Germany Rundfunkbeitrag Increase Calculator: Percentage Change
Work out the percentage increase in the German broadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) between two amounts — and the difference per year — when the public-broadcasting contribution is changed.
Adjust the inputs and select Calculate for a full breakdown.
Compare Common Scenarios
How the numbers shift across typical situations for this calculator:
| Scenario | Fee increase | Change |
|---|---|---|
| €200 to €220/yr (+10%) | 10.00% | 20 |
| €18.36 to €18.94/mo (+3.2%) | 3.16% | 0.58 |
| €210 to €220.32/yr | 4.91% | 10.32 |
| €17.50 to €18.36/mo (older increase) | 4.91% | 0.86 |
How This Calculator Works
Enter the previous and new fee (both annual, or both monthly). The calculator finds the percentage increase and the difference. The Rundfunkbeitrag is a flat per-household contribution funding public broadcasters (ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio), recently about €18.36 per month, so an annual figure is roughly €220.
The Formula
Percentage Change
Old is the starting value, New is the ending value
Worked Example
A broadcasting fee rising from €200 to €220 a year is a 10% increase — €20 more a year. The Rundfunkbeitrag (often still called the GEZ fee after the former collection agency) is a mandatory contribution levied per household in Germany, regardless of whether you actually own a TV or radio — every household pays the same flat amount to fund public-service broadcasting. Increases are proposed by an independent commission (KEF) and must be approved by the federal states (Länder), which is why changes are infrequent and sometimes politically contested.
Key Insight
The Rundfunkbeitrag is a distinctive and frequently-debated German charge, and a few points clarify it. It's a per-household fee — not per person or per device — so a household pays one flat contribution (recently around €18.36/month) regardless of how many people live there or whether they own a TV, radio, or just an internet connection; the logic since a 2013 reform is that the contribution funds public broadcasting as a public good available to all, decoupled from device ownership. It funds the public broadcasters ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio. The amount is set through a defined process: the independent KEF commission assesses the broadcasters' funding needs and recommends a fee, which the 16 federal states must then approve unanimously — a process that has produced legal disputes when states blocked an increase, with the Federal Constitutional Court intervening. This is why fee changes are occasional and the percentage of any change is closely watched. Reductions and exemptions exist for people on certain social benefits, students receiving BAföG, and the severely disabled (who may pay a reduced rate). For residents, the fee is collected by the Beitragsservice and is effectively unavoidable for a registered household (one contribution per dwelling, so flatmates/WG share one fee). This calculator shows the size of any increase and its annual euro effect; whether you can reduce it depends on qualifying for an exemption or reduction rather than on usage, since the fee doesn't depend on what you watch.
Rundfunkbeitrag structure and history
CURRENT FEE (2021-2024). €18.36/month per household. €220.32/year.
Replaced device-based GEZ fee in 2013. Now household-based regardless of TV/radio ownership.
PROPOSED 2025-28. KEF (independent commission) recommended €58.41/quarter = €19.47/month (+€1.11/month, +6%).
Sachsen-Anhalt blocked 2021 increase, leading to Bundesverfassungsgericht ruling: states must approve KEF recommendation unless 'media policy' reasons. Substantial political conflict.
2025 status. Increase blocked pending negotiations. Some states (CDU-led) demand reforms before approval. Federal Constitutional Court likely intervention again if blocked.
WHO PAYS. (1) Every Wohnung (residence) → one payer. WGs (shared apartments) — substantial — one payer total, not per person.
(2) Businesses pay by employee count + branch count + vehicles.
(3) Holiday homes additional fee.
(4) Hotels per room scale.
EXEMPTIONS (Befreiung). (1) BAföG students who don't live with parents.
(2) Social benefit recipients (Bürgergeld, SGB XII).
(3) Asylum seekers (AsylbLG benefits).
(4) Severely disabled with RF mark in disability card → reduced €6.12/month.
(5) Deaf-blind exempt.
Must APPLY — automatic only for some categories.
Annual increase projection — 2024-2028 scenarios
SCENARIO A (KEF approved). €18.36 → €19.47 → indexed.
Annual cost. 2024: €220.32. 2025+: €233.64. ~6% increase.
SCENARIO B (KEF blocked). €18.36 frozen. Eventually KEF litigation, Constitutional Court ordered increase.
Substantial uncertainty.
SCENARIO C (Reform). Major structural reform of public broadcasting. Substantial uncertainty — political debate intense 2024-25.
HISTORICAL TRAJECTORY. €17.50 (2009-2014, GEZ), €17.98 (2015-2020), €18.36 (2021-2024).
CAGR 2009-2024. ~0.3%/year — substantially below CPI ~2-3%. Public broadcasting underfunded relative to inflation.
PROPOSED 2025. €19.47 → CAGR 2009-2025 ~0.7%/year. Still below CPI.
