Music can be used in a variety of ways in educational establishments.

Whether you’re playing background music in nurseries and pre-schools, or playing music for extra-curricular or entertainment activities in schools and colleges, you’ll usually need TheMusicLicence.

By obtaining TheMusicLicence you’ll be able to play PRS for Music and PPL music legally in your nursery, school or college and enjoy its benefits whilst ensuring that its creators are fairly rewarded for their work.

Discretionary Charging Policies

PPL and PRS for Music each separately operate a number of discretionary policies setting out circumstances in which, whilst legally entitled to do so, they choose not to apply a charge, or to apply a reduced charge. In addition, certain statutory exemptions apply to certain uses of music in educational establishments. Due to the specific nature of these policies and exemptions please contact us for more information and to check any of them apply to your educational establishment.

How is my music licence cost calculated?

Nurseries

If you play music in a nursery, your combined yearly music licence will cost £82 (excluding VAT).

Other educational establishments

The cost of TheMusicLicence varies depending on specific characteristics. So please contact us for a quote. Before doing so, please ensure you’ve read our Music Licence Quote Checklist for each section that is applicable to you, and have the relevant information ready so we can provide an accurate quote for your music licence.

Quote Checklist

Nurseries

  • Details of how music is used, such as for breakfast/holiday clubs, parent evenings/open days, general background music etc.
  • Type of devices used to play music, such as radio, CDs, TV etc.

Schools and colleges

  • Schools - CEFM act on behalf of PPL PRS Ltd as collection agents for UK schools. For details on how to get a licence please visit CEFM.
  • Colleges - To ensure we provide you with an accurate quote, please contact us and we’ll go through your specific music usage with you.

Universities and other educational establishments

  • Music can be used in a variety of ways in other educational establishments, ranging from live music, discos and end of term parties, through to staff rooms, offices, gyms and cafes. To ensure we provide you with an accurate quote, please contact us and we’ll go through your specific music usage with you.

Understanding your music licence royalties

To help you understand how much TheMusicLicence could cost for your educational establishment, you can view the individual PPL and PRS for Music tariffs that may be applicable to you.

PPL Tariffs
  • Nurseries, playgroups, pre-schools & creches
    View PDF
  • CEFM - schools
    View PDF
  • Specially featured entertainment
    View PDF
  • Background music in cafes, restaurants and bars
    View PDF
  • Background music in offices
    View PDF
  • Background music in hairdressers and beauty salons
    View PDF
  • Miscellaneous
    View PDF
  • Miscellaneous - future
    View PDF
PRS for Music Tariffs

FAQs

Do I need TheMusicLicence?
  • Under The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, permission is needed from the copyright holders – generally those who create, record and publish music – in order to play or perform music in public (broadly, this means in any other context than a domestic one).
  • Through their many thousands of members, PPL and PRS for Music manage these rights in the vast majority of commercially released music available, and license that music for use by businesses and organisations in the UK via TheMusicLicence.
  • This means that, if you play or perform music in your business or organisation in the UK, you will usually need TheMusicLicence. Instead of potentially having to contact many thousands of music rights holders individually for permission to play or perform their music, TheMusicLicence gives you those permissions in a single, simple transaction.
Can I play or perform music by specific artists only?
  • TheMusicLicence covers millions of songs and recordings, including the most popular and well-loved music not just from the UK but also from around the world.
  • You can play or perform the music of specific artists only if you wish, but it will not affect the cost of your licence. That’s because the cost is not calculated based on which music artists you play, but instead depends on factors such as the size of your business or organisation and the ways you use music.
Where does the money go?
  • When businesses and organisations pay PPL PRS Ltd for TheMusicLicence, we pass those royalties on to our parent companies, PPL and PRS for Music (after deduction of our running costs). The royalties are shared between PPL and PRS for Music based on which of their respective licensing tariffs apply to the music usage under your licence, and the costs due under those tariffs.
  • PPL and PRS for Music each have databases storing details of millions of musical compositions and recordings. Together with a wealth of information about what music is being used by customers, this enables PPL and PRS for Music to determine fairly and efficiently which of their members to pay, and how much to pay them.
  • This means that, by purchasing TheMusicLicence, you are supporting the future of music by helping to ensure its creators are paid for their work, so that the people who write, perform and record it can continue making the music you love.

Get TheMusicLicence for your business

Choose your venue type