PRS and PPL Music Licensing for Pubs: What You Actually Pay

Music is one of the easiest ways to set the atmosphere in your pub. Background jazz on a Sunday afternoon, an upbeat playlist on a Friday night, a live act that fills the room. It works. But every single note you play in a commercial venue needs to be licensed, and the cost catches a surprising number of landlords off guard.

This guide breaks down what TheMusicLicence is, how much you actually pay, what it covers, and what happens if you ignore it. No jargon, no guesswork, just the practical information you need as a licensee.

What is TheMusicLicence?

TheMusicLicence is a single licence that covers both PRS for Music and PPL. It was introduced in 2018 to simplify things for businesses. Before that, you needed two separate licences.

PRS for Music collects royalties on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers. If a song has been written by someone, PRS represents the right to perform it publicly.

PPL collects royalties on behalf of recording artists and record labels. If a song has been recorded, PPL represents the right to play that specific recording.

Between them, they cover virtually every piece of commercially released music. When you get TheMusicLicence, you are paying both organisations through a single annual fee.

How much does it cost?

This is the question every landlord asks first, and the answer is: it depends. TheMusicLicence is not a flat fee. It is calculated based on several factors specific to your venue.

The main variables

Venue size. The floor area accessible to customers is the biggest factor. A 50 square metre snug costs less than a 300 square metre venue with a function room.

Type of music use. Background music is the cheapest tier. Add DJ nights, live music, karaoke, or dance facilities and the fee increases.

Opening hours and days. Venues open longer hours or seven days a week pay more than those with restricted hours.

Rateable value. In some tariff bands, your business rates valuation affects the calculation.

Typical cost ranges for pubs

These are indicative figures to give you a realistic expectation. Your actual fee will be confirmed when you apply.

Venue type	Approximate annual cost
Small pub, background music only	500 to 800
Medium pub, background plus occasional DJ or live act	800 to 1,500
Larger venue with regular live music, DJ, karaoke	1,500 to 3,000 plus
Late-night venue with dance floor	3,000 plus

All figures are in pounds and exclude VAT. Fees are reviewed annually and typically increase slightly each year.

You can get an exact quote from TheMusicLicence website by entering your venue details. It takes about five minutes.

Payment options

You can pay annually or by direct debit in quarterly instalments. The quarterly option is useful for cash flow, especially if you are managing tight margins. For more on managing pub finances, see our guide on cash flow fixes when trade drops.

What does TheMusicLicence cover?

Once you have TheMusicLicence, you are covered to play music in your pub in the following ways.

Background music. Radio, CDs, vinyl, streaming services, digital playlists. Anything played through speakers at background level.

TV and video. Music contained in TV programmes, films, or video content shown in your venue. Note that you still need separate licensing for the TV broadcast itself, such as a TV Licence and potentially Sky or BT Sport subscriptions.

DJ sets. Whether it is a resident DJ on a Saturday night or an occasional set for a themed evening, TheMusicLicence covers the music played.

Live music. Bands, solo artists, open mic nights. The licence covers the public performance of copyrighted songs by live performers.

Karaoke. Customers singing along to backing tracks is a public performance of copyrighted music. TheMusicLicence covers it. If you are thinking of starting karaoke, our karaoke night guide walks you through the full setup.

Music bingo. Playing clips of songs as part of a music bingo format is covered. This is a brilliant midweek event format and we have a complete music bingo toolkit if you want to try it.

Jukeboxes. Physical or digital jukeboxes playing copyrighted music.

Hold music. If your pub has a phone system with hold music, that counts too.

What TheMusicLicence does not cover

There are some common misconceptions, so let us be clear about what falls outside the scope.

Your premises licence for entertainment. TheMusicLicence covers the copyright aspect of playing music. Your premises licence, issued by the local council, covers the entertainment licensing aspect. Live music after 11pm, for example, typically requires specific conditions on your premises licence. These are two separate legal requirements. Our pub licensing guide explains premises licence conditions in detail.

Film screenings. Showing a film to the public requires a separate licence from the film distributor or a blanket licence from a body like Filmbank.

