This guide is for internationals who have just moved to the United Kingdom and want to know whether their new home needs a TV Licence. After reading it, you will be able to tell which kinds of viewing need a licence, what one costs, and how to buy, update or cancel it.
- When a TV Licence is needed
- Viewing that does not need a licence
- Shared homes, students and guest accommodation
- What it costs and who may pay less
- How to buy, update or cancel a licence
- FAQ
When a TV Licence is needed
The rule depends on how you watch, not on what you watch with. According to GOV.UK’s TV Licence page, you need a TV Licence to watch or record programmes as they are broadcast, whether on a TV, a computer or any other device. That covers live TV on any channel or service, not only the BBC. A licence is also needed to use BBC iPlayer, and that includes watching BBC programmes on demand rather than live.
The type of screen makes no difference. A laptop, phone or tablet showing a live channel falls under the same rule as a television set. Plenty of newcomers assume that because they never bought a TV, the licence does not concern them. Under the GOV.UK wording, that only holds if nothing in the home is used for live TV or iPlayer.
Viewing that does not need a licence
GOV.UK lists several kinds of viewing that do not require a TV Licence: streaming services such as Netflix and Disney Plus, on-demand TV through services such as All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, videos on websites such as YouTube, and videos or DVDs.
The distinction to hold on to is between live and on-demand. Watching a programme on demand through a service other than iPlayer sits outside the licence requirement. Watching or recording live TV on any channel or service sits inside it. GOV.UK does not publish a list of which apps carry live channels, so the test it sets out is whether a programme is being watched as it is broadcast.
Shared homes, students and guest accommodation
Many internationals start out in a flatshare or student halls, and here the tenancy paperwork matters as much as the television. If you have separate tenancy agreements and you watch TV in your own room, you need your own TV Licence. One licence can cover the whole household if either the TV is watched in a single shared area, or the household has a joint tenancy agreement.
Students living in university accommodation need a TV Licence to watch TV in their own room. Shared areas may already be covered by a licence, although GOV.UK does not say how to confirm this. The page also sets out a narrow exception: if you live at another address outside term time, you can use that address’s TV Licence while at university, but only on a device that is battery powered, not plugged in and not connected to an aerial.
A business that offers overnight accommodation, such as a hotel, needs a TV Licence for guests to watch TV in their rooms. A single licence covers up to 15 rooms or accommodation units.
What it costs and who may pay less
A TV Licence costs £180, or £60.50 for black and white TV sets. GOV.UK states that the same price applies to both homes and businesses.
Some people may be able to get a free or discounted licence. GOV.UK names three groups: people aged 75 or over who get Pension Credit, people who are blind, and people in residential care. The page does not set out the size of each discount or the evidence needed to claim it, so those details sit with TV Licensing.
GOV.UK also does not state how long a licence lasts or which payment methods are accepted. TV Licensing sets both, and the government page does not spell them out.
How to buy, update or cancel a licence
Applications are made on the TV Licensing website, which GOV.UK links to from its “Start now” button. You can also apply by phone on 0300 790 6071, or by minicom on 0300 709 6050. GOV.UK links to a separate page about call charges rather than stating a rate.
If you move home, you can update your address on the TV Licensing website. The same site handles cancellations and refund applications. GOV.UK does not explain who qualifies for a refund or how much is returned, so those decisions rest with TV Licensing.
Watching or recording live TV without a licence carries a penalty: you can be fined up to £1,000.
A TV Licence is a household matter rather than an immigration one, and this guide does not cover visa or residence questions. Anyone with a specific immigration question can turn to an adviser regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) or a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
FAQ
Do I need a TV Licence if I only watch Netflix?
GOV.UK lists streaming services such as Netflix and Disney Plus among the things you can watch without a TV Licence. That changes if anyone in the home also watches or records live TV on any channel or service, or uses BBC iPlayer, because both of those need a licence.
Can I use BBC iPlayer without a TV Licence?
No. GOV.UK states that you need a TV Licence to use BBC iPlayer, and this applies to on-demand BBC programmes as well as live ones. Other on-demand services, such as All 4 and Amazon Prime Video, are listed as not needing a licence.
Does one licence cover everyone in a flatshare?
It depends on the tenancy and where the TV is watched. One licence can cover the whole household if TV is watched in a single shared area or the household has a joint tenancy agreement. If you have separate tenancy agreements and watch TV in your own room, you need your own licence.
How do I cancel a TV Licence when I leave the UK?
GOV.UK states that you can cancel your TV Licence or apply for a refund on the TV Licensing website. The page does not set out the conditions for a refund or how it is calculated, so TV Licensing decides each application.
Official sources: gov.uk
Last verified: 11 October 2026 against the official pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the official page always wins.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Immigration advice in the UK may only be given by advisers regulated by the OISC or by solicitors regulated by the SRA.
Sources
- gov.uk: TV Licence – GOV.UK, accessed 11 October 2026
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