The Federal Communications Commission's authority to impose and collect fees is mandated by Congress. In Section 8 of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1989 (Title III, Section 3001 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-239), Section 8, revising 47 U.S.C. 158), Congress authorized the FCC to impose and collect application processing fees and directed the Commission to prescribe charges for certain types of application processing or authorization services it provides to communications entities over which it has jurisdiction. Application processing fees are deposited in the U.S. Treasury and are not available to the Commission.

Section 6003 (a) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-66) added a new Section 9 to the Act. Section 9 (a) of the Communications Act authorizes the Commission to collect annual regulatory fees to recover the annual costs of its enforcement, policy and rulemaking, user information, and international activities. 47 U.S.C. 159 (a). 47 U.S.C. 159 (b) (1) (A) and 47 U.S.C. 159 (g). The Schedule of Fees sets forth annual regulatory fees for specific categories of regulates in the Mass Media, Common Carrier, Wireless, International and Cable Television Services. The regulatory fees do not apply to government entities, amateur radio operator licensees (other than amateur vanity call signs), and non-profit entities.

The Managing Director is responsible for fee decisions in response to requests for waiver or deferral of fees as well as other pleadings associated with the fee collection process. The following Public Notices list Managing Director fee decisions released for public information:

• 8/13/04 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

• 10/14/03 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

• 5/22/03 Public Notice: Word | Acrobat