The Rundfunkbeitrag is the mandatory licence fee for public broadcasting: €18.36 per month per household, regardless of whether you own a TV or radio. Register as soon as you receive your Meldebescheinigung — debt accumulates automatically from your move-in date, and reminder letters go to your registered address.
Where and how much does it cost?
Register online at rundfunkbeitrag.de in 5 minutes. If you’re moving in with someone who already pays for that household, simply provide their Beitragsnummer instead of registering — no double payment. Billing is quarterly (€55.08) by direct debit or bank transfer.
Common mistakes
Creating a brand-new registration instead of updating your existing one. If you already have a Beitragsnummer, moving just means reporting the new address against that same number — not registering a second time. Otherwise you risk paying twice for a while until the Beitragsservice merges the records.
Not applying for the second-home exemption (Zweitwohnungsbefreiung). Since a 2018 Federal Constitutional Court ruling, you no longer owe the fee for a second home if you’re already paying for your main one — relevant for students with a room at university and a registered address at their parents’. The exemption isn’t automatic; you have to apply for it.
Dismissing reminder letters as a “GEZ scam”. The service’s reputation suffers from real phishing fakes, but genuine letters about actual arrears escalate to a formal assessment notice (Festsetzungsbescheid) and can end in account seizure.
Forgetting to deregister when giving up the flat entirely. If you move out of Germany, for instance, the fee keeps accruing until you actively deregister — the account doesn’t close itself just because you’ve left.
Didn't register when I moved in, thought I'd get to it later. Two years on, received a letter with €440 in arrears plus late fees. The fee runs from move-in date — not from registration date.
👩🏼💼
Lea recommends:
Moved into a shared flat; the previous tenant said 'everything is paid'. He'd left Germany without deregistering — his debt sat with the apartment. Always register yourself and check your status on rundfunkbeitrag.de.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do I have to pay even if I don't own a TV?▾
Yes. The Rundfunkbeitrag is levied per household (Wohnung), not per device. A smartphone, laptop or tablet in your apartment also counts as a receiving device. Exemptions exist only for recipients of certain social benefits.
What if someone in our apartment already pays the fee?▾
If you share a single dwelling (joint tenancy agreement, one front door), only one person pays. If you have a separate room on its own tenancy (WG-Zimmer as an independent Wohnung), you pay separately. The legal status of your contract is what counts.
How do I apply for an exemption (Befreiung)?▾
You qualify if you receive ALG II, Sozialhilfe, Grundsicherung, BAföG or Asylbewerberleistungen. Apply on rundfunkbeitrag.de and attach the official benefit decision. The exemption applies from the first day of the month in which you apply — no refunds for previous months.