German TV "tax" likely to increase from 2027

Households in Germany may have to pay more towards the TV and radio "tax" (Rundfunkbeitrag) each month from 2027. But federal state governments must unanimously agree on the increase before it can be adopted.

Rundfunkbeitrag may increase from 2027

The German Commission to Determine the Financial Requirements of Broadcasters (KEF) has recommended that the TV and radio "tax" increase from 18,36 euros to 18,64 euros per month from 2027. While the Rundfunkbeitrag is often referred to as a tax, it is technically a contribution.

The "tax" funds public broadcasting companies, including ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandfunk. And since 2013, all households have been required to pay it, whether or not they watch public broadcasting programmes in the online Mediathek, on TV, or listen to the radio.

The KEF regularly recommends to the German federal states, if the tax should increase, by how much, and when. If the federal state governments unanimously agree on the increase, then it is implemented.

If the state governments agree and the increase is adopted, households do not need to do anything; the tax service (Beitragsservice) will simply begin charging the higher amount on your quarterly or monthly bills.

State governments rejected proposed 2025 increase

If state governments do not unanimously support the suggested increase, it would not be the first time. In 2024, the commission recommended a larger increase from 18,36 euros to 18,94 euros starting in 2025.

State governments failed to reach a consensus, and the tax amount was frozen at the 2025 amount. Subsequently, ARD and ZDF filed a constitutional complaint arguing that governments’ failure to reach an agreement unlawfully resulted in funding uncertainties for the broadcasters.

The Federal Constitutional Court is set to issue a judgment on the constitutional complaint later this year. The KEF’s most recent, lower increase suggestion is likely to sway the verdict.

According to the KEF, a smaller increase is now possible because a higher number of households are paying into the service than initially forecast, meaning revenues are higher.

Rundfunkbeitrag is still contentious

Many people who have recently moved to Germany are surprised that they must foot the bill even if they don’t use media services. More than 10 years after the tax became obligatory for all households, it remains contentious.

Private individuals and companies have challenged the tax in court, and still do. In 2018, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled the tax “largely constitutional", but that an additional fee for second homes was unconstitutional. 

In these cases, the court ruled on how the tax is charged, not whether it should be charged, but the general importance of public broadcasting to a functioning democracy is considered in the judgment.

According to the German constitution (Grundgesetz), public broadcasting companies are prohibited from being “at the mercy” of the state, and public broadcasters must have distance from the state - the so-called “Staatsferne” principle.