Overview and Lockbox Bank Transition
Effective February 14, 2008, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an updated Fee Filing Guide for the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET). This guide outlines revised payment procedures, fee amounts, and mailing addresses to reflect the Commission's lockbox bank transition to U.S. Bank in St. Louis, Missouri.
The guide covers feeable filings for Equipment Approval Services and Experimental Radio Services. The statutory authority to collect these charges is derived from Title III, Section 3001 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-39), Section 8, revised 47 U.S.C. 158. Detailed regulatory requirements are established in Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1, Subpart G.
- Lockbox Number: 979095
- Mail-in Payment Address: Federal Communications Commission, Equipment Approval Services (or Experimental Radio Services), P.O. Box 979095, St. Louis, MO 63197-9000
- Courier / Hand-Delivery Address: Federal Communications Commission, c/o U.S. Bank – Government Lockbox 979095, SL-MO-C2-GL, 1005 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63101
- Mandatory FRN Requirement: An FCC Registration Number (FRN) remains mandatory on FCC Form 159; unassigned payers/applicants risk having applications returned as unprocessable.
General Payment Rules and Remittance Procedures
All feeable submissions must be accompanied by FCC Form 159 (Remittance Advice) or submitted via online electronic payment where available. In accordance with the Debt Collection Improvement Act (DCIA), the Commission withholds action on applications or requests from entities delinquent in non-tax debts owed to the FCC, dismissing filings if delinquent balances are not resolved.
Payments may be submitted via check, bank draft, money order, credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover), electronic transfer, or wire transfer. Remittances must be denominated in U.S. dollars and drawn on a U.S. financial institution payable to 'FCC'. Cash, postdated checks, altered checks, third-party checks, or checks older than six months are not accepted. When paying by online credit card during electronic application filing, applicants should not mail FCC Form 159 to U.S. Bank.
- FCC Form 159C: Continuation sheet required when paying for more than two call signs or multiple applicants in a single filing.
- Wire Transfer Routing: ABA Routing Number 021030004, Receiving Bank TREAS NYC, BNF FCC/AC-27000001; Form 159 must be faxed to U.S. Bank at (314) 418-4832 at least one hour prior to wire transmission.
- Managing Director Authority: Requests for waivers, fee determinations, reconsiderations, and deferrals are submitted to the Managing Director, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 1-A625, Washington, DC 20554.
Part B: Equipment Approval Services Fee Structure
Equipment Approval Services cover certification applications under FCC Form 731 and Grantee Code assignments. Assignment of a Grantee Code must be requested electronically, and payment must be received and verified within 30 calendar days or the code is automatically purged from the database. For Form 731 applications, required exhibits must be uploaded within 5 calendar days of application submittal, and fee payments must be processed within 15 calendar days to avoid dismissal.
Certification procedures are detailed in 47 CFR Section 2.907, permissive changes in 47 CFR Section 2.1043, and change in identification under 47 CFR Section 2.933. Advance approval of subscription TV systems is governed under Part 2, Subpart M.
- Assignment of Grantee Code: Fee Type Code EAG, $60.00
- Certification for Receivers (other than TV and FM): Fee Type Code EEC, $455.00
- Certification for Parts 11, 15 & 18 Devices (other than receivers): Fee Type Code EGC, $1,165.00
- Certification for All Other Devices: Fee Type Code EFT, $585.00
- Class II Permissive Changes: Fee Type Code EAC, $60.00
- Class III Permissive Changes (Software Defined Radio): Fee Type Code ECC, $585.00
- Request for Confidentiality under Certification: Fee Type Code EBC, $170.00
- Advance Approval of Subscription TV Systems: Fee Type Code EIS, $3,565.00
- Confidentiality for Subscription TV Systems: Fee Type Code EBS, $170.00
Part C: Experimental Radio Services and Classified Filings
Applications for experimental radio stations under the Experimental Licensing Branch carry a standard fee schedule per filing. Inquiries regarding experimental authorizations can be directed to the Experimental Licensing Branch, Mail Stop 1300E1, Washington, DC 20554.
Classified applications containing national security information (Confidential or Secret) require split handling: unclassified data must be submitted electronically with an attachment indicating that classified portions were forwarded directly to the FCC Security Operations Staff, OSMD, Room 1B458, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.
- New Station Authorization (FCC Form 442): Fee Type Code EAE, $60.00
- Modification of Authorization (FCC Form 442): Fee Type Code EAE, $60.00
- Renewal of Station Authorization (FCC Form 405): Fee Type Code EAE, $60.00
- Assignment or Transfer of Control (FCC Form 702 or 703): Fee Type Code EAE, $60.00
- Special Temporary Authority (FCC Form 159 and Correspondence): Fee Type Code EAE, $60.00
- Confidentiality / Withholding from Public Inspection Request (Section 0.457(d) & 0.459): Additional Fee Type Code EAE, $60.00