Do I need a TV licence, and how do I cancel one?
What triggers the requirement is watching live broadcasts on any service, or using iPlayer at all — not owning a television.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 12 min
- Read
- 3 min
Short answer
You need a licence to watch or record any live television as it is being broadcast, on any channel, device or streaming service, and to use BBC iPlayer at all. You do not need one to watch on-demand catch-up on other services, or to use a television only for games, DVDs or as a monitor. Cancelling is free through TV Licensing, and a refund of unused full months is available.
The rule catches people out in both directions. Watching a live football match through a streaming app requires a licence even though no aerial is involved; watching an entire on-demand box set on a commercial service does not. The trigger is live broadcast plus iPlayer, not the device.
Step by step
- Work out whether anything you watch is live.Live means as it is being broadcast or streamed, including on satellite, cable, and streaming services carrying live channels. It applies regardless of the device — television, computer, tablet, phone or games console.
- Treat BBC iPlayer as a separate trigger.Any use of iPlayer, including on-demand programmes and downloads, requires a licence. Signing in prompts a declaration.
- Identify what does not require one.On-demand catch-up on other services, streaming films and box sets, watching downloaded content, DVDs, games consoles, security cameras, and using a television purely as a computer monitor.
- Check whether a concession applies.Reduced or free licences exist for people who are blind or severely sight impaired, for residents in some care homes and sheltered accommodation, and for households where someone aged over seventy-five receives Pension Credit. Terms are on the TV Licensing site and have changed in recent years.
- Understand what covers a household.One licence covers a whole household address. Students living in halls generally need their own if they watch live television on a device in their room, and a house in multiple occupation with separate tenancy agreements may need one per tenancy.
- Cancel through TV Licensing if you no longer need one.There is a formal cancellation process, free, requiring a declaration that no licensable activity takes place. A refund is available for complete unused months.
- Expect a No Licence Needed declaration to expire.Where you tell TV Licensing you do not need one, that declaration is typically valid for a couple of years and correspondence resumes afterwards. That is normal, not an accusation.
- Know your position on visits.TV Licensing officers have no automatic right of entry to a private home; entry requires consent or a court-issued search warrant. Watching without a licence when one is required is a criminal offence, so the answer is to hold a licence or genuinely not need one — not to avoid contact.
- Verify anything that arrives unexpectedly.TV licence refund and renewal scams are common by email and text. Go to the official site directly rather than following a link, and see GuideHQ's guide on verifying an organisation that has contacted you.
Questions people ask
Do I need a TV licence if I only use Netflix?
Not for on-demand viewing. If you watch anything live as it is broadcast — including live channels or live events carried within a streaming service — or use BBC iPlayer at all, you do.
Do I need one just for owning a television?
No. Owning or using a set for games, DVDs, downloads or as a monitor does not require a licence. The licensable activity is watching or recording live broadcasts, and using iPlayer.
Can I get a refund if I cancel?
Yes, for complete months remaining on the licence, provided you will not need one for that period.