What is MCPS?
The Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) is administered by PRS for Music. It collects mechanical royalties — the royalties generated when a song is reproduced in any format.
Every CD pressed, every vinyl record made, every digital download sold, and every stream on Spotify generates a mechanical royalty. MCPS makes sure that money reaches you.
2-4 wks
After PRS approval
Part of PRS
Same portal, same login
Quarterly
Payment schedule
What are mechanical royalties?
Mechanical royalties were originally created for the "mechanical" process of reproducing music — pressing it onto physical formats. Today, the definition has expanded to include all reproduction:
- Physical reproduction — CDs, vinyl records, cassettes
- Digital downloads — iTunes, Amazon Music, Bandcamp purchases
- Streaming — every play on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music generates a small mechanical royalty
- Cover versions — anyone who records a cover of your song owes you a mechanical royalty
The streaming breakdown
When someone streams your song, the total songwriter payment is split roughly 50/50 between a performance royalty (collected by PRS) and a mechanical royalty (collected by MCPS). Without MCPS, you're only getting half your streaming songwriter royalties.
Who needs MCPS?
You need MCPS if you are a:
- Songwriter — you write lyrics or compose music that gets recorded and released
- Composer — same as above, for instrumental compositions
- Music publisher — you own or administer song copyrights
MCPS is specifically for the song copyright (the composition), not the recording. Same eligibility as PRS — and since MCPS is administered by PRS, you need to be a PRS member first.
PRS membership required
You cannot join MCPS without first being a PRS member. If you haven't joined PRS yet,
start there first.
What royalties does MCPS collect?
Streaming Mechanical Royalties
Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon, Deezer, Tidal
£100-5,000+/yr
Download Royalties
iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp — each purchase generates a mechanical
£50-2,000+/yr
Physical Reproduction
Every CD, vinyl, or cassette pressed with your song on it
£50-500+/yr
Cover Version Royalties
When other artists record your songs, you're owed a mechanical
£20-1,000+/yr
Before you start
To join MCPS, you need:
- Active PRS membership — MCPS is administered through PRS. You must be a PRS member first.
- No additional fee — MCPS membership is included with your PRS membership.
- Your works already registered with PRS — the same works you register with PRS become eligible for MCPS royalties once you opt in.
Step-by-step registration
-
Log into your PRS account
Go to prsformusic.com and sign into your PRS member portal. If you don't have a PRS account yet, join PRS first.
-
Navigate to MCPS membership
In your member dashboard, look for "MCPS" or "Mechanical rights" in the membership section. There should be an option to add MCPS membership.
-
Opt in to MCPS
Complete the MCPS opt-in form. You'll be agreeing to let MCPS collect mechanical royalties on your behalf. Read the terms — they're standard.
-
Confirm your works
Your PRS-registered works automatically become eligible for MCPS collection. If you have works not yet registered with PRS, add them now.
-
Verify your payment details
MCPS payments go through the same bank account as PRS. Make sure your payment details are up to date in the PRS portal.
That's it.
Seriously. If you're already a PRS member, adding MCPS takes about 10 minutes. The hardest part was joining PRS in the first place.
MCPS and streaming — the hidden half
This is the part most independent artists don't understand. Here's how streaming royalties actually work for songwriters:
When someone streams your song on Spotify
~50%
Performance royalty
Collected by PRS
+
~50%
Mechanical royalty
Collected by MCPS
Without MCPS, you're only getting the left half.
This means that if you're a PRS member but haven't opted into MCPS, you could be missing roughly half of your streaming songwriter royalties. The streaming services pay both royalty types — but if there's no one collecting the mechanical half on your behalf, that money sits uncollected.
Common questions
Isn't MCPS the same as PRS?
No. PRS collects performance royalties (from public performance/broadcast). MCPS collects mechanical royalties (from reproduction). They're administered by the same organization, but they collect completely different money from completely different sources.
Don't I already get streaming money from my distributor?
Your distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, etc.) collects the recording royalty from streaming. That's the money paid to the master owner. MCPS collects the songwriting mechanical royalty — that's separate money paid for the composition. Different right, different payment.
How much does MCPS cost?
Nothing additional. MCPS membership is included with your PRS membership. The £100 PRS fee covers both.
Is MCPS the same as the MLC in the US?
Similar concept, different territory. The MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective) handles US mechanical royalties. MCPS handles UK mechanicals. If you're UK-based, MCPS has agreements with the MLC to collect your US mechanicals too.
What if I only release on streaming — no physical?
You still need MCPS. Every stream generates a mechanical royalty. In fact, for most modern independent artists, streaming mechanicals are the biggest portion of what MCPS collects.
Already a PRS member? This takes 10 minutes.