ALERT: FCC Inspectors Are Searching for Tower Violations

We strongly encourage our clients to be certain that their antenna towers are in full compliance with all applicable FCC requirements.

Recent reports strongly suggest that the FCC’s field inspectors are out in force, busily searching for tower violations, which will, now doubt, ultimately result in the issuance of notices of apparent liability for monetary forfeitures.

One of the most common types of violations is the failure to conspicuously post the Antenna Structure Registration Number at the base of the tower (which must be accomplished using weather resistant materials and with numbers of sufficient size to be easily seen at the base of the tower).

Another common violation is the failure to mark and light the tower in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration specifications.

FCC rules set $10,000 as the base amount of monetary forfeitures for failure to properly mark and light antenna towers, an amount that is subject to upward or downward adjustment depending on the facts of the case.

The rules do not specify a base forfeiture for failure to conspicuously post the Antenna Structure Registration Number, but presumably it would not exceed $10,000.

However, each day of non-compliance can be viewed as a separate violation.

For more information, contact Ben Dickens at (202) 828-5540.