MOST: RTV subscription controllers uncover working hours. Thousands of Poles threatened with penalties in 2025.

Many Poles have lived in the belief for years that mass inspections of RTV subscription are a myth. However, reality is more complex and, importantly, little dramatic than urban legends, but the threat of penalties is real. The Polish Post Office, although with a tiny number of controllers, actively operates in this field, focusing mainly on companies. The latest information that has been leaked through recruitment announcements sheds fresh light on erstwhile precisely you can anticipate an unannounced visit. If you don't pay the subscription and let the controller in, the financial consequences in 2025 can be truly severe – we are talking about amounts going into thousands of zlotys. Do you know erstwhile a controller can knock on your door and what you request to know to avoid problems?

When do you anticipate control? Polish Post reveals the schedule.

Thanks to recruitment announcements, published, among others, by the Wrocław branch of the Polish Post Office, we already know precisely what hours RTV licence controllers work. According to the documents, their standard working time is working days, from 7:00 to 15:00. This is the key information for all receiver holders, due to the fact that it is in this time frame that the most likely unannounced visit is possible.

For those working at the standard 8:00-16:00 hours, this means that the check may take place either early in the morning, just before they leave for work, or after 3:00 p.m. erstwhile the controllers finish their shift, but are inactive in the field. The probability of a check after 3:00 p.m. and weekends is much lower, although theoretically it is not entirely excluded. However, it is worth remembering that the controllers act on circumstantial grounds, specified as unpaid calls or information from cable tv operators. In 2024 the Post Office sent over 118,000 specified calls, of which only 32,000 debtors settled the backlog and 21,000 cases went to the taxation offices.

Companies are targeted, but private houses are besides threatened. Who's being checked out?

Poczta Polska openly admits that its main nonsubjective is to enterprises and public institutions, not private households. This strategy has a solid reason – companies frequently have multiple receivers, which translates into much higher possible gross from late subscription. The control of 1 larger company could benefit the budget more than checking respective twelve private homes, and entrepreneurs besides have limited possibilities for refusal of controllers during working hours, which facilitates the verification.

However, this does not mean that the owners of private homes and apartments can feel completely safe. household checks besides happen, especially erstwhile there are circumstantial indications of avoiding subscription payments. Information may come from cable tv operators, building administrators and even 3rd organization notifications. Especially susceptible are those who had previously registered receivers, but stopped paying the subscription. specified cases are easier to detect and frequently lead to calculation of arrears for up to 5 years back.

Astronomical penalties for no RTV subscription in 2025. How much can you lose?

The impact of the checks can be very severe financially, well above the regular payment of the subscription. If the controller finds having an unregistered receiver, the owner must pay administrative punishment of 30 times the monthly subscription fee. In 2025 this means a punishment of 261 PLN for unregistered radio receiver au 819 PLN for TV.

This one-off punishment includes late subscription fees, which may be charged for up to 5 years back, plus interest on late payment and enforcement costs. full costs may increase to respective 1000 zlotys, which The taxation office may collect straight from remuneration, pension or bank account. In comparison, the yearly cost of subscription in 2025 is PLN 104.40 for radio and PLN 327.60 for TV. Payment in advance for the full year to 25 January gives a 10% discount, reducing these amounts to 94 PLN and 294 PLN respectively.

RTV subscription control: Your rights and obligations. How to behave?

It is worth knowing that only an authorised worker of the Polish Post Service Centre can carry out the control. No mailman has specified authority. The controller must show 3 documents: an authorisation to inspect, a business card and, on request, an identity card. It is your right to require that all these papers be presented before any conversation.

Most importantly, The owner of the flat has no work to let the controller in the house. The controller may request proof of registration of the receiver or payment of the subscription, but may not enter the flat without your consent. However, refusal to cooperate may consequence in further administrative steps, e.g. by sending a call for registration. However, if you decide to let the controller in, he must prove 4 things: the presence of the device, its ability to receive the program immediately, the fact of the registration (or its lack) and the period of usage in the context of the 14-day registration deadline.

RTV subscription: Who is fired and what future awaits the system?

Not all Poles gotta pay RTV subscriptions. Automatic release is granted to persons after 75 years of age – the strategy works without application. Younger pensioners may be exempted if they are provided does not exceed PLN 4090.86 gross per month. The exemption besides applies to persons with the first disabled group, the blind, the deaf, the combatants, the unemployed registered at the employment office and the recipients of certain social benefits. The full list is available on the Polish Post Office website, and authorised persons must apply to the post office.

The current subscription strategy is in deep crisis. With 4.5 million registered households, it pays only regularly 700 thousand, which means a collection rate of about 15 percent. Although 96 percent of Polish households have TVs, only half of them are registered. Therefore, the government plans to completely liquidate the current subscription strategy by 2026. 2 scenarios are being considered: the full abolition of fees or the introduction of a fresh audiovisual fee charged automatically with income tax, amounting to about PLN 9 per month. Until the changes are made, the current strategy will function unchangedand the controllers will proceed to work from 7:00 to 3:00, checking mainly companies, but besides selected households.