SERAFE: the Swiss household media fee
CHF 335 per year, per household, whether or not you own a television. You never sign up for it, and you cannot opt out.
What it costs
The household media fee is CHF 335 per year per household, not per person. It falls to CHF 312 in 2027 and to CHF 300 in 2029, under Article 57 of the Radio and Television Ordinance.
It is device-independent. No television, streaming only, one laptop, no screens at all: the amount is the same. The old opt-out for households without a receiving device ended on 31 December 2023 and no longer exists.
How you end up on the list
You never register with SERAFE. Your commune registration feeds the household register automatically, which is one more reason the Anmeldung is the switch that starts everything else.
Every household is assigned to one of twelve billing groups, so the month your first invoice lands depends on your group, not on your arrival. That first invoice is pro-rated from your registration date.
Shared flats
One fee per flat. All adults in the household are jointly and severally liable, which means SERAFE can ask any one of you for the whole amount.
SERAFE does not split the bill between flatmates. Splitting it is a private arrangement between you, and it is worth agreeing on it in writing when someone moves in or out.
Invoices, reminders and what late costs
The annual invoice is payable within 60 days. Quarterly invoicing is available on request and costs CHF 2 more per paper invoice, so CHF 343 per year in total.
A reminder costs CHF 5. Initiating debt enforcement costs CHF 20. An ignored invoice can end in a debt-register entry, and that register is exactly what landlords check when you apply for your next flat.
Exemptions, and the one people get wrong
Recipients of social assistance are not exempt. The fee is already included in the basic payment, so the bill still comes and still has to be paid.
Households where a member receives annual EL supplementary benefits are exempt, on application. The exemption is not automatic: someone has to apply for it.
Leaving Switzerland
Liability ends on the date of your official deregistration at the commune, not on the day your flight leaves. Deregister properly.
Amounts you have already paid for the period after deregistration are refunded pro rata.
Verified July 2026