Integrated Copyright Group (ICG): Copyright Administration and Music Licensing

Mechanical Licenses

A mechanical license is issued when you are making an audio recording of a song ICG represents. The fee we charge is the statutory mechanical rate as provided in the 1976 Copyright Act. The rate is currently $0.091 or $0.0175 per minute or fraction thereof whichever is greater. This fee is multiplied by the numbers of copies of the project that is manufactured. For example, if you are making 1000 CDs, the fee we charge is $91.00 (1000 CDs x $0.091). If we only represent a portion of a song (less than 100%), we pro-rate this fee over the percentage of the song we administer. If we represent 50% of a song and you make 1000 CDs, the fee would be $45.50 (1000 CDs x .091 x 50%).

ICG charges the same fee to each Licensee whether the project is being given away free of charge, sold at cost, or sold for profit.

You may use the Custom License Request Form to submit your mechanical license. request.

Print Licenses

A print license is issued when you are making printed copies of a composition we represent. There are several different types of print permissions that we grant.

The most common print permission we grant is for Licensees needing permission to make photocopies of a song. Our standard fee is $1.25 per song/per copy that is made. This fee is the same whether the song is one page long or ten pages long.

For example, if you are making 50 photocopies, the fee we charge is $62.50 (50 photocopies x $1.25). If we only represent a portion of a song (less than 100%), we pro-rate this fee over the percentage of the song we administer. If we represent 50% of a song and you make 50 photocopies, the fee would be 50 photocopies x $1.25 x 50% = $31.25.

Some users make overheads/transparencies of songs that can be displayed in front of a group. ICG charges a fee of $25.00 for making an overhead of a song we administer.

If you are producing a songbook, the fee we charge is based on several factors including the selling price of the project, the total number of royalty bearing/copyrighted songs in the project and the total number of units that you intend to manufacture. Normally, ICG charges a 12.5% pro-rata fee. This fee is calculated by taking 12.5% of the selling price and dividing that over the total number of royalty bearing/copyrighted songs. Then, this rate is multiplied by the total number of units that you manufacture. If the songbook does not have a selling price, that is it is being given away, ICG will calculate a fair price for the use of the song.

If you wish to quote the words of a song in a book, such as a biography or other "non-music" book, we need to know the selling price of the book, the total number of royalty bearing/copyrighted songs in the project and the total number of units that you intend to manufacture. We also need an excerpt of the book where the song is quoted including the paragraphs before and after the quote. We review this to make sure there is no objection to the manner in which the song is used. You can attach the excerpt as a file with the Custom License Request Form. If the use is approved, we will determine a fair fee for the use of the song.

You may use the Custom License Request Form to submit your print license. request.

Synchronization Licenses

ICG issues a synchronization license when the Licensee is making videocassette copies of a song we represent or when they want to broadcast a song on television.

ICG's standard fee for videocassette copies is $0.15 per song/per copy of the video that is manufactured. This does not include any rights to broadcast the video on television. For example, if you are making 500 videos, the fee we charge is $75.00 (500 videos x $0.15). If we only represent a portion of a song (less than 100%), we pro-rate this fee over the percentage of the song we administer. If we represent 50% of a song and you make 500 videos, the fee would be 500 x $0.15 x 50% = $37.50.

A synchronization license can also be issued if you wish to use a song within a television program, such as the broadcast of a concert on a local television station in your city. There are no "standard fees" for television broadcasts due to the fact that the rights required can vary greatly from one request to the other. Some of the major factors that determine the fee are how the song is used (i.e. background music, an onscreen performance, over opening or closing credits etc…), the term of the license (one week, one month, one year etc…), the territory the license will cover (your local city, the entire United States, Worldwide etc…), and the medium in which the song will be broadcast (a local public access cable station, free television, subscription television etc…).

You may use the Custom License Request Form to submit your synchronization license request.

Performance Licenses

ICG does NOT normally issue performance licenses. If you need a license for performing a song in public, all of ICG's clients are affiliated with one of the three (3) performing rights organizations. They are The American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) and The Society of European Songwriters, Authors and Composers (SESAC). Please contact these companies for specific performance license questions.

