United Kingdom

Church Licences

Playing Music Licences

Music adds vibrancy and builds atmosphere. It can generate energy or inspire reflection. However, permission is required to play or perform music outside of your worship services.

That’s why CCLI partners with PRS for Music and PPL to provide licensing solutions for using music in church activities and on church premises.

Three images included: The first shows children with raised hands. The second shows a fingertip tapping "play" on a smart device. The third shows a person holding an acoustic guitar.

Permission to put music at the heart of your ministry

Concerts and Recitals

Hold live music performances hosted by the church or staged on church premises.

Background Music

Add ambience before and after services, during mid-week groups, or church and community activities.

Youth and Children

Add energy and atmosphere to children’s work, youth clubs, and parent-toddler groups.

Events

Play music during socials, community events, and parties hosted by church members or third-parties using church premises.

Clubs and Classes

Cover exercise and dance groups, and mid-week clubs and classes held on church premises whether run by the church or third-parties.

Showing Films

Add a PRS for Music Church Licence to the Church Video Licence to show films and film scenes outside of worship services.

Choose the licensing solution to fit your needs

Live music only

On its own, the PRS for Music Church Licence allows you to host live music performances outside of worship services as well as up to six concerts/recitals a year. Separate church halls are also covered provided the predominant use of music is for church-led activities.

Live and recorded music

With both the PPL Church Licence and the PRS for Music Church Licence you can perform music live, and play commercial music recordings from CDs, MP3s, or DVDs, or via streaming services such as Spotify. Music played via a radio or television (where an appropriate TV licence is in place) is also covered.

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See ourTerms of Agreementfor more details.

Honouring songwriters and artists

When music is played in a public setting, outside of church worship services, song owners and recording artists are entitled to royalties. In the UK, two organisations work closely together to license music use. PRS for Music represents songwriters, while PPL represents recording artists and performers. Both organisations have chosen CCLI to license churches and Christian ministries on their behalf.

Not sure if you need music licensing? Get in touch.

A close-up of a person holding a pen and making notes to a music sheet while sitting next to a piano.

Music licensing Q&A

We only play music during our worship services. Do we need these licences?

An exemption exists for music played during ‘Acts of Worship’ (ie regular worship services). So if music is not played in any other church activities or by third parties using church premises, you do not need these licences. We recommend that you check with anyone running mid-week activities to confirm that no music is being played.

Do we need these licences to play music during Sunday school?

A Sunday school which happens during your regular Sunday services is considered an Act of Worship, and would therefore be exempt from music licensing.

If we want to hold more than six concerts/recitals per year, what licences do we need?

If more than six concerts or recitals are hosted on church premises in a year, you would need to be licensed directly by PRS for Music.

What’s covered: Our congregation or our premises?

The PPL Church Licence covers your congregation wherever an activity or event takes place. PRS for Music licences cover the venue rather than the congregation. Therefore, if your church wishes to host an event in a venue that isn’t your church building, that venue will need to be covered separately by PRS for Music, even if the church holds a PRS for Music Church Licence. If your church doesn’t own or isn’t the sole lessee of the premises it meets in, please contact CCLI for further information.

Is our church hall covered?

All linked church buildings will be covered. Separate church halls can also be covered, provided the predominant use of music in those halls is for church activities. If the predominant use of music in your separate hall is by third-party hirers, you would may need to be licensed directly by PRS for Music. Contact CCLI for clarification.

Why are music licences required when we show films or TV broadcasts?

Music licences are required to cover the soundtrack on films and TV programmes. To show films or film scenes outside of your services, you will require a Church Video Licence and a PRS for Music Church Licence. To show television broadcasts, you will require a TV licence, PRS for Music Church Licence, and PPL Church Licence. Some TV programmes may also require a Church Video Licence.

Other exclusions and exceptions

‘Home Groups’ and private functions such as birthday parties are considered private occasions and do not require licensing.
These licences do not cover music use on your website/social media pages. For this, a Digital Music Licence for Worship may be required directly from PRS for Music.
Cathedrals, Abbeys and large Minsters are typically licensed directly by PRS for Music.
Dramatic performances such as musicals, operas and ballets (known as Grand Rights works) are not covered by PRS for Music and you will need to contact the rights holder directly for permission to perform them publicly.

Do we need to report the music we've played?

A general report of music use on church premises is required by PPL once a year (ideally towards the end of your licence period). No reporting is currently required by PRS for Music. More on reporting.