Whether you’re a university student, a parent or you provide student accommodation, find out when a TV Licence is needed and how much it costs.

When you need a TV Licence

The law says you need to be covered by a TV Licence to:

watch or record programmes as they’re being shown on TV, on any channel

watch or stream programmes live on an online TV service (such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go, etc.)

(such as ITV Hub, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, Sky Go, etc.) download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer.

This applies to any device you use, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder.

How much does a TV Licence cost?

A standard TV Licence costs £157.50. You can pay all in one go, or you can spread the cost by choosing from our range of Direct Debit options . You can buy and manage your licence online. And if you don’t need your licence for a full 12 months, you could apply for a refund