Document Type
Every FCC document that is released falls into a specific category. For example, news releases are statements summarizing decisions or activities that the Commission considers newsworthy. Decision documents are issued as different types of opinions or orders, depending on the kind of decision that is issued. Public notices contain information to inform the public promptly and succinctly about a wide variety of Commission actions. Public notice announcements often have legal precedence. For example, several bureaus issue weekly public notices containing lists of license actions taken. Here is a list of the abbreviations for the document types and the corresponding description.
| Document Type | Description |
| Admonishment | Admonishment Issued |
| Advisory(News Release) | Consumer Advisory |
| Agenda Item (News Release) | Agenda Item News Release |
| Cease & Desist Order | Cease & Desist Order Issued |
| Citations | Citation Issued |
| Consent Decree | Consent Decree/Penalty Issued |
| Correction (Correction) | Correction |
| Debarment Notice | Debarment Notice Issued |
| Forfeiture Order | Forfeiture Order Issued |
| MO&O | MO&O |
| NAL | NAL Issued |
| News Release (FACT SHEET) | Fact Sheet |
| News Release (News Release) | News Release |
| News Release (Open Proceedings) | Open Proceedings |
| News Release (Part 68 Applications Received) | Part 68 Applications Received |
| News Release (STMT) | Statement |
| News Release (Study) | Statement |
| NIPRB | NIPRB Issued |
| NOHI | NOHI |
| NOHI/NOUO | NOHI/NOUO Combined Issued |
| NOUO | NOUO - Mailed |
| NOV | NOV Issued |
| Order | Order Issued |
| Order on Reconsideration | Order re Petition for Reconsideration Issued |
| Order on Review | Order re Application for Review Issued |
| Public Notice (BLS Notice) | Broadcast Licensing Service Notice |
| Public Notice (Broadcast Action) | Broadcast Action (MB) |
| Public Notice (Broadcast Applications) | Broadcast Applications (MB) |
| Public Notice (Callsign Changes) | Callsign Changes (MB) |
| Public Notice (Erratum) | Erratum released as a Public Notice |
| Public Notice (Exparte) | Exparte released as a Public Notice |
| Public Notice (FM Windows) | FM Windows (MB) |
| Public Notice (ITFS Notices) | ITFS Notices (MB) |
| Public Notice (LPTV Notices) | LPTV Notices (MB) |
| Public Notice (MDS Notices) | MDS Notices (MB) |
| Public Notice (Part 68 Actions) | Part 68 Actions |
| Public Notice (PN) | Public Notice |
| Public Notice (Radio Cutoffs) | Radio Cutoffs (MB) |
| Public Notice (Tariffs Combined) | Tariffs Combined |
| Public Notice (TV Notices) | TV Notices (MB) |
| R&O | R&O |
| Shutdown Order | Shutdown Order Issued |
| Speech (SPEECH) | Speech |
| Statement | Statement |
| Sunshine (Sunshine) | Sunshine |
| Suspension Notice | Suspension Notice Issued |
| Text (Cable Landing Licenses) | Cable Landing Licenses (IB) |
| Text (Certificate & Order) | Certificate & Order |
| Text (Citations) | Citations |
| Text (Compliance guide) | Compliance guide |
| Text (Consent Decree) | Consent Decree |
| Text (Court Filing) | Court Filing |
| Text (Court Opinion) | Court Opinion |
| Text (Decision) | Decision |
| Text (Declaratory Ruling) | Declaratory Ruling |
| Text (EB Field Office NAL) | Enforcement Field Office |
| Text (ERRATUM) | Erratum released as a Text |
| Text (FNPRM) | Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| Text (Forfeiture Order) | Forfeiture Order |
| Text (FR Summary) | Federal Register Summary |
| Text (Hearing Decision Order) | Hearing Decision Order |
| Text (Index) | Index |
| Text (Initial Decision) | Initial Decision |
| Text (LETTER) | Letter |
| Text (M&O) | Memorandum and Order |
| Text (MO&O) | Memorandum Opinion and Order |
| Text (MO&OR) | Memorandum Opinion and Order on Reconsideration |
| Text (MOO&A) | Memorandum Opinion and Order and Authorization |
| Text (NAL) | Notice of Apparent Liability |
| Text (NALF) | Notice of Apparent Liability and Forfeiture |
| Text (NOI) | Notice of Inquiry |
| Text (Notice) | Notice |
| Text (NOUO) | Notice of Unauthorized Operation |
| Text (NOV) | Notices of Violation |
| Text (NPRM) | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| Text (O&A) | Order and Authorization |
| Text (ORDER) | Order |
| Text (Order, Authorization & Certificate) | Order, Authorization & Certificate |
| Text (Policy Statement) | Policy Statement |
| Text (R&O) | Report & Order |
| Text (RAO Notices) | Responsible Accounting Office Letter |
| Text (RECON) | Reconsideration |
| Text (REPORT) | Report |
| Text (See Citator3) | Legacy Citator Data, with no known document type |
| Text (STA) | Special Temporary Authority |
| Text (Summary Decision) | Summary Decision |
| Text (Supplemental Initial Decision) | Supplemental Initial Decision |
Bureau or Office
o The FCC is divided into 19 Bureaus and Offices, and five Commissioner Offices. You can see a brief overview of each Bureau and Office's functions and responsibilities at https://www.fcc.gov/offices-bureaus.
