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Answer · Broadcast contribution

Can you get an exemption from the Rundfunkbeitrag?

Only in defined cases. Exemption is granted when you receive one of the listed social benefits, and a reduced rate applies with certain disability marks. Low income on its own, not owning a television, or being a foreign national are not grounds. A second, separate route is the one most newcomers actually need: proving that someone else in your household already pays for the flat.

Last verified: 19 September 2026 · Settling in

At a glance

Charged per
Household (Wohnung), not per person or device
Exemption basis
Receipt of one of the listed social benefits
Reduction basis
Certain marks in a disability pass
Not grounds
No TV, low income, nationality, short stay
Household route
Name the contribution number of the person already paying
Application
Written, with proof of the benefit or the mark

Who this applies to

  • You received a letter asking you to register for the contribution after your Anmeldung.
  • You share a flat where someone already pays.
  • You receive a social benefit and want to know whether it releases you.

Why most newcomer letters are not an exemption case

The contribution is charged once per home. After you register your address, the contribution service writes to you because it has a new occupant and no payment on record for you. In a shared flat or a flat where a partner already pays, the answer is not exemption — it is telling them the existing contribution number for the flat.

That reply still has to be sent. Ignoring the letter is what turns an administrative point into arrears, because non-payment does not need a decision to accumulate.

Where an exemption or reduction does apply

  • Receipt of one of the social benefits listed in the state treaty, proven with the current decision letter.
  • A reduced rate with certain marks in a severely disabled person's pass.
  • Exemption runs for the period covered by your benefit decision, so it has to be renewed when that decision is renewed.
  • In hardship cases outside the listed grounds, a separate hardship application exists and is decided individually.

Students and shared flats

  • Being a student is not itself a ground; receiving BAföG-related benefits can be, depending on the exact benefit.
  • In a shared flat, one contribution covers the whole flat — flatmates settle it privately between them.
  • Moving into a flat where someone pays: reply with their contribution number.
  • Moving out into your own flat: you become liable from that month, so register the change.

Documents you need

  • The letter from the contribution service with your reference
  • Current benefit decision, if applying for exemption
  • Disability pass, if applying for the reduced rate
  • Contribution number of the person already paying for your flat
  • Registration certificate or move-in date

Common mistakes

  • Ignoring the first letter and letting arrears build up.
  • Arguing you own no television — the charge is not device-based.
  • Forgetting to renew an exemption when the underlying benefit decision is renewed.
  • Not deregistering the old flat when moving, and paying twice.

What happens next

  • You get a written decision on exemption, reduction or liability.
  • If liable, payment is collected periodically, usually by direct debit.
  • When you move, you report the change so the liability follows the right flat.

How Burokrat helps

Workflow support

Reading the answer is the first half. Burokrat turns it into a tracked workflow:

  • A personalized step-by-step path for your situation
  • A document checklist that shows what is still missing
  • Progress tracking across connected tasks
  • Reminders for deadlines and appointment dates
  • Source-cited guidance, with the official page behind each step
  • Trusted partner discovery where a professional is genuinely needed
Handle the contribution letter

Burokrat tells you which reply your household situation needs.

Related questions

I only stay in Germany for a few months. Do I still pay?
Liability follows the registered home for the months you have one. A short stay does not create an exemption, but liability ends when the home does.
Does the exemption cover the whole flat?
An exemption for the person liable can release the flat, but it depends on who else living there is liable. State the full household situation in the application.
Can I be charged for months before I replied?
Yes. Liability starts with the home, not with your letter, which is why answering the first letter quickly matters.

Official sources

Last verified: 19 September 2026

This page is general information about a German administrative process. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice and it does not replace a decision by the responsible authority. Rules, fees and processing times change, and practice differs between cities and offices — always check the official source linked above for your own case.

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