A TV licence normally covers one residential property address. If you have a valid TV licence for your home address, you can legally watch TV on a mobile device outside your home. If you live in self-contained accommodation, such as a flat or annex, you will need your own TV licence.

⚠️ It is an offence to watch or record TV without a valid licence. The TV Licensing authority can prosecute you, and the fine can be as much as £1,000.

Why do I need to pay for a TV licence?

The TV licence fee goes towards the services provided by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), including TV, radio and online content. This means that the BBC’s UK services are free of advertisements and independent of political interest.

Even if you do not access any of the BBC’s services and prefer other channels instead, if you watch or record any TV programmes as they are being broadcast, you must pay the TV licence fee.

In addition, even if you only watch programmes on BBC iPlayer, you must pay the TV licence fee.

How much does a TV licence cost?

There are two different rates

If your TV receiving equipment has colour capability, you must pay the fee for a colour TV licence – £157.50 from 1 April 2020.



If your TV receiving equipment can only produce black and white images, you can pay the fee for a black and white TV licence – £53 from 1 April 2020.

You can pay for your TV licence in instalments. You can find out more on the TV Licensing website.

When do I not need a TV licence?

You do not need a TV licence to watch videos or DVDs or to watch clips on websites like YouTube. You must be covered by a TV licence if you download or watch BBC programmes on BBC iPlayer.

You can find out if you need a TV licence on the TV Licensing website.

If you are a lodger and live as part of a household which is already covered by a TV licence, then you probably will not need a separate one. However, if you essentially have self-contained accommodation in a house, then you might need your own TV licence – even if somebody else in the house already has one. You can find more information on the TV Licensing website.

Where can I find more information?

There is more information on the TV Licensing website:

You can check whether or not you need a TV licence;

You can find out how the TV Licensing authority is able to detect properties where people watch TV without a licence; and

You can find out if you are eligible for a reduced fee TV licence.

If you need to pay for a TV licence for your property, you can do this online on the TV Licensing website.