The TV tax (Rundfunkbeitrag) is a public broadcasting tax in Germany. It costs 18.36€ per household per month.
What is the TV tax?
The TV tax (Rundfunkbeitrag) is a broadcasting fee. It pays for dozens of public television and radio channels. It pays for news, live sports, documentaries and entertainment. Most of the content is also on the internet.1
The TV tax is collected by the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice. It was called the GEZ (Gebühreneinzugszentrale) until 2013.2
How much is the TV tax?
The German TV tax costs 18.36€ per household per month. Each household pays 18.36€/month. If you live with other people, only one person has to pay the TV tax.
Do I really have to pay it?
Yes. Every household must pay the TV tax. If you don’t pay, the Beitragsservice will send a collection agency. It will be much more expensive, and it will affect your Schufa score.9
Some people try not to pay, and it rarely works. Some people went to jail because they refused to pay.3
How to pay the TV tax
You don’t need to register for the TV tax. When you register your address, the Bürgeramt tells the Beitragsservice, and the Beitragsservice collects the TV tax.4
Every 3 months, you get an invoice from ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice. In the envelope, there is a yellow paper with the payment information. If you choose to pay automatically, you don’t get that letter.
Payment information (in German) – rundfunkbeitrag.de
Pay automatically
This is the easiest way. Take 2 minutes to fill a form, and the Beitragsservice will automatically collect the TV tax from your bank account.
How to enable automatic payments:
- Find your 9-digit account number (Beitragsnummer or Aktenzeichen). It’s on the letters the Beitragsservice sends you. It’s also the last 9 digits of the payment reference number (RF30X000000000).
- Open the account information form
- Enter your name, address, account number and other details.
- On the next step, choose “Zahlungsweise”, and under “Zahlungsart”, choose “Lastschrift von meinem/unserem konto”.
- Enter your bank information (your IBAN and account name), and save the form.
Pay by bank transfer
Every 3 months, you will get a letter from the Beitragsservice. The letter has the correct payment details. It also has a QR code that you can scan with your banking app.
How to pay by bank transfer:
- Find your account number (Beitragsnummer). It’s on the letters the Beitragsservice send you. It has 9 digits. You can also use the last 9 digits of the payment reference number (RF30X000000000).
- Make a SEPA transfer. Each state has different payment details,5 but you can use the central Beitragsservice bank account:
Recipient: Rundfunk ARD, ZD, DRadio
IBAN: DE85 3701 0050 0123 4565 03
BIC: PBNKDEFFXXX
Kunden-Referenznummer / message: RF30X___ (the last 9 digits are your Beitragsnummer)
If you live with other people
Each household pays 18.36€/month. If you live with other people, only one person has to pay the TV tax.13 You can decide how you share the cost. If someone in your household already pays the TV tax, you must fill this deregistration form.
If you live in a student dorm (Studentenwohnheim), you must still pay the TV tax.6
How to pay less
Some people pay less, or don’t pay anything:
- Students
If you get financial aid (BAföG),7 you don’t pay the TV tax. - Apprentices (Azubis)
If you get financial aid (Ausbildungsgeld), you don’t pay the TV tax. Most apprentices have to pay the TV tax.8 - Bürgergeld and social benefit recipients
If you receive Bürgergeld or Grundsicherung, you do not pay the TV tax. If you receive ALG I, Wohngeld or Übergangsgeld, you must still pay the TV tax.7 - People with disabilities
If you have RF in your disabled person’s pass (Schwerbehindertenausweis), you pay 1/3 of the fee.10 - Senior citizens
If you live in a nursing home,12 or you get financial aid, you don’t pay the TV tax. - Asylum seekers
Residences for asylum seekers do not pay the TV tax.12 - Secondary residence
You don’t pay the TV tax for your secondary residence (Nebenwohnung).11 You must apply for an exemption.
Ask for a reduction or an exemption (in German) – rundfunkbeitrag.de
How to stop paying
If you leave Germany, you must tell the Beitragsservice. You will stop getting Rundfunkbeitrag letters. You can do this online. It takes 2 minutes. You can also pay someone to do it for you.
Deregister from the TV tax (in German) – rundfunkbeitrag.de