Am I allowed to watch TV without a licence in Denmark?
Yes — you can watch TV without paying a licence, because the media licence is abolished. The old TV licence was phased out gradually from 2019 and fully abolished in 2022. Public service such as DR is now financed through income tax instead, via a simultaneous reduction of the personal allowance. There is no longer a device fee — you do not pay a licence for owning a TV, computer or phone. A "media cheque" is still paid to certain low-income pensioners as compensation. There is no longer any licence to enforce.
📋 The rules
- The media licence is fully abolished
- Phased out from 2019 to 2022
- Public service is now paid through income tax
- No device fee on TV, computer or phone
- There is no licence to enforce
🔓 Exceptions
- A media cheque is still paid to certain low-income pensioners
- Public service is financed via a reduction of the personal allowance
- Streaming services have their own subscriptions, not a licence
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no penalty, because there is no longer any licence to pay or enforce.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
Do I pay a TV licence in Denmark?
No. The media licence was phased out from 2019 and fully abolished in 2022. You can watch TV without a licence.
How is DR financed now?
Public service is financed through income tax via a simultaneous reduction of the personal allowance.
Do I pay a licence for a computer or phone?
No. There is no longer a device fee on TV, computer or phone.
What is a media cheque?
A compensation that is still paid to certain low-income pensioners.
Can I be fined for not paying a licence?
No. There is no longer any licence to pay or enforce.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “do I pay tv licence denmark”
- “media licence abolished 2022”
- “dr financing tax”
- “tv licence computer phone”
- “media cheque pensioner”
- “licence denmark”