Do I Need a PPL PRS Licence for My Spa or Salon?

Written by Luke Tyler, composer

A letter from PPL PRS lands on the reception desk. Or you're opening a new treatment room and someone tells you that you need a music licence. Either way, you want a straight answer.

We compose the music for Dawn Chorus, and we license it to spas and salons ourselves. So we've had to learn how this works properly. Here's what we've found, in plain English.

The short answer

In most cases, yes. If you play recorded music at your spa or salon, you usually need a licence. For most music, that's TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS.

But no law names PPL PRS. UK copyright law says you need permission from whoever holds the rights to the music you play. PPL PRS gives that permission for most commercial music. That's why its licence is the one most venues need.

So the real question is this: whose music are you playing? If PPL PRS looks after it, you need TheMusicLicence. If it doesn't, you may need a different licence, or none at all.

GOV.UK backs this up. It says you usually need a licence to play recorded music in public or at your business. It also says that if the music isn't managed by PPL PRS, you may need a licence from another body instead.

This applies to every kind of treatment space. Day spas, hotel spas, hair and beauty salons, nail bars, massage clinics and single treatment rooms all follow the same rules. Size doesn't change the question. It only changes the price.

What TheMusicLicence covers, and why staff-only music still counts

TheMusicLicence is a single licence from PPL PRS. It brings together two groups. PPL looks after the recordings. PRS for Music looks after the songs. Between them, they cover the vast majority of commercially available music.

Venues used to need two separate licences, one from each group. Since 2018, you get both in one.

With TheMusicLicence, you can play that music to staff and clients. It covers music from the radio, the TV, CDs, downloads and digital devices.

Here's the part that catches people out. PPL PRS says music played anywhere outside the home counts as a public performance. That's true “even if the music can only be heard by employees in the workplace, canteen or staff areas.”

So the radio in the staff room counts. So does the speaker in the back office. If people can hear it at work, it's in scope.

Is there an exception for small venues?

There's a small one. PPL PRS says it doesn't charge homeworkers. It also doesn't charge workplaces with only one worker, where no visitors or customers hear the music.

That rarely helps a spa or salon. Your clients hear the music. That's the whole point of it.

When a spa or salon needs it

You need TheMusicLicence if you play any music that PPL PRS looks after. In a typical venue, that means:

• The radio. Any station, on any device, in any room.
• The TV. Music channels, adverts and shows all carry music.
• Streaming apps. Chart songs and most playlists are registered music.
• CDs and downloads. Owning a copy doesn't give you the right to play it in public.

One thing to know about streaming. A personal Spotify account isn't allowed in a business at all, licence or not. Spotify's own terms say it's for personal, non-commercial use only. We go into this in Can I play Spotify in my salon or spa?

Background music in a waiting area counts just as much as music in a treatment room. So does music in a changing room or by the pool.

If you're not sure whether something counts, assume it does. Most music you hear day to day is registered with PRS, PPL or both.

When you might not need it

You might not need TheMusicLicence if none of the music you play is looked after by PPL PRS. GOV.UK puts it simply: “You do not need a licence to play royalty-free music.”

PPL PRS says much the same. It says there are “a number of circumstances where you may not need TheMusicLicence” if you use royalty-free music.

Royalty-free and unregistered music: what's the difference?

This is where it gets muddy. People use “royalty-free” in lots of ways. Often it just means you pay once to use a track in a video. The track may still be registered with PRS or PPL. If it is, playing it in public can still need TheMusicLicence.

Unregistered music is simpler. Nobody has handed its rights to PRS or PPL. The composer or label still holds them. To play it in public, you need their permission, and nobody else's.

So don't stop at the word “royalty-free”. Ask the supplier a direct question: is this music registered with PRS or PPL? Get the answer in writing.

What to ask any music supplier

Whoever you buy from, these five questions will tell you where you stand:

• Is the music registered with PRS, PPL or any other collecting society?
• Who holds the right to play it in public?
• Does the licence name my venue?
• Does it run out, or need renewing?
• Can I have all of that in writing?

A good supplier will answer all five without fuss. If the answers are vague, treat the music as registered and plan for TheMusicLicence.

How a direct licence works

Dawn Chorus is unregistered music. We write every track by hand. We have never registered any of it with PRS, PPL or any other collecting society. That means we still hold the right to play it in public.

