Important broadcasting fee reform: One-off payment request in 2025!

Important broadcasting fee reform: One-off payment request in 2025!

What is happening with the broadcasting fee in Germany? From June 2, 2025, the contribution service of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio will fundamentally change the way in which payment requests are sent to those paying broadcasting contributions. Instead of the previous quarterly reminder letters, contributors who pay by bank transfer or standing order will in future only receive a one-off payment request. This is in line with the reform, which affects millions of households and focuses on reducing bureaucracy and increasing efficiency.

The broadcasting fee in Germany is currently 18.36 euros per month, a total of 55.08 euros quarterly. This one-off payment request will include all payment dates for the entire calendar year and will also apply in subsequent years [Merkur] reported. From now on, the responsibility for adhering to payment deadlines lies with the citizens. Missing a payment could result in late payment penalties, which can be particularly challenging for older people and households with multiple residences.

Significant changes at a glance

The most crucial changes are:

• Einmalige Zahlungsaufforderung für Überweisungszahler ab dem 2. Juni 2025.
• Regelmäßige Zahlungsaufforderungen erfolgen nicht mehr.
• Zahlungstermine basieren auf dem Monat, in dem die Beitragspflicht beginnt, etwa im Januar sind die Fristen der 15. Februar, 15. Mai, 15. August und 15. November.
• Bürgergeld-Bezieher können sich rückwirkend von der Gebühr befreien lassen; auch Rentner können unter bestimmten Umständen von der Gebühr befreit werden.
• Empfehlung zur Teilnahme am SEPA-Lastschriftverfahren, um pünktliche Zahlungen sicherzustellen.

The old system that sent reminder letters four times a year will soon be a thing of the past. Loud presse.rundfunkartikel.de This reform is intended to significantly reduce administrative burdens and save resources such as paper and postage. But households' personal responsibility is increasing: if you don't keep track of appointments, you risk additional costs.

The radio contribution in political discourse

There is currently an ongoing discussion about the amount of the broadcasting fee and the structure of public broadcasting. The planned increase to 18.94 euros from January 2025 has been stopped by the federal states for the time being, which suits many citizens [NADR] reports. Despite this positive news, there is always criticism of the number of channels and the high level of staff within the institutions.

Overall, around 29% of those liable to pay contributions rely on the transfer system, while 71% already use the SEPA direct debit system. For the latter, the reform does not change anything. Administrative expenses amounted to around 183 million euros in 2023, which the reform is intended to reduce.

The coming change raises many questions, not only with regard to compliance with payment deadlines, but also with regard to the political discourse surrounding the broadcasting fee. It remains to be seen how those affected and politicians will react to the changes.

For further information, the official websites are available: NADR and presse.rundfunkartikel.de.