BBC Charter


The BBC Charter is a royal charter setting out the arrangements for the governance of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
An accompanying agreement recognises its editorial independence and sets out its public obligations in detail.
The initial BBC Charter established the BBC in 1926, and has been renewed upon expiry ever since. It and each subsequent royal charter has run for ten years, except for the charter from 2006 to 2017, which ran for eleven years.
The most recent charter took effect on 1 January 2017 and will run until 31 December 2027.