(a) Purpose. The purpose of this rule section is to detail the method for computing the amount of time within which persons or entities must act in response to deadlines established by the Commission. It also applies to computation of time for seeking both reconsideration and judicial review of Commission decisions. In addition, this rule section prescribes the method for computing the amount of time within which the Commission must act in response to deadlines established by statute, a Commission rule, or Commission order.

(b) General Rule—Computation of Beginning Date When Action is Initiated by Commission or Staff. Unless otherwise provided, the first day to be counted when a period of time begins with an action taken by the Commission, an Administrative Law Judge or by members of the Commission or its staff pursuant to delegated authority is the day after the day on which public notice of that action is given. See §1.4(b) (1)-(5) of this section. Unless otherwise provided, all Rules measuring time from the date of the issuance of a Commission document entitled “Public Notice” shall be calculated in accordance with this section. See §1.4(b)(4) of this section for a description of the “Public Notice” document. Unless otherwise provided in §1.4 (g) and (h) of this section, it is immaterial whether the first day is a “holiday.” For purposes of this section, the term public notice means the date of any of the following events: See §1.4(e)(1) of this section for definition of “holiday.”

(1) For all documents in notice and comment and non-notice and comment rulemaking proceedings required by the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, 553, to be published in the Federal Register, including summaries thereof, the date of publication in the Federal Register.

(2) For non-rulemaking documents released by the Commission or staff, including the Commission's section 271 determinations, 47 U.S.C. 271, the release date.

(3) For rule makings of particular applicability, if the rule making document is to be published in the Federal Register and the Commission so states in its decision, the date of public notice will commence on the day of the Federal Register publication date. If the decision fails to specify Federal Register publication, the date of public notice will commence on the release date, even if the document is subsequently published in the Federal Register. See Declaratory Ruling, 51 FR 23059 (June 25, 1986).

(4) If the full text of an action document is not to be released by the Commission, but a descriptive document entitled “Public Notice” describing the action is released, the date on which the descriptive “Public Notice” is released.

(5) If a document is neither published in the Federal Register nor released, and if a descriptive document entitled “Public Notice” is not released, the date appearing on the document sent (e.g., mailed, telegraphed, etc.) to persons affected by the action.

(c) General Rule—Computation of Beginning Date When Action is Initiated by Act, Event or Default. Commission procedures frequently require the computation of a period of time where the period begins with the occurrence of an act, event or default and terminates a specific number of days thereafter. Unless otherwise provided, the first day to be counted when a period of time begins with the occurrence of an act, event or default is the day after the day on which the act, event or default occurs.

(d) General Rule—Computation of Terminal Date. Unless otherwise provided, when computing a period of time the last day of such period of time is included in the computation, and any action required must be taken on or before that day.

(e) Definitions for purposes of this section:

(1) The term holiday means Saturday, Sunday, officially recognized Federal legal holidays and any other day on which the Commission's Headquarters are closed and not reopened prior to 5:30 p.m., or on which a Commission office aside from Headquarters is closed (but, in that situation, the holiday will apply only to filings with that particular office). For example, a regularly scheduled Commission business day may become a holiday with respect to the entire Commission if Headquarters is closed prior to 5:30 p.m. due to adverse weather, emergency or other closing. Additionally, a regularly scheduled Commission business day may become a holiday with respect to a particular Commission office aside from Headquarters if that office is closed prior to 5:30 p.m. due to similar circumstances.

(2) The term business day means all days, including days when the Commission opens later than the time specified in Rule §0.403, which are not “holidays” as defined above.

(3) The term filing period means the number of days allowed or prescribed by statute, rule, order, notice or other Commission action for filing any document with the Commission. It does not include any additional days allowed for filing any document pursuant to paragraphs (g), (h) and (j) of this section.

(4) The term filing date means the date upon which a document must be filed after all computations of time authorized by this section have been made.

(f) Except as provided in §0.401(b) of this chapter, all petitions, pleadings, tariffs or other documents not required to be accompanied by a fee and which are hand-carried must be tendered for filing in complete form, as directed by the Commission's rules, with the Office of the Secretary before 4 p.m., at the address indicated in 47 CFR 0.401(a). The Secretary will determine whether a tendered document meets the pre-7:00 p.m. deadline. Documents filed electronically pursuant to §1.49(f) must be received by the Commission's electronic filing system before midnight. Applications, attachments and pleadings filed electronically in the Universal Licensing System (ULS) pursuant to §1.939(b) must be received before midnight on the filing date. Media Bureau applications and reports filed electronically pursuant to §73.3500 of this chapter must be received by the electronic filing system before midnight on the filing date.

(g) Unless otherwise provided (e.g., §§1.773 and 76.1502(e)(1) of this chapter), if the filing period is less than 7 days, intermediate holidays shall not be counted in determining the filing date.

(h) If a document is required to be served upon other parties by statute or Commission regulation and the document is in fact served by mail (see §1.47(f)), and the filing period for a response is 10 days or less, an additional 3 days (excluding holidays) will be allowed to all parties in the proceeding for filing a response. This paragraph (h) shall not apply to documents filed pursuant to §1.89, §1.315(b) or §1.316. For purposes of this paragraph (h) service by facsimile or by electronic means shall be deemed equivalent to hand delivery.

(i) If both paragraphs (g) and (h) of this section are applicable, make the paragraph (g) computation before the paragraph (h) computation.

(j) Unless otherwise provided (e.g. §76.1502(e) of this chapter) if, after making all the computations provided for in this section, the filing date falls on a holiday, the document shall be filed on the next business day. See paragraph (e)(1) of this section. If a rule or order of the Commission specifies that the Commission must act by a certain date and that date falls on a holiday, the Commission action must be taken by the next business day.

(k) Where specific provisions of part 1 conflict with this section, those specific provisions of part 1 are controlling. See, e.g.,§§1.45(d), 1.773(a)(3) and 1.773(b)(2). Additionally, where §76.1502(e) of this chapter conflicts with this section, those specific provisions of §76.1502 are controlling. See e.g. 47 CFR 76.1502(e).

(l) When Commission action is required by statute to be taken by a date that falls on a holiday, such action may be taken by the next business day (unless the statute provides otherwise).

[52 FR 49159, Dec. 30, 1987; 53 FR 44196, Nov. 2, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 40567, 40568, Aug. 15, 1991; 58 FR 17529, Apr. 5, 1993; 61 FR 11749, Mar. 22, 1996; 62 FR 26238, May 13, 1997; 63 FR 24124, May 1, 1998; 64 FR 27201, May 19, 1999; 64 FR 60725, Nov. 8, 1999; 65 FR 46109, July 27, 2000; 67 FR 13223, Mar. 21, 2002; 71 FR 15618, Mar. 29, 2006; 74 FR 68544, Dec. 28, 2009; 76 FR 24390, May 2, 2011; 76 FR 70908, Nov. 16, 2011; 85 FR 39075, June 30, 2020]