Tv License Officers: Home Search Rights?

TV Licensing inspectors can visit your house, but you are likely to receive a letter before this point. You can refuse to let an inspector in, but this might lead to them getting a court order, which means they would be allowed to enter by law without your permission. Inspectors will usually show you two forms of ID on your doorstep and enter the property only when given permission. They have no right of entry without a search warrant issued by a magistrate, which are rarely given.

TV Licensing inspectors can visit your house, but you can refuse them entry

The purpose of their visit is to see if you are watching licensable content without a licence and, if so, to gather evidence of your breach of the law. A TV Licensing Enforcement Officer must verbally caution you that anything you say to them may be used in evidence against you in court. If you have not been cautioned, any evidence gathered from that visit may be inadmissible in court.

Enforcement Officers will aim to complete a 'Record of Interview' document. On this document, they will fill out your personal details, the type of TV you have, and the television programme you are watching. The Enforcement Officer will ask you to sign this Record of Interview. By signing this document, you are acknowledging that everything the TV Licensing Officer has written is correct.

You should not sign this document if there are sections that have not yet been filled out. It is not merely a document to acknowledge that TV Licensing has visited your house – if you are prosecuted for TV licence fee evasion, this will be used as evidence against you. If the Record of Interview says that you were watching licensable content without a licence and you do not believe this to be true, you should not sign it.

You do not have to let an Enforcement Officer into your home. They do have the power to go to the police and get a search warrant to enter your home but without a warrant, you do not have to allow entry. If you refuse entry, the visiting officer will leave the property.

Inspectors will likely arrive after you've received a letter

If you've received a letter from TV Licensing, it's likely to be about the TV licence fee. The letter may be sent to you because you don't have a TV licence, or because you've forgotten to pay. The letters may get "progressively stronger" if you don't reply.

Inspectors from TV Licensing may visit your house after you've received a letter. You can refuse to let them in, but they might get a court order, which means they would be allowed to enter by law without your permission.

If an inspector does visit your home, they will look for evidence of a television set up and ask you about whether you use catch-up services. They will check for TV-receiving equipment and ask for your signature to confirm their notes. They will also offer to sell you a TV licence.

TV Licensing inspectors can't visit your house when you're not present unless they have a warrant from a magistrate (or a sheriff in Scotland). In these cases, they will be accompanied by the police. In most cases, inspectors will show you two forms of ID on your doorstep and enter the property only when given permission. They have to "respect people's rights to privacy and confidentiality", but they may wear a body camera during the process.

If you don't have a TV licence, you can inform TV Licensing that you don't need one because you're not watching licensable content. You can do this by writing a letter or using the section on the enclosed form in the letter from TV Licensing.

Inspectors will look for evidence of a television set up and ask about catch-up services

If a TV Licensing inspector visits your home, they will look for evidence of a television set-up and ask about your use of catch-up services like iPlayer. They will check for TV-receiving equipment, such as a connected TV aerial or satellite cables, and inspect the television to see if it is programmed with a list of live TV channels. They may also power on the television to see if it can receive a live broadcast signal.

Inspectors will also check if your Smart TV has any apps installed and activated with an online account that delivers live broadcast content. It is important to note that the presence of the BBC iPlayer app does not constitute an offence, as long as it is not primed with an active account. They will also ask for your signature to confirm their notes.

If you are concerned about a potential visit from a TV Licensing inspector, it is recommended to ensure that you are following the rules and regulations regarding TV licensing. This includes cancelling your TV licence if it is not required, removing any TV aerial or satellite cables, avoiding viewing or recording live TV, and only watching on-demand TV.

Inspectors must identify themselves, show ID, state their purpose, and provide a telephone number

TV Licensing Inspectors must identify themselves, show ID, state their purpose, and provide a telephone number. They are required to respect people's rights to privacy and confidentiality, but they may wear a body camera during the inspection.

If you do not have a TV licence, TV Licensing can send an enforcement officer to your house to ensure you are not watching licensable content. They can still send an officer to your house even if you have informed them that you do not need a licence because you are not watching licensable content. The purpose of their visit is to see if you are watching licensable content without a licence and, if so, to gather evidence of your breach of the law.

A TV Licensing Enforcement Officer must verbally caution you that anything you say to them may be used as evidence against you in court. If you have not been cautioned, any evidence gathered from that visit may be inadmissible in court. They will also ask for your signature to confirm that all of their notes are accurate and correct. This is known as a Record of Interview and can include your personal details, the type of TV or device you watch licensable content on, and the programmes you are watching.

You should not sign this document if there are sections that are blank. The Record of Interview document contains a section at the end that asks whether there is 'anything else you would like us to know about'. You should ensure that the officer fills out this section to include anything that is relevant to your situation, such as health problems and conditions, domestic abuse, or financial difficulties that have affected your ability to get a licence.

The TV Licensing Officer may also try to sell you a TV licence while they are visiting. If you want to watch licensable content, then you should use this opportunity. However, it is important to note that even if you buy a licence at this point, TV Licensing can still prosecute you for the offence of TV licence fee evasion. If you do sign up for a TV Licence, you should ensure that you keep up to date with your payments and inform TV Licensing as soon as possible if you are experiencing any difficulties. If you fail to keep up your payments without informing TV Licensing, they may decide to prosecute you.

You do not have to answer any questions or sign any documents

If a TV Licensing officer comes to your house, you are not obliged to let them in. They can go to the police and get a search warrant, but without a warrant, you do not have to allow entry.

If a TV Licensing officer does come to your house, they will likely ask you to sign a 'Record of Interview' document. This will contain your personal details, the type of TV you have, and the programmes you are watching. You do not have to sign this document. By signing it, you are acknowledging that everything the officer has written is correct. If there are sections that are blank, do not sign it. If you are prosecuted, this will be used as evidence against you.

If you are being prosecuted for TV licence fee evasion, you may consider using the 'Navigating the Maze' tool to obtain template forms and letters to help defend yourself against the charge.

If you do not have a TV licence, you can still watch shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime, or other subscription services that are not streamed live.

Frequently asked questions