FCC Proposes FY 2026 Regulatory Fee Schedule

NPRM would collect $416.112 million, reallocate 59 FTEs to core bureaus, and seek comment on CMRS unit-count methodology.

The FCC has released its annual FY 2026 Regulatory Fee Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The Commission proposes to assess and collect $416,112,000 in regulatory fees, equal to its FY 2026 salaries and expenses appropriation. As in recent years, the NPRM focuses heavily on the allocation of Commission full-time equivalent employee time among fee categories and proposes to reallocate certain indirect FTEs as direct FTEs to the Commission’s core licensing bureaus.

For FY 2026, the Commission proposes to reallocate 59 FTEs as direct to core bureaus after accounting for related adjustments. The NPRM also proposes to continue calculating full-service broadcast television regulatory fees using population-based contour methodology and seeks comment on whether the Commission should continue using NRUF assigned-number data to assess CMRS regulatory fees or use another data source, such as BDC mobile subscription data, in future years.

Key Proposals

• $416.112 million collection target. The FCC must collect an amount equal to its FY 2026 salaries and expenses appropriation through annual regulatory fees.
• FTE-based methodology. The Commission proposes to continue using its core-bureau direct FTE methodology to allocate regulatory fee responsibility among payor categories.
• 59-FTE reallocation. The NPRM proposes to reallocate indirect FTE work from the Office of Economics and Analytics, Office of General Counsel, and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau to core licensing bureaus where the work is sufficiently linked to oversight and regulation of fee payors.
• Broadcast television methodology. The FCC proposes to continue using population covered by a station’s contour to calculate full-service broadcast television regulatory fees.
• CMRS unit-count methodology. The Commission seeks comment on whether to continue using NRUF assigned-number data as a proxy for CMRS subscriber counts or to consider other sources, including BDC mobile subscription data. Any adopted change would not be implemented until FY 2027.
• No new fee categories proposed. The Commission tentatively concludes that the current record does not justify new fee categories under its fair, administrable, and sustainable standard.

Payment and Compliance Notes

• Regulatory fees must generally be paid by entities holding relevant authorizations as of the applicable fee-due date, with service-specific rules based on authorizations granted on or before October 1, 2025 and unit counts as of December 31, 2025 for many categories.
• Wireline, CMRS, MVPD, space, media, and other fee payors should review the proposed Appendix B fee schedule and confirm authorization, subscriber, number, and unit-count data used for assessment.
• Fee payors should plan payment logistics early, particularly for wire transfers and any payments that may exceed credit-card daily limits or Treasury/Fiscal Service restrictions.
• Companies involved in assignments or transfers after October 1, 2025 should confirm who will be responsible for FY 2026 payment obligations as of the fee due date.

Why This Matters for Fee Payors

• Because regulatory fees are effectively zero-sum, changes in FTE allocation or unit counts can shift fee burdens among industry categories even when the overall collection target is fixed.
• Wireless providers should monitor the CMRS methodology question closely because a future shift from NRUF assigned-number data to BDC mobile subscription data could materially affect assessments.
• Broadcast licensees should verify proposed contour and population data, particularly where changes in contour methodology or station data may affect fee calculations.
• Space, wireline, wireless, and media payors should review whether proposed FTE reallocations produce disproportionate impacts warranting comment.

Comment Opportunities

Regulatory fee payors should consider whether the proposed FTE reallocations appropriately reflect the benefits and burdens associated with FCC oversight. CMRS providers in particular should consider submitting detailed evidence regarding the accuracy, administrability, and fairness of NRUF assigned-number data compared with BDC mobile subscription data or other available data sources.

Next Steps

If your company has questions about how these proposals may affect your compliance obligations, reporting posture, or participation in the FCC proceeding, please contact The CommLaw Group. Our attorneys regularly assist communications providers with FCC rulemakings, compliance audits, enforcement risk assessments, and comment strategy.

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