What Are the Obligations for Paying Radio and TV License Fees for Individuals, Self-employed, and Companies?

An important deadline is approaching for registration to pay license fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio – by June 30, 2025. This obligation arises from the amendment to Act No. 127/2005 Coll., effective from January 1, 2025, and applies to all companies and self-employed persons.

Who must register?

Companies and self-employed

• Registration is mandatory for everyone, even if you ultimately do not have to pay the fee.
• If you have fewer than 25 employees and own a vehicle that is not rented out to other individuals or companies, you are exempt from the fee—but registration is still required.
• Failure to register may result in a fine of up to CZK 10,000, even if you are not required to pay the fee.

Individuals

• You must pay the fee if you own at least one device technically capable of receiving radio or television signals – e.g., a TV, radio, computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.
• It doesn’t matter whether you actually use the device – it only matters that you own it and it can receive a signal.
• Only one member per household pays the fee (with exceptions such as dormitories, where each person pays separately).
• If you live in a rented apartment, the tenant pays the fee, unless the rental agreement states otherwise.

Who is exempt?

You do not have to pay the fee if you are:

• a person with low income (up to 2.15 times the minimum subsistence level – i.e., up to CZK 10,449),

• a person with a severe disability (total/practical blindness in both eyes or total/practical deafness in both ears), if you live alone or in a household with another person with the same disability.

• Individuals with temporary protection (refugees) do not have to pay a household fee, but if they are self-employed, they must register – just like all other tradespeople.