Supplemental filing information for PACs and parties (2022)

Please note: The Commission provides reminders of upcoming filing dates as a courtesy to help committees comply with the filing deadlines set forth in the Act and Commission regulations. Committee treasurers must comply with all applicable filing deadlines established by law, and the lack of prior notice does not constitute an excuse for failing to comply with any filing deadline.

Who must file

All party committees and PACs (separate segregated funds, committees with non-contribution accounts [Hybrid PACs], independent expenditure-only committees [Super PACs] and other nonconnected committees) must file either quarterly or monthly reports in 2022. State, district and local party committees that engage in reportable "Federal Election Activity" ("FEA") and national party committees must file on a monthly basis.

Before a committee can stop filing with the FEC, it must file a termination report with the Commission. Committees must continue to file reports until the Commission notifies them in writing that their termination report has been accepted.

Methods of filing reports

Electronic filing

Reports filed electronically must be received and validated by the Commission by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the filing deadline.

Paper filing: Meeting the filing deadline

Paper report filing options include registered, certified or overnight [1] or First Class Mail.

Pre- and post-election reporting

All committees must file the Post-General Report. Quarterly filing committees that make contributions or expenditures (including independent expenditures) in connection with an election in 2022 must also file a pre-election report, if the activity was not previously reported.

Monthly filers must file Pre- and Post-General Reports in lieu of their regular November and December Monthly Reports.

24- and 48-Hour Reports of Independent Expenditures

Any PAC or party committee that makes independent expenditures may have to disclose this activity within 24- or 48-hours based upon the date and amount of the expenditure.

These reports are not required when a PAC or party committee makes a contribution directly to a candidate.

Reporting dates for 24- and 48-Hour Reports of Independent Expenditures, when available, can be found on the Dates and deadlines page of the FEC website.

Compliance

Treasurer responsibility

Committee treasurers are responsible for both the timeliness and the accuracy of all reports. They may be subject to monetary penalties if reports are inaccurate or are not filed on time.

Administrative Fine Program

Under the Administrative Fine Program, political committees and their treasurers who fail to file their reports, or who file late, may be subject to civil money penalties up to $25,434 (or more for repeat late- and non-filers). [2]

Disclosure of lobbyist bundling activity

Party committees and Leadership PACs must file Form 3L if they receive two or more bundled contributions from any lobbyist/registrant or lobbyist/registrant PACs that aggregate in excess of $20,200 during the applicable reporting periods. Learn more about the lobbyist bundling disclosure requirements.

Access the PDF and instructions.

Change in filing frequency

Committees able to change their reporting schedule (for example, from monthly to quarterly) who wish to do so must notify the Commission in writing and may change their filing frequency no more than once per calendar year. Committees required to file reports electronically must file this notification electronically. Those committees will receive a letter from the Commission approving the frequency change.