The Commission declined to adopt proposals that would have departed from its assessment methodology to lessen fees for regulatees in certain industry sectors. The agency also maintained the existing data source used for assessing regulatory fees on Commercial Mobile Radio Service providers without alteration.

Specific bureaus saw targeted changes in their staffing allocations. One additional full-time equivalent was reallocated from the Office of General Counsel as direct to the Media Bureau. The Commission also declined to subtract two full-time equivalents from the Media Bureau’s direct allocation, keeping that bureau's headcount stable in this regard.

Not all staff positions contribute directly to the fee calculation base. The Commission will continue to treat all full-time equivalents in the Office of Engineering and Technology, Enforcement Bureau, and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau as indirect. These indirect positions are not included in the direct full-time equivalent count used to apportion costs among fee payors.

The financial burden is distributed across different sectors based on these staffing allocations. Fees from Wireless Telecommunications Bureau payors are projected at an amount consistent with the overall fee schedule. Fees from Media Bureau payors are projected at an amount consistent with the overall fee schedule. Smaller entities may qualify for relief under existing rules, as the de minimis threshold for regulatory fees remains at $1,000.

The rulemaking process included standard regulatory reviews. The Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, concurred that this rule is nonmajor under the Congressional Review Act. The Commission also prepared a final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis concerning the potential impact of rule and policy changes contained in the Fiscal Year 2026 Regulatory Fees Report and Order.

Timeline

On August 26, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a regulatory fee schedule for Fiscal Year 2026 to assess and collect $416,112,000. On the same date, the Commission reallocated 61 full-time equivalents from the Office of General Counsel, the Office of Economics and Analytics, and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau as direct full-time equivalents. Also on August 26, 2026, there were 379.5 direct non-auction full-time equivalents for Fiscal Year 2026 after reallocations.

The Commission has prepared a final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis concerning the potential impact of rule and policy changes contained in the Fiscal Year 2026 Regulatory Fees Report and Order, a step completed on August 26, 2026. On that date, one additional full-time equivalent was reallocated from the Office of General Counsel as direct to the Media Bureau. The Commission will continue to treat all full-time equivalents in the Office of Engineering and Technology, Enforcement Bureau, and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau as indirect, a determination made on August 26, 2026. The Commission declined to subtract two full-time equivalents from the Media Bureau’s direct allocation on August 26, 2026, and also on that date did not alter the data source used for assessing regulatory fees on Commercial Mobile Radio Service providers.

Why It Matters

The adoption of the Fiscal Year 2026 regulatory fee schedule establishes the financial obligations for entities regulated by the Federal Communications Commission for the upcoming fiscal period. The $416,112,000 total represents the amount the agency determined necessary to recover its costs through direct assessments on licensees and service providers. By setting a payment deadline of September 24, 2026, the Commission provides a specific window for compliance before penalties and interest accrue, ensuring timely collection of funds required for agency operations.

The decision to maintain the current assessment methodology and data sources indicates continuity in how the Commission calculates fees across different industry sectors. Rejecting proposals to lessen fees for certain regulatees means that the existing distribution of costs among Wireless Telecommunications and Media Bureau payors will remain in effect. The reallocation of full-time equivalents among various offices, such as moving staff from the Office of General Counsel to direct roles, directly influences how these costs are apportioned, affecting the final fee amounts owed by different categories of regulatees.