ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio contribution service
Broadcasting Fee: General Information for Companies and Organizations

Do you want to register, deregister, or report changes to the broadcasting fee for your company or institution? You can find out everything you need to know here.

Detailed description

The broadcasting fee is a monthly charge used to finance public broadcasting corporations such as ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio.

As a non-private organization, you are required to register for the broadcasting fee. This includes, for example, companies or businesses, associations, federations, foundations, or public institutions such as schools, government agencies, hospitals, fire departments, or kindergartens. The obligation to pay the fee applies regardless of your profit motive or tax treatment.

The amount of the contribution depends on the number of business locations, employees and motor vehicles.

Report changes such as the number of your employees, business locations, or vehicles.

Information

Important notes

Prerequisites

As a company, organization, or institution, you must register all independent, fixed rooms or room units that are not used privately. These are considered business premises. If several such rooms are located on the same property, they are counted as one business premises.
Please also report any hotel and guest rooms, holiday apartments and vehicles that you use for commercial, non-profit or public purposes.
You do not have to pay the broadcasting fee for certain business locations. This applies.
- for rooms used exclusively for religious services,
- for rooms without a workspace as well as
- for business premises located within an already contribution-liable dwelling.
Please report all relevant changes to your data. This includes, in particular:
- Name or company name and details of the legal representative
- Address of your business premises(s)
- Opening or closing of a business location
- Number of employees
- Number of hotel and guest rooms or holiday apartments
- Number and registration of your vehicles subject to contributions

Documents required

The documents you need depend on your specific request. You can find out exactly which documents you require from the relevant authority.

Please note

The amount of the broadcasting fee depends on how many employees you have at your business premises.

You pay for each business location:

For companies with 0 to 8 employees: one third of the broadcasting fee.
For companies with 9 to 19 employees: one full broadcasting fee.
For companies with 20 to 49 employees: two broadcasting fees.
For companies with 50 to 249 employees: five broadcasting fees
For companies with 250 to 499 employees: ten broadcasting fees
For companies with 500 to 999 employees: 20 broadcasting fees
For companies with 1,000 to 4,999 employees: 40 broadcasting fees
For companies with 5,000 to 9,999 employees: 80 broadcasting fees
For companies with 10,000 to 19,999 employees: 120 broadcasting fees
For companies with 20,000 or more employees: 180 broadcasting fees

In addition, you each pay one third of the broadcasting fee:

for hotel and guest rooms as well as holiday apartments that you offer for paid accommodation (from the second unit onwards) and
This applies to every vehicle you use for commercial, self-employed, non-profit, or public purposes. You do not need to pay an additional fee for one vehicle per business location. Public transport buses are also exempt.

A discount applies to certain establishments:

For example, if you operate a non-profit organization, an association, a school, a university or an institution such as a fire brigade, police or disaster relief service, you pay a maximum of one third of the broadcasting fee per business location.

Deadlines

Register each business location and each vehicle subject to contributions with the responsible authority as soon as possible.

Please report any changes immediately.

Report changes in the number of employees no later than March 31st of the respective year.

Your obligation to pay contributions ends at the end of the month in which you no longer use the apartment, business premises, or vehicle. However, it ends no earlier than the end of the month in which you notified us of this.

For vehicles, the obligation to pay contributions ends at the end of the month in which the vehicle is no longer registered in your name.

Procedure & Fees

Procedure

They submit the notification along with the required documents to the responsible authority.
The responsible authority will review your report and documents. If necessary, they will request further documents or information from you.
The responsible authority will decide on your obligation to pay contributions or amend your data accordingly.
You may receive a notification.
You may receive regular payment requests for the broadcasting fee.
They settle the payment requests.

Processing time

Processing usually takes 4-6 weeks.

Fees

There are no fees.

Costs only arise from the broadcasting fee itself, unless you are exempt.

Legal notes

Legal remedies

omitted

Legal basis

Interstate Broadcasting Contribution Agreement (RBStV)

https://www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/e175/e4794/Rundfunkbeitragsstaatsvertrag.pdf

Address and contact information