FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY FEE FILING GUIDE FOR l Equipment Authorization Services l Experimental Radio Services This is an unofficial compilation of the radio services and requests for FCC actions that are subject to fees. The public should consult the Commission's Rules as set out in Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for application filing requirements. Further information on fees may be obtained at Part I, Subpart G of the CFR or in the Commission's official decision implementing the Congressional Schedule of Charges. Revised April 29, 2020 Fees Effective September 4, 2018 INTRODUCTION The authority of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) to impose and collect fees and associated charges is contained in Title III, Section 3001 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-239), Section 8, revising 47 U.S.C. 158, which directs the Commission to prescribe charges for certain types of services it provides to communication entities over which it has jurisdiction. This Fee Filing Guide is considered a reference guide to identify and describe the fee filing requirements for the Office of Engineering and Technology. It is meant to be a handy reference of the services and requests for FCC actions that are subject to a fee. The guide contains Parts A, B and C, as well as a breakdown of the types of applications, form numbers, fee amounts, and payment type codes. Part A provides instructions on how to pay a fee and identifies other processing services available to the requester. Always read Part A before attempting to complete any of the forms required with your submission. Parts B and C provide specific information pertaining to the Office of Engineering and Technology’s Laboratory Division and its Experimental Licensing Branch. If further information is required that cannot be answered in this guide, please consult the Commission's Rules as set forth in Title 47, Part 1, Subpart G, Section 1.1101 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Additional copies of this guide may be obtained without charge by calling (202) 418-3676 or 1-800-418-3676 or at http://www.fcc.gov/fees/appfees.html. All fees are subject to modification as required by Congress. PART A IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR APPLICANTS/LICENSEES WHO SUBMIT FEEABLE FILINGS Effective December 3, 2001, the use of the FCC Registration Number (FRN) is mandatory. If you do not yet have an FRN, you can obtain one through the FCC website listed below, or by filling out the registration form (Form 160) and submitting the registration form to the FCC. Please note that transactions with the FCC require the use of the FCC FRN. Therefore, please have the FRN available when contacting or submitting documents to the FCC. Ways to obtain an FCC Registration Number (FRN): · Go to www.fcc.gov/cores and click Register link. · File FCC Form 160, (CORES Registration). You may obtain the form at http://www.fcc.gov/formpage.html or by calling the FCC’s CORES Helpdesk at 1-877-480-3201. If you are unable to register electronically, you can submit your application for a Registration Number (FCC Form 160) directly by faxing the FRN registration form to the CORES Helpdesk at (202) 418-7869. You will then receive a confirmation letter from the FCC by mail through the U.S. Postal Service. DEBT COLLECTION IMPROVEMENT ACT In accordance with the Debt Collection Improvement Act (DCIA), the Commission will begin withholding action on applications and other requests for benefits upon discovery that the entity applying for or seeking benefits is delinquent in its non-tax debts owed to the Commission, and dismiss such applications or requests if the delinquent debt is not resolved. Our application fee rules have been amended to state that we will withhold action on applications or other requests if payment of the delinquent debt is not made or satisfactory arrangements for payment are not made. Those rule amendments are effective October 1, 2004. REMINDER REGARDING LOCKBOX CLOSURES During the past few years, the Commission has been reducing its use of P.O. Boxes for the collection of fees and has encouraged the use of electronic payment systems for all application and regulatory fees. The Commission previously revised its payment rules to encourage electronic payment of application processing fees and require electronic payment of regulatory fees. 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.1112 (application fees) and 1.1158 (regulatory fees). These rules became effective November 30, 2015. 80 FR 66816 (Oct. 30, 2015). The electronic payment of fees for applications, tariffs, and petitions increases the agency’s financial efficiency by reducing expenditures, including the annual fee for utilizing the bank’s services and the cost of processing each transaction manually, with very little or no inconvenience to the regulatees, applicants, and the public. See Treasury Financial Manual, Bulletin No. 2017-12, “Agency No-Cash or No-Check Policies,” released on September 18, 2017 (explaining the circumstances under which agencies may decide not to accept payments made in cash or by check), available at https://tfm.fiscal.treasury.gov/v1/bull/17-12.pdf; see also https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-06-16/pdf/2011-15181.pdf. As part of this process, the Commission has closed Lockbox 979095 (used to submit fees and petitions related to services provided by the Office of Engineering and Technology). Filers are now required to submit payments electronically in accordance with the procedures set forth on the Commission’s web site, https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-database/fees. Payments can be made through the Fee Filer Online System (Fee Filer), accessible at https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/fees/fee-filer, although we caution filers that the agency may transition to other secure payment systems in the future, after appropriate public notice and guidance. METHOD OF PAYMENT Payment of fees by check or money order are no longer accepted. The Commission accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards when making payments for online applications. Payments of fees by Wire Transfer – If paying by wire, remittance must be denominated in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. financial institution and made payable to “FCC.” Applicants located in foreign countries should contact their local bank