TV Licensing

Telling us that you don't need a TV Licence

We've made it even easier for you to tell us that you don't need a TV Licence. Just complete the online declaration form.

If you think that you've already told us you don't need a licence, but would like to check your status with us, please fill in the online check form.

After you send us your declaration

When we receive your declaration, we'll send you a letter to confirm the next steps.

If your declaration is for your home

Once our records have been updated, you won't receive any more letters from us for almost two years. We'll then get in touch to check whether your circumstances have changed. As many people move home or change their circumstances we're not able to put a permanent stop on letters.

If your declaration is for your business or organisation

Once our records have been updated, you won't receive any further letters from us for almost three years. We'll then get in touch shortly before the end of the three year period to check whether your circumstances have changed.

If your declaration is for your student accommodation

Once our records have been updated, you won't receive any more letters from us until the beginning of the next academic year. We'll then get in touch to see if your circumstances have changed. As many people move at the end of the academic year, we're not able to put a permanent stop on letters.

In all cases, we may need a couple of minutes of your time 

As it is our duty to ensure that everyone in the UK who needs a licence has one, we may visit your address to check that no licence is required. It's unfortunately necessary to do this, as when we make contact on these visits, a quarter of people are found to need a TV Licence. Please be assured that this is a routine visit, and will take no more than a few minutes. If, during the visit, we find that you do in fact need a licence, you'll need to pay the full licence fee. Please note that you may also face prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

If your situation changes

Licences are linked to addresses, so if you move home and still don't need a licence, please remember to tell us so we can update our records. You can give us your new details by emailing us using the contact us form. Please include both your old and new address details.

If you have told us that you don't need a licence, but you do now watch television programmes as they're being shown on TV, you must buy a licence. You can buy one by completing the secure online payment form. If you choose not to, you may face prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

Your next steps

You can let us know that you don't need a licence by filling in the online declaration form.

If you do need a licence, buying one is simple. All you need to do is complete the secure online payment form. You can choose to pay with a debit or credit card or by Direct Debit. Don't forget to have your card or bank details to hand when you buy.

To find out more about ways to pay for your licence, see payment methods.

A TV Licence costs £142.50 for colour, or £48.00 for black and white.

More information can be found in our No Licence Needed Policy:

TV Licensing No Licence Needed Policy (137 KB) (opens in new window)

To view these documents, you need Adobe Acrobat Reader. This is a piece of software you can download free.