Radio and TV licence fees

People who live in Switzerland and receive radio or television services are required by the Federal Radio and Television Act (RTVA) to pay licence fees, regardless of which programmes they watch or listen to, and no matter how they watch or listen (terrestrial, cable, satellite, via the phone line, on their mobile phone or via the internet). The only people who may be exempted are those who are eligible for AHV (state pension) and IV (disability) payments and receive benefits under the Federal law on supplementary benefits to old age, survivors' and disability insurance.

The level of the licence fee is set by the Federal Council. The greater part of licence fee revenue – around 1.1 billion Swiss francs annually – is used to finance the radio and television services provided by SRG SSR idée suisse. However, small and medium-sized regional television stations also receive a share of licence fees to fund their deficits or subsidise their operating costs. Licence fee-payers in German, French, Italian and Romansch-speaking Switzerland thus all pay the same amount and, in return, are entitled under the law to services of equal quality.