Collective households, as enumerated definitively in the Register Harmonisation Ordinance, pay an annual fee of CHF 670.
Such households include:
- Old people's homes and nursing homes,
- Residential and correction homes for children and young people,
- Boarding schools and student hostels,
- Institutions for the disabled,
- Hospitals, sanatoria and similar institutions in the healthcare sector,
- Institutions for the enforcement of sentences and measures,
- Community accommodation for asylum seekers,
- Monasteries and other accommodation of religious groups.
A collective household, for example an old people's home, pays the fee for all its residents. The body responsible for the collective household is therefore liable for the collective household fee. Residents of the collective household do not have to pay anything.
Collective households may be additionally liable for the fee charged to businesses. In this case, they will be informed by the Federal Tax Administration (FTA).
Amount
- The yearly fee for collective households is CHF 670.
Billing
- Serafe collects the fee for collective households.
- The body responsible for the collective household is liable for the fee.
- If a mistake is found in the address data, this should be reported to the competent authority of the municipality or canton. The latter send the data to Serafe via the canton.
- Bills can be paid as an annual or quarterly bill, in paper form, as an e-bill or by direct debit. A paper quarterly bill costs an additional CHF 2 because of the higher administrative costs.
- The bill will be issued in the first month of the billing period; the annual bill is due within 60 days and the quarterly bills are due within 30 days. The statutory period of limitation is five years.
- Legal basis: Article 69c of the Federal Radio and Television Act (RTVA; CC 784.40) and Article 57 of the Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVO; CC 784.401)
FAQ
The universal fee for private and collective households
What do I have to do if I want to pay the radio and television fee in quarterly instalments rather than all at once for a whole year?
When do I receive an annual bill and when do I receive a quarterly bill?
Who is listed on the bill?
To whom is the bill addressed?
How does the VAT refund process work?
Since 1 January 2021, the household fee amounts to only CHF 335. When will Serafe take the new amount into account in its invoices?
I have already paid my Serafe bill in February 2020 or March 2020. How do I get my overpaid money back?
Once a year, every household automatically receives an invoice from Serafe for the radio and television fee for 12 months. Persons with protection status S who live in their own household also have to pay the fee. It is possible to choose to pay the annual fee in quarterly instalments. All you have to do is scan the QR code that appears on the annual bill and follow the instructions. The procedure is simple, as explained on the Serafe website. It does not cost anything to switch to quarterly payments provided you receive your invoice electronically, i.e. by email or e-bill. Households that prefer to receive a paper invoice must pay an additional CHF 2 per invoice.
In principle Serafe sends out annual bills. Quarterly bills can be sent on request.
Each bill lists all adult members of a household.
The address block lists all adults up to a household size of three members. In the case of households of more than three adult members, the personal denomination of one person is listed in the address block, which also contains the wording "other persons liable for the fee".
Please refer to the information on this page (available in German, French and Italian): VAT and reception fees: steps towards the new law
The new tariff has come into force on 1 January 2021. Serafe has already proportionally reduced the fee for 2021 on its invoices as of April 2020.
Households that received their annual bill in February or March 2020 have paid the fee for January 2021, or for January and February 2021 under the old tariff. The bills for the first two months in 2021 will be adjusted accordingly. The correction amounts to CHF 2.50 per month.
Billing
What do I have to do if I want to pay the radio and television fee in quarterly instalments rather than all at once for a whole year?
When do I receive an annual bill and when do I receive a quarterly bill?
Who is listed on the bill?
To whom is the bill addressed?
How does the VAT refund process work?
Since 1 January 2021, the household fee amounts to only CHF 335. When will Serafe take the new amount into account in its invoices?
I have already paid my Serafe bill in February 2020 or March 2020. How do I get my overpaid money back?
Once a year, every household automatically receives an invoice from Serafe for the radio and television fee for 12 months. Persons with protection status S who live in their own household also have to pay the fee. It is possible to choose to pay the annual fee in quarterly instalments. All you have to do is scan the QR code that appears on the annual bill and follow the instructions. The procedure is simple, as explained on the Serafe website. It does not cost anything to switch to quarterly payments provided you receive your invoice electronically, i.e. by email or e-bill. Households that prefer to receive a paper invoice must pay an additional CHF 2 per invoice.
In principle Serafe sends out annual bills. Quarterly bills can be sent on request.
Each bill lists all adult members of a household.
The address block lists all adults up to a household size of three members. In the case of households of more than three adult members, the personal denomination of one person is listed in the address block, which also contains the wording "other persons liable for the fee".
Please refer to the information on this page (available in German, French and Italian): VAT and reception fees: steps towards the new law
The new tariff has come into force on 1 January 2021. Serafe has already proportionally reduced the fee for 2021 on its invoices as of April 2020.
Households that received their annual bill in February or March 2020 have paid the fee for January 2021, or for January and February 2021 under the old tariff. The bills for the first two months in 2021 will be adjusted accordingly. The correction amounts to CHF 2.50 per month.
Last modification 01.01.2021
Contact
SERAFE AG
Post office box
8010 Zürich
Tel. 058 201 31 67
OFCOM
Zukunftstrasse 44
2501 Biel
Central
Tel. 058 460 55 11
Section radio-television fee
Tel. 058 460 54 39
m-rf@bakom.admin.ch
www.bakom.admin.ch
For businesses:
FTA (Federal tax administration)
Main Division for Value Added Tax
Schwarztorstrasse 50
3003 Berne