to verify that their bank is affiliated with a U.S. financial institution so that they will be able to successfully transfer funds. For further instructions in making payment by wire see our website at https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/fees/wire-transfer. A wire transfer is a transaction that is initiated through a bank, authorizing the bank to wire funds from an account to the U.S. Treasury, New York, New York. All payments made by wire transfer (payable to the Federal Communications Commission) must be supported by faxing the “Wire Transfer Instructions” from Fee Filer to the Federal Communications Commission at (202) 418-2843 at least one hour before initiating the wire transfer (but on the same business day) so as not to delay crediting their account. These Wire Transfer Instructions contain valuable information (e.g. FRN, Voucher Number, Payer Name, and the Amount of the Wire) that will help to post the payment more quickly and avoid delays. Please note that most wire transfers initiated after 6:00 p.m. (ET) will be credited the next business day, and wires initiated outside of the United States may take additional time. Fee payors should discuss arrangements (including bank closing schedules, and bank wire transaction fees for which the Commission is not responsible) with their bankers several days before they plan to make the wire transfer to allow sufficient time for the transfer to be initiated and completed before the deadline, especially if the wire transfer is an international one. Complete instructions for making wire payments are posted at http://transition.fcc.gov/fees/wiretran.html. When initiating the wire transfer, please provide the bank with the following information to complete the transfer: ABA Routing Number: 021030004 Receiving Bank: TREAS NYC 33 Liberty St. New York, NY 10045 BNF: FCC/ACCT–27000001 OBI Field: (Skip one space between each information item) \”Application Fee” PAYER FRN (Exactly as on remittance instrument) PAYER NAME (Exactly as on remittance instrument) Phone: (Daytime Phone #, exactly as on remittance instrument) VOUCHER NUMBER (Exactly as on remittance (Form 159-E) instrument) Please note: The bank performing the wire transfer (or the bank draft) may charge a service fee, which is separate from the fees required for the FCC filing. Do not deduct the bank’s service fee from the fees due to the FCC. FEE EXEMPT APPLICATIONS Please check the appropriate block on your application, and if you have not previously done so, provide the proper documentation, as required, to certify that your application is fee exempt. 47 CFR, Part 1, Section 1.1116 of the Commission's rules explains who qualifies as fee exempt. MANAGING DIRECTOR DECISIONS Requests for waivers, fee determinations, reconsiderations, applications for review, deferments, and specific refund requests are referred directly to the Office of the Managing Director. Each request is forwarded to the Office of General Counsel for review and legal determination. 47 CFR, Part 1, Sections 1.1113 & 1.1117 govern the Commission's policies in these instances. The requester will receive written notification of the Managing Director's decision. These decisions are published monthly and are placed in FCC Docket 86-285. All such requests must be submitted in writing to: Managing Director Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW, Room 1-A625 Washington, DC 20554 WAIVERS, FEE DETERMINATIONS, AND DEFERRALS PROCESS The required filing fee must be paid for the service requested using the normal process. All requests for waivers, and fee determinations are filed directly with the Managing Director in Washington, DC. If the Commission grants the waiver request or the fee determination results in a lower fee, a refund will be issued. Deferrals of fees are also filed in Washington, DC, and have a limit of up to six months with good cause. Deferrals of fees are considered when the inability to pay the required fee is due to a financial hardship (i.e., bankruptcy), and must be accompanied by supporting documentation. REFUND PROCESS The appropriate Bureau/Office handles routine refund requests. When a Bureau/Office determines that a refund is warranted, it is forwarded to the Office of the Managing Director, Revenue and Receivables Operations Group for processing. The Revenue and Receivables Operations Group (RROG) handles all approved refund requests. Once the refund request is approved, the refund process usually takes 7-10 business days. Once a request has been reviewed and processed by RROG, it is forwarded to the U.S. Treasury in San Francisco, California where a check is issued to the payer of the remittance. For further information on return or refund of charges, refer to 47 CFR, Part 1, Section 1.1115 of the Commission’s Rules. QUESTIONS If you have questions regarding your application and/or fee, you may call toll free the FCC’s Consumer Center at 1-888-CALL FCC (1-888-225-5322). For information on CORES call the CORES Administrator at 1-877-480-3201. PART B EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES For the Commission’s radio frequency device equipment authorization services, fees are associated with the assignment of an Applicant / Grantee Code. These fees may be paid by wire transfer, electronic debit, or credit card (online). Submission of a paper FCC Form 159 is no longer required or permitted for equipment authorization applications. The remittance advice functionality is incorporated into the electronic filing system. All applications for an Applicant / Grantee Code are submitted electronically on the Commission’s website. To obtain a Grantee Code, click “Grantee Registration” under “Filing Options” at https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/index.cfm. Note: All entities doing business with the FCC MUST have an FCC Registration Number (FRN). To obtain an FRN, visit https://apps.