A licence fee is charged to every flat in order to fund the public broadcasting companies. Every household has to pay €18.36 (last updated: Januray 2024) per month - irrespective of whether there are any devices present and/or used in the household.

According to the principle "One flat, one contribution“, only one person of age, regardless of their nationality, has to pay, no matter how many people live in the flat. A flat is defined as any structurally enclosed space unit that is suitable for living or sleeping and is accessible via a staircase, an entrance hall, or from the outside. It is irrelevant whether there is a bathroom and/or a kitchen.

The following are considered as flats:

• Single apartments - even if it is just one room, but accessible from a public hallway or the outside, each tenant has to pay the contribution individually.
• Double apartments (i.e. one front door and separate room doors) - the contribution needs to be paid only once
• Shared flats and residential communities

Since residential communities are considered as a single flat, for every shared flat, only one adult has to be registered and pay. The residential community itself may decide which person pays and among each other there then is an obligation to pay compensation. It does not matter if all roommates have their own lease. If more than one person in the flat is registered to pay the contribution, all but one can (and should!) deregister.

Warning! According to the rental law, the student housing offices (e.g. Studierendenwerk) are not allowed to pay the broadcast contribution and split it proportionately over the rent or operating costs. People who recive social services (e.g. BAföG) can be exempted from the contribution.

Note! Students who have registered their room at their place of study merely as their secondary place of residence are not exempted from the contribution. The contribution is paid per flat and not per person. If you have several flats, you will have to pay several times.

Warning! Intentional or negligent non-contribution is considered a regulatory offence and is punishable with a fine.

Further information on www.rundfunkbeitrag.de or call the following phone number 01806 999 555 01 (weekdays 07:00 a.m. – 07:00 p.m, subject to charge)