When you choose a plan, we grant that right straight to your venue. Your licence is made out to your venue's name and address. It covers every treatment room, therapist and session in that venue's spa and wellness areas. You pay one flat price per venue, quarterly or yearly, and get a new certificate with every renewal.

If Dawn Chorus is the only music you play, you don't need TheMusicLicence for that music. You can read how it all works on the Dawn Chorus licensing page. Or see the bigger picture in our guide to music licences for spas and salons.

Playing a mix? You still need it for the rest

A direct licence only covers the music it names. If Dawn Chorus plays in your treatment rooms but the radio is on at reception, you still need TheMusicLicence for the radio.

It's worth walking round your venue and listing every source of sound. Check the:

• reception and waiting area
• treatment rooms
• relaxation rooms, pool and changing rooms
• staff room and back office
• TV screens, even if they're on mute most of the time

If everything on that list is Dawn Chorus, your Dawn Chorus licence covers it. If anything else is playing, you need TheMusicLicence too. There's no halfway house, so be honest about what's on.

Music on hold on your phone line is a separate use. If you play music on hold, check what licence you need for that.

How to show what you play

Keep your proof somewhere easy to find. If PPL PRS gets in touch, you can answer quickly and calmly.

PPL PRS says that if you think your music isn't covered by them, you should ask your supplier for confirmation. If you forward it to them, they'll update their records.

With Dawn Chorus, your certificate is that confirmation. It comes as a PDF with your order email. It shows:

• your venue's name and address
• the collection you've licensed
• who bought it, the purchase date and the order reference
• the full licence wording, including that the music has never been registered with a collecting society

If you run more than one venue, keep each certificate at the venue it names. Every venue gets its own page, with its own name and address, so each manager can answer for their own site.

Save a copy with your other business papers. Print one for the front desk if you like. If PPL PRS asks, send them a copy and tell them it's the only music you play.

What happens without a licence

If you play music in public without the right licence, you're infringing copyright. GOV.UK says “You could be sued for damages.”

If PPL PRS writes to you or calls, don't panic and don't ignore it. They'll want to know what music you play. Answer honestly. Then either get TheMusicLicence, or show them that the music you play doesn't need it.

A quick, honest reply saves a lot of stress later. Keep a note of who you spoke to and when, and keep copies of anything you send.

And keep it in proportion. A letter from PPL PRS is the start of a conversation. Answer it, sort out the right cover, and carry on. It's a paperwork problem, and paperwork can be fixed.

A simple plan for your venue

1. List what you play. Walk round and note every speaker, screen and radio.
2. Sort it into two groups. Music PPL PRS looks after, and music licensed some other way.
3. Cover the first group. If anything is in it, get TheMusicLicence.
4. Keep proof for the second. Save written confirmation or a certificate from each supplier.
5. Check again when things change. A new radio or a new playlist can change what you need.

Wondering what each option costs? We've compared the numbers in How much is a PPL PRS licence for a salon or spa?

If you'd like music that's simple to license, hear the Dawn Chorus collections. One flat price per venue, whatever its size, and you can cancel anytime.

This post is general guidance, not legal advice. If you're not sure what your venue needs, contact PPL PRS or a legal adviser.

FAQs

Is a PPL PRS licence a legal requirement?

Not in itself. The law says you need permission to play music in public from whoever holds the rights. For most commercial music, that permission comes through TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS. If you only play music PPL PRS doesn't look after, you need permission from its owner instead.

Do I need one if only staff can hear the music?

Usually, yes. PPL PRS says music played outside the home counts as a public performance, even if only staff can hear it. The exceptions it mentions are homeworkers and one-person workplaces where no visitors or customers hear the music.

Can I play the radio without a licence?

No. GOV.UK lists background music on the radio as something you usually need a licence for. Radio stations play registered music, so you'd need TheMusicLicence to play the radio at your spa or salon.

Does royalty-free music need a PPL PRS licence?

Sometimes. GOV.UK says you don't need a licence to play royalty-free music. But some music sold as “royalty-free” is still registered with PRS or PPL. Ask your supplier whether the tracks are registered, and get the answer in writing.

What should I send PPL PRS if I only play Dawn Chorus?

Send a copy of your Dawn Chorus licence certificate. It names your venue and shows the music is licensed directly by us, not through PPL PRS. Tell them it's the only music you play. If that changes, you'll need TheMusicLicence for the other music.