Quick links:
- What is a TV licence and when do you need one?
- Who does a TV licence cover?
- Getting your first TV Licence: a step-by-step guide for your new home
- TV Licence costs and choosing your payment plan
- Managing your TV Licence: Moves, updates, and renewals
- Simplify your TV Licence with One Utility Bill
Once you’ve moved into your new home, you’ll probably want nothing more than to slide onto your sofa and start binge-watching a box set…but there’s one more cost to consider: your TV licence.
It might be frustrating to have to pay for yet another thing in your new home, but you can’t afford to ignore it. If you’re found to be watching live TV (or BBC iPlayer) without one, you can be hit with a fine of up to £1000.
In this guide, find out who needs a TV licence, how to set it up, and any other things you may need to consider.
📺 What is a TV licence and when do you need one?
A TV licence grants legal permission to watch, record, and download live TV services or BBC iPlayer. When you apply, you can choose to receive an online licence or a paper one. In the past, you needed a TV licence just to own a TV, but that changed in 2016.
Now, you need a TV licence if:
- You watch or record live TV programmes as they are broadcast on any channel (Freeview, satellite, streaming apps, etc.) and via any device (smartphones, tablets, TVs).
- Use BBC iPlayer in any format.
You don’t need a TV licence for:
- Streaming TV shows via services such as Disney, Apple Plus, Netflix, etc.
- Viewing TV shows via on-demand apps such as Channel 4 or ITVX.
- (Note: If you use these on-demand apps to watch TV shows at the same time they’re being broadcast on standard channels, you WILL need a TV licence.)
- Watching DVDs or VHS tapes.
- Browsing video content on YouTube, TikTok, etc.
If that's confusing, here's a summary:
.jpg?width=851&name=OUB_socialposts_July25_851x315px%20(1).jpg "You need a TV Licence is you: Watch any live Tv shows as they're being broadcast, anywhere. Watch anything on BBC iPlayer, whether it's live or streamed. You don't need a TV Licence if: If you stick to streaming services and don't watch anything as it's broadcast (but you still need to inform the TV licensing authority).")
🤔 Who does a TV licence cover?
If you’re buying your home: You’ll always need to get a TV Licence for your new address.
If you’re renting your home: It’s your responsibility to purchase a TV licence unless your tenancy agreement states otherwise.
If you’re sharing a property with other tenants under a joint tenancy agreement: You can usually share one TV licence to cover all of you (if you live in a self-contained room with its own facilities, you’ll need your own individual licence).
If you’ve signed a separate tenancy agreement but still share a property: You’ll need your own licence to cover your separate tenancy.
One TV licence covers the use of TV equipment (on any device) at the licensed address by you, your family, and visitors. Lodgers or people with a relationship to the homeowner don’t need their own TV licence.
💪 Getting your first TV Licence: a step-by-step guide for your new home
Now that you understand who needs TV Licence, you can decide whether you need one. Remember: even if your property already had a TV licence under the previous occupant’s name, you’ll still need your own TV Licence from the day you move in (if you’re watching live TV or BBC iPlayer).
Here are the steps you need to take to sort a TV Licence:
You can apply for a licence online or over the phone by calling 0300 790 6071.
- Gather up your details so you’ve got them handy for the application. You’ll need your
👉 Full name
👉 New address and postcode
👉 Payment details
👉 Credit/debit card
👉 OR bank details - Online: you’ll need to fill out a few fields, including the ability to backdate your licence from the date you moved in.
By phone: You’ll need to give the same details over the phone. - Choose a payment method.
You can pay via:
✅ Direct Debit
✅ Debit or credit card
✅ TV Licensing payment card
✅ Cheque or postal order
✅ BACS bank transfer
✅ Paypoint
✅ TV Licensing savings card - Choose between one upfront payment or spreading it out across a payment plan (see the next section to learn more).
- Once finished, you’ll receive a confirmation email. You don’t need to display or even ‘own’ a physical licence; the record is digital and is tied to your address.
