When do I need to pay for music?
Users of music
It is understandable that if you wish to play music, you need to pay for it. What is perhaps not so self-explanatory is why you need a licence from both Buma and Sena to do so. How does this work exactly?
Outside the domestic circle: permission required
Whenever you purchase music (e.g. on CD), you have the right to play it within the domestic circle. In legal terms, this is classified as ‘primary use’. Whenever the music is played outside the domestic circle, such as in shops, offices, discos or on radio or television, it is classified as ‘secondary use’. It is for this secondary use that you require permission from all of the parties involved in the production of the music: those who created it, and those who invented and wrote it.
Get organised with Sena and Buma
Of course, it would be impossible to ask for permission from every individual rightholder whenever you wished to play music outside the domestic circle using the radio, computer, television, CD player or other sound equipment.
That is why the government appointed Sena to collect the fees for the creators of music (producers, artists and studio musicians) under the Neighbouring Rights Act. The fees for the authors of music (composers and lyricists) are collected by Buma under the Copyright Act.
In short, this means that whenever you wish to use music in your business or organisation, you require a licence for which you must pay a fee. You can arrange this licence (which is required by law) through Sena.
Would you like to know which fee applies to your organisation? Click 'Calculate fee’ on the side of the screen.
Can I arrange my licence directly online? Yes, go to www.muzieklicentie.nl. You can also request a licence using the application forms. Downloadable here.
Sena collects fees on behalf of national and international artists and producers, and passes these on to the rightholders as quickly, correctly and with as few costs as possible.
