Who licenses what
| Who | What for | |
|---|---|---|
| APRA AMCOS | APRA AMCOS New Zealand | Musical works |
| RMNZ | Recorded Music New Zealand | Sound recordings |
| OneMusic | OneMusic New Zealand | Joint APRA AMCOS and RMNZ licensing for businesses |
Dr.DIO · Music license in New Zealand
Music license for a café, bar or shop in New Zealand
New Zealand businesses get one OneMusic license covering both APRA AMCOS (songs) and Recorded Music NZ (sound recordings).
Which license a café, shop or hotel needs
OneMusic NZ, run by APRA as authorized by AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ, issues the Hospitality Music License for restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars and the Retail and General Music License for shops and other businesses. Hotels, gyms and clubs have their own sector licenses.
Live performers, DJs and karaoke are added per day; ticketed events with an advertised price of NZD 35 or more need an APRA Event License and a Recorded Music NZ Special Event License instead.
How the fee is worked out
Fees are annual flat rates by premises area band and business type, including GST, indexed to CPI every 1 October. A Digital Delivery fee of NZD 360.93 a year per premises applies if music is downloaded, copied or streamed, and premises playing only radio pay 50% of the background rate.
2026 example: a restaurant or café of 50 to 99 m2 pays NZD 511.28 a year for background music, including GST, for 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027; with Digital Delivery the total is NZD 872.21. Cafés and restaurants range from NZD 421.05 (under 50 m2) to NZD 962.42 (300 m2 or more), and shops from NZD 375.95.
Can I play Spotify or YouTube in my business?
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. IPONZ, the government IP office, says playing music or the radio in a business is a public performance and almost certainly needs permission. OneMusic's Digital Delivery fee covers its own repertoire rights, not the streaming service's terms.
Music outside the collecting societies
Under the Copyright Act 1994 performing a musical work in public and playing a sound recording in public are exclusive rights of the owner (section 32). No mandatory collective management, extended licensing or presumption that OneMusic represents all music was found; licensing schemes are only supervised by the Copyright Tribunal.
The OneMusic license is defined over APRA works and RMNZ sound recordings, so music whose writers are not APRA members or affiliates and whose recordings are not licensed to RMNZ is outside it, and a direct license from the owner removes the need. Caveat: APRA members assign their performing rights to APRA, so a member's song cannot simply be licensed directly.
Free playing of radio does not infringe the sound recording (section 87), but the song is still licensed, which is why OneMusic has a radio only rate. OneMusic may audit records on 14 days' notice and recover unpaid fees and costs as a debt; unlicensed use is infringement actionable in court.
Dr.DIO in New Zealand
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.
New Zealand law gives the owner an exclusive right with no mandatory collective rule, Dr.DIO composers are not members of APRA or any affiliated society, and Dr.DIO recordings are not licensed to Recorded Music NZ, so a venue playing only Dr.DIO music needs no OneMusic license for it. Keep the certificate and track records.
Any other music in the venue, such as radio, TV, live music or other playlists, still needs the usual licenses.
Official sources
- APRA AMCOS New Zealand: https://www.apraamcos.co.nz/
- Recorded Music NZ: https://recordedmusic.co.nz/
- OneMusic NZ: https://onemusicnz.com/
- OneMusic NZ license page: https://assets.onemusicnz.com/onemusicnz/images/PDFs/Licence-Agreements/OneMusic-Hospitality-Licence-Application.pdf
- OneMusic NZ license page: https://assets.onemusicnz.com/onemusicnz/images/PDFs/Licence-Agreements/OneMusic-Retail-General-Licence-Application.pdf
- Recorded Music NZ: https://recordedmusic.co.nz/licences/music-in-business
- IPONZ, use of copyright works: https://www.iponz.govt.nz/get-ip/copyright/use-of-copyright-works/
- Copyright Tribunal: https://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/copyright/licensing-scheme-disputes
- Copyright Act 1994 (WIPO Lex): https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/zh/text/454238
- Spotify Terms of Use: https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/end-user-agreement/
About this guide
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.
Picked from the catalogue
All tracks Tracksfor it
Questions
What does a OneMusic license for a café cost?
For 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027, a café of 50 to 99 m2 pays NZD 511.28 a year including GST, plus NZD 360.93 if music is streamed.
Do I need a music license for my business in New Zealand?
Yes, if you play music from APRA AMCOS or Recorded Music NZ repertoire; the usual route is a OneMusic license.
Can I play Spotify in my shop in New Zealand?
No. Personal plans are for personal, noncommercial use, and IPONZ says music in a business almost certainly needs permission.
Do I need a license to play the radio in my shop?
Yes for the songs. OneMusic charges premises that play only radio 50% of the background rate.
How is the OneMusic retail fee worked out?
By premises area band, from NZD 375.95 a year for the smallest shops, including GST.
Can a business use music outside OneMusic?
Yes. Music not written by APRA members and not licensed to RMNZ needs no OneMusic license if it is licensed directly. Keep proof.