short Form Fee
Minor Modification, Construction Permit MWA $235/application
New License MEF $210/application
FM Translator/Booster License Renewal MAF $205/application
FM Translator/Booster Spec. Temp. Auth. MWB $190/application
FM Translator License Assignment (2100 Schedule 345, 314 , & 316) MDF $325/station
FM Translator Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 345, 315, & 316) MDF $325/station
FM Booster, New or Major Change, Construction Permit MOF $830/station
FM Booster, New License MEF $210/application
FM Booster, Special Temporary Authority MWB $190/application

Table 5 to § 1.1104

Section 310(b)(4) Foreign Ownership Petition
TYPE OF APPLICATION PAYMENT TYPE CODE FEE AMOUNT
Foreign Ownership Petition (separate and additional fee required for underlying application, if any) MWC $2,920/application

Table 6 to § 1.1104

TV translators and LPTV stations
TYPE OF APPLICATION PAYMENT TYPE CODE FEE AMOUNT
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MOL $910/application, if no Auction
New or Major Change, Construction Permit MOK $1,585/application, if Auction, include Consolidated Long and Short Form Fee
New License MEL $250/application
License Renewal MAL $170/application
Special Temporary Authority MGL $315/application
License Assignment (2100 Schedule 345, 314, & 316) MDL $375/station
Transfer of Control (2100 Schedule 345, 315, & 316) MDL $375/station
Call Sign MBT $190/application