The World Cup and TV License Requirements

The 2014 World Cup is fast approaching and if you run a business, you may have plans to watch some of the games at work or with your staff.  Businesses could face a hefty fine if anyone breaks the rules so here is a quick guide to TV license requirements.

Who needs a license?

The law states that anyone who uses a TV or any other device to receive TV signals must buy a license.  This includes watching a live feed on a computer.  Watching catch up TV, pre-recorded programmes or videos on YouTube for example does not require a TV license but if you are watching anything as it is being aired then you will need one.

Would the Licensing Authority target businesses?

The answer to this question is most definitely yes!  Most households in the UK own a TV and therefore already have a valid TV license to watch TV however businesses are typically less likely to have TVs and therefore are less likely to have a license.

Do I need a special business license?

If your business only has one office/building/shop etc then you’ll just need a single TV license to cover all TVs used at the site.  If you have multiple premises though, you may need a Company Group TV License to cover you.

What don’t I need a TV license for?

• You don’t need a TV for any devices that are only used for CCTV or playing DVDs or videos.
• If you only use your computer to watch ‘catch-up’ TV or ‘video clips’ on YouTube for example then you don’t need a license.  However, if any of your employees watch live TV or on-demand TV on websites such as iPlayer on your premises then you will need a TV license.
• If TV is watched on a laptop or mobile owned by an employee, customer or visitor and it is powered solely by its internal batteries then it is the user’s responsibility to cover it with their own TV license.  However, if it is plugged into the mains at your premises then it becomes your responsibility.

One last note is that you may wish to put a TV policy in place for your employees covering both licensing, when they are permitted to watch TV and for how long etc.  You can find some useful advice on this here http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/business-and-organisations/tv-in-the-workplace-policy-aud24.