How can I watch BBC without a license?
You need to be covered by a TV Licence (including a free TV Licence) if you use BBC iPlayer. If you are not licensed, you risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000* plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.No, you can not watch BBC iPlayer without a TV licence. Although you can watch other on-demand content online (like Netflix or Amazon Prime) without a TV licence, you do need one to watch BBC iPlayer. This applies to both on-demand content and live television, such as live sporting events and news.
Can I watch BBC without a TV Licence?
You need to be covered by a TV Licence (including a free TV Licence) if you use BBC iPlayer. If you are not licensed, you risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000* plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.
How do I watch BBC for free?
BBC Select is a BBC streaming service available to stream on Amazon Prime Video Channels, the Apple TV app or The Roku Channel. You can try BBC Select for free for 7 days.
Can you watch BBC on Freeview without a licence?
If you watch or record TV on any channel via any TV service (e.g. Sky, Virgin, Freeview, Freesat), you need to be covered by a TV Licence. If you watch live on streaming services (e.g. ITVX, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go), or use BBC iPlayer*, you need to be covered by a TV Licence.
Can BBC tell if I watch iPlayer?
Our Privacy Policy explains that we may use data collected from other parts of the BBC to establish if you are using BBC iPlayer. If you would like to see what BBC iPlayer use is associated with your BBC account, you can request a copy of your BBC account data using your BBC account sign in details.
Can the BBC track your IP address?
We collect some information automatically. Things like your IP address, which browser and device you're using, or your device ID. And we can tell what webpage directed you to the BBC by looking at information from your browser.
How can TV licensing catch you?
TV Licensing's database of around 31 million addresses is the main tool for catching evaders, and it claims to catch an average of over 1,000 people watching without a licence every day. If TV Licensing believes you're watching ‘live TV' or using BBC iPlayer without a licence, enquiry officers may pay you a visit.
Is BBC iPlayer free without TV Licence?
Yes. You must be covered by a TV Licence (including a free TV Licence) to use BBC iPlayer. This applies to any device you use. You don't need a licence to watch S4C programmes on demand.
How much is a TV Licence?
How can I avoid TV Licence inspector?
The easiest way to get rid of a TV Licensing inspector is to tell them that you revoke their implied right of access. The implied right of access is there so that people with legitimate reasons to enter your property, such as delivery men or milk men can do so without fear of prosecution.
Can TV Licensing check your computer?
TV Licensing is only allowed to physically check your TV and TV recording equipment, not any computers or mobile phones but they will take note if any computers are attached to a live TV feed such as a TV aerial. You may be requested to turn on your television. If you refuse then TVL will likely attempt it themselves.
Can I refuse to pay TV Licence to the BBC?
If you don't pay you could face a £1,000 fine TV Licensing has enforcement officers that carry out checks. Fee dodgers can face prosecution plus a fine of up to £1,000 (up to £2,000 if you live in Guernsey) if they're found to be watching ‘live TV' or BBC iPlayer without a licence.
Can I cancel my TV license if I don't watch BBC?
You can cancel your licence if you no longer: watch or record TV on any channel via any TV service (e.g. Sky, Virgin, Freeview, Freesat) watch live on streaming services (e.g. ITVX, All 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go) use BBC iPlayer*.
How can I avoid TV Licence inspector?
The easiest way to get rid of a TV Licensing inspector is to tell them that you revoke their implied right of access. The implied right of access is there so that people with legitimate reasons to enter your property, such as delivery men or milk men can do so without fear of prosecution.
Can I watch BBC on Netflix without a licence?
What if I just watch Amazon Prime, Netflix or Now TV? If you only watch on-demand or catch-up programmes through streaming services like Netflix, then you do NOT need a TV licence – that is UNLESS you're watching BBC programmes on iPlayer. You also need one if you're watching any live TV through apps.
What happens if you get caught without a TV Licence?
Not paying for a TV Licence could lead to a £1,000* fine if we find that you have been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally. Is it against the law to not have a TV Licence? You are breaking the law if you: watch or record TV on any channel via any TV service (e.g. Sky, Virgin, Freeview, Freesat)
What happens if you say you have a TV license but you don t?
This is because when we visit and make contact, we find one in eight people* that tell us they don't need a TV Licence actually do need one. If you are not licensed, you risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000** plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.
Can the BBC tell if I watch TV?
According to the Comptroller and Auditor General of the National Audit Office, “where the BBC still suspects that an occupier is watching live television but not paying for a licence, it can send a detection van to check whether this is the case.
Can the BBC enter my property?
If a TV Licensing officer calls to your house, you do not have to let them inside. They do have the power to go to the police and get a search warrant to get inside but without a warrant you do not have to allow entry.
How does the BBC know I'm using a VPN?
How does the BBC know I'm using a VPN? Streaming services like the BBC iPlayer use smart technologies that detect VPNs. They do it by inspecting shared IP addresses. If they see that many different devices connect to their service through one IP address, they suspect it's a VPN.
Do TV Licence detector vans exist?
We have a range of detection tools at our disposal in our vans. Some aspects of the equipment have been developed in such secrecy that engineers working on specific detection methods work in isolation – so not even they know how the other detection methods work.
Can I refuse to let TV Licensing into my house?
TV Licensing can only enter your home without your permission if authorised to do so under a search warrant granted by a magistrate (or sheriff in Scotland). TV Licensing may also apply to a magistrate (or sheriff in Scotland) for a search warrant.
How does BBC know if you have a TV Licence?
We have a database of approximately 31 million licensed and unlicensed addresses. This tells us if your address has a TV Licence.
Can I watch BBC on Netflix without a licence?
What if I just watch Amazon Prime, Netflix or Now TV? If you only watch on-demand or catch-up programmes through streaming services like Netflix, then you do NOT need a TV licence – that is UNLESS you're watching BBC programmes on iPlayer. You also need one if you're watching any live TV through apps.
You don't need a TV Licence if you only ever watch on demand programmes on any TV service apart from BBC iPlayer. You don't need a TV Licence to watch videos or clips on demand on YouTube. But you do need a TV Licence if you watch TV programmes live on YouTube. An example of this would be watching Sky News live.
Who is exempt from TV Licence?
Current TV Licence fee concessions are available for people aged 75 and over who receive Pension Credit, those who are blind or severely sight impaired, people who live in qualifying residential care, and businesses that offer overnight accommodation, such as hotels.