TV Licensing

Information about the TV Licence

A standard colour TV Licence costs £169.50. You can pay in one go or choose to spread the cost. This page also tells you about the different ways you can pay, licences for businesses, and whether you’re eligible for a concession.

Some links on this page go to pages in English. If you would prefer to talk to us, please call our Welsh Language Helpline on 0300 790 6042*.

Do you need a TV Licence?

In the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, you need to be covered by a TV Licence if you:

• watch TV channels, like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Dave and international channels
• watch TV on pay TV services, like Sky, Virgin Media and BT
• watch live TV on streaming services, like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video
• use BBC iPlayer*

This includes recording and downloading. On any device.

*A licence is not needed to watch S4C programmes on demand.

You usually only need one TV Licence per address, even if you use lots of devices. Different conditions apply for homes without a joint tenancy agreement and businesses, where more than one licence may be needed. If you have a second home, you will need a separate licence for that address. Find out more by calling 0300 790 6042.

You are breaking the law if you watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer. You risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 (the maximum fine in Guernsey is £2,000) plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay. In Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal will decide whether or not to prosecute.

You do not need a TV Licence for BBC iPlayer if you only watch S4C’s TV on demand or listen to the radio.

Have you moved home recently?

If you’ve moved home, or the details we have about you are wrong or have changed, please let us know your new address details.

Don’t watch live or use BBC iPlayer?

If you never watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer, you don’t need a TV Licence. Please let us know that you don’t need a licence or call 0300 790 6042*. Different conditions apply for businesses.

If you tell us you don’t need a licence, we may visit you to confirm that a licence isn’t needed. These visits are necessary because, when we make contact, we find one in ten people* who’ve told us they don’t need a licence actually do need one.

* As at April 2023

Don’t need your licence anymore?

If you have a TV Licence but no longer watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer you may be eligible for a refund. To find out more, please call us on 0300 790 6042*.

The Cancellation and Refund form is also available in Welsh.

How much is a TV Licence?

A colour TV Licence costs £169.50 a year. If you’re blind (severely sight impaired) or you are aged 74 or over, you could be entitled to a reduced fee or free licence.

You can pay for or renew your TV Licence online with a debit or credit card. Alternatively, you’ll find all the different ways you can pay for a licence below. If you’re renewing your TV Licence you’ll need your current licence number.

How to pay for your TV Licence

You can pay in one go or choose to spread the cost quarterly, monthly or weekly.

The easiest way to pay for your TV Licence is online, by Direct Debit or with a debit or credit card.

Ways to pay:

Direct Debit

Spread the cost of your TV Licence monthly, quarterly or annually. We will take the payments for your licence automatically, so you never have to worry about missing a payment.

After your Direct Debit has been set up, your licence will be renewed automatically for you each year, so you’ll never risk being unlicensed.

If you move home, make sure you tell us so we can move your TV Licence to your new address.

You can set up a Direct Debit in Welsh online.

Please note that if you decide to pay quarterly, there will be a £1.25 charge added to each payment.

Debit/credit card

Pay for your TV Licence by debit or credit card online, over the phone or with your debit card at a PayPoint (or post office in the Channel Islands or Isle of Man). Please ensure you have your details to hand when paying. If you’re renewing your TV Licence it will be helpful if you have your current licence number to hand.

TV Licensing payment card

You can spread the cost of your TV Licence from £6.50 a week with a payment card. You can use it to pay online, by phone, by text message or at any PayPoint. If you’re renewing your TV Licence it will be helpful if you have your current licence number to hand.

Find out more and apply online.

Where to pay:

Online

You can pay for your TV Licence and manage your TV Licence on our website. You can also ask to receive your TV Licence and any other communications from us by email, but your email address can only contain letters and numbers from the English language.

You can pay for your TV Licence either by debit or credit card or by setting up a Direct Debit.

