Applying for exemption from the broadcasting fee

You do not pay the broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag, formerly GEZ) of 18.36 euros a month if you receive certain social benefits, such as basic income support (Grundsicherungsgeld). Exemption is only granted on application to the Beitragsservice with a copy of the decision, up to three years back. With the RF mark you pay a third.

Broadcasting fee exemption: the essentials

Fee
€18.36 a month per homeAs of: 26.10.2026 · Beitragsservice
Responsible office
ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice, KölnAs of: 26.10.2026 · Beitragsservice
Automatic exemption
no, only on application with proofAs of: 26.10.2026 · Beitragsservice
How to apply
fill in online, print, sign, sendAs of: 26.10.2026 · Beitragsservice
All details (5)
Backdated payment
up to 3 years from the application
Processing time
as long as the decision; 3 years for an open-ended decision
RF marker
RF mark: reduction to a third, €6.12 a month
Not a reason for exemption
not a ground for exemption: unemployment benefit I, housing benefit, transitional allowance, trainee pay
Behördenfix fixed price
€19; you sign, we send

Please note

  • • You sign the form yourself

Grounds and matching proof

Grundsicherungsgeld, social assistance, basic income in old agebenefit decision
BAföG and similar, not living with parentsapproval decision
RF mark (reduction only)disability card with RF or assessment decision
More rows (2)
deafblind, blind assistance, special welfare entitlementcard with TBl or Bl and Gl, medical certificate or authority decision
hardship case, e.g. income just above the limitrejection decision stating the amount by which income exceeds need

How we make the application with you

  1. 1Upload the decisionClearly legible copy, no originals.
  2. 2Pay the fixed price19 euros, no authority fee.
  3. 3Receive the completed applicationAs a PDF, ready to sign.
  4. 4You sign, we sendWith the proof to the Beitragsservice.

Applying for the exemption yourself at the Beitragsservice

The way without us, step by step

You can apply for exemption without us, directly at the Beitragsservice of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. This is how it describes the process:

  • Fill in the online application on rundfunkbeitrag.de, print it, sign it and send it with the proof to the Beitragsservice. The form is also available from the competent offices of cities and municipalities.
  • If you are already registered, your contribution number goes in the application.
  • A clearly legible copy of the decision is enough as proof. It must show your name, the benefit granted and the benefit period. Do not send originals; the Beitragsservice does not guarantee their return.
  • Only apply once the decision has arrived. According to the Beitragsservice you lose nothing, because the exemption can be taken into account up to three years back from the application.
  • Costs compared: the Beitragsservice states no fee for the application itself. With us you pay 19 euros for filling in the form with your details. You sign, we send the application with the copy of your decision to the Beitragsservice.
  • We are not an authority. Only the Beitragsservice decides whether you are exempted.

Open the official page

The documents you need

  • Copy of your current benefit decision with name, benefit and period.
  • Your contribution number, if you are already registered.
More documents (3)
  • With the RF mark: copy of the card, front and back.
  • Your address and your signature on the application.
  • For spouses or civil partners in the home: their names.

Good to know

Who else the exemption covers

An exemption also applies in the home to spouses, registered civil partners and children under 25.

All details (3)

According to the Beitragsservice, other adult flatmates are also exempt if their income and assets were taken into account for the social benefit. The RF reduction applies only to partners and children under 25.

The exemption starts with the benefit start date on your decision, the reduction on the date RF was granted. It ends when the decision expires, is cancelled or revoked. You then make a new application; if the conditions cease earlier, report this via the online form.

The Beitragsservice also names as hardship cases: you waive an approved social benefit in writing, you are a student excluded from BAföG, or medically certified severe dementia, severe autism or a vegetative state make using broadcasting impossible.

When does help with the application make sense?

You do not need it if you have your decision and can print the online form. The Beitragsservice states no fee for the official route.

It can help if you have no printer, if German forms are hard for you to understand or if you need to reapply after a new decision. We fill in, you sign, we send the application with the copy of your decision.

What we do not do: we do not judge whether a hardship case exists, and we do not promise an exemption.

Questions about broadcasting fee exemption

How do I apply for GEZ exemption?

The GEZ is now called the Beitragsservice. You fill in the application for exemption or reduction online on rundfunkbeitrag.de, print it, sign it and send it with a clearly legible copy of your decision to the Beitragsservice. The form is also available at the offices of cities and municipalities.

Is there a GEZ exemption for pensioners?

A pension alone is not on the Beitragsservice's list of grounds for exemption. People receiving basic income in old age and for reduced earning capacity under Chapter 4 SGB XII can be exempted. If the pension is just too high for basic income, the Beitragsservice names the hardship case where income exceeds need by less than 18.36 euros.

Am I exempt from the broadcasting fee with Bürgergeld?

Not automatically. According to the Beitragsservice, Grundsicherungsgeld, formerly Bürgergeld, is a ground for exemption, but you must apply for it. A copy of the approval decision with your name, the benefit and the period is enough as proof. The exemption starts with the benefit start date and runs as long as the decision.

Is there an exemption for severe disability?

The Beitragsservice names full exemption for deafblind people, recipients of blind assistance and people with special welfare entitlement. Anyone with the RF mark on the disability card is not exempted but pays only a third, 6.12 euros a month. Proof is a copy of the card, front and back, or the assessment decision.

What is the broadcasting fee reduction?

The reduction is the one-third fee of 6.12 euros instead of 18.36 euros a month. It applies to people with the RF mark, such as with a degree of disability of at least 80 and permanent inability to attend public events. It starts on the date RF was granted and also applies to partners and children under 25.

How far back does the exemption apply?

According to the Beitragsservice, past periods can be taken into account at most three years back from the application. The exemption starts with the benefit start date on the decision. So you should only apply once the decision has arrived; you lose nothing by this. If the decision is open-ended, the exemption applies for three years.

Official sources

Sources (5)

Reviewed by M. Gabal on 27.10.2026

Provided by Behördenfix (M. Gabal). Behördenfix fills in the application with your details; you sign, and we send it with the copy of your decision to the Beitragsservice. We are not an authority, give no legal advice and do not assess your individual case.

Related services (5)
What we do and what we don't
  • We fill in applications based on your details, file them and follow them up.
  • We give no legal or tax advice and do not assess chances of success.
  • We are a private service, not a public authority.
Have the exemption applied for· 19 €