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. There is no longer a device fee — you do not pay a licence for owning a TV, a computer or a phone, and there is no licence to enforce, so you cannot be fined for not paying one. The trap is thinking you therefore get off cheaper: the payment has not disappeared, it has moved into the tax. Public service such as DR is now financed through income tax via a simultaneous reduction of the personal allowance, and you cannot opt out. A media cheque is still paid to certain low-income pensioners.
📋 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 and nothing to enforce: the media licence is abolished, so there is no longer a bill you can fail to pay, and nobody can fine you for not having a licence. On the other hand, you cannot opt out of paying either. Public service is now financed through income tax via a simultaneous reduction of the personal allowance, so the amount is taken automatically — whether or not you watch TV, and whether or not you own a TV, a computer or a phone. The device fee is gone, but the funding has simply moved into the tax.
📎 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, so you can watch TV without a licence. There is neither a licence to pay nor one to enforce, however much TV you watch.
How is DR financed now?
Public service is paid through income tax. The switch was made via a simultaneous reduction of the personal allowance, so the amount is taken automatically through tax and cannot be opted out of.
Do I pay a licence for a computer or a phone?
No. The device fee is abolished, so there is no licence on a TV, a computer or a phone. You do not pay because you own a device — you pay through income tax just like everybody else, device or not.
What is a media cheque?
It is a compensation still paid to certain low-income pensioners after the funding was moved into the tax system. It is not a licence, and it is not something you have to pay back or apply for.
Can I be fined for not paying a licence?
No. There is no longer any licence to pay or enforce, so there is neither a fine nor an inspection. Streaming services, by contrast, have their own subscriptions that you pay for yourself.
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