Who licenses what
| Who | What for | |
|---|---|---|
| PRS | PRS for Music | Performing rights in musical works |
| PPL | Phonographic Performance Limited | Recorded music for record companies and performers |
| PPL PRS | PPL PRS Ltd | Joint venture issuing TheMusicLicence |
Dr.DIO · Music license in the United Kingdom
Music licence for a café, shop or pub in the United Kingdom
Most UK businesses that play music to customers or staff need TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS Ltd, which covers both the songs (PRS for Music) and the recordings (PPL) in one licence.
Which license a café, shop or hotel needs
TheMusicLicence covers playing recorded music (radio, TV, streaming, CDs) and live music in business premises, for both PPL and PRS repertoire. Since 2018 PPL PRS Ltd has issued it as one combined licence.
The licence is annual and renews automatically.
How the fee is worked out
The fee is set by sector tariffs. Factors include floor area in square metres, seats or capacity, number of employees, the devices used (radio or TV, streaming, other recordings) and, for live music, attendees or events. Usually both a PPL and a PRS tariff apply.
Example published by PPL PRS (updated February 2026, subject to change): a restaurant or café playing radio, up to 30 seats and 400 m2 or less, pays GBP 400.81 a year excluding VAT.
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. PPL PRS lists music streaming as one of the device types counted in TheMusicLicence fee, so streaming in a venue needs the licence.
Music outside the collecting societies
Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 both the musical work and the sound recording carry an exclusive right of public performance or playing. There is no mandatory collective management or extended collective licensing for this use, and no statutory presumption that PPL or PRS represent all repertoire. Performers' equitable remuneration for public playing (section 182D) is payable by the owner of the recording copyright, not directly by the venue.
So music whose composition and recording are licensed directly, and that is not in PPL or PRS repertoire, does not require TheMusicLicence. The caveats: any radio, TV or commercial track brings the requirement back, and PPL PRS will assume commercial music is played if it is audible, so keep the direct licence, proof of rights and playlists.
PPL and PRS routinely bring civil infringement actions (injunctions, damages, costs).
Dr.DIO in the United Kingdom
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.
In the UK a venue that plays only directly licensed Dr.DIO music does not need TheMusicLicence for that music, because UK law has no mandatory collective collection for it. Keep the certificate and playlists ready, since PPL PRS assumes commercial music when it hears music.
Any other music in the venue, such as radio, TV, live music or other playlists, still needs the usual licences.
Official sources
- PRS: https://www.prsformusic.com
- PPL: https://www.ppluk.com
- PPL PRS: https://pplprs.co.uk
- PPL PRS Ltd licence page: https://pplprs.co.uk/themusiclicence/sectors/restaurants-cafes/
- PPL PRS: https://pplprs.co.uk/how-is-the-cost-calculated/
- 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.
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Questions
How much does a music licence for a café cost in the UK?
It depends on the sector tariff. PPL PRS's February 2026 example is GBP 400.81 a year excluding VAT for a restaurant or café with radio, up to 30 seats and 400 m2 or less.
What is TheMusicLicence price based on?
Floor area, seats or capacity, staff numbers, the devices used and any live music. Both a PPL and a PRS tariff usually apply.
Do I need a music licence to play the radio in my shop?
Yes. Radio and TV played in business premises are covered by TheMusicLicence.
Do I need a PPL PRS licence for my restaurant?
Yes, if you play recorded or live music from PPL or PRS repertoire to customers or staff.
Can I play Spotify in my café in the UK?
No. Spotify's terms allow only personal, noncommercial use, and streaming in a venue counts toward TheMusicLicence.
Can my shop use royalty free music without PPL PRS?
Yes, if both the song and the recording are licensed to you directly and are outside PPL and PRS repertoire. Keep the licence, proof of rights and playlists.