New Requirements

Why More People Are Now Saving on ORF Fees

Now it’s easier to cut down on TV costs.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

Good news for many low-income earners, such as apprentices or recipients of small pensions: As of January 1, 2026, a new, significantly more generous regulation for exemption from the ORF license fee will take effect.

It used to be complicated: Anyone seeking an exemption had to prove their actual rental expenses. And for homeowners, there was only a meager flat rate of 140 euros that could be deducted from the income threshold.

As of January 1, 2026, that’s a thing of the past. The old Telecommunications Fees Regulation (FGO) has expired; the rules are now set out in the ORF License Fee Act (OBG). And the new solution is much simpler: