Radio Tax in Germany | What is It & How to Pay [Expat Guide]

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Radio tax in Germany — contribution for public radio and TV programs

The TV and radio taxes in Germany are a broadcasting fee that supports public service broadcasting. This license fee is used to finance national broadcasters such as ARD, ZDF (first and second German television), and ARTE, as well as regional public German TV and radio stations in the federal states. In this way, the legislator wants to ensure the independence of public broadcasting services. In addition, public broadcasters in Germany fulfill a legal mandate, meaning that public German TV and radio are entitled to this funding.

The tax or license fee is used to support programs produced by public broadcasting channels — for example, news, entertainment, live sport, or documentaries.

The tax is collected by the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice.

All issues relating to the broadcasting contribution are governed by the interstate broadcasting contribution treaty. In terms of content, the public broadcasting service is subject to the State Treaty for Broadcasting and Telemedia, which is concluded and regularly renewed between the 16 federal states.

Amount of the radio and TV tax

The radio and TV tax in Germany currently amounts to €18.36 per month.

Obligation to pay the license fee — not per person but per household

On January 1, 2013, the financing of public broadcasting in Germany was reorganized; at this time, the former GEZ fee was replaced by the broadcasting fee. Before this reorganization, people who could prove they had neither a TV nor a radio could be exempt from the GEZ fee.

In contrast, the new broadcasting fee is charged per household. Whether TV and radio or internet access are available, how many people live in the household, and how many devices they use, are as irrelevant as the actual media use. The broadcasting tax is independent of the number of people living in this household. International students must also pay the fee if they live in their own apartment.

Second homes are exempt from the obligation to pay radio and TV tax if the main home is already registered and the second-home exemption has been approved. Rooms in certain shared accommodation or communal facilities may also be exempt, depending on the exact housing setup.

Advantages for flat sharing communities

If you live in a flat-sharing community, the per-household payment obligation can be an advantage. The license fee of currently €18.36 per month must be paid by only one person. If somebody in the household is already paying the fee, all other household members are exempt. In practice, you can share these costs so that each flatmate only has to pay a small amount for public broadcasting.

Registering for the radio and TV tax

The ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice offers online forms to register for the radio tax.

You are not only obliged to pay the license fee, but also to register for it. You have one month to do this after moving to a new place. Likewise, you register with the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice using the online form “Register a new flat (Neuanmeldung einer Wohnung)”.

Regardless of whether you proactively register for the radio and TV tax, eventually you will receive a letter from the contribution service. In Germany, you are legally obliged to register at the citizens’ registration office. The offices will send your registration certificate to the contribution service. In addition, the service regularly compares its data with the data from the registration offices and writes to you if your registration address cannot be assigned to a contribution account.

If you move into a shared flat in which someone is already paying the TV and radio tax, you are not obliged to pay a contribution because it has to be paid by only one person in the household. However, you must inform the service of this using the “Clarification (Klärung)” form.

If the person who pays the contribution moves out, the flat share should decide who takes over the account. The new payer can register the flat, while the person moving out should deregister or update their address. To avoid payment gaps, keep the old Beitragsnummer and moving dates available when contacting the Beitragsservice.

Temporary Accommodation and Subletting

Temporary accommodation is one of the most confusing situations for expats in Germany. The key question is not whether you own the apartment, but whether the unit is already covered by an active Beitragsservice account.

If you rent a furnished apartment, short-term room, serviced apartment, or sublet room, first ask the landlord, main tenant, or flatmate whether the broadcasting contribution is already being paid for that exact apartment. If yes, ask for the Beitragsnummer and use the Beitragsservice clarification form to confirm that your household is already covered.

If nobody is paying for the apartment, you may need to register and pay even if your stay is temporary. This is especially common when you have your own apartment door, your own rental agreement, or an Anmeldung at that address.

If you move out of temporary accommodation, update your address or deregister the apartment if you are leaving Germany. Keep proof of your move-out date, deregistration, and any messages from the main tenant or landlord. This helps avoid duplicate payment requests later.

How to pay broadcasting fees in Germany

The law stipulates that the license fee must be paid every three months in the middle of a billing period. This means that you must pay a license fee of €55.08 four times a year. The due dates are February 15, May 15, August 15, and November 15. The money must then be credited to the contribution service bank account within four weeks.

You will not always receive a separate invoice before every due date. The service is gradually replacing repeated payment requests with a one-time payment request, known as an Einmalzahlungsaufforderung. If you do not use SEPA direct debit, this letter can list all future payment dates at once. You still have to pay on time even if no new reminder arrives before each due date.

