Abolition of licence fees from 1 July 2023

Licence fees – in other words, fees that affected every single one of us. They are used to fund Slovakia’s public service television and radio broadcaster (RTVS). These fees are paid by households and also by employers who employ 3 or more people in an employment relationship. This includes employees on maternity or parental leave. Until now, larger employers were at a disadvantage, because businesses paid licence fees for every employee, regardless of whether a television or radio was used at the workplace at all.

From 1 July 2023, RTVS will be funded by a state contribution. This means that from 1 July 2023 neither households nor businesses will have to pay licence fees. Licence fees are being abolished by law, and the obligation to pay them ceases automatically.

You need to be careful, because RTVS will keep sending demands for payment of arrears even after 1 July 2023. Such a demand must be paid within 30 days of its delivery; otherwise RTVS will require payment of the arrears together with a penalty.

You can avoid paying arrears if they are old arrears, because the limitation period applies to them. The limitation period differs depending on whether an individual or a legal entity is concerned:

• For an individual, the Civil Code applies, under which the general limitation period is 3 years.
• A legal entity falls under the Commercial Code. In that case, a 4-year limitation period applies under Section 397 of the Commercial Code.

So if, for example, in July 2023 you receive a demand to pay arrears of licence fees for May 2015, you are not obliged to pay them. If the demand for payment of the arrears were to end up in court, you need to raise the objection that the claim is time-barred.