German Broadcasting Fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) 2026

Germany's broadcasting contribution (Rundfunkbeitrag) finances public broadcasting. For private households, the basic rule is simple: one contribution is charged for each dwelling, regardless of how many people live there or which media devices they own. This guide explains registration, payment, shared flats, moving and possible exemptions.

Who has to pay the broadcasting contribution?

The contribution is linked to a dwelling rather than to a person, television or radio. In most private homes, one adult resident registers the dwelling with the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice and becomes responsible for payments. The rate stays the same whether the person lives alone, with a partner, with family or in a large shared flat.

Device ownership is irrelevant. A household cannot opt out because nobody watches public television, listens to radio or owns a conventional receiver. The dwelling-based rule also covers homes whose residents use only a laptop or smartphone, and homes with no media devices at all.

How much do you pay, and when?

The household rate is €18.36 per month. The standard schedule combines three months, so the usual amount is €55.08, due in the middle of the relevant three-month period. Other advance-payment schedules may be available, but you should follow the payment information assigned to your contribution account.

You can normally pay by SEPA direct debit or make transfers using the correct payment reference. Direct debit reduces the risk of missed dates. If you transfer manually, copy the contribution number accurately so the payment reaches the right account. Keep notices and bank records, especially when responsibility for a shared home changes.

How to register — step by step

• 1
  Check whether the dwelling is already registered

  Ask your partner, family or flatmates before submitting anything. If somebody already pays, note that person's name and nine-digit contribution number.

• 2
  Choose the correct online form

  Use the official “Register a dwelling” form if nobody pays for the home. If you received a letter, use the details and reference shown in that correspondence when responding.

• 3
  Enter the household and payment details

  Provide your personal data, the address, the date from which the dwelling is occupied and the requested bank information if you choose direct debit.

• 4
  Save the confirmation

  Keep a copy or screenshot of the submission. After processing, retain the confirmation and your contribution number for future changes, moves or correspondence.

Register promptly when your situation requires it, but check the current official form and any letter you receive rather than relying on a supposed universal fixed deadline. The relevant starting date and process depend on the facts of your housing situation.

What information and documents do you need?

• Your full name, date of birth and current address
• The date you began occupying the dwelling
• Bank details if you select SEPA direct debit
• Any file number or reference from a Beitragsservice letter
• For a shared home already covered: the payer's name and nine-digit contribution number
• For an exemption or reduction: the application and official proof for the claimed ground

Shared flats (WG): one dwelling, one payment

In a Wohngemeinschaft (WG), only one resident needs to hold the contribution account for the shared dwelling. The residents can decide privately who registers and how they split the €55.08 three-month payment. Their internal arrangement does not change who is responsible to the Beitragsservice: the registered account holder remains responsible for timely payment.

If each room is part of one normal dwelling, separate contributions are not charged merely because the residents have individual rental agreements. By contrast, the legal classification may differ where units are structurally separate dwellings with their own entrances. Check the official definition if your building has an unusual layout.

What happens when you move?

Because the contribution number is personal, the registered payer takes it to the new address. If that person will keep paying at the new home, they should report the address change. If somebody there already pays, the moving person can normally deregister the former dwelling and provide the contribution number of the payer at the new shared home.

If you remain in a WG after the registered payer leaves, their contribution number leaves with them. A remaining resident should register the dwelling in their own name. Continuing to transfer money using the departed person's number can credit the wrong contribution account and leave the actual dwelling in arrears.

Exemptions and reduced contributions

Exemption or reduction is possible only on specific legal grounds. Examples include recipients of certain listed social benefits, some hardship cases, deafblind people and people whose disability documentation contains the qualifying “RF” mark for a reduced contribution. Eligibility cannot be assumed from a low income, unemployment, student status or disability alone; the exact benefit or legal category matters.

Nothing happens automatically. You must submit the appropriate application and the evidence requested for your eligibility ground. Read what form of proof is accepted and which period it covers. If the evidence expires or your circumstances change, check whether a new application is necessary.

Rooms or dwellings in communal accommodation, such as asylum accommodation, boarding institutions or barracks, are contribution-free under the official rules. This is different from an ordinary private WG: sharing a normal apartment does not make it communal accommodation.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Rundfunkbeitrag in Germany?

The contribution is €18.36 per month for each dwelling. Under the ordinary payment schedule, €55.08 is due in the middle of each three-month contribution period. The amount does not depend on how many people or media devices are in the home.

Does every person in a shared flat have to pay?

No. One person pays for the dwelling. Other residents can tell the Beitragsservice that the home is already registered and provide the payer's nine-digit contribution number. Flatmates should agree privately on how to divide the cost.

Do I have to pay if I do not own a TV or radio?

Yes, if your dwelling is subject to the contribution. Liability is attached to the dwelling and does not depend on owning or using a television, radio, computer or smartphone.

Are exemptions from the broadcasting contribution automatic?

No. An exemption or reduction must be requested and supported with the required evidence. Eligibility depends on the legal ground, such as certain social benefits, a qualifying hardship or the disability-related RF mark.

Official sources

• Rundfunkbeitrag: official homepage and household rate
• Rundfunkbeitrag: register a dwelling
• Rundfunkbeitrag: exemptions and reductions
• Rundfunkbeitrag: what to do when moving