Pay for your TV Licence online

Phone

If you have a debit or credit card – such as Maestro, Delta, Solo, Visa or MasterCard – you can pay for your TV Licence by calling 0300 790 6042*. Please make sure you have your card details to hand.

PayPoint

You can go to any PayPoint and buy a TV Licence with cash or a debit card. You will just need to give the shop assistant your name and address and pay the full fee of £169.50 by cash or debit card.

There are over 28,000 PayPoints across the UK, which you’ll find in convenience stores, newsagents, off-licences, supermarkets and petrol stations. Many are open long hours, seven days a week. You can find your local PayPoint here.

There aren’t any PayPoints in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. Instead you can pay at any post office.

Post

You can send a cheque to TV Licensing, Darlington DL98 1TL. Please make the cheque payable to ‘TV Licensing’ for the full licence fee, and remember to write your name, address and postcode on the back of the cheque. Please do not send cash.

Could you get a concession?

Blind (severely sight impaired)

If you are blind (severely sight impaired) and can provide the appropriate evidence, you are eligible to apply for a 50% concession.

If you are partially sighted (sight impaired) you are not eligible.

To apply, go online at tvlicensing.co.uk/blind.

Aged 74 or over

If you are aged 74 or over, you could be entitled to a short term or free licence.

Apply for a free TV Licence.

Businesses and organisations

Your business premises need to be covered by a TV Licence if staff, customers or guests watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer. This applies to any device you’ve provided, as well as any devices of their own that are plugged into the mains.

If your business has just one premises, you may only need a single TV Licence. A licence costs £169.50 a year for each address and will cover all devices used at that address. The easiest way to pay for a single TV Licence is online with a debit or credit card, or by Direct Debit.

If you need to cover more than one address, the simplest way is with a Company Group TV Licence. There are no forms to fill in. You will only need to make one payment each year, and you will receive just one reminder which will be sent to a single address. To pay for a Company Group TV Licence, call us on 0300 790 6165* and we’ll be happy to help.

A TV Licence does not cover:

• residential accommodation on your premises,
• welfare or social clubs on your premises but run by someone else,
• premises sublet by you to other organisations, or
• hospitality areas.

There are also different rules for hotels, hostels, mobile units and campsites.

Please note: if music is ever played on your premises for customers or staff – through radio, TV, computer or CD/DVD, for example – in most cases you will need to buy a music licence from PPLPRS. Go to www.pplprs.co.uk for more information.

What are the terms and conditions of a standard TV Licence?

You means the person named on the licence.

What is a TV Licence needed for?

To use and install TV receiving equipment at the licensed place. It covers:

• watching TV on any channel, like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Dave and international channels
• watching TV on pay TV services, like Sky, Virgin Media and BT
• watching live TV on streaming services, like YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.
• using BBC iPlayer*

This includes recording and downloading. On any device.

*A licence is not needed to watch S4C programmes on demand.

The licence allows use and installation of TV receiving equipment:

• At the licensed place by anyone.
• In a vehicle, boat or caravan by:
  • You and anyone who normally lives here with you at the licensed place (except in non-touring caravans when someone is watching or recording TV at the licensed place).
  • Anyone who normally works at the licensed place (so long as the vehicle, boat or caravan is being used for a business purpose).
• Use of TV receiving equipment powered by its internal batteries anywhere by you and anyone who normally lives with you at the licensed place.

This licence usually does not cover:

• Areas occupied solely by tenants, lodgers or paying guests.
• Areas that are self-contained.
• Areas covered by separate legal arrangements.
• Areas of business premises used for a different purpose.

Black and white licences

Even if you have a black and white TV, you need a colour licence to record programmes. This is because DVD, VHS and digital box recorders record in colour. A black and white licence is only valid if you use a digital box that can’t record TV programmes.

