How to renew your TV Licence
Everything you need to know to Renew Your TV Licence
Can you TV Licence online?
You can renew your TV Licence online and it is the easiest way to renew. As we know, you must continue to pay the TV Licence fee for as long as you fit the criteria. If you pay for your TV Licence by Direct Debit (DD) your payments will continue to go out automatically. In that case your TV Licence renews automatically and you don’t need to do anything else.
If you pay for your TV Licence by credit card or other means you will need to renew your licence.
This can renew your TV Licence by:
- 1) Completing the TV Licence renewal form
- 2) Call TV Licence directly on 0300 790 6165
- 3) Writing to TV Licence with payment information and account details at: TV Licensing, Darlington DL98 1TL
What information do I need to renew my licence? 📺
The easiest way to renew your TV Licence is to complete the online form. To complete your renewal you will need:
- Your TV licence or Customer Number
- Last name (as it appears on your TV Licence)
- The postcode of the licensed address
It’s well known but worth repeating: never give your credit or debit card information to anybody calling you claiming to be from TV Licence.
Do you have to renew a TV Licence?
If you are paying by DD your TV Licence will renew automatically every month. Otherwise, you will need to renew your TV Licence.
Your TV Licence is normally valid for 12 months when you take it out, but it does depends. Each licence will have an expiry date on it so you can check how long you are covered for.
To avoid the hassle of renewing it every year, it’s worthwhile moving to Direct Debit. You will pay monthly and can cancel whenever you like. You will even get a refund if you’ve overpaid 👍
If you’re moving home you don’t need to renew your TV licence, but you do need to update your address.
How do I renew my TV Licence by phone?
To pay by phone you will need to get a TV Licensing payment card. You can use this card to pay weekly or monthly by cash or direct debit. You can pay over the phone or at any PayPoint. You can find your nearest PayPoint store here.
To renew your TV Licence by phone by calling 0300 790 6165. To get a TV Licensing payment card you should call 0300 555 0286
What happens if you don't renew TV Licence?
If you’re wondering ‘what happens if I don’t renew my TV Licence’ you wouldn’t be alone. The answer to the question differs based on whether or not you need a TV Licence.
If you don’t need a TV Licence you can cancel it straight away & get a refund for any overpaid balance. If you pay in advance you would simply take no further action and not renew it.
If you need a TV Licence you must renew it. If you don’t have an active licence you risk prosecution and a fine up to £1,000. That may sound dramatic but people are taken to court over this every year.
Renewing your TV Licence
We’ve covered everything you need to know about how to renew your TV licence.
It’s much easier to do online, but you can do it by phone or post. What’s more, it’s really important to assess whether or not you need to keep paying it. You can it if you no longer meet the criteria.
Though, cancelling when you need one can lead to legal action as we have seen.