Broadcast Contribution: Automatic Registration Starting December 2026

Starting December 2026, the contribution service of ARD, ZDF, and Deutschlandradio will again match its data with local registration offices. This process occurs every four years and affects all adult citizens who do not pay a broadcast contribution for their residence. The last data match took place in 2022, and the next one will begin on November 8, 2026. The legal basis for this data matching is § 11 Abs.

5 of the State Treaty on the Broadcasting Contribution. The local registration offices will provide the contribution service with information such as name, address, academic title, marital status, and date of birth. Previous addresses and move-in dates will also be transmitted to create a comprehensive data basis. If the contribution service does not find a registered contributor for a residence during this matching process, the registered adult person for that residence will be contacted by mail. This letter will request the individual to provide the necessary information about their residence at www.rundfunkbeitrag.de/meldedaten.

Alternatively, a QR code can be scanned, or an attached response form can be returned. The contacted individuals have three options for response. They can indicate that another person is already paying the broadcast contribution for the residence, which will result in their data being deleted. Alternatively, they can register the residence in their name, which may require back payments that could date back to January 1, 2020.

A third option is to apply for an exemption from the payment of the broadcast contribution for social or health reasons. The matching of registration data will be completed on November 8, 2026, at 12:00 AM, and the data will be transmitted to the contribution service by December 8, 2026. The subsequent verification of the data will ensure that all relevant information is accurately recorded.

The dispatch of clarification letters to the affected individuals is expected to begin on December 14, 2026. The entire process will be completed no later than twelve months after the data transmission. This means that the contacted individuals should expect further information by the end of 2027. The first data match took place in 2013, followed by additional matches in 2018 and 2022.

These regular checks aim to ensure that all liable individuals are recorded and that the financing of public broadcasting is secured. The measures taken by the contribution service are part of a comprehensive system to ensure broadcasting financing in Germany. Compliance with legal requirements is crucial for maintaining public broadcasting. The data collected during the matching process will be deleted after the verification is completed, as soon as it is no longer needed. This complies with the data protection regulations applicable to the processing of personal data. The next review of the broadcast contribution will thus take place in 2030, when the cycle begins anew.