Other conditions

• We can cancel or change your licence. If we cancel it, we will let you know.
• If we change the licence conditions, we will publish a general notice on the BBC website and, if we consider it appropriate, in other national media.
• Our Officers may visit the licensed place to check our records and inspect the TV receiving equipment. You don’t have to let them in.
• The TV receiving equipment must not cause unreasonable interference to radio or TV reception.

Think you might need a TV Licence? Check now.

Please note: separate terms and conditions apply to the following types of TV Licence: hotel and mobile units TV Licence, ARC concessionary TV Licence and entertainment units TV Licence. If you have one of these, please refer to your licence for specific terms and conditions or contact us for information.

Contacting the Welsh Language team

When you phone us or write to us, please give your TV Licence number if you have one. You can contact the TV Licensing Welsh team as follows:

• Give us a call on 0300 790 6042*
• Use our Contact us form
• Write to us at The Welsh Department, TV Licensing, Darlington, DL98 1TL
• Send us an email at trwyddedu.teledu@tvlicensing.co.uk (please note – only Welsh language or bilingual emails sent to this address will receive a reply)

Monitoring Welsh Language Standards Compliance

The BBC TV Licensing Management Team is responsible for overseeing TV Licensing’s compliance with the Welsh Language Standards. Arrangements in place to oversee compliance include quarterly reporting on key Welsh language metrics (and information relating to the record keeping standards with which TV Licensing is required to comply) and a Welsh Language working group which meets regularly. The BBC also has oversight of all complaints relating to the TV Licensing Welsh Language service and Welsh Language Standards compliance.

As required under the standards, the BBC will submit a report each year to the Welsh Language Commissioner, which will also be published on this website (accessible from the main Welsh page (tvlicensing.co.uk/cymraeg). This will be published in September each year.

TV Licensing Welsh Language Service and Standards compliance - Complaints procedure

Complaints about TV Licensing’s Welsh language services, or about compliance with the Welsh Language Standards applicable to TV Licensing, will be dealt with under the normal TV Licensing complaints procedure. Whilst the process for such complaints is equivalent in most respects to the process for any complaint received by TV Licensing, some additional provisions are in place regarding Welsh Language complaints to ensure compliance with the Welsh Language Standards. These provisions are as follows:

• Complaints received about the Welsh language service or Welsh Language Standards compliance must be translated by the TV Licensing Welsh team
• Complaints received in Welsh or in English about our Welsh language service or Welsh Language Standards compliance must receive a response in both Welsh and English (Welsh appearing first).
• Complaints received in Welsh or which require a response in Welsh are subject to the same response time as English complaints.
• All complaints relating to compliance with the Welsh Language Standards or relating to TV Licensing’s Welsh Language Service must be:
  • Reviewed by relevant managers responsible for Welsh Language Standards compliance
  • Notified to the BBC
  • Reported on a quarterly basis.

All relevant staff receive training on the procedure for Welsh language complaints and this training is refreshed periodically. The procedure is also defined within work instructions. Regular checks are carried out to ensure the process is followed.

Welsh Language Standards and TV Licensing

The Welsh language service provided by TV Licensing is governed by the Welsh Language Standards (No. 2) Regulations 2016. These Standards replace the previous TV Licensing Welsh Language Scheme and means that specific Welsh Language standards are applicable to TV Licensing.

Further information about these Standards, including an edited version of the compliance notice giving details of the standards which apply to TV Licensing, appear on the Welsh Language Standards page.

TV Licensing Welsh Language Online Service

Customers are now able to buy a new TV Licence, renew an existing TV Licence and apply for a free TV Licence in Welsh on the TV Licensing website.

Further information about the standards relevant to TV Licensing (including an edited version of the compliance notice) is available on the TV Licensing website at tvlicensing.co.uk/safonaurgymraeg.

* Calls to our 0300 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number, whether from a mobile or landline. Calls from landlines are typically charged at up to 9p per minute and calls from mobiles typically cost between 8p and 40p per minute. If you get inclusive minutes with your mobile or landline, calls to an 0300 number will be included.