United Kingdom
Do I Need a TV Licence? UK Rules Explained
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited September 29, 2026). · Law checked current as of September 29, 2026. · 5 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
You need a TV licence to watch or record live television on any channel or service, and to watch or download anything on BBC iPlayer, even if you never watch a live broadcast. You do not need one just to watch on-demand content on services like Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, All 4 or ITVX, or non-live YouTube. The fee is £180 a year for a colour licence from 1 April 2026.
Do You Need a TV Licence?
The answer depends on what you watch, not what device you own. You need a TV licence if you do either of the following, on any device, including a TV set, laptop, tablet, phone or games console.
You need a licence to watch or record live television. This covers any channel and any service, not just the BBC. It includes programmes streamed live as they are broadcast on Sky, Now, Amazon Prime Video or a TV channel's live stream on YouTube, whether it comes through an aerial, satellite dish, cable or the internet.
You need a licence to use BBC iPlayer at all. This applies to live programmes, catch-up programmes and anything on demand through iPlayer. It makes no difference whether you ever watch a live broadcast; using iPlayer for any purpose requires a licence.
You do not need a licence if you only watch on-demand, catch-up content on other services, such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video's on-demand library, All 4, ITVX's catch-up library, or YouTube videos that are not live streams. This is the boundary that trips people up: streaming services generally do not require a licence, but the moment you watch anything live, or anything at all on iPlayer, you do.
The Legal Basis
The requirement comes from Communications Act 2003, s.363, which states that a television receiver must not be installed or used unless authorised by a licence. What counts as a "television receiver" is defined by regulation 9 of the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 (SI 2004/692).
Regulation 9's original wording covered devices used to receive live television broadcasts. Paragraph (1) was substituted on 1 September 2016 by the Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/704), which extended the definition to cover devices used to receive BBC on-demand programme services, meaning BBC iPlayer. That 2016 change is why iPlayer use on its own, without any live viewing, now requires a licence.
What the Licence Costs
| Licence type | Fee from 1 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Colour TV licence | £180 |
| Black and white TV licence | £60.50 |
The fee is set annually and linked to the Consumer Prices Index under a funding settlement agreed with the BBC in 2022. The fee was frozen at £159 from 2021 to 2024, then rose to £169.50 on 1 April 2024, £174.50 on 1 April 2025, and £180 on 1 April 2026.
Who Needs to Buy the Licence
Households. One licence generally covers everyone living together in a single household, including a group sharing communal living space or on a joint tenancy agreement.
Separate tenancies. If people in the same property have separate tenancy agreements, for example separate rooms let individually in a shared house, each tenancy holder needs their own licence for their own space.
Students. A student living away from home in halls of residence or a rented room needs their own TV licence to watch live TV or use iPlayer in that room. A licence held by a parent at the family home only extends to a device the student takes with them if it is battery-powered and not plugged into the mains or connected to an aerial while away.
Concessions and Discounts
Over-75s. A free licence for people aged 75 or over is only available if the licence holder, or their partner, receives Pension Credit. This has been means-tested since 1 August 2020. It is not automatic; you need to apply and provide evidence that you or your partner receives Pension Credit.
Blind or severely sight impaired. Someone who is blind or severely sight impaired can get a 50% reduction on the licence fee, under regulation 5 of the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004.
Residential and sheltered care. Some residents of qualifying care homes and sheltered housing schemes can get a licence at a reduced rate through an Accommodation for Residential Care scheme. The exact terms depend on the scheme and the accommodation provider, so check with the scheme manager or TV Licensing directly for the current rate.
No licence needed. If you genuinely do not watch or record live TV on any channel and do not use BBC iPlayer, you do not need a licence. You can tell TV Licensing this with a "no licence needed" declaration, which they may follow up on to confirm.
Related Reading
For what happens if you do not have a licence, including the offence, enforcement powers and where the law currently stands on decriminalisation, see TV licence law and enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a TV licence to watch Netflix or Amazon Prime?
No, not for on-demand content. You do not need a TV licence just to watch Netflix, Disney+ or the on-demand library on Amazon Prime Video, All 4 or ITVX. You only need a licence if you also watch live TV on any service or use BBC iPlayer.
Do I need a TV licence for BBC iPlayer?
Yes. You need a TV licence to use BBC iPlayer for any purpose, including catch-up and on-demand programmes, not just live broadcasts. This has been the rule since 1 September 2016.
How much is a TV licence in 2026?
