MCPS (part of the PRS for Music group) and PPL have joined forces to re-launch the ‘Limited Manufacture Licence (LM)’ as a multi-rights licensing scheme, making it easier and more convenient for customers to legitimately use commercial music in their audio-visual productions.

In one simple online transaction, you can now purchase a one-off licence (from just £15), or multiple licences dependent upon the number of products that you are making and distributing. Whether you’re an amateur or a professional, intending to sell or give away your CDs or DVDs yourself, MCPS and PPL guarantee to distribute the collected money among theirr songwriter and composer members.

The Limited Manufacture Licence is quick, affordable and grants you ‘blanket’ permission to legally use any music in your own CDs, DVDs or videos (and other formats) – that’s any music, from any genre, by any artist including the big names; from Elvis and The Beatles to Lily Allen and Duffy.

The LM Licence covers the copyright in the Musical Work (MCPS) AND the copyright in the Sound Recording (PPL)

The Licence is aimed at private individuals, sole traders or businesses that film wedding, christening, funeral and family holiday videos. The licence would also grant automatic music clearance for signed or unsigned band CDs and DVDs of school plays, amateur dramatics, voluntary or non-registered charities and community projects.

PRS for Music Marketing Manager, Darren Haynes, says “This licence is a great example of the two royalty collection societies working amicably together to create a solid, straightforward one-stop licensing shop, ensuring that music creators are duly paid for their work”

Head of Dubbing for PPL Richard Stewart says, “It’s great that the two societies have been able to come together and agree a blanket licence scheme to make licensing much simpler for individuals and small organisations.”.

This is the third initiative where MCPS and PPL have created collaborative licensing. In 2008, they teamed up to launch the ProDub and ProDub Fitness licences.

You can purchase this one stop licence from the PRS for Music website.