FCC Number
Decisions are issued in two different ways: by the authority of the entire Commission, with each Commissioner voting; or by authority delegated to the Bureaus and Offices by the Commission. If the decision is one decided by the Commission, it is identified by an FCC number. The FCC number is comprised of two digits indicating the year, and a number of up to 3 digits indicating the sequence. An example of an FCC number is: 99-123. You may do a wildcard search in this field, using %. For example, if you enter 99-1% in this field, it will search for all documents with a FCC number starting with 99-1, such as FCC-99-15, FCC-99-1, FCC-99-100.
DA Number
See FCC number (above) for a brief discussion of the types of authority used to issue decisions. The DA number is constructed similarly to an FCC number, with two initial digits indicating the year, and a number of up to 4 digits indicating the sequence. An example of a DA number is: 99-1234. You may do a wildcard search in this field, using %. For example, if you enter 00-2%, it will search for all documents starting with 00-2, such as DA-00-22, DA-00-26, DA-00-24.
Title Contains
The system will do a full text search for this field. For Title Contains, enter a key word or phrase or partial word/phrase that appears somewhere in the title. For example, if you are looking for documents relating to Broadcast Applications and Broadcast Actions enter "Broadcast A" in the Title Contains field . The system will retrieve documents on that have either "Broadcast Applications" or "Broadcast Actions " in the title.
Description Contains
The system does a full text search for this field. For Description Contains, enter a key word or phrase or partial word/phrase that appears somewhere in the description. For example, if you enter Auto in this field, it will search for all document, that have auto, Auto, Automatic, or AUTOMATIC in the title of the document.
Docket or RM
Many FCC actions are related to a specific policy initiative called "a docketed proceeding". The docket number is assigned when the proceeding first gets under way, and all subsequent documents related to that proceeding use the same docket number. The form of a docket number is similar to FCC and DA numbers in that it is constructed with the first 2 digits indicating the year and 3 remaining digits which are assigned in sequence. The initials of the initiating bureau are sometimes put at the beginning of a docket number. A docket number will look like this: 83-593 or WT 99-123. A Rulemaking number will look like this: RM-5667. You may do wildcard searches in this field, using %. For example, if you are looking for document relating to docket 99-123, enter %99-123. By entering %99-123 in this field, the system will search for documents associated with docket 99-123 or WT 99-123.
File Number
Most Bureaus and Offices use internal numbers to track activities and issues. Often these file numbers appear on the document. The format of these numbers varies among Bureaus and Offices. You may do a wildcard search in this field, using %.
Report Number
This is another Bureau-assigned number. Often, public notices which are issued on a regular schedule are assigned a sequential report number so that customers who follow a particular type of activity can easily ensure that they do not miss any of the reports. There is no standard format. You may do wildcard searches in this field, using %.
Dates
Please enter a beginning and ending date for all date searches. Dates must be entered in this format: mm/dd/yyyy. Please be sure to use the 4 digit year.
Released
The released date is the date a document was made available to the public.
Adopted
The adopted date is the date that a decision is made. A decision may be adopted by the Commission at a meeting or by circulation among the Commissioners. Decisions may also be adopted by Bureau and Office Chiefs on delegated authority. The adopted decision usually is released some time after it is adopted.
Comment
When the Commission or a Bureau issues a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), it gives the public an opportunity to comment on it, before the issues are decided. The end of the comment period is stated when the NPRM is issued. Sometimes the Commission asks for public comments in other types of proceedings.
Reply Comment
After the initial comment period for each rulemaking proceeding, the public has an opportunity to review other comments filed in the proceedings, and submit responses, known as "reply comments". The deadline for reply comments is also stated when the NPRM is issued.
Issued
This term pertains to the release of documents other than decisions; such as reports.
Federal Register Citation
All Federal Agencies publish summaries of Agency decisions and other notices in the Federal Register. Federal Register citations take this format: 65 FR 1234, 1/2/2000. In this example, 65 is the volume, 1234 is the page number, and 1/2/2000 is the date on which the item was published in the Federal Register.
FCC Record Citator
The FCC Record is the publication in which decisions of the FCC are officially published. The citation for the FCC Record is 9 FCC 1234, where 9 is the volume number and 1234 is the page on which the decision begins.