FCC Proposes $416M in FY2026 Regulatory Fees

RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 3:05pm CT

Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed collecting $416.1 million in regulatory fees for fiscal year 2026, launching a rulemaking to update how those fees are assessed across the communications industry.

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted April 27 and released April 28, the Commission said the total reflects its congressionally mandated budget for salaries and expenses, which must be fully offset through annual regulatory fee collections.

The FCC is seeking comment on both the proposed fee schedule and potential changes to its methodology, including adjustments to how staff resources-measured in full-time equivalent employees (FTEs)-are allocated among industry sectors.

For FY2026, the agency proposes reallocating 59 FTEs from indirect to direct oversight roles within its core licensing bureaus, reflecting work tied more closely to regulating fee-paying entities. The FCC said the shift would increase the total number of direct FTEs to 376.5 and could affect how costs are distributed among broadcasters, wireless providers, wireline companies and satellite operators.

Under the proposal, the largest share of fees would be assessed on the Media Bureau (28.93%) and the Wireline Competition Bureau (28.67%), followed by the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (27.20%), the Space Bureau (12.80%), and the Office of International Affairs (2.40%).

The Commission also plans to continue using a population-based methodology to calculate regulatory fees for full-power television stations and is seeking comment on whether to revise how fees are assessed for mobile service providers, including the potential use of alternative data sources.

Comments on the proposal are due May 28, with reply comments due June 12, as the FCC works toward adopting a final fee schedule later this year.