Direct answer
Federal committees on a quarterly schedule file FEC reports on April 15, July 15, and October 15, 2026, plus a year-end report in January 2027. Pre-election reports land in the weeks before primary and general elections. Operative teams should staff up for opponent filings in the 48 hours after each deadline.
Quarterly deadlines (2026)
Coverage period
Filing deadline
Q1 (Jan 1 – Mar 31)
April 15, 2026
Q2 (Apr 1 – Jun 30)
July 15, 2026
Q3 (Jul 1 – Sep 30)
October 15, 2026
Q4 / year-end (Oct 1 – Dec 31)
January 20, 2027
Confirm your committee's schedule on FEC.gov reporting deadlines. Monthly filers, leadership PACs, and party committees may differ.
Operative playbook
- T-14 days — refresh watchlists; confirm opponent committee IDs
- T-2 days — brief the team on expected filing types (quarterly vs 48-hour)
- Deadline + 48h — monitor filing alerts and update the cash scoreboard
Related guides
Not affiliated with the Federal Election Commission.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the FEC filing deadlines for 2026?
- Most federal candidate and PAC committees file quarterly: April 15, July 15, and October 15, 2026 for Q1–Q3, plus a year-end report due January 20, 2027. Pre-election and post-election reports apply in the weeks before and after elections. Always confirm on FEC.gov for your committee type.
- When do FEC filings usually post after a deadline?
- Electronic filers often submit on the deadline day or the day after. Operative teams should expect the heaviest filing volume within 48–72 hours of each quarterly deadline.
- How do I get alerts when opponents file by the deadline?
- Sign up for FEC Notify (free) for baseline emails, then use a watchlist desk like Pachand for human-readable summaries, cash deltas, and Slack delivery scoped to committees in your race.