The broadcasting fee in Germany, called the Rundfunkbeitrag, is a mandatory contribution that finances public broadcasting services such as ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. It is charged per home, regardless of how many people live there or whether you own a television.
This guide explains who needs to register, how much it costs and how to avoid paying twice when you live with other people.
How much is the Rundfunkbeitrag?
As of August 2026, the contribution is:
- €18.36 per month
- €55.08 for three months
- €220.32 per year
The standard payment is collected for three months at a time. The amount is normally due on the 15th day of the middle month in each three-month payment period.
The current amount is confirmed on the official Rundfunkbeitrag website.
Who must pay?
The basic rule is:
One home, one contribution.
Only one Rundfunkbeitrag is charged for each home, regardless of:
- How many people live there
- How many televisions or radios they own
- Whether they watch German television
- Whether they use public broadcasting websites
- Whether they have no television at all
The obligation generally applies to adults aged 18 or older.
If you live alone
If you live alone in your own apartment, you normally need to register the home and pay the full contribution.
This also applies if you:
- Are not a German citizen
- Recently moved to Germany
- Do not speak German
- Do not own a television
- Only use streaming services
- Never watch ARD or ZDF
Your nationality and media habits do not normally change the obligation.
If you live with your partner or family
A couple or family living together in one home pays only once.
One adult registers the home and becomes the official contributor. The other residents do not need separate contribution accounts for the same home.
Decide who will be responsible for:
- Registering the home
- Making the payments
- Keeping the Beitragsnummer
- Informing the Beitragsservice about future changes
If your partner already pays for the home, you should not register a second account.
If you live in a shared apartment
A shared apartment is called a Wohngemeinschaft, or WG.
A WG also pays only one contribution per home. It does not matter whether the residents are friends, students or unrelated tenants.
One person registers and pays the full amount. The residents can then divide the cost privately.
For example, if four people share a home:
€18.36 ÷ 4 = €4.59 per person per month
The Beitragsservice does not divide the bill between the residents. The registered person remains responsible for the full payment.
If someone in the home already pays
Ask that person for their nine-digit Beitragsnummer.
You may need this number if the Beitragsservice sends you a letter asking about your contribution status.
When replying, explain that the home is already registered and provide:
- Your name
- Your address
- The Beitragsnummer of the person paying
- The Aktenzeichen from your letter, if applicable
The Aktenzeichen is a reference number printed on the letter from the Beitragsservice. It is not the same as the Beitragsnummer.
Do not ignore the letter simply because your roommate or partner already pays. Reply and provide the existing account number so the Beitragsservice can connect you to the correct home.
If you live in a student residence
The rules depend on how the accommodation is structured.
A private room may be treated as a separate home if it:
- Opens directly onto a publicly accessible corridor
- Has its own separate entrance
- Is not located inside a clearly defined shared apartment
In this case, each room may require a separate contribution, even if the bathroom or kitchen is shared.
If several rooms are located behind one shared entrance door and form one WG, only one contribution may be required for the entire shared home.
Ask the student residence administration how the rooms are legally organised. Do not assume that the entire building pays only once.
Does Anmeldung automatically register you?
When you complete your Anmeldung, the residents’ registration office may send your information to the Beitragsservice.
The Beitragsservice may then write to you and ask whether:
- You need to register the home
- Someone else already pays
- You qualify for an exemption
- The address information is incorrect
However, you remain responsible for registering and paying when required. You should not assume that receiving no letter means you do not have to pay.
The contribution can be calculated from the date the payment obligation began, not simply from the date you answered the letter.
How to register your home
Use the official form on the Rundfunkbeitrag website:
Register a home with the Beitragsservice
Look for:
Wohnung anmelden
You will normally need:
- Your full name
- Your German address
- Your move-in date
- Previous address, if applicable
- Payment details
- Bank account information if using SEPA direct debit
After registration, you will receive a Beitragsnummer.
Keep this number. You need it when:
- Contacting the Beitragsservice
- Changing your address
- Changing your bank details
- Applying for an exemption
- Deregistering a home
- Responding to a payment question
How to pay
The easiest payment method is normally SEPA direct debit.
With SEPA-Lastschrift, the Beitragsservice automatically collects the correct amount from your bank account when it is due.
This helps you avoid:
- Missed deadlines
- Payment reminders
- Late-payment charges
- Incorrect payment references
You can provide or change your bank information using the official online form.
You can also pay by bank transfer. If you choose this option, make sure you:
- Use the correct official bank account
- Include your Beitragsnummer as the payment reference
- Pay the correct amount
- Meet the payment deadline
- Do not wait for a separate invoice every three months
Check the current bank details directly on the official website or on a genuine letter from the Beitragsservice. Do not transfer money to account details sent through an unofficial email or message.
Can you pay monthly?
The contribution is calculated monthly, but the standard payment is normally collected for a three-month period.
That means you will generally pay €55.08 at a time rather than €18.36 every month.
Other payment schedules may be available, including payment in advance for a longer period. Check the payment options provided during registration or in your contribution account.
What happens if you do not pay?
