<P> A TV licence, once issued, is normally valid for a maximum of 12 months . The period of its validity depends on the exact day of the month it is purchased; this is because TV licences always expire at the end of a calendar month . If a licence were to be obtained in September 2014, for example, it would expire on 31 August 2015 . Thus the period of validity would vary between 11 and 12 months depending how early in the month it was bought . If an existing licence is renewed on time, the new licence will last the full 12 months . </P> <P> The BBC sometimes issues' short dated' licences in situations when a licence is renewed after the expiry date of the previous licence . The BBC does this as it assumes that TV was being watched in the interim period between expiry and renewal . Short dated licences are set to expire 12 months after the previous expiry date . </P> <P> If a UK resident aged 74 years wishes to purchase a TV Licence, they can apply for a short - term TV Licence to cover the time until they reach 75 when they become eligible for a free licence in the UK . Short - term licences for 74 - year - olds are also available on the Isle of Man and Guernsey . </P> <P> If a TV licence is no longer needed for an address it is possible to cancel a licence and apply for a partial refund . The amount refunded will depend on the time left to the expiry date . Normally only full quarters (that is three consecutive calendar months) of unexpired licence period are refunded . </P>

How much do you have to pay for tv licence