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How to Get, Pay and Renew a TV Licence in South Africa
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Direct answer
A South African TV licence costs R265 a year, or R74 a year for qualifying pensioners and grant recipients. You find your licence number on your SABC statement or renewal notice, you check your balance and pay on the SABC’s own portal at pay.tvlic.co.za, and you take out a first licence at a Post Office or an authorised TV retailer. Anything you cannot sort out online goes to the SABC TV Licences (TV Licensing) call centre on 011 330 9555 or tvlic.info@sabc.co.za, and the official website is tvlic.co.za. Every fact below was read on tvlic.co.za, the SABC’s TV licence site, and on gov.za on 22 September 2026.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent guide. We are not the SABC and cannot look up, change or pay a TV licence account for you.
How much a TV licence costs
| Licence type | Fee | How it can be paid |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic (one household) | R265 a year | Lump sum, or R28 a month on renewal (R336 a year in total) |
| Concessionary (pensioners and qualifying grant recipients) | R74 a year | Lump sum only |
| Business | R265 per television set | Annually, per set |
| Dealer | R265 per store | Annually |
The monthly option is only for renewals. The SABC says first-time applicants must pay the full annual fee of R265 up front. Spreading payments costs more over the year, R336 against R265, so pay the lump sum if you can.
These fees were last set in the tariff notice gazetted on 5 July 2013, and tvlic.co.za still shows them. If you are quoted a different amount, check it on tvlic.co.za before paying.
Who qualifies for the R74 pensioner licence
The SABC’s FAQ lists two groups who can apply for the concessionary licence:
- People receiving a state social grant as an older person, a disabled person or a war veteran, as defined in the Social Assistance Act.
- People aged 70 or older, from the start of the first licence year after their 70th birthday. The regulations add a condition: nobody under 70 may live in the home other than a spouse or partner.
It is not automatic. You apply to the SABC and send proof. A grant recipient sends a letter from the Department of Social Development showing the date the grant started. A person aged 70 or older sends a completed, certified affidavit confirming their living arrangements. The concession covers your permanent home only. A holiday home needs a full R265 licence.
How to find your TV licence number
Your TV licence number is your nine-digit TV licence account number. It is the reference the SABC wants on every payment. Look for it in these places, in this order:
- Your renewal notice or statement. The SABC posts renewal notices about two months before your licence is due.
- Your existing licence, or a copy of it.
- A previous payment in your banking app, where the number was used as the beneficiary reference.
- The SABC itself. Call 011 330 9555 or email tvlic.info@sabc.co.za and give your South African ID number. The SABC asks for your ID number, your account number, or both, on every query.
If the number is lost, you can still register on the online portal. The pay.tvlic.co.za registration page accepts your SA ID number, passport number or business registration number instead of the account number.
How to check your TV licence balance
The SABC’s balance check is its online portal at pay.tvlic.co.za, linked from the “Check Your Balance & Pay” button on tvlic.co.za. You log in with your email address or cellphone number and a password, after registering once. The other route is the call centre on 011 330 9555. We found no official SMS or USSD balance service, so treat any message offering one with suspicion.
Where and how to pay your TV licence
- Online by card on pay.tvlic.co.za.
- By EFT from your own banking app, using the TV Licences bank details published on the tvlic.co.za paypoints page. Put only your nine-digit account number in the beneficiary reference field, or the payment cannot be matched to you.
- At a bank counter or ATM: the SABC lists Absa, FNB, Standard Bank and Nedbank.
- At retailers the SABC lists as paypoints: Incredible Connection, HiFi Corporation, Makro, Game and JD Group stores.
- At Easypay and Pay@ outlets, which the SABC lists as including Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Boxer, Shoprite, Checkers, Lewis, PEP, SPAR and Ackermans. Take your statement or account number with you.
- By debit order, monthly or annually, using the form on tvlic.co.za.
We have deliberately not copied the SABC’s bank account numbers onto this page. Take them from tvlic.co.za itself, typed into your browser, each time you set up a new beneficiary. That habit is what protects you when a fraudster circulates “updated” banking details.
How to renew your TV licence and pay online
Renew every year before your licence expires: the licence is paid in advance. Log in or register on pay.tvlic.co.za to pay by card, or pay through your own online banking using the TV Licences account details on the tvlic.co.za paypoints page, with your TV licence account number as the reference. Nedbank, ABSA, FNB and Standard Bank ATMs also accept TV licence payments.
The SABC says paying annually rather than monthly saves R71 a year, and that an annual debit order (form on tvlic.co.za) avoids late penalties.
How to get a new TV licence
According to gov.za, you apply for a first TV licence at your nearest Post Office or at a retailer authorised to issue new licences, and you pay the full annual fee. Take your ID document. A company takes proof of its registration number.
Who needs one? The SABC says anyone who has a television set in their possession, whether it is used or not. One domestic licence covers a household, where the sets are used at home by the licence holder’s family. Lodgers, non-dependent adult children and pensioner parents with their own income each need their own licence. A TV dealer must check your licence before selling you a set, and you cannot use someone else’s licence unless you are a member of their family.
