Overview

• Verwaltungsgericht Koblenz rejected a woman’s bid for a Rundfunkbeitrag exemption on religious grounds, confirming no right to refuse payment on conscience claims.
• The court held that the levy does not infringe freedom of religion or conscience because it finances access to public broadcasting rather than individual consumption.
• The monthly fee remains €18.36 after a KEF recommendation to raise it to €18.94 from 1 January 2025 was not implemented by the Länder.
• With talks on a dynamization model stalled, industry observers warn reserves could run out and drive a one-off increase to roughly €19.51 per month in 2027.
• Official guidance states Wohngeld recipients are not eligible for exemption, while narrowly defined social-benefit cases can qualify only by applying and providing proof.