How it works

PRS for Music is the brand name for the MCPS-PRS Alliance. PRS (the Performing Right Society) licenses and collects royalties when music is played and performed. MCPS (the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society) licences and collects royalties when music is reproduced. Both societies work together efficiently to minimise operating costs for members.

To make sure that members have a consistent experience, PRS and MCPS publish rules governing how we work. These include

• Music registration policy – who should register music and how quickly we will update our records
• Agreements registration policy – how to notify us of publisher changes
• Samples and arrangements - two areas where copyright infringement disputes can occur
• Infringement claims and disputes – how PRS and MCPS will act when one member claims another member has infringed their copyright
• Disputes and duplicate claims rules – how PRS and MCPS will act when members disagree about who should receive royalties
• Service standards – our commitment to answering members’ queries

Constitution

Both PRS and MCPS are not-for-profit limited companies. Learn more about our formal constitutions that give us a legal right to licence and collect royalties for our members.