Must cross-border workers pay the Serafe/SSR media fee? (cross-border guide)
Answered with official sources — Daily life, home and school
Updated 11 August 2026
Answer
The Serafe (formerly Billag) radio-TV fee is owed by every «household» resident in Switzerland (LRTV art. 69) source: Fedlex LRTV RS 784.40. Those NOT resident in Switzerland (G permit holders) do NOT pay the fee on their Italian home. However, if the cross-border worker rents or owns a Swiss dwelling (even as pied-à-terre), that household pays Serafe CHF 335/year (2025). You notify the municipality of location. Employees listening at work: corporate fee paid by the employer by turnover (from CHF 365 to over CHF 49,925/year). A Swiss secondary home not used for living can be exempted. In Italy the RAI fee is EUR 90/year (billed on the electricity invoice).
Official sources
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The information on this page is for guidance only and does not replace personal advice from an accountant, lawyer or union office. Tax, social-security and permit rules change frequently: always verify with the official sources linked in each answer.