How are collections from rights management distributed?

As a member, the income collected from issued licences are allocated to you on the basis of the GEMA distribution plan. The distribution plan governs the allocation ratios (splits) between...

How are collections from rights management distributed?

As a member, the income collected from issued licences are allocated to you on the basis of the GEMA distribution plan. The distribution plan governs the allocation ratios (splits) between...

How can I ensure my works are protected?

You do not need to do anything. Your works are automatically protected by German copyright. This applies to music, score materialand song lyrics, from the very moment they are created.

What is a permanent licence and what is an individual licence?

We no longer use either term. Just to be clear though: A permanent licence means a contract. Music is used here over a longer period of time. An individual licence relates to licences for...

Who chooses the winners?

The winners will be selected by the respective event promoters. If it is a showcase at GEMA (such as the Long Night of Music), the winner will be selected via an internal vote by all GEMA staff...

What is a licence for an event?

"License" is a legal term meaning "permission" or "authorization." Let’s assume that you notify us of an event which takes place once, e.g. a concert, a party, an opening ceremony or a vernissage....

Where do I find specific information on industry sectors, business communities and associations?

Under industry sectors & more (only in German), we have compiled infos for the groups mentioned earlier. If you run a catering trade, hotel, fitness studio, or have a cultural business, carnival...

Which form do I use for my music notification?

You cannot submit notifications relating to most GEMA tariffs for events and background music; instead, you can do this via the price calculator in our Online Portal. It’s really simple and you...

Where do I find a tariff overview?

You can use our price calculator to find out the price of a tariff quickly and easily. A complete overview of all tariffs with all details can be found under our tariff overview. In the left...

How can I register sound recordings online?

In order to submit online notifications for sound recordings, please register for the online application how to license and research sound recordings (see our registration instructions).

How can I register sound recordings online?

There are two ways to register the use of music on sound recordings: For many purposes, you can simply purchase the licence in our online portal. This applies, for example, to the production of...

I wish to upload music content to a video platform such as YouTube. What do I need to consider?

We granted exploitation rights based on the licence agreement we concluded with YouTube. This means that music subject to a GEMA licence may be uploaded since YouTube is paying a licence fee...

How do I know whether a song is protected by copyright?

In general, you must assume that music is protected by copyright. The only requirement is that a musical work has been created. Such a creation exists if the level of creation required by copyright...

Why should I switch to the GEMA third-party liability insurance?

A third-party liability insurance is only sensible and useful if all professional activities exercised are included in the insurance policy / certificate. The GEMA third-party liability insurance...

GEMA contacts for customer complaints

What is the GEMA presumption?

We are the only collective management organisation for musical copyrights in Germany. As such, we manage the rights to tens of thousands of musical works from Germany and abroad. This is also...

Do I have to report anything afterwards?

Please always submit event notifications with specific dates such as place, date, attendance (where applicable), etc. In the case of specific event types, e.g. concerts, we also need you to submit...

What is the difference between a cover version and an arrangement of a work?

Cover version: A cover is a new recording of an existing musical work, possibly also with different instruments. The creator details therefore correspond to the original version e.g. when...

What are royalties in the music business?

If your works are used, you, the creator or publisher, will receive payments; they are also known as royalties. In order to receive such royalties, you assign the exploitation rights for your...

What are the deadlines for my claims?

It depends on each usage category how long you have time to submit a claim. We have listed the sectors with their categories and the relevant deadlines for you. Below, you can also find a link to...