What is an FRN?
An FRN is a 10-digit FCC Registration Number assigned through the Commission Registration System to people or entities doing business with the Federal Communications Commission. It identifies the registrant in FCC filings, fees, licenses, auctions, and other transactions; it is not the same thing as an FCC ID for equipment.
Full name: FCC Registration Number
Short explanation
The FCC Registration Number is the Commission's registrant identifier for entities and individuals that interact with FCC systems. Federal rules require an FRN for many filings, feeable transactions, license applications, and auction activities. In data work, the FRN identifies the party doing business with the FCC, while call signs, application file numbers, facility IDs, and FCC IDs identify different records.
Related platform: Entity graph - resolved organization records
How it’s used
- FCC filings: an FRN ties a filing, payment, license application, or auction transaction to the registrant in FCC systems.
- Entity resolution: FRN is a source-local FCC party key and should not be confused with equipment identifiers, radio call signs, or application file numbers.
- Fonteum treats FRN as a federal identifier family that can link communications-regulatory records to an organization-level entity graph.
Frequently asked questions
- How many digits are in an FRN?
- An FRN is a 10-digit FCC Registration Number.
- Who needs an FRN?
- People and entities doing business with the FCC may need an FRN for filings, fees, license applications, auctions, and other FCC transactions.
- Is an FRN the same as an FCC ID?
- No. An FRN identifies a registrant doing business with the FCC; an FCC ID identifies equipment covered by an equipment authorization.
Explore in Fonteum
How Fonteum sources, resolves, and publishes data tied to this term.