Published on 28 August 2025

Corporate radio and television fee

Here you will find everything you need to know about the corporate radio and television fee (RTV) in Switzerland, from the conditions with respect to corporate fee liability, rates and rate groups, to the RTV invoice and exemption from the corporate radio and television fee.

Businesses which are subject to VAT and have their registered office, domicile or permanent establishment in Switzerland are subject to the corporate radio and television fee once their global turnover reaches CHF 500,000.

As English is not one of Switzerland's official languages, only the most important information on the Federal Tax Administration is translated into English. This translation is provided for information purposes only and has no legal force. Please refer to the German, French or Italian version.

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Questions and answers about the corporate radio and television fee

• What is the corporate radio and television fee?

  Since 1 January 2019, the new device-independent fee for radio and TV has been levied on households and businesses.

  It replaces the receiver-dependent levy, which expired at the end of 2018. Companies subject to VAT in Switzerland (with their registered office, place of domicile or permanent establishment in Switzerland) with a global turnover of at least CHF 500 000 are subject to the RTV fee. They automatically receive an annual invoice from the Federal Tax Administration.

  Further information on the RTV fee can be found on the following pages.

• Which companies are subject to the fee?

  If a company (with registered office, domicile or permanent establishment in Switzerland) is subject to VAT and generates an annual global turnover of CHF 500 000 or more, this company is subject to the radio and television fee.

  Legal basis:

  • Federal Act on Radio and Television (RTVA)
  • Radio and Television Ordinance (RTVO)

  The radio and television fee is not device-dependent. Consequently, undertakings with no means of radio or television reception also pay the radio and television fee.

• Are foreign undertakings subject to the radio and television fee?

  Undertakings without registered office domicile or permanent establishment in Switzerland that supply goods and services in Switzerland are not subject to the corporate fee.  

  Undertakings with registered office, domicile or permanent establishment in Switzerland which are registered with the VAT and have a total turnover of CHF 500 000 (without VAT) or more are subject to the corporate fee. 

  According to the dual-entity principle in Swiss VAT law applicable in cross-border affairs, undertakings domiciled abroad and their domestic permanent establishments in Switzerland are each independent taxable entities. Multiple domestic permanent establishments in Switzerland of undertakings domiciled abroad are considered as one taxable subject.

  With regard of the corporate fee, the cumulative turnover of all domestic permanent establishments in Switzerland is decisive for the corporate fee liability and tariff determination.

  Due to international contractual obligations, undertakings domiciled abroad are exempt from the corporate fee. Even if registered with the VAT and goods and services are supplied in Switzerland.

• When will companies become liable to the fee?

  The radio and television fee will be collected from 1 January 2019. It will replace the earlier device-dependent reception fee.

• How high is the fee for companies?

  The amount of the corporate fee depends on the company's turnover without VAT (total turnover, including exports, services abroad, excluded turnover, notification procedure, land sales etc.). Your company will be allocated to a tariff category based on the amount of turnover. Companies whose global turnover is less than CHF 500 000 will not have to pay the corporate fee.

• Why does my company have to pay the corporate fee to the FTA?

  The FTA was designated as the corporate fee collection office by Parliament, because the fee amount and liability will be linked to turnover and the FTA can access this data in the simplest and most reliable way through the VAT register.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact us using the contact form.

Specific questions (German)

• Questions about billing
• Questions about payment

Federal Tax Administration FTA
Main Division VAT
Schwarztorstrasse 50
3003 Berne