PRS Self-assessment tool

As part of your membership with Making Music, depending on whether you have a licence and where you performed, you might be able to pay PRS fees through us. Even if you don’t need to pay through us, you still need to make a declaration. Use this page to help you decide what you need to do.

We are currently collecting PRS fees for performances that took place between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023. 

I want to pay PRS fees through Making Music

You can pay PRS fees at the end of the year as part of your membership renewal with Making Music. Or you are able to pay PRS separately from your membership renewal using the information below.

If you know that you can and need to pay PRS fees through Making Music you can use our online payment page. It has a PRS calculator that will help you work out how much to pay.  If you aren't sure if you can pay PRS fees through us see below. 

Make a payment 

 

I don't owe PRS fees through Making Music  

If you know you don't have any PRS fees to pay through us, you need to make a declaration confirming this. 

Declare no fees due

 

I don't know if I can pay PRS fees through Making Music 

If you don't know what PRS fees are then we suggest you look at our detailed guidance first. To help you get started we have provided a quick overview below. Then use our tool below to help you decide what to do.

PRS introduction

What are PRS fees?

Royalty fees due to copyright owners of music when their music is performed live in public.

Who collects the money?

Ultimately a company called PPL-PRS do – but they do it by having various licencees that collect the money from groups on their behalf. Most music venues are licencees, and so is Making Music, so we collect money from our members and pass it onto PPL-PRS.

So do I have to pay them?

It depends – but If you put on a live public performance of music in copyright then PRS fees will be due. Exactly who pays them varies, but generally whoever is organising the event is responsible for PRS fees.

What if the performance was free?

It doesn’t matter, fees are still due.

How much are they?

It depends - some licences are a blanket annual fee that covers all performances, most venues charge a % of box office takings, and we charge based on audience size.  

How do I pay?

Again, it depends. Our licence with PRS covers any situation where another licence is not already in place. Use our self-assessment tool below to work out if you owe fees and how to pay them.

PRS self-assessment tool

Did you organise any of your own performances between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023? 

Do not include competitions or performances where you were invited to perform

You don't need to pay PRS fees. The event organiser is responsible for paying any PRS fees.  

As part of our licence with PPL - PRS we ask members to declare when they don't owe any fees. You can do this via an online form, it will only take a few moments.  

Declare no PRS fees due   
 

Was any of the music performed in copyright? 

PRS fees are charged on a per event, not per piece basis. So if just one piece of music performed at an event was in copyright and all others aren't, PRS fees will be due.  

Copyright lasts for 70 years after the death of the composer or arranger. See our PRS FAQs for more information.

You don't need to pay PRS fees. PRS fees are only due on music in copyright.

As part of our licence with PPL - PRS we ask members to declare when they don't owe any fees using our online form, it will only take a few moments.  

Declare no PRS fees due 

 

PRS fees will be due for these performances.

The next section of the form will help you decide how to pay any fees due.

 

Does your group have its own licence with PPL-PRS?   

 

Were your performances in venues that have a licence with PPL-PRS?

If you're not sure you can search the PRS database of licensed venues.

You should pay your PRS fees through the venue's licence. You should only pay through your own licence if the venue does not have one

Please note: 

  • The venue will most likely have charged you for PRS as part of the hire (normally based on a percentage of box office). If they did not charge you there is no need for you to take action, they are the licence holder and it is their responsibility.  
  • If you performed in a Church or a School with a licence you might still have to pay through us - see notes below.
  • If you don't have to pay through us, you have to declare this to us, you can do this using our online form - it will only take a few moments.

Declare no PRS fees due 

Churches 

  • A large church that holds lots of concerts will normally have their own venue licence with PRS and it will cover your performance as above. 
  • However, smaller churches that don’t hold many performances may have a CCLI agreement:
    • This means royalties for 6 performances in a calendar year are covered. Check with the church if yours is one of these; if it is you don’t have to worry.
    • If your performance is not covered by the CCLI agreement (i.e their 7th + concert) you have to pay PRS fees, which you can do through Making Music. 
    • Which 6 performances are covered is up to the church, it is not necessarily the first 6 in a year. 

Schools 

Most schools have a PRS licence, but it only covers the school activities where the entirety of any profits goes back into the school – PRS fees will be covered by the school’s licence. So, if you are hiring a school venue as a 3rd party you will not be covered by their licence and so need to pay PRS fees yourselves, via Making Music.

Your own licence should cover any PRS fees that are due and there is no need to pay anything through Making Music. 

However, you do have to declare this to us using our online form - it will only take a few moments.

Declare no PRS fees due 

PPL-PRS have recently issued a new type of licence called 'The Music Licence', which covers live music and playing recorded music.

If you had a licence with PRS in the past they will probably have transferred you to 'The Music Licence', which could be more expensive. You might want to consider contacting PPL-PRS and ask about cancelling the licence, and paying PRS fees in a different way.  You can also contact us if you have any questions. 

     

For performances in venues with a PRS licence your PRS fees will have been covered by the venue's licence. You should only pay through your own licence if the venue does not have one.

