PRS for Music Registration Guide

What is PRS for Music?

PRS for Music is the UK's performing right society. It collects royalties on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers whenever their music is played publicly — on radio, TV, in shops, at gigs, or streamed online.

Think of PRS as your agent for performance royalties. Every time your song plays somewhere, PRS collects the money and sends it to you.

£100

One-time fee

4-6 wks

Processing time

£880M+

Distributed in 2023

165K+

Writer members

Who needs to join PRS?

You need PRS membership if you are a:

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

Key distinction PRS is for the song (the composition). If you only perform on recordings but don't write the songs, you need PPL instead. If you write AND perform, you need both.

What royalties does PRS collect?

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

Radio Broadcast

BBC, commercial radio, community radio, internet radio

£200-2,000+/yr

TV Broadcast

BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky, streaming TV shows

£100-5,000+/yr

Online Streaming

Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon Music (songwriter share)

£100-10,000+/yr

Live Performance

Gigs, concerts, festivals, DJ sets where your music is played

£50-1,000+/yr

Public Performance

Shops, restaurants, gyms, bars, hotels playing your music

£50-500+/yr

International royalties too PRS has agreements with PROs in 100+ countries. If your music plays on French radio or in a Japanese bar, PRS collects that money for you.

Before you start

Gather these before starting your application:

£100 membership fee — one-time, refundable if you leave. Payable by card.
Proof of identity — passport or driving licence
At least one original work — a song you've written (even if unreleased)
Correct song metadata — title, all writers involved, the split percentages
IPI/CAE number — you'll get this after joining (don't worry if you don't have one yet)

Important: writer splits If you co-write with someone, you MUST agree on the percentage split before registering the work. PRS can't resolve disputes. Get it in writing first.

Step-by-step registration

Go to the PRS website Visit prsformusic.com/join and click "Join as a Writer" (not "Publisher" unless that applies).
Create your account Enter your name, email, date of birth, and address. Use your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID — this is how royalty cheques get issued.
Choose your membership type Select "Writer" if you write songs. Select "Writer & Publisher" only if you also own a publishing company. Most independent artists start as "Writer" only.
Pay the £100 membership fee This is refundable if you ever leave. You can pay by debit or credit card. This gives you lifetime membership.
Verify your identity Upload a photo of your passport or driving licence. PRS reviews this manually, which is why it takes a few weeks.
Register your first work Once approved, log into the PRS member portal and register your songs. Enter the title, all writers, and the agreed percentage splits.
Set up your payment details Add your bank account in the member portal. PRS pays out quarterly (April, July, October, January).

After registration

What happens next

You'll receive an IPI/CAE number — this is your global songwriter ID. Keep it safe.
Register ALL your works, including older ones. PRS can collect back-dated royalties for unregistered works (up to 2 years).
If you perform live, submit set lists through the PRS portal — this ensures you get paid for your own gigs.
Payments arrive quarterly. Your first payment usually comes 6-9 months after joining.

Pro tip: Register works immediately Don't wait. Every day a song goes unregistered is money that's harder to recover. Register works as soon as they're released (or even before).

Consider MCPS next

Once you're a PRS member, you can also join MCPS (Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society) at no extra cost. This collects a completely different set of royalties — mechanical royalties from physical copies, downloads, and streaming.

Read the MCPS guide →

Common questions

Can I join PRS if I haven't released music yet?

Yes. You just need at least one original work. It doesn't need to be commercially released — even a demo counts.

What if I'm also a performer?

PRS only covers the songwriting side. For performer royalties (neighbouring rights), you also need to register with PPL.

Does PRS cover streaming royalties?

Partially. PRS collects the performance royalty from streaming (about 50% of the total songwriter payment). The other half — mechanical royalties — comes through MCPS.

Can I be a member of PRS and a US PRO (ASCAP/BMI)?

No. You can only be a member of one PRO at a time. If you're UK-based, PRS is the right choice — they have agreements with ASCAP and BMI to collect your US royalties.

Is the £100 fee worth it?

If your music is played anywhere — even once on a playlist, at a gig, or on community radio — you'll likely earn back that £100 and more. It's a lifetime membership, not annual.