THEthe Rai canoneven if we hear less about it, continues to be a fixed voice for millions of Italian families and also for 2026 the amount remains confirmed at 90 euros per year. As has been the case for years now, payment takes place automatically via the electricity bill for your home. There are, however, specific situations in which the law allows you not to pay the tax. To take advantage of the exemption, however, it is necessary to comply with well-defined requirements and above all submit the application by a specific deadline: January 31, 2026. After this date, the benefit may be lost, at least in part.
Rai license fee, payment, why is it charged on the bill?
The Rai license fee is a tax due for the simple possession of a television set, regardless of the actual use of Rai channels. It is therefore not a subscription, but of a tax linked to the possession of the television. Since 2016, payment has been made via automatic debit on the electricity bill, divided into monthly instalments. This system was introduced to reduce tax evasion and made payment almost inevitable, unless a declaration of exemption was presented in the cases provided for by law.
Who is entitled to exemption
The law identifies some categories of taxpayers who can legitimately not pay the Rai license fee. There are two main cases, but there are also other particular situations. Therefore, Citizens who have reached 75 years of age by 31 January 2026 are entitled to the exemption and have a total annual income not exceeding 8,000 euros. The income limit does not only concern the person concerned, but the entire family unit. In fact, “total income” means the sum of the incomes of all the members of the cohabiting family. To this end, the ISEE is used, which is used to measure the economic condition of the family unit.
The law provides for various situations in which the Rai license fee is not due (pixabay)
Who doesn’t own any television
Exemption also applies to whom does not have television sets in any of the homes for which an electricity account is registered. It is essential, however, that no member of the registered family owns a television. In this case, a substitutive declaration certifying non-possession is required. Other categories exempted from paying the RAI license fee, in addition to the most common cases, are:
- foreign militaries belonging to the NATO forces present in Italy;
- diplomats and consular officials foreigners;
- who is the owner of an electricity user on which the fee is already chargedfor example in the case of multiple homes;
- resellers and repairers of television setslimited to devices intended for commercial activities.
With regard to the declaration of non-possession of the television, this must be renewed every yearunless the application has already been accepted previously and the requirements have remained unchanged.
The deadlines to be respected: why January 31st is decisive
There the date of 31 January 2026 represents the fundamental deadline for obtaining the exemption valid for the entire year. If the application is submitted within this deadline, the Fee will not be charged in any installment of the electricity bill. However, if the request is sent between February and Junethe exemption will be partial and will only concern the second half of the year. Beyond Junethe exemption will no longer be applicable for 2026.
How to submit the exemption application
The request must be sent to the Revenue Agency, the public body that manages the Rai license fee. There are different modes, designed to adapt to everyone’s needs. The online procedure is the fastest method. The application can be completed and sent directly from the Revenue Agency website, accessing with: SPID, CIE and CNS (National Service Card).
It is also possible to send the declaration via PECthe Certified Electronic Mail at the official address: [email protected]. In this case, the exemption form prepared by the Revenue Agency, completed and signed, must be attached. In the end, Paper shipping via registered mail is also possibleto be sent to: Provincial Directorate I of Turin – TV Canon Office PO Box 22 – 10121 Turin. In this case the shipping date is valid.
Refund of the fee paid
If the Rai license fee has been charged despite the presence of the requirements for exemption, you can request a refund. Also in this case it is necessary to submit a specific application to the Revenue Agency, attaching the documentation demonstrating the right to exemption. In short, the Rai license fee, despite being a relatively small tax, still represents an expense. Therefore, if avoidable, for those who fall within the cases provided for by law, it is better to take advantage of it. Respecting the deadlines and correctly submitting the application, however, are decisive elements in order not to be charged the 90 euros on your bill.