Did you know that TV and radio connection is paid for in the Czech Republic?
Information overview on license fees
Suppose you are a long-term resident of the Czech Republic and you own a TV, a radio, or other equipment enabling the transmission of television or radio broadcasts. In this case, you are subject to pay the so-called license fees (koncesionářské poplatky) under Act No. 348/2005 Coll. Is this news for you? Then continue reading this article to find out everything you need to know.
Do foreigners have to pay the license fees?
Yes, additionally to Czech citizens, foreigners also have to pay license fees. This applies to foreigners who possess a long-term or permanent residence permit and who own equipment capable of radio or television broadcasting (see list below) or who borrowed such equipment for a period longer than one month. Foreigners who are blind in both eyes, deaf, or low-income are exempt from this obligation. In cases, where the signal receiver is a part of a public transport equipment, the operator of the transportation mean is the payer of the fee.
How does it work?
If you pay for the electricity supplies, the state automatically counts you as a payer of the TV and radio fees. If you do not pay the fees, you can expect to be called on by Czech Television and Czech Radio to pay the fee. Generally, you must notify Czech Radio or Czech Television within 15 days that you have become the owner of equipment capable of broadcasting. The fee is then paid from the 1st day of the next month.
Only one payer pays the fee for one household. For example, if you live in a family of 5 people, only one person pays. The fee is only paid for one device, even if the payer owns more of them. Similarly, if a taxpayer owns more than one property, they only pay the fee once. In the case of rental housing, the fee is always paid by the tenant, not the property owner. Thus, paying the fee to your landlord is not the correct practice. Unfortunately, the landlords often include the fee in the monthly utility bills.
The fee is paid for owning the specific device. So if, for example, you have a TV that you do not watch or you do not listen to the radio, but you do own a device that enables you to do so, you still have to pay the fee.
If you do not own a device capable of broadcasting, you have to send a sworn declaration within 30 days of receiving the notice from the Czech television / Radio, that you do not own such device, or that you share a household with another payer. Otherwise, you have to start to pay the fee.
If you move houses, you are obligated to report that change to the Czech Radio and Czech Television within 15 days. Do not forget to cancel the fees in case of leaving the Czech Republic.
In cases, where the signal receiver is a part of a public transport equipment, the operator of the transportation mean is the payer of the fee.
Which devices are subject to the RADIO FEE?
Every household that owns a radio receiver is obliged to pay the radio fee of CZK 55 per month. The fee is paid to Czech Radio. As of 1 May 2025, the definition of a radio receiver has been expanded and almost all foreigners will now be owners of a radio receiver, as a radio receiver includes, for example, a mobile phone or laptop. Below is a list of devices that are considered radio receivers:
- radio for receiving analogue or digital radio broadcasts, e.g.: portable or table radio receiver, clock radio, car radio, motorcycle radio, radio on a boat (boat or yacht, sailboat, …), mini-tower, micro-tower and Hi-Fi audio system, general receiver;
- TV or multimedia receiver, e.g.: analogue TV with STB, TV with built-in digital tuner, multimedia centre, smart TV, TVs and screens with network interface card (NIC) and wireless network adapters;
- computing equipment, computer systems, e.g. desktop, tablet, laptop, gaming consoles;
- bundled and built-in electronics (combined with a radio or TV receiver), e.g.: refrigerators with built-in radio or TV, sauna cabins or hot tubs with radio, etc;
- Mobile phones and smart devices, e.g. mobile phone, smart phone, smart watch, smart headphones;
- smart homes
ATTENTION: If you have not yet paid the radio license fee even though you are subject to this obligation, you must pay all amounts due and may be subject to a surcharge of 5.000 CZK. For more information, including registration, please visit https://poplatek.rozhlas.cz/.
Which devices are subject to the TELEVISION FEE?
Every household that owns a television receiver is obliged to pay a television fee of 150 CZK per month. The fee is paid to the Czech Television (Česká televize). From 1 May 2025, not only conventional televisions but also mobile phones, tablets or computers connected to the internet are TV receivers if they are technically capable of receiving television broadcasts.
ATTENTION: If you have not yet paid your TV licence fee, even though you are subject to this obligation, you must pay all amounts due and may be subject to a surcharge of 10,000 CZK. For more information, including registration, please visit https://poplatky.ceskatelevize.cz/domacnost.
The information provided in this article is valid as of 01.05.2025. For up-to-date information, we recommend you visit the websites https://poplatek.rozhlas.cz/ and https://poplatky.ceskatelevize.cz/domacnost or contact us for free legal advice on +420 252 543 846.