Please note: 

  • The venue will most likely have charged you for PRS as part of the hire (normally based on a percentage of box office). If they did not charge you there is no need for you to take action, they are the licence holder and it is their responsibility.  
  • If you performed in a Church or a School with a licence you might still have to pay through us - see notes below.

For performances in unlicensed venues Your own licence should cover any PRS fees that are due and there is no need to pay anything through Making Music. 

However, you do have to declare this to us using our online form - it will only take a few moments.

Declare no PRS fees due 

Churches 

  • A large church that holds lots of concerts will normally have their own venue licence with PRS and it will cover your performance as above. 
  • However, smaller churches that don’t hold many performances may have a CCLI agreement:
    • This means royalties for 6 performances in a calendar year are covered. Check with the church if yours is one of these; if it is you don’t have to worry.
    • If your performance is not covered by the CCLI agreement (i.e their 7th + concert) you have to pay PRS fees, which you can do through Making Music. 
    • Which 6 performances are covered is up to the church, it is not necessarily the first 6 in a year. 

Schools 

Most schools have a PRS licence, but it only covers the school activities where the entirety of any profits goes back into the school – PRS fees will be covered by the school’s licence. So, if you are hiring a school venue as a 3rd party you will not be covered by their licence and so need to pay PRS fees yourselves, via Making Music.

 

 

 

 

Were your performances in venues that have a licence with PPL-PRS?

If you're not sure you can search the PRS database of licensed venues.

For performances in venues with a PRS licence your PRS fees will have been covered by the venue's licence and there is no need for you to pay anything to Making Music.  

Please note: 

  • The venue will most likely have charged you for PRS as part of the hire (normally based on a percentage of box office). If they did not charge you there is no need for you to take action, they are the licence holder and it is their responsibility.  
  • If you performed in a Church or a School with a licence you might still have to pay through us - see notes below.
  • If you don't have to pay through us, you have to declare this to us, you can do this using our online form - it will only take a few moments.

Declare no PRS fees due 

Churches 

  • A large church that holds lots of concerts will normally have their own venue licence with PRS and it will cover your performance as above. 
  • However, smaller churches that don’t hold many performances may have a CCLI agreement:
    • This means royalties for 6 performances in a calendar year are covered. Check with the church if yours is one of these; if it is you don’t have to worry.
    • If your performance is not covered by the CCLI agreement (i.e their 7th + concert) you have to pay PRS fees, which you can do through Making Music. 
    • Which 6 performances are covered is up to the church, it is not necessarily the first 6 in a year. 

Schools 

Most schools have a PRS licence, but it only covers the school activities where the entirety of any profits goes back into the school – PRS fees will be covered by the school’s licence. So, if you are hiring a school venue as a 3rd party you will not be covered by their licence and so need to pay PRS fees yourselves, via Making Music.

You can pay PRS fees via Making Music: 

  • We collect fees based on audience size per concert.
  • You can make payment online and pay by card or send a cheque or BACS payment. The online payment page has a PRS calculator that will help you work out how much you need to pay. 

Make a payment 

 
Programmes 
 

As part of paying through us you also need to submit details of the music performed (so PRS for Music can distribute the royalties to the copyright owners). You can do this by: 

  • Completing our online form.  
  • Sending copies of concert programmes to us (post or email is fine - details are on the payment form).

 

Email: info@makingmusic.org.uk

Post: Making Music, 8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL

 

   

For performances in venues with a PRS licence your PRS fees will have been covered by the venue's licence and there is no need for you to pay anything to Making Music 

Please note: 

  • The venue will most likely have charged you for PRS as part of the hire (normally based on a percentage of box office). If they did not charge you there is no need for you to take action, they are the licence holder and it is their responsibility.  
  • If you performed in a Church or a School with a licence you might still have to pay through us - see notes below.

For performances in unlicensed venues you can pay PRS fees via Making Music: 

Paying PRS fees through Making Music:

  • We collect fees based on audience size per concert.
  • You can make payment online and pay by card or send a cheque or BACS payment. The online payment page has a PRS calculator that will help you work out how much you need to pay. 

Make a payment  

 

Programmes 

As part of paying through us you also need to submit details of the music performed (so PRS for Music can distribute the royalties to the copyright owners). You can do this by: 

  • Completing our online form. 
  • Sending copies of concert programmes to us (post or email is fine; details are below and on the payment form).

 

Post: Making Music, 8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL

 

Churches 

  • A large church that holds lots of concerts will normally have their own venue licence with PRS and it will cover your performance as above. 
  • However, smaller churches that don’t hold many performances may have a CCLI agreement:
    • This means royalties for 6 performances in a calendar year are covered. Check with the church if yours is one of these; if it is you don’t have to worry.
    • If your performance is not covered by the CCLI agreement (i.e their 7th + concert) you have to pay PRS fees, which you can do through Making Music. 
    • Which 6 performances are covered is up to the church, it is not necessarily the first 6 in a year. 

Schools 

Most schools have a PRS licence, but it only covers the school activities where the entirety of any profits goes back into the school – PRS fees will be covered by the school’s licence. So, if you are hiring a school venue as a 3rd party you will not be covered by their licence and so need to pay PRS fees yourselves, via Making Music.

 

 

 

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