Statutory License for Secondary Transmissions for Satellite Carriers - Section 119

The Satellite Home Viewer Act originally enacted in 1988, in section 119 of the Copyright Act, title 17 U.S. Code, created a statutory license for certain secondary transmissions made by satellite to distant television programming viewers. The types of covered uses have changed since then, most recently with the enactment of the Satellite Television Community Protection and Promotion Act of 2019. The satellite carrier compulsory license requires the filing of semi-annual statements of account (“SOAs”) by those parties availing themselves of the license, as well as the payment of royalty fees. 37 CFR 201.11. For more information about the STCPPA, see the FAQs at https://www.copyright.gov/licensing/stcppa.html

An important message for Cable and Satellite Operators on Filing Fees: Effective January 1, 2014, pursuant to the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 (“STELA”), which granted authority to the Copyright Office to establish fees for the filing of SOAs under the section 111, 119 and 122 statutory licenses, the Office now assesses filing fees for ALL SOAs for current, past and future accounting periods. For details see the Federal Register, November 29, 2013 (78 fr 71498). Please be advised that the filing fee is deducted before the royalty payment is credited; thus the omission of the appropriate filing fee will result in an underpayment of royalty fees. Please remit the royalty fee and filing fee in one EFT payment.

TO FILE YOUR STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNT ELECTRONICALLY:

  • The Licensing Section has released an Excel version of its satellite statement of account form to submit via email:
  • Filers must sign the form using an electronic or “s-signature” (for example, /s/ John Smith).
  • Filers must submit the form in its native Excel format, along with the remittance advice, via email to [email protected].
    • NOTE: Copyright Office Excel forms that have been converted to a PDF prior to submission will not be accepted. Please send the signed Excel file.
    • FILE SIZE LIMITATION: [email protected] has a file size limitation of 20 MB for each submission. Submit one email for each statement of account. The Office may not be able to accept multiple or batch statement of account filings in one email.
  • When filing your eSatellite by email, do not also mail or fax your form to the Licensing Section.

TO FILE YOUR STATEMENTS OF ACCOUNT BY MAIL:

  • The Licensing Section offers a fillable-PDF satellite statement of account form to submit via mail:
  • Filers should certify the form with a handwritten signature.
  • Filers must submit the form, along with a legible copy of the form and the remittance advice, via physical mail in accordance with the instructions on the form.
  • When filing your SOA by mail, do not also email or fax your form to the Licensing Section.

When filing a statement of account using either of the above options, you must also submit the fully completed remittance advice via email to [email protected] or fax to 202-707-0905. Ensure that your remittance advice includes all the required information as specified by federal regulations [see 37 CFR §201.11(f)].

Statement of Account Forms

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