Back claims

Back claims arise when the status of a piece of music changes (e.g. if you register music that has already been released and was previously unregistered). They allow you to claim royalties owed to you for the use of your music.

Back claims for registered works

As a member, you can claim for up to three years of back-dated royalties, as long as you were a member during this period.

New members and 'effective start date'

If you are new to PRS, your membership start date is calculated from the period that you joined, meaning two start dates are possible. If you joined PRS on any day from 1 January to 30 June, your membership will officially begin on 1 January. We call this the 'effective start date'. If you joined PRS on any day from 1 July to 31 December, your membership will officially begin on 1 July.

How to back claim

You can back claim through the set list service for live performances of your registered music. You can also claim for registered music that was played, broadcast or streamed. If your music was not registered at the time it was used, you won't be able to claim any royalties.

MCPS back claims

How do you claim backdated royalties for your music already exploited by a record company?

Royalty payments are subject to our current service levels. All timescales detailed are approximate and payments can be delayed for a variety of reasons.

Please read the details of the MCPS back claims service levels. You should then submit a claim through your Member Services representative.

Further information

Contact your Member Services representative if the timescales provided are exceeded or if you have any further questions.