Credit Balance Refunds

Companies have the option to request a refund at any time during the year if there is a credit balance on their account.

In order to be considered for a refund, the companies must be current with their FCC Form 499 filings.

Refund Exceptions

As with other disbursements, payments will be held if a company is in Red Light status. USAC reviews both the FCC Red Light status as well as the USAC Red Light status prior to issuing a credit balance refund.

Companies that have recently provided USAC with information to deactivate their account will only be eligible for a credit balance refund after the inactive reconciliation is completed and the final balance appears on the company’s invoice.

Universal Service balances transferred to the U.S. Department of Treasury (“Treasury”), in accordance with the Debt Collection Improvement Act (DCIA), must be satisfied before a carrier’s credit balance refund will be disbursed by USAC. It is the carrier’s responsibility to contact the Treasury directly to settle any outstanding balance issues. The Treasury can be reached at (888) 826-3127.

Submitting a CBR Request

Send the request to USAC via the E-File Contributor Messages portal.  Upon receipt, the request will go through the USAC review and approval process. Once approved the credit will be distributed using banking information listed on the associated FCC Form 498. USAC will not disburse credits to the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA).

For Companies that do not have an active FCC Form 498 with banking information, USAC will provide further information upon receipt of the request.

USAC is required by the FCC to disburse all credit balance refunds by Automated Clearing House (ACH). All bank routing and account numbers must be of United States origin. Funds cannot be transmitted to foreign banks.