Any regulatory fee payment must be submitted in the form of a check, bank draft or money order denominated in U.S. dollars and drawn on a United States financial institution and made payable to the Federal Communications Commission or by Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover credit cards only. The Commission discourages applicants from submitting cash payments and will not be responsible for cash sent through the mail. Personal or corporate checks dated more than six months prior to their submission to the Commission's lockbox bank and postdated checks will not be accepted and will be returned as deficient.
(a) Upon authorization from the Commission following a written request, electronic fund transfer (EFT) payment of a regulatory fee may be made as follows:
(1)(i) The payor may instruct its bank to make payment of the regulatory fee directly to the Commission's lockbox bank, or
(i) The payor may instruct its bank to make payment of the regulatory fee directly to the Commission's lockbox bank, or
(ii) The payor may authorize the Commission to direct its lockbox bank to withdraw funds directly from the payor's bank account.
(2) No EFT payment of a regulatory fee will be accepted unless the payor has obtained the written authorization of the Commission to submit regulatory fees electronically. Procedures for electronic payment of regulatory fees will be announced by Public Notice. It is the responsibility of the payor to insure that any electronic payment is made in the manner required by the Commission. Failure to comply with the Commission's procedures for electronic fee payment will result in the return of the fee payment, and a penalty fee of 25 percent if the subsequent refiling of the fee payment is late. Failure to comply will also subject the payor to the penalties set forth in Sec. 1.1164.
(b) Multiple payment instruments for a single regulatory fee are not permitted, except that the Commission will accept multiple money orders in payment of any fee where the fee exceeds the maximum amount for a money order established by the issuing entity and the use of multiple money orders is the only practicable means available for payment.
(c) Payment of multiple standard regulatory fees (including an installment payment) due on the same date, may be made with a single payment instrument and cover mass media, common carrier, international, and cable service fee payments. Each regulatee is solely responsible for accurately accounting for and listing each license or authorization and the number of subscribers, access lines, or other relevant units on the accompanying FCC Form 159 and, if needed, FCC Form 159C and for making full payment for every regulatory fee listed on the accompanying form. Any omission or payment deficiency of a regulatory fee will result in a 25 percent penalty of the amount due and unpaid.
(d) Any regulatory fee payment (including a regulatory fee payment submitted with an application in the wireless radio service) made by credit card or money order must be submitted with a completed FCC Form 159. Failure to accurately enter the credit card number and date of expiration and the payor's signature in the appropriate blocks on FCC Form 159 will result in rejection of the credit card payment. [60 FR 34031, June 29, 1995, as amended at 67 FR 46306, July 12, 2002]