TV licence online application
There is no online application for a first domestic TV licence. tvlic.co.za offers no form for it, and its pay.tvlic.co.za portal (Login, Register, Reset Password) is for paying and managing an existing account. A first licence is taken out at your nearest Post Office or an authorised TV retailer, and the full annual fee of R265 is paid the first time. Businesses can download the Business TV Licence Application Form (PDF) from tvlic.co.za.
TV licence requirements
For a domestic licence, take your ID document to the Post Office or authorised retailer and pay R265. A company takes proof of its registration number. For the R74 concessionary licence you apply to the SABC with a Department of Social Development grant letter, or, if you are 70 or older, a certified affidavit on your living conditions.
How long does it take to get a TV licence?
Neither the SABC (tvlic.co.za) nor gov.za publishes how long it takes to issue a new licence. Ask at the Post Office or retailer when you apply, or call 011 330 9555.
When it is due, and what late payment costs
- Your renewal month is set by the first letter of your surname, or by the month you bought your television, according to gov.za.
- The licence is paid in advance and is valid for one year. Not receiving a renewal notice is not accepted as an excuse.
- Late payment attracts a penalty of 10% per month, up to a maximum of 100% a year. Overdue accounts are handed to the SABC’s attorneys and collectors.
- Being found without a licence means paying the annual fee plus a penalty of double that fee. A court can impose a fine of up to R500, up to six months in prison, or both.
- If you move house, tell the SABC in writing within 30 days.
Official SABC TV Licences contact details
| Channel | Details |
|---|---|
| Call centre | 011 330 9555, weekdays 08:00 to 18:00, Saturdays 08:00 to 13:00 |
| tvlic.info@sabc.co.za | |
| Online portal queries | tvlwebqueries@sabc.co.za |
| 077 606 9060 (linked from the tvlic.co.za home page) | |
| Business accounts | 011 330 9702 |
| Post | Private Bag X60, Auckland Park, 2006 |
For the full list of SABC TV licence routes, including cancellations, see our TV Licence contact details page.
TV Licensing contact number, email and website
The TV Licensing telephone number is 011 330 9555 (weekdays 08:00 to 18:00, Saturdays 08:00 to 13:00, closed Sundays and public holidays). The email address is tvlic.info@sabc.co.za: include your ID number and/or TV licence account number. The official website is www.tvlic.co.za, and the login for paying and checking your account is pay.tvlic.co.za. Searches for “tvlicensing”, “TV lisensie” or “SAUK TV lisensie” all refer to this same SABC TV Licences service.
The scam to watch for
Fake TV licence messages usually claim your licence has expired, threaten a fine and include a payment link or a bank account. The SABC’s own payment portal is pay.tvlic.co.za, and its banking details are published on tvlic.co.za. Do not pay into an account supplied in an SMS, email or WhatsApp message, and never give an OTP to anyone who calls about your licence. If you are unsure whether a message is real, phone 011 330 9555 yourself and ask. Our guide on how to check if a phone number is official explains the method.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a TV licence in South Africa?
R265 a year for a household. Pensioners and qualifying grant recipients pay R74 a year. Renewals can be spread at R28 a month, which comes to R336 a year.
How do I find my TV licence number?
It is the nine-digit account number on your renewal notice, statement or licence. If you cannot find it, call 011 330 9555 or email tvlic.info@sabc.co.za with your ID number.
Can I apply for a TV licence online?
Renewals and payments can be done online on pay.tvlic.co.za. For a first licence, gov.za directs you to a Post Office or an authorised TV retailer.
Do pensioners pay for a TV licence?
They pay a reduced R74 a year, but only after applying for the concession with proof: a Department of Social Development letter for grant recipients, or a certified affidavit for people aged 70 and over.
Where can I pay my TV licence?
Online at pay.tvlic.co.za, by EFT, at Absa, FNB, Standard Bank or Nedbank, or at listed retailers and Easypay or Pay@ outlets such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, PEP and SPAR.
What is the TV Licensing contact number?
Call SABC TV Licences on 011 330 9555, weekdays 08:00 to 18:00 and Saturdays 08:00 to 13:00. The email is tvlic.info@sabc.co.za.
What is the TV licence website?
The official website is tvlic.co.za. You log in to pay or check your account on pay.tvlic.co.za.
How long does it take to get a TV licence?
The SABC and gov.za do not publish a processing time. Ask at the Post Office or authorised retailer where you apply.
How do I renew my TV licence?
Pay before your licence expires, online at pay.tvlic.co.za, through online banking with your account number as the reference, at a bank or ATM, or at an Easypay or Pay@ outlet.
Sources
- SABC TV Licences, home page (tvlic.co.za/tvlic/), read 26 September 2026.
- SABC TV Licences, Contacts (tvlic.co.za/tvlic/contacts/), read 26 September 2026.
- SABC TV Licences, FAQs (tvlic.co.za/tvlic/faqs/), read 26 September 2026.
- SABC TV Licences, Paypoints (tvlic.co.za/tvlic/paypoints/), read 26 September 2026.
- SABC TV Licences, Retailer licence (tvlic.co.za/tvlic/retailer-license/), read 26 September 2026.
- SABC TV Licences, payment portal login (pay.tvlic.co.za/Account/Login), read 26 September 2026.
- gov.za, Apply for a television licence (gov.za/services/services-residents/tv-and-postal-services/apply-television-licence), read 26 September 2026.