Did you know there’s a “TV Tax” in Germany? It also covers radio broadcasts. Even if you don’t have TV or radio, you will still pay the licensing fee as it’s for the good of society if public broadcasting is available to everyone.
It’s not expensive and it’s easy to set and forget while you live here. There are also different payment options with slightly reduced rates for those who pay more up front.
How do you make sure you’re setup properly? And how does it benefit you?
Registration
There is lots of Anmeldung (registration) in Germany. This is another opportunity.
For this particular setup though, ARD-ZDF will be notified automatically when you first complete your city Anmeldung. The organization will receive your name and address from the city and will enter you into their system.
If you move within Germany, your updated Anmeldung with your new city is not necessarily guaranteed to reach the Beitragsservice, so I recommend updating your information manually upon your move.
Let's Do This.
Got your letter in the mail? Or wanting to finish up all your paperwork? Time to setup payment and complete registration.
Decisions
How would you like to pay?
1. SEPA transfers you initiate yourself every month
2. Direct-debit, for which there is a form to use.
How much would you like to pay / how often would you like to pay?
1.17,50 € per month
2. 52,50 € per quarter (paid on or before the first day of the next quarter)
3. 105,00 € per every 6 months
4. 210,00 € per year
First Timers
- First this link.
- Click as shown below:
3. Fill out the rest of the forms.
There will be a section for choosing payment options, as well as a SEPA Authorization form.
4. Hit submit and print out a copy of the confirmation.
How-To: update your address
- First this link.
- Click as shown below:
3. Fill out the forms on the next pages. The first address they ask for is your “old” address, or your current address if you haven’t moved yet. You will be able to set a “valid from” date on the next step.
Don’t have your Beitragsnummer handy? Me neither. No idea where I put that initial letter. You can find it in the SEPA information from one of the last transactions you made via online banking.
4. Click submit at the end and PDF or print out a copy of your confirmation. File this away with other papers labled “to never look at again, but keep for years for some reason.”
Those of you here under SOFA: you are not required to pay this.
Why did I do all of that?
I get it. “What’s in it for me? I don’t understand German and / or don’t watch German TV.” If you don’t understand German, I can’t totally help you out there. I do recommend turning on the TV and having the German language playing in the background if you’re busy with something else. Sometimes we can pick things up just be being immersed in them.
The two companies which are funded by this tax / fee are ARD and ZDF. They have live streaming apps, as well as video clips and text, and the video quality is excellent. You can also watch live streaming shows from both ZDF and ARD on a computer.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a TV or radio, I recommend using the apps to get the most bang out of your Rundfunkbeitrag-buck.
What I think is even neater, is these apps have native Chromecast support, so it’s easy to cast whatever is live on one of those channels to a TV which isn’t hooked up (ours isn’t).
I still don't want to pay or use their services.
That’s…not an option as it’s already been determined that every citizen should have access to open news and information, and radios and TVs are the best way to get that out to everyone. If you are disabled, very low income or have other qualifying statuses exempting you from certain other public requirements. you can file for a payment reduction or exemption.
I'm not going to pay.
Your wages, insurance earnings, even some physical valuables are subject to garnishment or confiscation through the courts until your bill is paid in full.
Show me the exceptions.
The exception here is nice. The tax / fee is one per household, not person. This means if you live with roommates or a partner, you may choose in whose name the tax will be paid. You have to let the Beitragsservice know, and don’t worry, there’s a form for this.
I'm leaving Germany.
Use the same link as above, option circled below.
If you don’t deregister from the Beitragsservice, you are going to continue racking up a bill, and you may or may not be held liable for the charges. Not paying could get you into legal trouble, regardless if you did indeed leave Germany and simply forgot to deregister.
Anything else?
There is some information available in English and other languages. The forms are not in English, but there’s a very brief brochure that’s been translated for a reference.
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