Do you need a TV licence?
The simplest way to know whether you need a TV licence is to ask two questions: do you ever watch or record live TV, and do you ever use BBC iPlayer? If the answer to either is yes, you legally need a licence. If the answer to both is no, you do not. The table below sums up the most common situations.
| What you watch | Licence needed? |
|---|---|
| Live TV on any channel (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, satellite) | Yes |
| Anything on BBC iPlayer (live or catch-up) | Yes |
| Live TV streamed through an app or website (for example ITVX live or Now) | Yes |
| On-demand films and series on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+ | No |
| Catch-up only on ITVX, Channel 4 or My5 (not BBC iPlayer) | No |
| YouTube clips, recorded vlogs and on-demand video | No |
| Listening to the radio, including BBC radio | No |
When do you need a TV licence?
You need a valid TV licence the moment you watch, record or download live TV programmes as they are being broadcast, on any channel and any service, or whenever you use BBC iPlayer. "Live" does not just mean sport or news: it means any programme, film or documentary watched at the same time as it is shown on a TV channel, whether through an aerial, satellite, cable or an online stream.
A common misunderstanding is that BBC iPlayer is free because it is on demand. It is not. Since 2016 you have needed a licence to download or watch any BBC programme on iPlayer, including catch-up content, not just live BBC channels. The rule applies whatever device you use.
What counts as live TV?
Live TV is any programme you watch at the moment it is being broadcast or streamed to the public, regardless of the channel or device. You need a licence to watch live content on any of the following:
- A television set with an aerial, satellite dish or cable connection;
- A desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone streaming a live channel;
- A games console or streaming stick showing a live broadcast;
- A digital box, set-top box or DVD recorder used to record live TV.
Does BBC iPlayer need a licence?
Yes. BBC iPlayer is the one on-demand service that always requires a licence, even for catch-up. If you watch any BBC programme through iPlayer, you must be covered, whereas catch-up on ITVX, Channel 4 or My5 does not require one unless you are watching those channels live.
When do you not need a TV licence?
You do not need a TV licence if you only ever watch on-demand content that is not BBC iPlayer and you never watch anything live. With Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and the catch-up sections of other broadcasters, a growing number of households are licence-free, which can mean a useful saving on your household utilities.
You are licence-free if you only do the following:
- Stream on-demand films and series on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+;
- Watch catch-up only on ITVX, Channel 4 or My5 (but never BBC iPlayer);
- Watch recorded clips and on-demand videos on YouTube;
- Listen to the radio, including BBC radio stations.
Do you need a TV licence to watch Netflix?
No. You can watch Netflix without a TV licence because everything on it is on demand, with no live broadcasting. The same applies to Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. As long as you never watch live TV and never use BBC iPlayer, using these services alone keeps you licence-free.
Do you need a TV licence for a TV package?
It depends on what the package lets you watch. On-demand smart-TV bundles such as Now or Netgem TV only need a licence if you use them to watch live channels or BBC iPlayer. If you compare deals on our TV and broadband hub, the licence requirement comes down to whether the service includes live channels.
How much is a TV licence?
A standard colour TV licence costs £174.50 a year, rising to £180 from 1 April 2026. A black-and-white licence is cheaper at £58.50 a year (£60.50 from April 2026). The fee covers your whole household, however many devices you use, and is set by the government rather than by any provider, so the price is the same wherever you buy it.
You can spread the cost rather than pay in one lump sum. The cheapest way to pay is annually or by monthly direct debit; paying by quarterly direct debit usually adds a small surcharge of a few pounds a year. A weekly or fortnightly cash payment card is also available through PayPoint.
Who is exempt or can pay less?
Some households qualify for a free, discounted or reduced-rate TV licence. If you fall into one of the categories below, you can apply directly to TV Licensing for the relevant concession.
| Who qualifies | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Over-75s who receive Pension Credit | Free |
| Blind or severely sight-impaired (with a certificate) | 50% off the standard fee |
| Residential care or sheltered accommodation (ARC licence) | £7.50 per room or flat |
| Households watching only on a black-and-white set | £58.50 a year |
Over-75s and Pension Credit
A free over-75 licence is no longer automatic. You qualify only if you are aged 75 or over and you or your partner living at the same address receive Pension Credit. If you are over 75 but do not receive Pension Credit, you must pay the full fee, so it is worth checking your Pension Credit entitlement.
Blind and care-home concessions
If you are registered blind or severely sight-impaired, you can claim a 50% discount; you will need to send TV Licensing a copy of your certificate of vision impairment. People in eligible residential care or sheltered housing may be covered by a discounted Accommodation for Residential Care (ARC) licence arranged by the home, costing £7.50 per room.
Students and the TV licence
Students are not covered by their family home's licence while living away in halls of residence or a rented flat during term time. If you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer there, you need your own licence. There is no student discount, but if you only use a licence for part of the year, you can apply for a partial refund on any complete months left when you stop.
Who pays the TV licence in a household?
A TV licence is registered to an address, not to a person or a specific television, so you only need one per household. In most homes the bill-payer or homeowner takes it on, but there is no fixed rule about who pays.
If you are renting from a landlord, the licence is occasionally included in the rent, but this is not standard practice. As with council tax, tenants normally arrange and pay for their own licence. In a house share with a single joint tenancy, one licence usually covers everyone; with separate tenancy agreements for individual rooms, each person may need their own.
How to pay, renew or cancel your TV licence
You buy, renew and manage a TV licence directly through the official TV Licensing website. To set one up, you provide your name, address and payment details, and you can choose to pay in full or spread the cost by direct debit or payment card.
Renewing your licence
A licence lasts 12 months and TV Licensing will usually remind you before it expires. To renew, use the renewal section of their website and follow the prompts; we recommend doing it about a month before the expiry date to avoid reminder letters. Your TV licence number, which appears on any letter or email from TV Licensing, helps you manage the account.
Cancelling your licence
If you no longer watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer, you can cancel by completing a "no licence needed" declaration on the TV Licensing website. If you cancel partway through the year, you may be due a refund for any complete months remaining. Be aware that declaring you do not need a licence may prompt a confirmation enquiry, so only do it if you genuinely no longer watch live or iPlayer content.
What happens if you do not pay?
If you watch live TV or use BBC iPlayer without a valid licence, you are breaking the law and can be prosecuted. Watching only on-demand services that do not require a licence is perfectly legal, so there is nothing to pay or worry about in that case.
If TV Licensing believes a household is watching without a licence, it typically starts with letters and may follow up with a visit. The maximum penalty on conviction is a fine of up to £1,000 (plus any legal costs), though in practice prison sentences for licence-fee evasion are very rare and usually relate to non-payment of the resulting fine rather than the offence itself.
Frequently asked questions
Next steps when setting up your home
Sorting your TV licence is one item on the moving checklist. If you only watch on demand you may not need one at all, but you will still want the right broadband and TV package. Compare deals and read our related guides below to set up the rest of your household.