If any of this sounds needlessly complicated, you can always combine your utilities, TV licence, broadband, and other utilities into a single bills package with One Utility Bill. The team takes care of the setup and deals with suppliers for you. Click here for easy bills.
💰 TV Licence costs and choosing your payment plan
As of May 2025, a TV Licence costs £174.50 per year. The payment can either be made in full via a debit or credit card, or via Direct Debit. If you don’t want to pay the full cost up-front, you can also use these alternatives:Pay monthly via Direct Debit. This is a popular option, but it can be confusing for new residents because the TV Licensing authority takes your first year’s payment over 6 months instead of 12. That means when you first set up your licence, you’ll be charged £29.10 per month for six months. Every year after that, you’ll pay £14.54 per month.
- Arrange to pay a quarterly Direct Debit of £44.89, with payments taken four times in a year. This can be an easier way of spreading out costs to make them affordable, but every payment will include a £1.25 charge.
- Use a TV Licensing payment card that allows you to pay weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Once it’s set up, you can pay online via app, or by phone, text message, or PayPoint. This is the most flexible way to pay for your TV Licence, but you’ll need to apply for a payment card to be able to do it. Click here to apply.
- If none of these options appeal to you, other ways to pay include cheque, postal order or BACS.
Please note: if you pay your TV Licence by Direct Debit, or pay it off in full by debit or credit card, you’ll be ‘covered’ immediately. When using other methods, your TV Licence will only cover you from the date the TV Licensing authority receives the first payment.
Discounts and concessions
- People aged 74 or over who receive Pension Credit may be eligible for a free licence.
- Care home or sheltered accommodation residents can pay a discounted fee of £7.50.
- Blind or severely sight-impaired people can pay a half fee of £87.25.
- If your TV is only black and white, the licence is just £58.50.
This guide only covers residential properties, so it doesn’t cover the higher charges you may have to pay if you own a hospitality venue or hotel. For more guidance on that, visit the TV Licensing website.
✨ Managing your TV Licence: Moves, updates, and renewals
Your TV Licence is tied to your address rather than you as an individual, which means you’ll need to update TV Licensing when you move home or change your name.
- Moving home
When you’re moving home, you can transfer your existing TV Licence to the new address – but only if you make the TV Licensing authority aware of the move. To do that, you’ll need to update your details using your existing licence information.
Visit this page and input your last name, TV Licence number, and your current (pre-move) postcode. You should then enter the details of your new address and confirm the update. Your TV Licence number won’t change, and you won’t need a ‘new’ licence – the details attached to your account just need to match your new home to ensure you’re covered.
Remember, if you’re moving into a home with someone who already has a valid TV licence and you’re their spouse, partner, family member, or you’re a joint tenancy/mortgage holder, you might not need your own licence.
- Updating your details
If you’ve changed your name, email address, phone number, or any other personal information, you’ll need to let the TV Licensing authority know about it to ensure you’ve got the correct cover. To update your information, visit this page.
- Renewing your licence
TV Licence cover starts from the day you purchase it and lasts for one year. Once it expires, you’ll need to renew it if you want to continue watching live TV or BBC iPlayer.
If you pay for your TV licence by Direct Debit or payment card, your licence will automatically renew. Otherwise, you’ll need to check when it expires – either by signing in to your online account, or looking at the paper licence you received if you ordered by post.
Renewal is as simple as following the payment steps outlined earlier in this guide. You can renew your licence from the first day of the month that it’s due to expire. If, for example, it was due to expire on July 31st, you could renew from August 1st.
👉 Simplify your TV Licence with One Utility Bill
If you want to watch live TV or view any content on BBC iPlayer, you’ll need to fork out for a TV Licence. When you’ve just moved into a new home, this can seem like an unnecessary added cost that’s just another thing to worry about.
Combine your TV licence charges with your other regular household bills using One Utility Bill and enjoy a far more streamlined approach to your billing cycle. We’ll set up all of your bills in one step, eliminating the need to negotiate with utility companies and licensing authorities.
Contact us today to receive a quote for a single monthly bills package that covers everything you need, leaving you free to focus on enjoying your new home.