ECB FORECAST. German CPI 2-3% 2025-2028.
PROJECTION 2028. If KEF cycle approved: ~€20.50-€21.00/month. Annual ~€250.
STRATEGIC NOTES. (1) Monthly direct debit (SEPA) substantial standard. Quarterly billing alternative.
(2) Late payment substantial — automatic Mahnung + Vollstreckung (debt enforcement) by tax authorities. Substantial penalties.
(3) Move-out notification critical. Continue paying old residence if not deregistered.
(4) Move-in registration — substantial Beitragsservice tracks via Meldedaten (registration data). Automatic enrollment.
(5) Multiple residences. Pay once main residence.
Germany Rundfunkbeitrag rate history and projections
Reference rate history and 2025-28 projections.
| Period | Monthly fee | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 2009-2014 (GEZ device-based) | €17.98 | €215.76 |
| 2015-2020 | €17.50 | €210.00 |
| 2021-2024 | €18.36 | €220.32 |
| 2025-2028 (KEF proposed) | €19.47 | €233.64 |
| Reduced (severely disabled RF) | €6.12 | €73.44 |
| Holiday home additional | +€18.36 | +€220.32 |
| Business 9-19 employees | €18.36 | €220.32 |
| Business 20-49 employees | €36.72 | €440.64 |
| Business 50-249 employees | €73.44 | €881.28 |
| Business 250-499 employees | €183.60 | €2,203.20 |
2025-28 KEF recommendation €19.47/month politically contested — Bundesländer must ratify. Federal Constitutional Court 2021 ruling against Sachsen-Anhalt blocking precedent for forced approval. Reform discussion intense — possible structural changes to public broadcasting funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the broadcasting fee increase calculated?
Subtract the old fee from the new one, divide by the old fee, and multiply by 100. From €200 to €220 a year is a 10% increase (€20 more a year). Enter both figures as annual or both as monthly for a correct comparison.
Who has to pay the Rundfunkbeitrag?
Every household in Germany — it's a flat per-household contribution (recently ~€18.36/month), regardless of how many people live there or whether they own a TV or radio. Since a 2013 reform it's decoupled from device ownership, on the basis that public broadcasting is a public good available to everyone.
Why is it charged even if I don't own a TV?
Because since 2013 the fee is per household, not per device. The reasoning is that public-service broadcasting (ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio) is available to all households via TV, radio, and online, so the contribution funds the service as a public good rather than charging for specific equipment. Owning no TV doesn't exempt you.
How is the fee amount decided?
An independent commission (KEF) assesses the broadcasters' funding needs and recommends a fee, which the 16 federal states (Länder) must approve. Disputes — where states blocked an increase — have reached the Federal Constitutional Court. This process makes fee changes infrequent and sometimes politically contested, which is why each increase draws attention.
Can I reduce or avoid the fee?
Not based on usage — but exemptions and reductions exist for people receiving certain social benefits, students on BAföG, and the severely disabled. Flatmates sharing a dwelling pay one fee per household, not per person. Otherwise the fee is effectively unavoidable for a registered household and collected by the Beitragsservice.
When is this calculator unreliable?
Less reliable when 2025-28 KEF recommendation (€19.47/month) pending political ratification (Bundesländer dispute), when exemptions apply (BAföG students, Bürgergeld recipients, severely disabled with RF mark) requiring separate application, when WGs (shared apartments) — one payer per residence not per person, or when businesses pay by employee/branch scale (different schedule). Move-in/out registration via Meldedaten triggers automatic enrollment/deregistration.
References & Authoritative Sources
- ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio Beitragsservice — Rundfunkbeitrag · consulted June 1, 2026 · Official collection body
- Kommission zur Ermittlung des Finanzbedarfs (KEF) — Finanzbedarf-Bericht öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk · consulted June 1, 2026 · Independent commission
- Rundfunkstaatsvertrag / Medienstaatsvertrag — Federal-state broadcasting treaty · consulted June 1, 2026 · Treaty regulating broadcasting fee
Related Calculators
Methodology & Review
Germany Rundfunkbeitrag = €18.36/month per household (2021-2024). Increase to €18.94 proposed 2025 BUT blocked by Bundesverfassungsgericht ruling; KEF recommends €58.41/quarter (€19.47/mo) for 2025-28. Calculator returns annual / multi-year cost and projected increases. Per household regardless of TV/radio ownership since 2013 reform. RELIABILITY: Reliable for documented current rate. Less reliable when (a) 2025-28 KEF recommendation pending ratification — political dispute Bundesländer; (b) exemptions (BAföG students, social benefits recipients, severely disabled) need separate application; (c) shared apartments (WG) — one payer per residence not per person; (d) businesses pay different scale by employees + branches.
Updated