Forms to File

Service Providers should familiarize themselves with the two FCC Forms 499 required for reporting revenue.

Copies of these forms and their instructions can be found on the Resources page

FCC Form 499-A

  • Required for all filers
  • The FCC Form 499-A is used to report the company’s actual revenue billed during the prior calendar year.
  • The FCC Form 499-A is due annually on April 1.
FCC Form 499-Q

  • Required for all non-de minimis filers
  • The FCC Form 499-Q is used to forecast the company’s revenue for the next calendar quarter.
  • The FCC Form 499-Q is due quarterly.
    • February 1
    • May 1
    • August 1
    • November 1

Filers must submit forms using E-File, USAC’s online filing system. For more information about online filing, review the Service Providers FAQs.

The FCC Forms 499 must be received by USAC on or before the due dates to be considered filed on time. USAC is required to assess late filing penalties when a form is not filed within 30 days after the due date.

FCC Form 499-A

Filers use the FCC Form 499-A to register with USAC for the first time, and, on an annual basis, to report historical revenues from the prior year. USAC uses the historical revenues reported on this form to determine a non-de minimis filer’s final universal service contribution obligation for the prior calendar year. This is completed through USAC’s 499 A/Q true up process.

For more information about filing the FCC Form 499-A, review the FCC Form 499-A instructions and the FCC Form 499-A Online User Guide.

FCC Form 499-Q

Filers use the FCC Form 499-Q to report historical revenues from the prior quarter and to forecast revenues for the upcoming quarter. Filers that do not have a direct universal service obligation (de minimis) are not required to file the FCC Form 499-Q. For more information about how to file FCC Form 499-Q, view the FCC Form 499-Q training video.

The projected revenue data reported on this form is used to calculate the FCC universal service contribution factor and circularity factor, as well as to calculate the filer’s monthly universal service contribution obligation.

USAC Estimated Forms

USAC will attempt to notify a filer by email, before the close of the filing period, if that company’s required FCC Form 499-A/Q filing has not been certified by a Company Officer or is missing. A failure by USAC to notify a filer under these terms does not constitute a basis for that filer to dispute USAC estimates or billings.

USAC is required to estimate revenue for companies that are required to file the FCC Form 499-A and the FCC Form 499-Q, but fail to do so. USAC is required to bill those filers based on the estimated revenue. To develop an estimate, USAC will generally use information from the filer’s last certified FCC Form 499-A.  These forms can be identified as having the status of ‘USAC Estimate’ in E-File.

If a company files an FCC Form 499-A/Q after USAC has generated an estimate, that filed form will follow the same process as a revision and may be rejected if it is submitted after the revision deadline.