Synchronization Licenses

ICG issues a synchronization license when the Licensee is making videocassette copies of a song we represent or when they want to broadcast a song on television.

ICG's standard fee for videocassette copies is $0.12 per song/per copy of the video that is manufactured. This does not include any rights to broadcast the video on television. For example, if you are making 500 videos, the fee we charge is $60.00 (500 videos x $0.12). If we only represent a portion of a song (less than 100%), we pro-rate this fee over the percentage of the song we administer. If we represent 50% of a song and you make 500 videos, the fee would be 500 x $0.12 x 50% = $30.00.

The minimum synchronization license fee for making videos is $24.00, which will allow you to make 200 copies of your videocassette.

A synchronization license can also be issued if you wish to use a song within a television program, such as the broadcast of a concert on a local television station in your city. There are no "standard fees" for television broadcasts due to the fact that the rights required can vary greatly from one request to the other. Some of the major factors that determine the fee are how the song is used (i.e. background music, an onscreen performance, over opening or closing credits etc…), the term of the license (one week, one month, one year etc…), the territory the license will cover (your local city, the entire United States, Worldwide etc…), and the medium in which the song will be broadcast (a local public access cable station, free television, subscription television etc…).

You may use the Custom License Request Form to submit your synchronization license request.

Print Licenses

A print license is issued when you are making printed copies of a composition we represent. There are several different types of print permissions that we grant.

The most common print permission we grant is for Licensees needing permission to make photocopies of a song. Our standard fee is $1.25 per song/per copy that is made. This fee is the same whether the song is one page long or ten pages long.

For example, if you are making 50 photocopies, the fee we charge is $62.50 (50 photocopies x $1.25). If we only represent a portion of a song (less than 100%), we pro-rate this fee over the percentage of the song we administer. If we represent 50% of a song and you make 50 photocopies, the fee would be 50 photocopies x $1.25 x 50% = $31.25.

Some users make overheads/transparencies of songs that can be displayed in front of a group. ICG charges a fee of $25.00 for making an overhead of a song we administer.

If you are producing a songbook, the fee we charge is based on several factors including the selling price of the project, the total number of royalty bearing/copyrighted songs in the project and the total number of units that you intend to manufacture. Normally, ICG charges a 12.5% pro-rata fee. This fee is calculated by taking 12.5% of the selling price and dividing that over the total number of royalty bearing/copyrighted songs. Then, this rate is multiplied by the total number of units that you manufacture. If the songbook does not have a selling price, that is it is being given away, ICG will calculate a fair price for the use of the song.

If you wish to quote the words of a song in a book, such as a biography or other "non-music" book, we need to know the selling price of the book, the total number of royalty bearing/copyrighted songs in the project and the total number of units that you intend to manufacture. We also need an excerpt of the book where the song is quoted including the paragraphs before and after the quote. We review this to make sure there is no objection to the manner in which the song is used. You can attach the excerpt as a file with the Custom License Request Form. If the use is approved, we will determine a fair fee for the use of the song.

You may use the Custom License Request Form to submit your print license. request.

Master Use Licenses

If you are using a pre-recorded track when you are recording a song, ICG does NOT grant you permission to use that specific track. You must obtain a mechanical license from ICG for the publishing rights to the composition, but then, you must also receive a license from the company that owns the track you are using. Normally, the record company that released the track you are using will be able to issue you a Master Use license for the track.

Product Information

ICG does NO produce or maintain samples of recordings, songbooks, videos and the like, and as a consequence, we cannot supply you with product. If you are searching for product, you might check with local bookstores and record stores to see if what you need is still available.

Requests from outside the United States and Canada

ICG issues licenses for Licensees that reside within the United States or Canada. If you are located outside of these two (2) countries, please refer to the International section of this site for contact information in your area.

License Turnaround Time

Most licenses are issued by ICG within ten (10) business days of our receipt of the request. However, due to varying circumstances, some licenses can take longer to issue. We use our best efforts to issue your license as soon as possible.