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I show movies and tv programmes publicly but I don’t charge any admission or viewing fees. Do I need an MPLC Public Performance Licence?

Yes you do. An MPLC Public Performance licence is required to legally show movies and TV programmes to the public or any closed user group of customers, members or other people. In fact an MPLC Public Performance licence only allows you to show movies for free to people. If you would like to c…

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Do charities and non-profit organisations need an MPLC licence?

Yes, copyright law applies to all organisations and businesses, including not-for-profit organisations, members clubs, public sector organisations and charities. So when you are showing movies and TV programmes publicly either to a group of the general public or a closed group of members or suppo…

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I work for a public or governmental organisation or entity, do we need a licence?

Yes, copyright law applies to all organisations and businesses, including not-for-profit organisations, members clubs, public sector organisations and charities. So when you are showing movies and TV programmes publicly either to a group of the general public or a closed group of members or suppo…

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We already have a public performance licence that allows us to play music, do we need this as well?

Yes you do.A licence for playing music in a public space allows you to play music. The money collected through that licence goes to the artists, performers and music labels that produce the music. To play audiovisual content–films and TV programmes–you need a separate licence for those and that’s…

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Will you take legal action against me if I do not buy a licence?

We do not like to refer unlicensed organisations to our rightsholders for legal action as it is expensive and wasteful for everyone and can result in exceptional costs for a small business. An MPLC licence is affordable, easy to buy and can be in place immediately so we would much rather talk to you…

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Can I use DVD’s and Blu-ray videos in public spaces

Yes you can but to do this legally you need to buy an affordable MPLC Public Performance Licence which collects a small amount of money from you to pay to the content producers and Hollywood studios that made the contents of the DVD or Blu-ray that you are showing. DVD’s and Blu-ray disks will in…

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We are a private club occasionally showing documentaries. Do we need an MPLC Public Performance Licence?

Yes you do. It doesn’t matter whether you are a private club or open to the public you are treated the same - only a private household is exempt. And whether you show documentaries or the latest Hollywood blockbuster it doesn’t matter. But don’t worry, MPLC Public Performance Licences are affo…

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To get an MPLC Public Performance Licence do I need to tell you what movies or programmes we are showing?

No you do not. The licence covers everything produced by the thousands of rights holders who we represent so you do not need to tell us what you are showing. MPLC Public Performance Licences are affordable, easy to buy and can be put in place immediately. They are the legal way to show movies …

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I’ve been running my business for many years without a licence. Why do I suddenly need one now?

We often get asked this question and we understand it can come as a surprise when you suddenly have a new licence to pay for something that you haven’t heard of before. In the UK, the legislation changed in 2016 making this additional licence required and we have been working hard to catch up and…

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