Wireless Industry Wants FCC to Cap Local Permitting Fees, Impose Shot Clocks
State and local governments are concerned about losing authority.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2025 – The wireless industry is excited about the Federal Communications Commission is considering preempting more permitting rules for cell sites.
Like they did in a similar docket related to wireline permitting, state and local governments disputed the idea that their rules hold up network deployments and said they should maintain their authority.
In 2018, the FCC adopted an order limiting fees and instituting permit processing shot clocks for small cell wireless deployments. The agency voted in September to take comment on expanding those rules to larger wireless facilities like towers using its authority under the Communications Act to block local rules that prevent telecom deployment.
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