What is the Rundfunkbeitrag?
The Rundfunkbeitrag is Germany's mandatory broadcasting fee — currently €18.36 per month per household (as of the 2024 increase), funding ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio. It is owed by every household and every business, regardless of whether you actually own a TV or radio. The "household" is defined by who lives at the address, not who watches.
The Beitragsservice (the body that collects it, replacing the old "GEZ" name in 2013) sends quarterly invoices, then a Zahlungserinnerung, then a formal Mahnung if the fee is not paid. The Mahnung you received is the third stage and signals that enforcement is the next step.
What the Mahnung typically demands
- Open Hauptforderung — the unpaid quarterly contributions. €55.08 per quarter at the current rate.
- Säumniszuschlag — a one-time late fee of 1% of the open amount, minimum €8. This is the only legitimate late penalty.
- A short payment deadline — usually 2 weeks.
- A reference to enforcement — if you don't pay, the case goes to a Festsetzungsbescheid (formal assessment), which becomes an enforcement title 4 weeks after delivery.
Why you can't make this go away by ignoring it
Unlike Inkasso letters, the Beitragsservice does not need a court process to enforce. After a Festsetzungsbescheid becomes final, the Vollstreckung is handled directly by the local Stadtkasse / Finanzamt under public law. They can:
- Garnish wages without going to a Mahngericht.
- Send a bailiff (Vollziehungsbeamter) directly.
- Place a Kontopfändung on your bank account.
You don't get the second 14-day yellow envelope. The administrative path bypasses the Mahnbescheid procedure.
Who can be exempt or pay reduced
Several groups qualify for exemption (Befreiung) or a reduced rate:
- Bürgergeld / ALG II / Sozialhilfe recipients — full exemption.
- BAföG students living outside their parents' household — full exemption.
- Asylbewerberleistungen recipients — full exemption.
- People with the RF mark in their disability ID (Schwerbehindertenausweis) — reduced fee of one-third (€6.12/month).
- Deaf-blind people and recipients of Blindenhilfe — full exemption.
Crucially: exemption applies from the date you apply, not retroactively — except for up to 3 years back if you can prove eligibility for the entire period. Apply at rundfunkbeitrag.de with the proof documents (Bürgergeld-Bescheid, BAföG-Bescheid, etc.).
Common situations the Beitragsservice handles wrong
- You moved in with a partner who already pays. Only one fee per household. De-register your contributor account immediately, citing your partner's account number.
- You moved abroad and forgot to abmelden. Submit your Abmeldebescheinigung to the Beitragsservice. They retroactively close the account from the move-out date.
- You're a student in a shared flat (WG). Only one fee per household. WG members must agree on who pays. Don't sign up separately.
- You registered a second home. Since 2020, second homes can be exempted on application. Use the form for Zweitwohnungsbefreiung.
Filing a Widerspruch
You can file a Widerspruch against any Festsetzungsbescheid within one month of receipt. Send a written objection to the Beitragsservice at the address on the letter, citing the reference number. Reasons that work:
- You are exempt or were exempt during the contested period.
- You did not live at the address.
- Another person at the same address is already paying.
- The amount is wrong.
Reasons that do not work in a Widerspruch (German courts have settled these): "I don't watch ARD/ZDF", "I don't own a TV", "the fee is unconstitutional", "I never signed a contract". The Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) confirmed the Beitrag in 2018 and the Federal Administrative Court has rejected these objections repeatedly.
Negotiating a payment plan
If the amount is correct but you cannot pay all at once, the Beitragsservice does grant Ratenzahlung (installment plans), typically over 6–12 months. Call them or write to request it before the Festsetzungsbescheid becomes final. They generally accept reasonable proposals — they prefer recovery over enforcement.
What to do — step by step
Step 1: Check whether you're exempt. If yes, apply immediately and include the application reference number in your reply to the Mahnung.
Step 2: Check whether the fee is duplicated. If a partner or roommate at the same address already pays, send proof.
Step 3: If the fee is owed, pay or arrange installments. The Säumniszuschlag does not multiply if you act now.
Step 4: If you disagree, file Widerspruch in writing within the one-month deadline. Keep proof of postal delivery.
Step 5: Don't wait for the bailiff. Once the Festsetzungsbescheid becomes final, the cost rises sharply (Vollstreckungsgebühren added).
Key terms glossary
| Rundfunkbeitrag | The mandatory broadcasting fee — €18.36/month per household |
| Beitragsservice | Collection body — formerly known as GEZ |
| Mahnung | Formal reminder before enforcement |
| Säumniszuschlag | Late fee: 1% of open amount, min €8 (one-time) |
| Festsetzungsbescheid | Formal assessment — becomes enforcement title in 4 weeks |
| Befreiung | Exemption (e.g. Bürgergeld, BAföG, severe disability) |
| Ermäßigung | Reduced rate (1/3) for RF-marked disability ID |
| Widerspruch | Written objection — one-month deadline |
| Ratenzahlung | Installment plan — usually granted on request |
| Vollstreckung | Direct administrative enforcement, no court needed |
Still not sure what your letter wants?
Upload your Beitragsservice letter and get:
- ✓ Plain English breakdown of what you owe and for which period
- ✓ Säumniszuschlag and deadline calculation
- ✓ Quick exemption check based on your situation
- ✓ Draft Widerspruch or installment-request letter in German
Open Briefed — explain my letter
Last updated: April 2026