Beitragsservice von ARD, ZDF und Deutschlandradio
The Rundfunkbeitrag forms, field by field
The Rundfunkbeitrag is charged per home, not per person and not per device: if someone in your flat already pays, you do not pay again — you tell them who does. Ignoring the letters does not make the charge go away; it accumulates and ends up with enforcement, which is why the two-minute form matters.
Official name: Rundfunkbeitrag — Anmeldung, Abmeldung, Befreiung und Ermäßigung
Who needs it: Every household in Germany. The letter arrives on its own shortly after your Anmeldung, because the registration office passes on new addresses.
Where to get the official form
We don't host government forms — they are revised without notice, and an outdated copy gets rejected. These links go to the issuing authority.
- Beitragsservice — official forms ↗
Registering, deregistering, reporting a change and applying for exemption or reduction — all official forms, online and as PDF. The current monthly amount is published on the same site.
Have these ready before you start
- Your Beitragsnummer, if you already have one (it is printed on every letter)
- The move-in date for the address concerned
- For a shared flat: the Beitragsnummer of the flatmate who already pays
- For an exemption: the current decision letter (Bescheid) proving the benefit you receive
Anmeldung — registering a home
Name, Vorname, Geburtsdatum
Surname, given name, date of birth
The person who will be the contributor for the home.
Anschrift der Wohnung, Einzugsdatum
Address of the home, date of moving in
The flat being registered and when you moved in. Charging starts from the month of moving in.
Wohnt bereits jemand in dieser Wohnung, der zahlt?
Does someone in this home already pay?
If yes, give their name and Beitragsnummer instead of registering a second time. One home, one contribution.
Watch out: This is the field that saves flatshares money. Without it, two people in the same flat can both be charged, and reversing it takes letters.
Abmeldung — deregistering
Grund der Abmeldung
Reason for deregistering
Valid reasons include moving abroad, moving into a home where the contribution is already paid, or the household being dissolved. “I don't watch television” is not one — the charge does not depend on devices.
Nachweis
Evidence
Attach what proves the reason: a deregistration confirmation (Abmeldebescheinigung) when leaving Germany, or the flatmate's Beitragsnummer.
Watch out: Leaving Germany without deregistering at the Bürgeramt AND with the Beitragsservice means the invoices continue to a flat you no longer live in.
Befreiung und Ermäßigung — exemption and reduction
Art der Sozialleistung
Type of social benefit received
Exemption is tied to specific benefits — for example BAföG paid while not living with parents, Bürgergeld, or certain disability allowances. The form lists the qualifying categories.
Nachweis (Bescheid im Original oder beglaubigte Kopie)
Evidence (original decision letter or certified copy)
The current decision granting the benefit. The exemption runs for the period of the benefit and has to be renewed with it.
Watch out: Exemptions are not backdated indefinitely, so apply as soon as the benefit is granted rather than when the arrears letter arrives.
Ermäßigung bei Merkzeichen RF
Reduction with the RF disability mark
Holders of a disability pass with the RF mark pay a reduced contribution rather than being exempted.
The mistakes that cost people
- Ignoring the first letter. The contribution is owed whether or not you reply, and unanswered letters end in enforcement.
- Everyone in a flatshare registering separately instead of naming the flatmate who already pays.
- Deregistering with “I have no TV”. The charge is per home, not per device.
- Leaving Germany without deregistering here as well as at the Bürgeramt.
- Letting an exemption lapse when the underlying benefit is renewed.
How to submit it
- 1Use the online form on the Beitragsservice site — it is the fastest route and gives you a reference immediately.
- 2For exemptions, upload or post the decision letter proving the benefit.
- 3Keep the confirmation. If a payment demand appears later, it is what settles the matter.
What happens next
You are sent a confirmation with your Beitragsnummer and the period you are liable for. Exemptions are granted for the duration of the underlying benefit and must be re-applied for when it is renewed.
Common questions
I live in a shared flat. Do we each pay?
No — the contribution is per home. One person registers and pays, and everyone else names that person's Beitragsnummer. How you split it internally is up to you.
I don't own a TV. Can I get out of it?
No. Since 2013 the contribution is tied to the home, not to devices, and courts have upheld that repeatedly. The only routes out are the listed exemptions and reductions.
How much is it?
One monthly amount per home, published on the Beitragsservice site. We deliberately do not print the figure here, because it is set by a state treaty and changes.
I only moved to Germany mid-month. Is it pro-rated?
The liability is counted in whole months from the month you move in. Give the exact move-in date and let the Beitragsservice calculate it.
Next
Last checked 2026-07-25. Practical guidance on filling in a form — not legal advice, and we do not submit applications on anyone's behalf. Forms and requirements change; the issuing authority's own page is always the authority.