A colour TV licence costs £180 a year from 1 April 2026. A black and white licence costs £60.50. The fee rises each April in line with the Consumer Prices Index under the BBC's 2022 funding settlement.
Do students need their own TV licence?
A student living in halls of residence or a separately rented room generally needs their own TV licence to watch live TV or use iPlayer in that room. A parent's licence at the family home only covers a device that is battery-powered and not plugged in or connected to an aerial while the student is away.
Who gets a free TV licence?
A free TV licence for over-75s is available only if the licence holder or their partner receives Pension Credit. It is means-tested and not automatic; you must apply and provide evidence of receiving Pension Credit.
Do I need a TV licence if I only watch YouTube?
You do not need a licence to watch ordinary, non-live YouTube videos. You do need a licence if you use YouTube to watch a TV programme live as it is broadcast, such as a TV channel's live sports coverage or live news channel.
What if I never watch live TV or iPlayer?
If that is genuinely true, you do not need a TV licence. You can tell TV Licensing you do not need one through a no licence needed declaration, and they may contact you to confirm your circumstances.
Updates
We clarified that a TV licence is needed for TV programmes watched live as they are broadcast, including a TV channel's live stream on YouTube, rather than for every YouTube live stream.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes
The TV licence fee rose to £180 a year for colour (£60.50 black and white), a CPI-linked increase under the 2022 funding settlement.
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Communications Act 2003
s. 363Licence required for use of TV receiverIn forcecited in 2 of our articles
(1) A television receiver must not be installed or used unless the installation and use of the receiver is authorised by a licence under this Part. (2) A person who installs or uses a television receiver in contravention of subsection (1) is guilty of an offence. (3) A person with a television receiver in his possession or under his control who— (a) intends to install or use it in contravention of subsection (1), or (b) knows, or has reasonable grounds for believing, that another person intends to install or use it in contravention of that subsection, is guilty of an offence. (4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. (5) Subsection (1) is not contravened by anything done in the course of the business of a dealer in television receivers solely for one or more of the following purposes— (a) installing a television receiver on delivery; (b) demonstrating, testing or repairing a television receiver.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-14 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislation.gov.uk
Also relied on in: TV Licence Law: Is It Illegal Not to Have One?
The Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004
reg. 5Concessions for blind personsIn force
(1) Where— (a) a TV licence is issued to a blind person, authorising the installation or use of a television receiver at one or more places or in one or more vehicles, vessels or caravans specified in the licence; and (b) each place, vehicle, vessel or caravan so specified is a residence of that person, the fee payable (including the amount of any instalment payments) shall be 50 per cent of the amount which would otherwise be payable for the licence in accordance with regulation 3. This reduction in the amount payable is referred to in this regulation as the “ blind concession ”. (2) In order to establish an entitlement to the blind concession a person must— (a) show that he is registered as blind by means of a certificate or other document issued by or on behalf of— (i) a local authority in Great Britain, (ii) a Health and Social Services Trust in Northern Ireland, or (iii) the Department of Health and Social Care for the Isle of Man; or (b) provide evidence that he is blind by way of a certificate signed by an ophthalmologist.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-12 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislation.gov.uk
reg. 9Meaning of “television receiver”In force
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), in Part 4 of the Act (licensing of TV reception), “television receiver” means any apparatus installed or used for the purpose of receiving (whether by means of wireless telegraphy or otherwise)— (a) any television programme service, or (b) an on-demand programme service which is provided by the BBC , whether or not the apparatus is installed or used for any other purpose. (2) But a digital set top box is not a television receiver for the purposes of that Part if it is installed in such a way that it can be used only to cause the production of sound through a device whose functions are limited to the production, or the production and recording, of sound. (3) In this regulation, any reference to receiving a television programme service includes a reference to receiving by any means any programme included in that service, where that programme is received at the same time (or virtually the same time) as it is received by members of the public by virtue of its being broadcast or distributed as part of that service.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-12 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislation.gov.uk
Search our record of UK legislation — retrieved from legislation.gov.uk →
Sources and References
- Communications Act 2003, s.363 (television receivers to be licensed)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004, regulation 9 (meaning of television receiver, as substituted 2016)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (SI 2016/704), bringing BBC iPlayer within the licence requirement from 1 September 2016(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004, regulation 5 (concession for the blind)(legislation.gov.uk).gov
- GOV.UK: TV Licence (what needs a licence, fee, fines, free and discounted licences)(gov.uk).gov