Broadcasting fee not paid? That changes in May 2018

If you haven't paid your license fee for a long time, it will change from May 2018. We show you what you need to know about the GEZ project.

Broadcasting fee never paid: It will be expensive from May

The broadcasting service of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio, formerly GEZ, goes back on the great hunt of those who refused to pay for the first time in five years. For this purpose, the data of all registration offices are forwarded to the contribution service.

• The data includes all registration data until May 6, 2018. In the following weeks, the subscription service will compare the registration data with your own data.
• If you are registered in your apartment and do not pay a radio license yourself, you will receive mail from the subscription service.
• The contribution service does not have full access to the registration data. A copy is only passed on, in which the name, marital status, date of birth, date of moving in as well as the current and previous address are recorded.

Broadcasting fee: No escape from the GEZ

The letters will probably not be sent until July. You should respond to the letter immediately.

• If another person in your household is already paying the broadcasting fee, all you have to do is inform the subscription service of the person's license number. If you can get rid of the radio license fee, now is the right time to do so.
• If this does not happen or if you have consciously never paid the radio license fee, you will automatically be classified as a fee payer a few weeks after receiving the letter. However, not immediately, but even retrospectively as of the date of moving in.

In the next practical tip, we will show you how to register online with the GEZ.