FCC Document Numbering System
In the course of your research, you will encounter different types of document numbers. Here are some explanations:
- FCC number (e.g. FCC-99-123): assigned to decisions/documents issued by the authority of the entire Commission, with each Commissioner voting. A FCC number is comprised of two digits indicating the year, and a number of up to 3 digits indicating the sequence.
- DA number (e.g. DA-99-123): assigned to decisions/documents issued by authority delegated to the Bureaus and Offices by the Commission. A DA number is comprised of two digits indicating the year, and a number of up to 3 digits indicating the sequence.
- Docket number (e.g. 83-593, WT 99-123): FCC actions that are related to a specific policy initiative called "a docketed proceeding" are assigned the same docket number assigned to the first proceeding. A docket number is comprised of two digits indicating the year, and a number of up to 3 digits indicating the sequence. Sometimes the initials of the initiating bureau are put at the beginning of a docket number. The initials are: CG for Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, EB for Enforcement Bureau, IB for International Bureau, MB for Media Bureau, WT for Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, WC for Wireline Competition Bureau.
- Rulemaking number (e.g. RM-5667)
- Report number (e.g. Report No. 982): Assigned to public notices which are issued on a regular schedule are assigned a sequential report number.
- Federal Register citation (e.g. 65 FR 2341): The FCC publishes summaries of decisions and other notices in the Federal Register. The first number is the volume, FR stands for Federal Register, and the last number is the page on which the decision or notice begins.
- FCC Record citation (e.g. 19 FCCR 231): FCC Record is the official publication of FCC decisions and other documents. It continues FCC Reports, 2nd Series (FCC 2nd). The first number is the volume number, the last number the page on which the decision or notice begins.
If you have the FR or FCCR citation, you can easily retrieve the documents in: the Federal Register (refer to "Where to Find Federal Regulations," left); FCC Record (print, online on HeinOnline, Lexis and Westlaw); FCC website.
If you have the Docket Number, Rulemaking number, FCC number, or DA number, you can easily retrieve the documents in: FCC website; FCC Record (print - use the index; online on HeinOnline, Lexis and Westlaw); Federal Register (refer to "Where to Find Federal Regulations," left).
Sources for FCC Decisions
Official Reporter
- FCC Record: A Comprehensive Compilation of Decisions, Reports, Public Notices and Other Documents of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. Official source of FCC rulemaking documents.
- Pike & Fischer (BNA), Radio Regulation (1948-1963), Radio Regulation 2nd Series (1963-1995)and Communications Regulations (1995-2011). Older cases frequently use RR, RR 2d and CR citations. Available on Bloomberg Law's In Focus: Communications Law page.
Unofficial Reporters
- EDOCS at the FCC web site: "EDOCS lets you search a database of Daily Digest entries for FCC documents posted to the FCC web site since March 1996. The query searches on words and numbers that appeared in the Daily Digest title and in the description for each document, not on the full text of each document. EDOCS has two search modules: quick and advanced."
- Lexis: Federal Communications Commission Decisions (from March 13, 1939); FCC Daily Digest (from August 3, 1989).
- Westlaw: Federal Communications Commissions Decisions & Guidance (from 1965; includes the FCC Daily Digest, the FCC Reports or the FCC Record); FCC News (from January 1994; includes press releases, transcripts, reports, notices & regulations).
