PRS: Overview

Performing Rights are the right to give a live performance of a piece of music which is in copyright. For each performance a fee will be due to the owner of the copyright for that piece of music (known as royalties), which is usually collected by PRS for Music. 

Who are PRS for Music? 

PRS for Music is a collecting society representing the performing rights of its songwriter, composer and music publisher members in the UK. PRS for Music licenses the use of its members’ music, collects royalty payments on their behalf and then distributes them. 

When do we need to pay royalties?

The first thing to know is that the organiser of the event is responsible for ensuring PRS fees are paid – so if you’re not organising the event you don’t need to worry. But if you are:

• Royalties are due when copyrighted music is performed in a public place – regardless of whether the performance is ticketed or free to enter.
• PRS fees are due per event not per piece – so if just one piece of music performed is in copyright, PRS fees are due for that event.

How do we pay PRS fees?  

Some venues will have their own licence in place to pay PRS fees, in which case the organiser of the event will pay fees through the venue. If a venue doesn’t have a licence then Making Music members are able to pay through us at the end of the year (with a 5% discount if they pay promptly). There are some anomalies to be aware of (e.g. performing in schools or churches). We have more information in our full guidance.

How do we know if a work is in copyright?

In the UK a piece of music is usually in copyright until 70 years after the composer’s death. It is important to note that copyright relates to arrangements and collections too. So if the composer of a piece has been dead for over 70 years but you are using an arranged edition the arranger will then own the copyright and the 70 years rule will apply to them. 

What about using copyrighted music in other ways? 

If you are performing dramatico-musical works, putting on  a live streamed performance, putting a recording online or making a CD you may need other licences or permissions to do this.

Resources (available to Making Music members)

PRS

• Video guide: What is PRS? - part 1
• Video guide: What is PRS? - part 2
• FAQs
• PRS for dramatico-musical works

• Paying PRS

• How to pay PRS
• PRS self-assessment tool (only available when Making Music are collecting fees over the membership renewal period)
• Royalties tarriff (1 Nov 2023 - 31 Oct 2024) (only applicable when Making Music are collecting fees over the membership renewal period)
• Programme upload (only available when Making Music are collecting fees over the membership renewal period)

We hope you find this Making Music resource useful. If you have any comments or suggestions about the guidance please contact us. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the content of this guidance is accurate and up to date, Making Music do not warrant, nor accept any liability or responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of the content, or for any loss which may arise from reliance on the information contained in it.