Do I need a TV licence to use an Amazon Fire Stick?

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Avoid a nasty maximum penalty of £1,000
Avoid a nasty maximum penalty of £1,000

MILLIONS of people own an Amazon Fire Stick and most use it as a way to watch on-demand telly.

But as with any TV, you might be wondering whether you need a TV licence.

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The cost of a TV licence goes up in AprilCredit: Alamy

The answer isn't a simple yes or no - it really depends on how you use your Fire Stick.

Do I need a TV licence when watching TV through a Fire Stick?

The TV licence currently costs £159 for a year but very soon it's going up.

From April, it'll go up to £169.50, which is an increase of £10.50.

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A TV licence is required for two things - if you watch live TV as it's being broadcast or if you're accessing BBC iPlayer.

So, if you only ever watch on-demand shows or movies (that's not on iPlayer) and never go on live streams you're fine.

This applies to all gadgets, including Amazon Fire Sticks.

For any reason of doubt - you can install and watch content on platforms like ITVX and Channel 4's apps.

But you must not use the live channel features.

This includes live channels you pay for with a subscription, such as Sky Sports.

And you can't record live TV to watch at a later date either.

You are not allowed to watch content on BBC iPlayer, whether it's live or on-demand.

What will happen if I'm caught without a TV licence?

TV Licencing warns you could be prosecuted if they find that you've been watching, recording or downloading programmes illegally.

The maximum penalty is a £1,000 fine plus any legal costs and/or compensation you may be ordered to pay.

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Jamie Harris

Tech explainers, Explainers, Evergreen, BBC, Amazon Prime, Amazon

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