Space Launch and Reentry Licensing and Permitting User Fees
Summary
The FAA provides notice of commercial space launch and reentry user fees required under 51 U.S.C. 50924, as established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. 119-21). The fees are assessed per launch or reentry based on payload weight, with two fee schedules: one per pound of payload weight and a maximum user fee cap. Vehicle operators must provide payload weight at least 60 days prior to each mission, and payment is due within 30 days of FAA fee notification. The FAA will incorporate fee terms and conditions into new licenses and permits, though operators remain liable for fees regardless of whether terms are included.
Commercial space launch operators should review their existing licenses and permits to confirm they understand fee liability under 51 U.S.C. 50924. Since operators remain liable for user fees regardless of whether fee terms are incorporated into their license or permit, any operator who conducted launches or reentries in 2026 should anticipate retroactive fee notifications from the FAA later in 2026 and should ensure payment systems are configured to meet the 30-day remittance requirement.
What changed
The FAA is implementing user fees for commercial space launch and reentry operators as mandated by 51 U.S.C. 50924, established under Pub. L. 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act). The fees apply to all launches and reentries conducted in 2026 or later under licenses or permits issued pursuant to 51 U.S.C. 50904, and are calculated based on payload weight using two fee schedules that set specific rates for each calendar year. FAA will incorporate fee assessment and collection terms into new experimental permits and vehicle operator licenses, though operators remain independently liable for fees even absent such terms in their authorizations.
Commercial space launch vehicle operators must update compliance and financial processes to accommodate the new fee structure. Operators should ensure they have procedures in place to report payload weight at least 60 days before each mission and to remit payment within 30 days of receiving FAA fee notifications. Since fee notifications for fees accrued since January 1, 2026 will be issued later in 2026, operators should anticipate retroactive fee assessments for all 2026 launches and reentries.
What to do next
- Provide payload weight to FAA at least 60 days prior to each mission
- Submit user fee payment within 30 days of fee notification
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Notice
Space Launch and Reentry Licensing and Permitting User Fees
A Notice by the Federal Aviation Administration on 04/22/2026
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- Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-07789 (91 FR 21591) Document Headings ###### Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
AGENCY:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION:
Policy statement.
SUMMARY:
This document provides notice of the FAA imposing commercial space launch and reentry licensing and permitting user fees, as required under statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
James A. Hatt, Manager, Space Policy Division, Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20591, 202-549-2325, James.A.Hatt@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984, as amended and codified at 51 U.S.C. 50901 through 50924 (“Act”), authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, and the Administrator of the FAA through delegation, 1 to oversee, license, and regulate commercial launch and reentry activities, and the operation of launch and reentry sites as carried out by United States citizens or within the United States. The Act's requirements are implemented in parts 400 through 460 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR).
On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. 119-21) establishing a fee beginning in 2026 for each launch or reentry carried out under a license or permit issued under section 50904 (51 U.S.C. 50924, as established by section 4004 of Pub. L. 119-21, title IV, § 40004(a), 139 Stat. 132 (July 4, 2025)). Section 50924 further directs the Secretary of Transportation to collect and deposit the fees in a newly established “Office of Commercial Space Transportation Launch and Reentry Licensing and Permitting Fund” located in the Treasury of the United States. The user fee is to be assessed in an amount equal to the lesser of two amounts prescribed by two fee schedules. Both fee schedules set forth specific rates for each calendar year. One fee schedule establishes the rate that is to be assessed for each pound of the weight of the payload, while the other one provides a maximum user fee.
For the purpose of collecting the user fees required by 51 U.S.C. 50924, FAA will begin including terms and conditions that outline the fee assessment and collection procedures as set forth by 51 U.S.C. 50924 in experimental permits and vehicle operator licenses subject to those fees. Regardless of whether the permit or license contains those terms and conditions, operators are still liable for user fees under 51 U.S.C. 50924 for all launches and reentries conducted in 2026 under a license or and permit issued under section 50904.
II. Fee Assessment and Payment Process Under 51 U.S.C. 50924
51 U.S.C. 50924 requires FAA to assess the user fees based on the weight of the payload on each launch or reentry carried out under a license or permit issued pursuant to 51 U.S.C. 50904 during 2026 or a subsequent year. For each launch or reentry, vehicle operators are currently required to provide FAA with the weight of the payload at least 60 days prior to each mission. 2 FAA will use the payload weight provided by vehicle operators as part of their pre-flight reporting submission to calculate the user fee owed for the launch or reentry and will issue a fee notification to the vehicle operator reflecting the amount due. As reflected in the terms and conditions that FAA will incorporate into all new licenses and permits, vehicle operators will then have thirty (30) days from the date of the issuance of the fee notification in order to submit payment for the user fee in accordance with the instructions provided in the fee notification. This includes notifications for fees accrued since January 1, 2026, which FAA intends to issue later in 2026.
Endnotes
1 See 49 CFR 1.83(b).
2 See, e.g., 14 CFR 450.43(i) and .213(b)(1).
Issued in Washington, DC.
Minh A. Nguyen,
Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2026-07789 Filed 4-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
Published Document: 2026-07789 (91 FR 21591)
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