Streaming subscriptions. TheMusicLicence does not replace your Spotify, Apple Music, or other streaming service subscription. You need both. Personal streaming subscriptions are not licensed for commercial use either, so look into business-grade streaming services.

Performing rights for original compositions. If a band plays entirely original music that is not registered with PRS, technically that specific performance does not require PRS coverage. In practice, most bands play at least some covers, so the licence is still essential.

Do I need TheMusicLicence if I only play the radio?

Yes. This is one of the most common questions and the answer catches people out. Playing a radio station in your pub counts as a public performance. The radio station has its own licence to broadcast, but you need a separate licence to play that broadcast in a commercial venue.

The same applies to any music source: streaming services, CDs, TV programmes with music, even a customer playing music from their phone through your speakers.

What about the Live Music Act?

The Live Music Act 2012 provides an exemption from entertainment licensing (not TheMusicLicence) for certain live music performances. The key conditions are:

• The venue is licensed to sell alcohol.
• The live music takes place between 8am and 11pm.
• The audience is fewer than 500 people.

If your live music meets these conditions, you do not need specific entertainment licensing on your premises licence for that performance. However, you still need TheMusicLicence to cover the copyright element.

This is an important distinction. The Live Music Act helps with premises licence conditions, not with PRS and PPL obligations. If you are planning regular live music nights, our live music events guide covers everything from booking acts to sound setup.

Penalties for playing music without a licence

PRS for Music and PPL do not just send polite letters. They have a dedicated enforcement team and they actively visit premises.

How they find unlicensed venues. Inspectors visit pubs unannounced, check social media for evidence of music events, and monitor online listings. If you are advertising a quiz night with a playlist or posting videos of your live music evening, they will see it.

What happens first. You will receive a letter or visit explaining that you need a licence. If you comply quickly, you will typically just need to pay from the date they contacted you.

If you ignore it. Continued non-compliance leads to legal proceedings. PRS for Music regularly takes cases to court and wins. Fines can be significant, often several thousand pounds, plus their legal costs on top.

Backdated fees. If they can establish that you have been playing music for a period without a licence, they can demand backdated fees for that entire period.

The bottom line: it is always cheaper to get the licence than to risk enforcement. At a few hundred pounds a year for a small pub, it is one of the more affordable compliance costs you will face.

How to get TheMusicLicence

The process is straightforward.

1. Visit pplprs.co.uk. This is the joint venture website for PRS for Music and PPL that handles TheMusicLicence.
2. Enter your venue details. Floor area, type of music use, opening hours.
3. Get your quote. The system calculates your fee based on the information you provide.
4. Pay and receive your licence. You can pay annually or set up quarterly direct debits.
5. Display your licence. Keep a copy on the premises. Inspectors may ask to see it.

The whole process takes about 10 minutes online. Renew annually and update your details if your venue changes, such as adding a function room or extending opening hours.

Making the most of your music licence

Once you are paying for TheMusicLicence, make sure you are getting value from it. Music is a powerful tool for atmosphere and revenue.

Curate your playlists intentionally. Match your music to the mood you want at different times. Relaxed acoustic for Sunday lunch, upbeat for Friday evening, background jazz for midweek dining. Do not just hit shuffle and hope for the best.

Use music to drive events. A quiz night with a music round, a themed playlist evening, or a music bingo night all add value to your licence. These are low-cost events that bring people in on quiet nights.

Consider the volume. Background music should be exactly that. If customers have to shout to be heard, the music is too loud for a dining environment. Reserve the volume for dedicated music nights.

Build playlists for your team. If you are not always behind the bar, create playlists for different dayparts so staff know what to play. Consistency matters for atmosphere.

The bottom line

TheMusicLicence is not optional if you play any music in your pub. The good news is that it is straightforward to get, reasonably priced for what it covers, and gives you the freedom to play virtually anything, from background radio to live bands.

Get it sorted, budget for the annual renewal, and then focus on using music to make your pub the place people want to be.

If you want help reviewing your pub's compliance, events calendar, or overall commercial strategy, book a Growth Fix and we will work through it together.