English Guide
Radio Tax in Germany (Rundfunkbeitrag): What It Is — and How to Deregister or Get an Exemption
Every household in Germany pays the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag, formerly known as “GEZ”): €18.36 per month per dwelling (as of 2026), collected by the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice. It applies regardless of nationality, visa status, or whether you own a TV. But in several life situations you can deregister or apply for an exemption — with a formal German letter.
If you have just moved to Germany, the fee usually finds you automatically: the residents’ registration office (Bürgeramt) shares registration data with the Beitragsservice, which then sends letters to your address — in German only.
Guided form (in German — browser translation works well) · no prepayment
The key facts
- One fee per dwelling
- €18.36/month (as of 2026), typically billed as €55.08 per quarter. Flatmates and couples share one fee: only one person per dwelling needs an account.
- Deregistration (Abmeldung)
- Possible when your dwelling no longer needs its own account: you move abroad permanently (proof: deregistration certificate from the Bürgeramt), you move in with someone who already pays, or the dwelling is given up entirely.
- Exemption (Befreiung)
- Recipients of certain social benefits — e.g. Bürgergeld (citizen’s benefit), BAföG student support (if not living with parents), or basic income support — can apply for a full exemption, usually including up to three years retroactively.
- Ignoring it is expensive
- Unpaid fees lead to formal assessment notices with surcharges (at least €8 each) and can be enforced like taxes. A short formal letter is almost always the better option.
How rundfunkbeitrag-24 helps
Answer guided questions
Select your situation — moving abroad, moving in together, exemption, refund or instalment request. The form is in German; browser translation handles it well.
We draft the formal German letter
Based on your answers we generate a formally correct letter to the Beitragsservice — no German writing skills needed on your side.
Postal dispatch included
We print and send the letter by post to the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice. The decision on your request is made by the Beitragsservice.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Rundfunkbeitrag (German radio tax)?
- It is the public broadcasting fee that funds ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. Every household (Wohnung) pays €18.36 per month (as of 2026) — one fee per dwelling, regardless of how many people live there, whether you own a TV or radio, or whether you are a German citizen.
- I never watch German TV. Do I still have to pay?
- Yes. The fee is tied to the dwelling, not to devices or actual usage. “I don’t watch TV” is not an accepted reason for deregistration under the Rundfunkbeitragsstaatsvertrag (State Media Treaty).
- How can I stop paying legally?
- There are three typical routes: deregistration (Abmeldung) when your dwelling no longer needs its own account — for example you move abroad permanently or move in with someone who already pays; exemption (Befreiung) if you receive certain social benefits such as Bürgergeld or BAföG; or reduction to one third with the RF mark in a German disability card. The Beitragsservice decides on each application.
- What happens if I just ignore the letters?
- The Beitragsservice issues a formal assessment notice (Festsetzungsbescheid) with a late-payment surcharge (usually 1 %, at least €8). Unpaid amounts can be enforced like public debts, including bank account garnishment. Ignoring the letters does not make the obligation go away.
- My German is not good enough to write official letters. Can you help?
- Yes — that is exactly what rundfunkbeitrag-24 does. You fill in a guided online form, and we generate a formally correct German letter to the ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice and dispatch it by post. The form is currently in German; most browsers translate it reliably. We are a writing and dispatch aid under § 2 RDG and do not provide legal advice.
rundfunkbeitrag-24 is an automated writing and dispatch aid (§ 2 RDG) and does not provide legal advice. This page is general information, not advice for your individual case. Decisions on deregistration, exemption or refunds are made by the Beitragsservice.