Ignoring the Rundfunkbeitrag does not cancel the obligation.
If required payments remain unpaid, you may receive:
- A payment reminder
- A formal assessment notice
- Late-payment charges
- Collection or enforcement action
If you believe the demand is incorrect, contact the Beitragsservice and explain the situation. Do not simply throw the letters away.
Keep copies of:
- Registration forms
- Confirmation letters
- Payment records
- Exemption applications
- Deregistration documents
- Letters from the Beitragsservice
Who may qualify for an exemption?
An exemption is not automatic. You must apply and submit the required documents.
People receiving certain social benefits may qualify, including some recipients of:
- Bürgergeld or other qualifying basic-income support
- Sozialhilfe
- Grundsicherung im Alter
- BAföG, in certain living situations
- Berufsausbildungsbeihilfe
- Asylbewerberleistungen
- Certain care-related benefits
A low income by itself does not automatically create an exemption. However, a hardship exemption may be possible in limited circumstances.
Students who do not receive a qualifying benefit generally still need to pay.
Use the official application form:
Apply for an exemption or reduction
You may need to print and sign the application and submit supporting evidence.
Do not send original benefit documents unless the instructions specifically require them.
Reduced contribution for people with disabilities
Some people with severe disabilities and the relevant RF designation may apply for a reduced contribution.
The reduced amount is currently one-third of the normal contribution:
- €6.12 per month
Some people with particularly severe physical limitations, such as deaf-blind people or recipients of certain blind assistance, may qualify for a full exemption.
The exemption or reduction must be requested. A disability card alone does not automatically change the contribution account.
Exemption in a shared home
An exemption granted to one resident does not necessarily mean that every unrelated adult in the home is exempt.
If another adult in the home does not qualify for the exemption, the home may still require one full contribution.
Shared households should check whose name the account is registered under and whether the exemption covers the other residents.
If the situation is unclear, contact the Beitragsservice before cancelling an existing account.
What if you have two homes?
If you have a registered main residence and an additional secondary residence in Germany, you may be able to apply for an exemption for the secondary home.
The exemption is not automatic. You must apply and provide the required registration documents.
Apply as soon as possible because the date from which an exemption can begin may be limited.
Use the official form:
Apply for an exemption for a secondary residence
What to do when you move
If you move from one apartment to another, do not create a completely new contribution account if you already have a Beitragsnummer.
Instead, update your existing account with:
- New address
- Moving date
- Name changes, if applicable
- New bank details, if applicable
Use the official change form:
Update your Rundfunkbeitrag details
Look for:
Änderungen mitteilen
If you move in with someone who already pays
If you move into a home where your partner or roommate already pays:
- Ask for their Beitragsnummer.
- Deregister your previous home or contribution account.
- State that the new home is already registered.
- Provide the existing Beitragsnummer.
- Keep the confirmation.
Do not continue paying two contributions for the same home.
If the person paying moves out
The contribution account normally follows the registered account holder.
If that person leaves but other residents remain, someone staying in the home must register it under a new or existing contribution account.
Discuss this before the registered person moves out.
When can you deregister?
You cannot cancel the Rundfunkbeitrag simply because you do not watch television.
Deregistration is generally possible when:
- You permanently give up the home
- You move in with someone who already pays
- You permanently leave Germany and give up your German home
- The contributor has died
- You move permanently into certain care facilities
- Another qualifying situation applies
Use the official deregistration form:
You will need your Beitragsnummer and may need to upload evidence.
If you permanently leave Germany
You can normally deregister your contribution account if you:
- Move abroad permanently
- Give up your home in Germany
- Complete your Abmeldung at the residents’ registration office
Submit proof of your official Abmeldung to the Beitragsservice.
If other people remain in the German home, one of them must register and pay for it.
How to recognise genuine letters
Official letters usually come from:
ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice
A genuine letter may contain:
- Your name and address
- A Beitragsnummer
- An Aktenzeichen
- A request to clarify the contribution status
- Official contact details
Use only forms and contact information from:
Be careful with unofficial companies offering to register or cancel the contribution for a fee. The official online forms are available directly from the Beitragsservice.
Rundfunkbeitrag checklist
- Check whether someone in the home already pays
- Ask for the existing Beitragsnummer
- Register only if no one else pays for the home
- Use the official Rundfunkbeitrag website
- Enter the correct move-in date
- Keep your nine-digit Beitragsnummer
- Set up SEPA direct debit or pay on time
- Reply to letters from the Beitragsservice
- Apply separately for an exemption if eligible
- Update the account when moving
- Deregister your old home when permitted
- Keep all confirmations and payment records
Final advice
The most important rule is simple: one home pays one Rundfunkbeitrag.
Before registering, ask your partner, family or roommates whether someone already pays. If they do, use their Beitragsnummer when responding to the Beitragsservice.
If no one pays, register the home through the official website. SEPA direct debit is usually the simplest way to avoid missing a payment.
Do not ignore official letters, even if you believe you do not have to pay. Respond with the correct contribution number, exemption documents or deregistration evidence.
Last updated: August 2026