ASCAP Registration Guide

What is ASCAP?

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is one of the two major performing rights organizations (PROs) in the United States. It collects royalties on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers whenever their music is performed publicly — on radio, TV, in venues, at live events, or streamed online.

Think of ASCAP as your collection agent for performance royalties. Every time your song is played somewhere in public, ASCAP licenses that use, collects the fee, and sends your share to you.

$50

One-time fee

1-2 wks

Processing time

$1.5B+

Distributed annually

920K+

Members

Who needs to join ASCAP?

You need ASCAP membership if you are a:

Songwriter — you write lyrics for songs
Composer — you write the music (melodies, chord progressions, arrangements, scores)
Music publisher — you own or administer song copyrights on behalf of writers

Key distinction ASCAP is for the song (the composition). If you only perform on recordings but don't write the songs, you need SoundExchange for digital performance royalties instead. If you write AND perform, you likely need both ASCAP and SoundExchange.

What royalties does ASCAP collect?

ASCAP collects performance royalties from every public use of your music:

Radio Performance

Terrestrial radio, satellite radio (SiriusXM), internet radio, college radio

$200-5,000+/yr

TV Broadcast

Network TV, cable, streaming TV shows, film broadcasts, commercials

$100-10,000+/yr

Streaming (Songwriter Share)

Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music, Tidal — the performance royalty portion

$100-15,000+/yr

Live Performance

Concerts, festivals, club gigs, DJ sets where your music is performed

$50-2,000+/yr

Public Performance

Restaurants, bars, retail stores, gyms, hotels, offices playing your music

$50-1,000+/yr

International royalties too ASCAP has reciprocal agreements with PROs in 100+ countries. If your music plays on UK radio (PRS territory) or in a German venue (GEMA territory), ASCAP collects that money for you through these agreements.

Before you start

Gather these before starting your application:

$50 one-time membership fee — non-refundable. Payable by credit or debit card. This is the same for both writer and publisher applications.
At least one original work — a song you've written (even if unreleased). You'll register works after your membership is approved.
Your legal name — exactly as it appears on your government ID. This is how royalty checks or direct deposits will be issued.
Social Security Number or ITIN — required for US tax reporting (ASCAP issues 1099s for earnings over $10).
Date of birth — for identity verification.
Contact information — valid email and mailing address.

Important: writer splits If you co-write with someone, you MUST agree on the percentage split before registering the work. ASCAP cannot mediate ownership disputes. Get your splits agreed in writing with all co-writers first.

Step-by-step registration

Go to the ASCAP website Visit ascap.com/join and click "Join ASCAP" to begin your application.
Create your account with your legal name Enter your full legal name, email address, date of birth, and mailing address. Use your name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID — this determines how royalty payments are issued.
Choose Writer or Publisher membership Select "Writer" if you write songs or compose music. Select "Publisher" only if you've set up a publishing entity to administer copyrights. Most independent artists start as "Writer" only. You can add a publisher membership later.
Pay the $50 one-time fee The fee is $50 for a writer application and $50 for a publisher application. This is a one-time, non-refundable fee that covers your lifetime membership. Pay by credit or debit card.
Submit your application Review your information for accuracy and submit. ASCAP typically processes applications within 1-2 weeks. You'll receive an email when your membership is approved.
Register your works in ASCAP's repertory Once approved, log into your ASCAP member account (Member Access) and register your songs. Enter the title, all writers involved, their ASCAP or IPI numbers, and the agreed percentage splits for each work.
Set up direct deposit for payments Add your bank account information in the Member Access portal. ASCAP pays quarterly and direct deposit is the fastest way to receive your royalties.

After registration

What happens next

You'll receive an IPI number (Interested Party Information) — this is your global songwriter identifier used by PROs worldwide. Keep it safe and share it with collaborators.
Register ALL your works, including older ones. If a song has been played publicly and wasn't registered, you may have missed royalties. Register everything as soon as possible.
If you perform live, submit setlists through the ASCAP member portal — ASCAP uses setlist data to help distribute live performance royalties accurately.
Payments arrive quarterly. ASCAP distributes royalties approximately 6-9 months after the quarter in which performances occurred.

Pro tip: Register works immediately Don't wait. Every day a song goes unregistered is a day where performances might not be tracked back to you. Register works as soon as they're written — you don't need to wait for a release date.

Consider The MLC and SoundExchange next

ASCAP only collects performance royalties for your compositions. You're likely missing two other major royalty streams:

The MLC — collects mechanical royalties from streaming services (the other half of your songwriter payment from Spotify, Apple Music, etc.).
SoundExchange — collects digital performance royalties for the sound recording (the master) from satellite radio, internet radio, and non-interactive streaming.

Read The MLC guide →

Common questions

ASCAP vs BMI — which should I choose?

Both collect the same types of royalties and have similar international reach. ASCAP has a $50 fee but offers some transparency advantages with its rate court. BMI is free to join. Many writers choose based on where their collaborators are, or simply personal preference. Performance-wise, payouts are comparable.

Can I switch from BMI to ASCAP?

Yes, but you can only be a member of one US PRO at a time. You'll need to resign from BMI before joining ASCAP. Make sure any pending royalties from BMI are settled first, and re-register all your works with ASCAP after switching.

Does ASCAP collect streaming royalties?

Partially. ASCAP collects the performance royalty portion from streaming services (roughly half of the total songwriter payment). The other half — mechanical royalties from streaming — is collected by The MLC. You need both to collect your full songwriter share.

Do I need ASCAP if I'm already on SoundExchange?

Yes — they collect completely different royalties. SoundExchange collects royalties for the sound recording (the master). ASCAP collects royalties for the composition (the song). If you wrote and recorded a track, you need both to collect everything you're owed.

Is the $50 fee worth it?

If your music is played anywhere publicly — even a single spin on college radio, one stream on Spotify, or one play at a coffee shop — you'll likely earn back that $50 over time. It's a one-time lifetime fee, not an annual charge. For most active songwriters, the return far exceeds the cost.