Here are questions many people ask about filing electronically with the Federal Election Commission. Click on a question below to move to the answer. Or, scroll down to view all of the questions and answers.
Answer: You'll need to do a few things before you begin.
1) Download and install the FEC's free filing software at:
http://www.fec.gov/elecfil/updatelist.html
2) Read the user manual.
3) Register for a committee ID. You may call FEC Public Records at 1-800-424-9530 ext. 1120 for more information about how to obtain a Committee ID.
4) Get a password to file electronically. Instructions are located at:
http://www.fec.gov/elecfil/passwords.shtml
Answer: Yes, but for aggregate amounts and summary totals to be correct, previous information must be entered either completely or in total amounts. For more information about this, please see "Can I begin using FECFile at any time of the year?" in our FECFile Frequently Asked Questions.
Answer: Yes. You may do this by going to www.fec.gov. Select Campaign finance Reports and Data , then View/Download Electronic Filings . Enter your Committee ID, and your reports will be listed from the last report received.
Answer: The entire report is made available. The information is presented in several ways. The data is displayed in HTML format and also goes through a report image rendering procedure and is displayed in the same area along with scanned images of paper reports. To differentiate between paper and electronically filed reports, the name of the treasurer on the summary page of electronically filed reports is preceded by "Electronically filed by".
Answer: Yes. They are available when filed on paper as well.
Answer: FECFile is filing software available at no cost from the FEC. Commercial software is also available.
Answer: A report submitted via the internet requires a password instead of a signature. (The Treasurer's signature is required to receive a password).
Answer: Yes. If you have questions in regard to creating reports, transactions, and other activity, contact your Campaign Finance Analyst at 800-424-9530 ext. 1130. If you have problems uploading your reports or any other technical issue, contact technical support at 800-424-9530 ext. 1307. Technical support is available Monday through Friday from 9AM to 5:30PM Eastern Standard Time.
For all other electronic filing questions contact the Electronic Filing Office at 800-424-9530 ext.1667.
Answer: You can download it (http://www.fec.gov/elecfil/updatelist.html), or we can send it by mail on compact disk (CD). For a more detailed explanation please see our FECFile Frequently Asked Questions.
Answer: Committees that file voluntarily are required to finish out the remainder of the calendar year before going back to paper. Committees that exceed the mandatory e-filing threshold, have "…reason to expect to exceed" the threshold in the following two calendar years and must continue to file electronically for the next two calendar years. For further information, refer to the Code of Federal Regulations.
Answer: No, but FECFile allows you to print an amendment when necessary.
Answer:No. Reports filed electronically should never be filed on paper.
Answer: Only the current official treasurer and treasurer's assistant as listed in the FEC records may obtain passwords. Obtaining a password requires a request on official committee letterhead for each password. The treasurer must sign all requests and if the password is for an assistant, the assistant must sign as well.
Answer: You are the only one who knows your password. If you forget you must obtain a new password from the electronic filing office. For more information please refer to the password information page at http://www.fec.gov/elecfil/passwords.html.
Answer: For uploading via the Internet (These settings are case sensitive and must be entered exactly as indicated):
Registered committees and entities other than Senate:
TCP/IP Hostname: disclose.nictusa.com Agency ID: FEC
Senate committees:
TCP/IP Hostname: senate.nictusa.com Agency ID: SENATE
Answer: No. Electronic filings must be uploaded. Emailed reports will not be accepted.
Answer: When you upload a filing to the FEC, you receive an instant email and/or fax confirming receipt of the report. It includes a validation number to match against your own validation number to confirm that the report was not altered in any way in transit. It is important that you keep this email or fax for your records. You may also visit the FEC web site and see your filing on the web. If you do get a receipt, do not assume the FEC received your filing. Contact technical support at 800-424-9530 ext. 1307.
Answer: Yes. If, for whatever reason, the internet or a phone line is not available, the report may be submitted on floppy diskette or compact disc (CD). Please read the instructions completely before you begin.
The filing must be submitted on a single 3.5" 1.44MB diskette or CD and may contain only one report and no other files; the only exception to this is, on the same diskette or CD, a second file containing a digitized copy of the signed summary page.
Check to verify that the file on the diskette or CD has a ".fec" file extension. Any other format will be rejected. (*.dcf is wrong and will be rejected!)
Be sure to label your media with:
The media should be mailed along with a signed paper hard copy of the report signature page (page 1 of the report, not the complete report) to the FEC. Diskette or CD filings require an actual summary page because there is no way to transmit the password via diskette or CD. The mailing address is:
Electronic Filing Office
Federal Election Commission
999 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20463
NOTE: Diskette or CD filings are subject to the same deadlines as paper filings! Diskette or CD filings mailed to the FEC without a signed summary page will be rejected!
Page Modified August 3, 2010
