Following extensive consultation, PRS for Music has announced its revised live classical music tariff, effective from 1 September 2023Making Music,...
If your music group performs in public, you may need to pay royalties to the composers whose works you use. This is where PRS for Music comes in. Understanding how PRS fees work ensures your group remains compliant while supporting the creators behind the music you perform.
Who is PRS for Music?
PRS for Music is the UK’s royalty collection society for songwriters, composers, and music publishers. It collects fees from those who publicly perform or play copyrighted music and distributes these royalties to the creators.
If your music group performs publicly - whether in a concert venue, a community hall, or online - you may need to pay PRS fees. PRS ensures that composers and songwriters are fairly compensated for the use of their work.
How are PRS fees calculated?
PRS for Music fees are based on a percentage of ticket sales or, for free events, audience size. The rate depends on whether your event features classical or popular music:
- Classical Music (LC Tariff) – 6.5% of ticket sales
- Amateur groups (as defined by PRS) receive a 50% discount, reducing the rate to 3.25%.
- Popular Music (LP Tariff) – 4.2% of ticket sales
- No discount applies.
If your event includes both classical and popular music, the majority genre determines the tariff. If no copyrighted music is performed, no PRS fee is required.
For full details, see our PRS licence cost page.
Who is responsible for paying PRS fees?
In many cases, the venue holds a PRS licence and covers the fees. However, if your group hires a venue without a PRS licence, or if the agreement requires you to handle PRS payments, your group must submit the payment.
Making Music collects PRS fees on behalf of members for performances in non-licensed venues, simplifying the process and ensuring the discounted rate applies where eligible.
Further information
- What is PRS for Music?
- Do I need a PRS licence?
- PRS licence cost
- What music does PRS cover?
- PRS versus PPL
- Is classical music royalty-free?
Resources (available to Making Music members)
PRS
- Video guide: What is PRS? - part 1
- Video guide: What is PRS? - part 2
- 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 tariff (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.
