Czech TV & Radio Fees 2025: Who pays, who registers and what changed
The Czech Republic recently introduced significant changes to its public TV and radio licence fees. These changes impact nearly everyone living or doing business in the CR – Czechs or foreigners. Here’s a clear breakdown of what you need to know and what benefits it brings to you.
Two Key Changes
1. Extended liability to pay the fee to all smartphones, tablets and or devices with internet
Previously, licence fees applied only to traditional TV or radio sets. Now, the definition includes any internet-capable device that can access Czech broadcasts – such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. This means that even owning just a smartphone makes you obligated to pay the fees.
2. Adjusted Licence Fees
Starting June 2025, licence fees increased to align with inflation:
- TV licence: 150 CZK/month
- Radio licence: 55 CZK/month
- In total: now 205 CZK/month
Who Must Register and Pay?
Households
Every household pays two separate monthly fees (one goes to the Czech TV and the other to the Czech Radio), covering all devices capable of receiving TV or radio signals, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. In total, you will be paying 205 CZK per month but you may also choose to pay quarterly or yearly.
Definition of a Household:
A household consists of individuals living together permanently and jointly managing their living expenses. It is always the case that “one household = one fee”. A household can also be a single individual living alone.
Examples:
- Family with two children: pays one household fee for each service (205 CZK in total).
- Three students temporarily living together during studies: typically do not form a household, as their cohabitation is time-limited and they usually do not manage expenses jointly. If the students’ families already pay the fee, they are exempt.
- Three employed roommates sharing an apartment: each pays their own individual fee, as they typically do not jointly manage their finances and do not form a permanent household.
Who Specifically Pays?
- Czech citizens
- EU foreigners with permanent residence (citizens of other EU countries without permanent residence are exempt.)
- Non-EU foreigners with long-term residence permit (e.g. employee card; study, business and family reunification purposes etc.) or permanent residence.
Self-employed (OSVČ)
Even if you’re already paying as a private individual, you must separately register your business licence (živnostenský list). Good news for small entrepreneurs: if your business has fewer than 25 employees, you must register but will pay no additional fees.
Companies
All companies must register and disclose their number of employees:
- Fewer than 25 employees: Registration required, but no fees.
- 25 employees or more: You must register and pay fees (how much will you pay depends on the amount of employees).
Missed the Registration Deadline?
Don’t worry, it’s not too late. Late registration is far better than ignoring the requirement altogether. Avoid potential fines of up to 10,000 CZK by registering promptly.
Your Next Steps
- Households: Register immediately if you own any device capable of receiving TV or radio signals.
- Self-employed and Companies: Complete a separate business registration, even if you already registered privately. Make sure to clearly report the number of employees.
Why These Changes Matter
The updates close loopholes, ensuring fair contributions and reflecting the realities of modern media consumption. They’re designed to increase fairness and financial sustainability for Czech public broadcasting.
Need more help?
Confused or unsure about your obligations? All the practical steps and payment instructions are included in our comprehensive guide:
What are the benefits?
Public broadcasting plays a vital role in society by providing accessible, quality content that serves the public interest. It avoids commercial or political agendas. It fosters informed citizenry, promotes cultural understanding, and contributes to a healthy democracy. In the Czech Republic, we pay fees for Česká televize (Czech Television) and Český rozhlas (Czech Radio) to ensure independent, reliable, and universally accessible media.
Czech Radio offers content in English: Radio Prague International is the Czech public broadcaster’s international service, offering news, analysis, interviews, cultural features, and podcasts in English, as well as other languages. Read the news in English at english.radio.cz, listen live to the broadcasting in English, German, French, Spanish, Russian at mujrozhlas.cz/
Czech TV primarily offers content in Czech. There are five channels: CT1 – general entertainment, CT2 – documentaries/culture, CT24 – news & current affairs, CT:D / ČTart – children / arts & culture. You can start watching (and train your Czech) at www.ceskatelevize.cz/
Picture source: Canva.com