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do. No fee is required for the assignment of an FRN. FEE PAYMENT INFORMATION FOR APPLICANT / GRANTEE CODE ASSIGNMENT The fee for the assignment of an Applicant / Grantee Code is a one-time charge. Payment for a Grantee Code must be submitted in a timely manner. If the payment is not received and verified by the Equipment Authorization System within thirty (30) calendar days of the date the Grantee Code is assigned, the Grantee Code will automatically be removed from our database. The applicant will then be required to obtain another Grantee Code. We strongly suggest that the payment be submitted no later than seven (7) calendar days after the Grantee Code assignment. We also suggest that labels should not be printed unless / until the fee payment has been verified. Fees may be paid by wire transfer, electronic debit, or credit card (online). The option to submit an online credit card payment is presented immediately after the assignment of the Applicant / Grantee code OR click the “Return to 159/Pay for a Grantee registration” link under “Filing Options” at https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/index.cfm. We suggest that the successful online payment acknowledgment be retained for future reference if necessary. An Application for Equipment Authorization, FCC Form 731, which must be submitted through a Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB), may only be submitted after the Grantee Code payment has been validated by the Commission. QUESTIONS / CONTACTS Questions concerning filing procedures, fees and other administrative matters related to radio frequency device equipment authorization should be directed to: Federal Communications Commission Laboratory Division Customer Service Branch Telephone: (301) 362-3000 Facsimile: (301) 362-3290 Web: https://www.fcc.gov/engineering-technology/laboratory-division/general/equipment-authorization- To obtain Equipment Authorization Filing Information Web: http://www.fcc.gov/kdb- To submit inquiries at our Knowledge Database (KDB) site TYPE OF APPLICATION: ASSIGNMENT OF GRANTEE CODE FEE AMOUNT: $70.00 PAYMENT TYPE CODE: EAG PART C EXPERIMENTAL RADIO SERVICES For the Commission’s experimental radio services, fees are associated with the following application types: New Station Authorization; Modification of Authorization; Renewal of Station Authorization; Assignment of License or Transfer of Control; and Special Temporary Authority. In addition, requests for withholding from public inspection that are associated with any of these applications require an additional, separate fee. These fees may be paid by wire transfer, electronic debit, or credit card (online). Submission of a paper FCC Form 159 is no longer required or permitted for equipment authorization applications. The remittance advice functionality is incorporated into the electronic filing system. The preferred method for Experimental application payments is to complete the electronic Form 159 at the same time an application is filed. There is also a “Return to 159 Form” link on the Experimental Licensing System (ELS) filing page that will properly link a fee payment with the proper application. Payments made through fee filer are not automatically linked to the ELS application and can cause additional effort to credit the proper fee payment. Applications for all experimental radio licenses must be submitted electronically on the OET Experimental Licensing System, which can be found at www.fcc.gov/els. For applications that are classified (CONFIDENTIAL OR SECRET) for National Security purposes, only unclassified information may be submitted through the Experimental Licensing System’s electronic interface. Special provisions for filing classified applications can be found below. Note: All entities doing business with the FCC must have an FCC Registration Number (FRN). To obtain an FRN, visit https://apps.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do. No fee is required for the assignment of an FRN. FEE PAYMENT INFORMATION Refer to Part A of this guide for specific information concerning payment of fees and methods of payment. Payment of fees by check or money order are no longer accepted. The Commission accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards when making payments for online applications. If paying by wire, remittance must be denominated in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. financial institution and made payable to “FCC.” Applicants located in foreign countries should contact their local bank to verify that their bank is affiliated with a U.S. financial institution so that they will be able to successfully transfer funds. For online credit card payments e suggest that the successful online payment acknowledgment be retained for future reference if necessary. FILING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION Applications that are classified (CONFIDENTIAL OR SECRET) for National Security purposes must be filed as follows: • File all unclassified data electronically using the ELS system. • NO classified information shall be submitted to the ELS system. Fill these fields with unclassified dummy data. Applicants should not enter any other sensitive data including ITAR space information electronically to the ELS system. • Submit an electronic attachment stating that the classified portion of the application has been submitted to the FCC’s Security Operations Staff or the FCC’s Operations Center in accordance with the instruction below. • Contact the FCC Operations Center at (202) 418-1122 and coordinate submission of the classified portion of the application via secure fax or secure email. Classified faxes or emails should be marked to the attention of OET Experimental Licensing Branch. QUESTIONS / CONTACTS Questions concerning filing procedures, fees and other administrative matters related to experimental radio services should be directed to: Federal Communications Commission Office of Engineering and Technology Experimental Licensing Branch Washington, DC 20554 Telephone (202) 418-2470 E-mail: elb@fcc.gov TYPE OF APPLICATION FCC FORM NO. OR DOCUMENT FEE PER FORM OR DOCUMENT 1. New Station Authorization 442 $70.00 2. Modification of Authorization 442 $70.00 3. Renewal of Station Authorization 405 $70.00 4. Assignment of License or Transfer of Control 702 or 703 $70.00 5. Special Temporary Authority STA and Correspondence $70.00 6. Additional fee required for any of the above applications that request withholding from public inspection Confidentiality Request Applications filed with a request for the Commission to withhold any information from public inspection pursuant to FCC rule provisions in Section 0.457(d) are charged a fee for the confidentiality request in addition to the fee associated with the underlying application. Applicants must also upload a letter with the application justifying the withholding of information in accordance with Section 0.459 of the Rules. Correspondence $70.00 Note: The Fee Type Code for all Experimental filings is EAE.