By
Halls Life
Posted 3 months ago
Sun 24 Aug, 2025 12:08 AM
Thinking about watching live TV in your new flat? You might a need TV licence.
What is a TV Licence?
In the UK, a TV Licence covers any device used to watch or record live TV or access BBC iPlayer. This includes TVs, laptops, tablets, phones, and games consoles.
As a student, it’s not always obvious whether you need one, especially if you’re living in halls, renting privately, or streaming shows online.
Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know so that you can avoid getting caught out by the TV Licence rules.
You may already be covered by your home address’s TV Licence (e.g. your parents’ or guardian’s licence).
If your out-of-term address is licensed, you don't need to get one, so long as you're watching on a device powered by internal batteries (e.g. laptop or phone) and you're not using a traditional TV set.
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Your landlord or housing provider might have you covered already, so check with them first.
If you have a joint tenancy agreement for the entire house or flat, you’ll usually only need one licence to cover the whole property.
If you have a separate tenancy agreement for your room, you’ll need your own TV Licence.
You can apply online at tvlicensing.co.uk.
Payment options:
1. One-off annual payment: £174.50 to cover you for 12 months.
2. Quarterly payments: You can make four payments of £44.89 (this includes a £1.25 charge) over the year.
3. Monthly plan: £29.10/month for the first six months followed by £14.54/month for the remaining 6 months.
Watch this handy video guide below for more details.
Students and the TV Licence video
💭 More information
To find out more about TV Licences and apply for one visit the dedicated student TV Licence webpage.
