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Technology

As new technology makes it possible to watch TV on more devices than ever you need to make sure that you remain properly licensed.

If you watch or record television programmes as they're being shown on TV you must, by law, be covered by a TV Licence, no matter what device you're using.

Computers and laptops

Many TV channels are now available to watch over the internet. If you’re watching programmes on a computer or laptop as they're being shown on TV, then you need a TV Licence. However, you don’t need to be covered by a licence if you’re only using ‘on-demand’ services to watch programmes after they have been shown on TV. So, you need a licence to watch any channel live online, but you wouldn’t need one to use BBC iPlayer to catch up on an episode of a programme you missed, for example.

Mobile phones

Just as with any other device, if you’re watching programmes as they’re being shown on TV on a phone or any other mobile device, you need to be covered by a licence. If you're covered by a valid licence at the address where you live, you'll be licensed to use any device powered solely by its own internal batteries outside the home too.

Sky+, games consoles and digital TV recorders

If you use Sky+, Playstation or any other games console or a digital TV recorder to watch or record programmes as they're being shown on TV, you need to be covered by a TV Licence. This is also the case if you use a DVD/VHS recorder.

If you only use your digital box to produce sounds (i.e. you don't use it to display programmes), then you don't need a TV Licence.

General information about TV Licensing is available in the following languages:

© 2009 TV Licensing