What is a Mechanical License?

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A mechanical license is an agreement between a music user and the owner of a copyrighted composition (song), that grants permission to release the song in an audio-only format (interactive audio streams, digital downloads, CDs, vinyl). This permission is also called mechanical rights.

How Do I Get a Mechanical License?

You can obtain 100% of the mechanical rights you need for any cover song, quickly and easily in 1-2 business days, through our Cover Song Licensing service. You can talk to a real person and we handle everything for you. If your mechanical license requires special permissions - like lyric changes, melody changes, sampling, or other derivative uses - you can use our Custom Licensing service to contact the copyright owners and submit your request. (Alternatively, you can always attempt to locate the copyright owners yourself and request permission.)

Common Questions About Mechanical Licenses

Do I need a mechanical license?

How is it possible to obtain mechanical rights for any song?

Who gets paid?

When should I have my mechanical licensing in place?

What happens if I don't get a license?

Related Music Licenses

Master License

Learn about this music license that is also required (in addition to a mechanical license) any time an existing recording is used, such as samples, karaoke tracks, background tracks, and original recordings.

Synchronization License

This is like a mechanical license, but for video. If you are creating a video, slide show, or other visual product, you need a synchronization license instead of a mechanical license.