47 U.S.C. § 159a — Provisions applicable to application and regulatory fees

(a) Judicial review prohibited: Nobody can get judicial review of any fee-schedule adjustment or amendment the Commission makes under section 158(b), 158(c), 159(c), or 159(d). (b) Notice to Congress: The Commission must notify Congress: (1) immediately after adopting any adjustment under section 158(b) or 159(c); and (2) at least 90 days before any amendment under section 158(c) or 159(d) takes effect. (c) Enforcement: (1) Penalties for late payment: The Commission must set, by rule, an extra penalty for paying application or regulatory fees late — 25 percent of the unpaid amount. (2) Interest on unpaid fees and penalties: The Commission must also charge interest on any late fee or penalty, at the rate set under section 3717 of title 31 (though that section's other rules don't otherwise apply here). (3) Dismissal of applications or filings: The Commission can dismiss any application or filing if the required fee, interest, or penalty isn't paid on time. (4) Revocations: (A) In general: Instead of, or in addition to, dismissing filings or imposing penalties, the Commission can revoke a license if the licensee hasn't paid a regulatory fee, interest, or penalty on time. (B) Notice: Before revoking, the Commission must send the licensee written notice by registered mail to their last known address, giving them at least 30 days to either pay up or show cause why they shouldn't have to pay, or why payment should be waived or delayed. (C) Hearing: (i) Generally not required: The Commission only has to hold a hearing if the licensee's response raises a real, material factual dispute. (ii) Evidence and burdens: If a hearing does happen, it relies only on written evidence, and the licensee carries the burden of presenting evidence and proving its case. (iii) Costs: If the licensee doesn't substantially win the hearing, the Commission can charge the licensee for the hearing's costs. (D) Opportunity to pay prior to revocation: Any Commission order under this process must state the amount owed and give the licensee at least 30 more days to pay before losing the license. (E) Finality: A revocation order doesn't become final until the licensee has used up its right to judicial review under section 402(b)(5). (d) Waiver, reduction, and deferment: The Commission can waive, reduce, or delay a fee, interest charge, or penalty in individual cases, for good cause, if doing so serves the public interest. (e) Payment rules: The Commission must allow, by rule: (1) installment payments for large fees; and (2) advance payment, for up to the length of the license term, for small fees. (f) Accounting system: The Commission must build the accounting systems needed to carry out the fee amendments authorized under sections 158(c) and 159(d).