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Mechanical Licensing |
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The HFA website provides answers to commonly asked questions about mechanical licensing and other related inquiries
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How do I obtain a mechanical license? |
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If you would like to obtain a license to make and distribute less than 2500 recordings within the U.S., please visit HFA Songfile to submit the appropriate mechanical licensing form.
If you are distributing more than 2500 units, submit a mechanical license form which can be retrieved here. |
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What is a mechanical license? |
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A mechanical license is the license issued by a publisher to a licensee, typically a record company, granting the licensee the right to record and release a specific compostion at an agreed-upon fee, per unit manufactured and distributed. |
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Does an HFA mechanical license cover karaoke or "CD+G" product? |
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No. An HFA mechanical license does not cover any use of the song or lyrics in karaoke or "CD+G" product. For these rights, you must contact the publisher(s) directly. |
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I believe the song I am searching for is in the public domain. How can I verify my belief? |
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Please contact the US Copyright Office to verify the status of the song. A website which may assist you is www.pdinfo.com |
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What is the royalty rate? |
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For complete information about royalty rates, please refer to the Statutory Royalty Rates page. |
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What if a record company asks for a license at less than the statutory rate? |
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HFA will not issue a mechanical license at less than the statutory rate unless so instructed in writing by the publisher. |
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What is a reduced rate license? |
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A reduced rate license is a mechanical license that the licensee has negotiated with the publisher at a rate reduced from statutory rate. HFA will not issue a mechanical license at a reduced rate without written approval from the publisher. |
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How do I obtain a reduced rate on a license? |
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Only the publisher can grant a reduction in the statutory rate. To obtain a reduced statutory rate license, please fill out the mechanical licensing form at this link, attach the written approval from the publisher, and submit to the Mechanical Licensing Department at The Harry Fox Agency. |
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What happens after HFA issues the license? |
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HFA collects the royalties on the music publisher's behalf. The license agreements call for payment of royalties on a quarterly basis. |
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In what territories does HFA collect and distribute royalties? |
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In addition to the United States, its territories and possessions, HFA offers representation for its publishers on an International basis through reciprocal agreements. Please visit HFA International for complete details on HFA's services. |
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Does collection in foreign territories cost more? |
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Yes. The foreign society's commission rate is deducted, as well as HFA's commission. |
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How do I obtain permission to use a sample? |
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HFA does not license samples. You will need to obtain permission directly from both the owner of the master recording (usually the record company) and the publisher. |
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What if I want to manufacture and distribute outside of the US, how do I obtain permission? |
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You will need to contact the foreign society within the country in which you will be manufacturing and distributing the product. For additional information, visit HFA International Monitoring. |
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