An Indian business playing recorded music usually needs two licenses: IPRS for the compositions and lyrics, and PPL (or another owner of the recordings) for the sound recordings.
| Who | What for | |
|---|---|---|
| IPRS | The Indian Performing Right Society | Musical and literary works |
| PPL | Phonographic Performance Limited | Sound recordings; registered as a society again in June 2026 |
| RMPL | Recorded Music Performance Limited | Sound recordings; registered society |
| ISAMRA | Indian Singers' and Musicians' Rights Association | Performers' royalties |
| Novex | Novex Communications | Recordings of some labels; private company, not a society |
IPRS licenses restaurants, cafés and coffee shops under Tariff RB and retail premises under Tariff RTL. PPL licenses background music in restaurants and cafés without alcohol under Category 15 and in shops and stores under Category 16; bars, hotels, malls and events have their own categories.
A license for the recordings does not cover the underlying compositions, so most venues need both IPRS and a recordings license. PPL was registered again as a copyright society for sound recordings on 11 June 2026, reported by SpicyIP and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.
IPRS Tariff RB is a flat annual fee by city class; Tariff RTL uses floor area bands. Both apply from 1 April 2025, are indexed to CPI and exclude GST, with a surcharge of at least 50% to regularize past use. PPL Category 15 charges an annual fee per outlet by seats, city class and standalone or chain, or 5% of the previous year's revenue if that is higher.
2025 example: IPRS Tariff RB, restaurant or café, INR 10,000 a year in non classified cities and INR 20,000 in classified cities such as Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Bangalore. PPL Category 15, standalone venue under 20 seats, INR 10,000 a year in A class cities, INR 6,000 in B class and INR 5,000 elsewhere, excluding GST.
Consumer plans of Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube are licensed for personal, noncommercial use under their own terms, so a private account is not a license to play music to customers. PPL's tariff lists digital music services among the devices its venue license covers, so streaming in a venue still needs the venue license.
The Copyright Act 1957 has no extended collective licensing and no presumption that a society represents non members; a society may license only works it is authorized in writing to administer (section 34). So IPRS and PPL cannot charge for music outside their repertoire.
The uncertainty is on the licensor's side. Section 33(1) bars anyone from carrying on the business of issuing licenses without registration, while its first proviso keeps an owner's right to license his own works in his individual capacity, and its second proviso says compositions in sound recordings may be licensed only through a copyright society. The Delhi High Court Division Bench in Azure Hospitality v PPL (15 April 2025) held prima facie that owners who license as a business need a registered society, contrary to earlier single judge rulings; the Supreme Court has not decided the point.
Authors of music in sound recordings keep a royalty right they can waive only to heirs or a society (section 18), and performers are entitled to royalties for commercial use (section 38A). Knowing infringement is an offence under section 63: imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of INR 50,000 to 2 lakh. Weddings and other bona fide religious ceremonies are exempt (section 52(1)(za)).
Dr.DIO Studio makes its own electronic and ambient music, no Dr.DIO track is registered with any collecting society, and the Business plan ($14.99 a month per venue, 14 days free) gives the venue a direct public playback license and a certificate for Dr.DIO music.
Dr.DIO music is not in the IPRS, PPL, RMPL or ISAMRA repertoire, so those bodies have no right to charge a venue for it. Keep the certificate and track list, because enforcement suits make the venue prove what it played.
Whether a rights holder that licenses many venues directly, as Dr.DIO does, must belong to a registered society is the question pending before the Supreme Court. Until it is decided, ask IPRS and PPL in writing, with the Dr.DIO certificate, if you want certainty.
Any other music in the venue, such as radio, TV, live music or other playlists, still needs the usual licenses.
This page explains the general rules as published by the societies and laws listed above, checked in October 2026. It is not legal advice; fees and rules change, so confirm with the society before you decide.
Usually yes: IPRS for compositions and lyrics, and PPL or another owner for the recordings. One does not cover the other.
Under Tariff RB from 1 April 2025, INR 10,000 a year in non classified cities and INR 20,000 in classified cities, plus GST.
For a standalone venue under 20 seats, INR 5,000 to 10,000 a year by city class, or 5% of revenue if higher, plus GST.
It is needed for recordings in PPL's repertoire. PPL was registered again as a copyright society on 11 June 2026.
No. Personal plans are for personal, noncommercial use, and PPL's license lists streaming services among covered devices.
Yes, the societies cannot charge for music outside their repertoire, but whether direct licensors need a society is pending in court.
