The Rundfunkbeitrag (broadcasting fee) is €18.36/month as of 2024 — a mandatory household contribution to Germany’s public broadcasting system. Every household in Germany pays it, regardless of whether you own a TV or radio. Here is what you need to know.
What It Is and Why It Exists
The Rundfunkbeitrag funds ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio, and Germany’s regional public broadcasters. It is not a subscription and not a tax in the legal sense — it is a legally mandated contribution from every household. The constitutional basis: Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court has repeatedly upheld the Rundfunkbeitrag as constitutional, grounded in the state’s duty to ensure independent, publicly funded media. The amount (€18.36/month = €220.32/year) is set by the Länder and requires agreement among all German states to change.
Who Has to Pay
Every household (Haushalt) in Germany. One payment per address, regardless of how many people live there. If you live in a shared flat (WG), only one person per flat pays. If you live in a secondary residence (Zweitwohnsitz), you can apply for exemption from the secondary address. Students in dormitories: one payment per dormitory unit, not per room. Companies pay additional contributions based on the number of locations and vehicles.
Registration
You are supposed to register yourself with Beitragsservice (the collection agency, at rundfunkbeitrag.de) when you move to a new address in Germany. In practice, many people receive a letter automatically after registering with the Einwohnermeldeamt (citizen registration office). If you do not register and are later found, you will owe back payments with interest. Registration takes 5 minutes online at rundfunkbeitrag.de — you need your German bank account details (IBAN) for direct debit.
Exemptions
Exemptions exist for: recipients of ALG II (unemployment benefit II / Bürgergeld), recipients of Sozialhilfe (social welfare), recipients of BAföG (student financial aid), recipients of Grundsicherung (basic income support), and people with certain disabilities (deaf/blind). Application for exemption: online at rundfunkbeitrag.de, requires documentation of the qualifying benefit. If you are exempt and receive a letter demanding payment, file the exemption application immediately — back-payments accumulate if ignored.
