(a) Notice of commencement; solicitation of petitions to participate. All proceedings before the Copyright Royalty Judges to make determinations and adjustments of reasonable terms and rates of royalty payments, and to authorize the distribution of royalty fees, shall be initiated by publication in the Federal Register of a notice of the initiation of proceedings calling for the filing of petitions to participate in the proceeding.

(b) Petitions to participate—(1) Royalty rate proceedings—(i) Single petition. Each petition to participate filed in a royalty rate proceeding must include:

(A) The petitioner's full name, address, telephone number, facsimile number (if any), and e-mail address (if any); and

(B) A description of the petitioner's significant interest in the subject matter of the proceeding.

(ii) Joint petition. Petitioners with similar interests may, in lieu of filing individual petitions, file a single petition. Each joint petition must include:

(A) The full name, address, telephone number, facsimile number (if any), and e-mail address (if any) of the person filing the petition;

(B) A list identifying all participants to the joint petition;

(C) A description of the participants' significant interest in the subject matter of the proceeding; and

(D) If the joint petition is filed by counsel or a representative of one or more of the participants that are named in the joint petition, a statement from such counsel or representative certifying that, as of the date of submission of the joint petition, such counsel or representative has the authority and consent of the participants to represent them in the royalty rate proceeding.

(2) Distribution proceedings—(i) Single petition. Each petition to participate filed in a royalty distribution proceeding must include:

(A) The petitioner's full name, address, telephone number, facsimile number (if any), and e-mail address (if any);

(B) In a cable or satellite royalty distribution proceeding, identification of whether the petition covers a Phase I proceeding (the initial part of a distribution proceeding where royalties are divided among the categories or groups of copyright owners), a Phase II proceeding (where the money allotted to each category is subdivided among the various copyright owners within that category), or both; and

(C) A description of the petitioner's significant interest in the subject matter of the proceeding.

(ii) Joint petition. Petitioners with similar interests may, in lieu of filing individual petitions, file a single petition. Each joint petition must include:

(A) The full name, address, telephone number, facsimile number (if any), and e-mail address (if any) of the person filing the petition;

(B) A list identifying all participants to the joint petition;

(C) In a cable or satellite royalty distribution proceeding, identification of whether the petition covers a Phase I proceeding (the initial part of a distribution proceeding where royalties are divided among the categories or groups of copyright owners), a Phase II proceeding (where the money allotted to each category is subdivided among the various copyright owners within that category), or both;

(D) A description of the participants' significant interest in the subject matter of the proceeding; and

(E) If the joint petition is filed by counsel or a representative of one or more of the participants that are named in the joint petition, a statement from such counsel or representative certifying that, as of the date of submission of the joint petition, such counsel or representative has the authority and consent of the participants to represent them in the royalty distribution proceeding.

(3) Filing deadline. A petition to participate shall be filed by no later than 30 days after the publication of the notice of commencement of a proceeding, subject to the qualified exception set forth in paragraph (d) of this section.

(4) Filing fee. A petition to participate must be accompanied with a filing fee of $150 or the petition will be rejected. For petitions filed electronically through eCRB, payment must be made to the Copyright Royalty Board through the payment portal designated on eCRB. For petitions filed by other means, payment must be made to the Copyright Royalty Board by check or by money order. If a check is subsequently dishonored, the petition will be rejected. If the petitioner believes that the contested amount of that petitioner's claim will be $1,000 or less, the petitioner must so state in the petition to participate and should not include payment of the $150 filing fee. If it becomes apparent during the course of the proceedings that the contested amount of the claim is more than $1,000, the Copyright Royalty Judges will require payment of the filing fee at that time.

(c) Acceptance and rejection of petitions to participate. A petition to participate will be deemed to have been allowed by the Copyright Royalty Judges unless the Copyright Royalty Judges determine the petitioner lacks a significant interest in the proceeding or the petition is otherwise invalid.

(d) Late petitions to participate. The Copyright Royalty Judges may, for substantial good cause shown, and if there is no prejudice to the participants that have already filed petitions, accept late petitions to participate at any time up to the date that is 90 days before the date on which participants in the proceeding are to file their written direct statements. However, petitioners whose petitions are filed more than 30 days after publication of notice of commencement of a proceeding are not eligible to object to a settlement reached during the voluntary negotiation period.