Welcome to the Media Bureau (MB) Consolidated Database System (CDBS) electronic filing system for Broadcast Station Application Forms. This system provides the public with the ability to fill out MB application forms on-line via the World Wide Web and to file them electronically with the Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The current system supports electronic filing for the following FCC Forms: 301, 301-CA, 302-CA, 302-DTV, 302-FM, 302-TV, 303-S 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 323, 323-E, 337, 340, 345, 346, 347, 349, 350, 381, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386, 387, 388 396, 396-A, 396-C. As other forms are developed, they will be made available for public use. Forms not found on the Forms Menu screen must still be filed on paper using the standard form filing procedures. Note: The EEO forms 395-A and 395-B are suspended (see Commission Order FCC 01-34). Also available are informal filings for: Change of Address, Consummation, Engineering STA, Legal STA, and Silent STA.
The CDBS electronic filing system consists of an account registration function and a forms filing function. Before any forms can be filed electronically, the appropriate applicant account data must be entered into the account creation/maintenance screen. During account creation, the applicant's Account ID number will be generated and the user-specified password will be saved. Account data can be updated at any time. In addition to Applicant/Licensee information, all forms also require information about a Contact Rep. The account maintenance button must be used to fill in this information before starting a form (since the data is copied to the form at that time).
If you forget your password, there is no way to retrieve it. However, you can contact the CDBS Help Desk to request that it be reset. If you forget your account number, the Help Desk may also be able to search the database to figure it out.
Once you have created an account, you may choose an on-line form to complete. After completing the Pre-Form that selects the appropriate sub-sections of the Form, each section of the Form should be completed just as it would be completed on paper. If attachments or exhibits must be included with the form, each appropriate question accommodates free-form text exhibits, or saved versions of documents, spreadsheets, graphs, plots, etc. Once a section is complete, it must be Validated before moving on to the next section. If you must log out prior to the validation of a partially completed section, the Save function will preserve any information you have entered in the section.
After all sections of the form have been validated, the form can be filed. The Application Reference Number (ARN) is automatically assigned once the form has been filed and has passed the filing edit checks. When the fee (if any) has been confirmed (and other automatic processes occur), the application is given the status of FILED and electronically moved to the processing system (used by FCC staff).
Erroneous data values entered in the electronic form before the application is filed can be corrected by the applicant. Erroneous data values on filed electronic applications can only be corrected by filing an electronic amendment.
The top-level introduction to CDBS electronic filing (the file you are reading now) can be found at:
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbs_ef.htm
User documentation can be found at:
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbs_ug.htmor by clicking on the following link: Go to CDBS User's Guide
The CDBS Electronic Filing login screen can be found at:
https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.htsor by clicking on the following link: Go to CDBS account login page
For telephone assistance in filling out:
For technical assistance to resolve form performance, call the CDBS Help desk at 202-418-2MMB (202-418-2662) or contact the FCC at cdbshelp@fcc.gov.