Optional — prepayment for three months, six months or a full year

You also have the option to pay TV tax in advance:

• €55.08 for three months
• €110.16 for six months
• €220.32 for twelve months

To use the prepayment option, go to the contribution service website and fill out the corresponding section on the “Account Information (Änderung zum Beitragskonto)” form.

However, there are no price advantages to paying in advance — the monthly license fee of €18.36 remains the same and the contribution service does not grant any discounts on the TV and radio tax.

Paying the license fee — preferably automatically

The easiest way to pay broadcasting fees is to give the contribution service permission to automatically collect the radio tax from your bank account on the due date. To achieve this, proceed as follows:

• The letter you received from the contribution service contains your nine-digit account number (contribution number, Beitragsnummer or Aktenzeichen)
• Enter this number together with your name, address, and other requested information on the “Account Information” form.
• Then select the “Payment method (Zahlungsmethode)” section and the “Direct debit from my/our bank account (Lastschrift von meinem/unserem Konto)” option. Here, you enter your name or the name of the bank account holder and your IBAN.
• Send the direct debit authorization form online to the contribution service. All you must do is save the form on the contribution service website. The license fee will be automatically debited from your bank account.

Alternatives to SEPA direct debit: Standing order or bank transfer

Alternatively, you can also give your bank a standing order to transfer the license fee on time or transfer the amount by bank transfer on the due dates. In addition to your nine-digit account number, you will need the bank details for the contribution service, which you can find in the service’s letter.

If you transfer manually, always use the correct Beitragsnummer as the payment reference. Otherwise, the payment may not be assigned correctly to your account.

Exemption or reduction of the radio and TV tax — only in legally defined cases

The law also specifies the circumstances under which an exemption from the radio tax or a reduction in the license fee is possible. Both exemptions and reductions require an individual application. The relevant forms are also available on the contribution service website.

The reasons for an exemption or reduction of the license fee must be supported by suitable documents showing government financial aid or medical certificates.

The contribution service must also be informed if the reasons for exemption from or reduction of the radio tax no longer apply.

Exemption from the radio and TV tax by social reasons

The contribution service grants an exemption from the radio tax for social reasons only in legally defined cases. Eligible groups include people who receive certain social or training benefits:

• Asylum seekers living in specific accommodation or receiving qualifying asylum seeker benefits
• Recipients of Bürgergeld, social assistance, or basic income support (Grundsicherung)
• Recipients of care allowance and certain care supplements
• Students and apprentices who receive BAföG, vocational training assistance, or training allowance and do not live with their parents

Recipients of Arbeitslosengeld I, Wohngeld, or normal training remuneration are generally not exempt from the broadcasting contribution. Low income alone is also not enough unless a legally recognized hardship case applies and the exemption is approved.

Exemption from the radio and TV tax by health reasons

Some health-related circumstances lead to a full exemption from the broadcasting contribution, not only a reduction. This includes:

• Deaf-blind people within the meaning of the Rundfunkbeitragsstaatsvertrag (RBStV)
• People who receive blind assistance (Blindenhilfe)
• Special welfare recipients who meet the legal conditions

A full exemption is not automatic. The affected person must apply and submit the required proof to the Beitragsservice.

Radio and TV tax reductions by severe health reasons

Some people with severe health limitations may receive a reduced broadcasting contribution. In these cases, they pay one third of the regular fee. The reduced rate applies to people who have been granted the “RF” mark in their disabled person’s pass.

Reductions may be available for:

• Blind or significantly visually impaired people who meet the legal requirements and have the “RF” mark
• Hearing-impaired people who are deaf or cannot communicate sufficiently through hearing, even with hearing aids, and have the “RF” mark
• People with a degree of disability of at least 80 who cannot regularly attend public events because of their condition and have the “RF” mark

Deaf-blind people should not be treated as a standard reduction case. They may qualify for a full exemption, while the reduced rate is mainly relevant for people with the “RF” mark who do not meet a full exemption category.

Deregistration from the radio and TV tax

If you are leaving Germany permanently to your home country or another place of residence, you must inform the contribution service of your departure on the relevant form. Your account for the broadcasting contribution will then be permanently deleted. If you want to live in Germany again for a longer period later, you will have to register with the contribution service once more.

You should also deregister or update your account if you move into a household where another person already pays, if the primary payer in your shared flat changes, or if you no longer have a contribution-liable apartment in Germany. Keep your deregistration confirmation in case you receive letters later.

Frequently asked questions — FAQ