TV Licensing

Terms and Conditions

Terms and conditions of your licence

Your TV Licence allows use and installation of TV equipment by anyone at the licensed place, as well as other places, subject to the terms and conditions shown below.

Definitions

You means the person named on the licence.

TV equipment means TVs, desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, games consoles, digital boxes, DVD, Blu-ray and VHS recorders, or anything else used to receive TV programmes.

What is a TV Licence needed for?

To use and install TV receiving equipment at the licensed place. It covers:

• a) watching and recording programmes as they’re being shown on TV or live on an online TV service, including programmes streamed over the internet and satellite programmes from outside the UK, and
• b) watching and downloading BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV, on BBC iPlayer.

This can be on any device, including TVs, desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, games consoles, digital boxes, DVD, Blu-ray and VHS recorders, or anything else.

What does your licence allow?

The licence allows use and installation of TV equipment:

• At the licensed place by anyone.
• In a vehicle, boat or caravan by:
  • You and anyone who normally lives with you at the licensed place (except in non-touring caravans when someone is watching or recording TV at the licensed place).
  • Anyone who normally works at the licensed place (so long as the vehicle, boat or caravan is being used for a business purpose).
• Use of TV equipment powered by internal batteries anywhere by you and anyone who normally lives with you at the licensed place.

What does your licence not cover?

The licence usually does not cover:

• Areas occupied solely by tenants, lodgers or paying guests
• Areas that are self-contained
• Areas covered by separate legal arrangements
• Areas of business premises used for a different purpose

What if I have a black and white licence?

Even if you have a black and white TV, you need a colour licence to record programmes. This is because DVD, VHS and digital box recorders record in colour. A black and white licence is only valid if you use a digital box that can’t record TV programmes.

Other conditions of your licence

• We can cancel or change your licence. If we cancel it, we will let you know.
• If we change the licence conditions, we will publish a general notice on the BBC website and, if we consider it appropriate, in other national media.
• Our officers may visit the licensed place to verify our records and inspect the TV receiving equipment at any time, but you do not have to let them in.
• The TV receiving equipment must not cause unreasonable interference to radio or TV reception.

Think you might need a TV Licence? Check now.

Please note: separate terms and conditions apply to the following types of TV Licence: hotel and mobile units TV Licence, ARC concessionary TV Licence and entertainment units TV Licence. If you have one of these, please refer to your licence for specific terms and conditions or contact us (in step 2 of the form click the 'Contact us' button at the bottom) for information.

Terms and conditions of using tvlicensing.co.uk

Who issues the TV Licence?

TV Licences are issued by TV Licensing of Darlington, DL98 1TL on behalf of the BBC.

How will I receive my TV Licence?

On receipt of payment of the applicable licence fee (or in the case of customers who pay in instalments, the applicable issue fee), your TV Licence will be sent to the address stated on the TV Licence or, if you opt in to receive your TV Licence electronically, to your nominated email address.

Am I required to enter an email address?

You need to provide an email address whenever you transact on the TV Licensing website, as we may need to contact you – and this enables us to do so efficiently and quickly. If you opt in to receive your TV Licence electronically and you wish to pay for your TV Licence in instalments, you are also opting in to receive your instalment payment plan by email. In addition, when your TV Licence expires, you will be sent an email to remind you to buy your next TV Licence (irrespective of whether you are paying in instalments or not). From time to time we may also send messages via email regarding your TV Licence.

How will I be issued with reminders?

You will not receive your TV Licence, instalment payment plan (if applicable) and your first reminder to obtain your next TV Licence by any other means of delivery including by postal service. However, if you do not obtain your next TV Licence after you have been sent your reminder by email, we will resume communications by postal service and we may continue to communicate with you by email for the purpose of administering the TV Licence system.

Can I receive my licence via post?

You may opt out of receiving your TV Licence, instalment plan (if applicable) and first reminder electronically at any time, however, in order to give us sufficient time to process your request we must receive your request at least 4 weeks prior to the expiry of your current TV Licence. To opt out, please visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk/update-your-details and select paper as your licence format.

If for any reason it is not possible to send your licence, reminder and/or payment schedule (if applicable) to you via email, we will post it to you instead.

Can I opt out of electronic communications?

Yes, you can opt out of receiving electronic communications at any time, irrespective of whether you receive your licence via the post or email. You can do this by updating your details.

Online guarantees

We cannot guarantee that the electronic delivery of your TV Licence, instalment payment plan (if applicable) and your first reminder will be uninterrupted or error free.

TV Licensing copyright

All materials (including without limitation, all designs, text, graphics and their selection and arrangement) relating to the delivery of your TV Licence, instalment payment plan (if applicable) and your first reminder electronically including your TV Licence, instalment payment plan (if applicable) and your first reminder themselves are subject to copyright, design rights and trademarks of the BBC and/or third parties. Nothing contained in these terms shall be construed as conferring by implication, estoppel or otherwise any licence or right to use any trademark, patent, design right or copyright of the BBC or any other third party.

Terms and conditions

We may alter these terms and conditions from time to time by posting new terms and conditions on this website.

Privacy policy

Please refer to the TV Licensing Privacy Policy for further information regarding our use of cookies on the TV Licensing website and how we use any data which you provide us.