The Form 486 is an indication that services for a particular Funding Request Number (FRN) have started

• Notifies USAC that services have started and that invoices for those services can be processed and paid
• Reports the status of compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
  
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The following timing constraints are applicable to the Form 486:

• The Form 486 cannot be filed until a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) has been issued.
• The Form 486 cannot be filed until delivery of your services has started (typically July 1 of the funding year).
• It is quite possible, and in fact very likely, that services will begin before a funding commitment has been awarded.
• Each FRN from your Form 471(s) is treated separately and you will need to indicate the start of services on a Form 486 for each one. You may either file a Form 486 for each FRN as you receive funding commitments, or list several FRNs on a single Form 486. Be aware that the Form 486 for each FRN has a distinct deadline.
• The Form 486 must be certified no later than 120 days after the service start date or 120 days after the date of the FCDL, whichever is later.
• Because the Form 486 deadline varies depending on the date the FRN was funded, it is important to keep careful track of the deadline for all of your FRNs for a given funding year. If your Form 486 is late, USAC will deduct a portion of your funding for each day that it is late.

The following steps must be completed:

1. The applicant submits and certifies a completed FCC Form 486 using their EPC account
   
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2. After the form is received, USAC issues an FCC Form 486 Receipt Notification Letter to the applicant and the service provider

Save the following documentation:

• A copy of the completed Form 486
• FCC Form 486 Notification Letter
• Documentation supporting CIPA compliance