How audible area affects your music licence (and why it’s often wrong)
It’s the number that moves your bill the most, and the one most likely to be recorded incorrectly.
For most businesses, the floor area where music can be heard by customers, the “audible area”, is the single biggest driver of what TheMusicLicence costs. Get it wrong by a band and you can overpay for years.
What should count#
Broadly, audible area is the space where your music can be heard, measured wall-to-wall, which can legitimately include toilets, corridors, back-of-house and outdoor areas where music carries. It’s placed into tariff bands, so being near a band boundary, or having the wrong figure recorded, makes a real difference to the fee.
The steps between bands are real money. On the PRS shops tariff (RS, 2026) the standard annual charge runs roughly £246.80 up to 100m², £359.90 for 101–200m², and £473.70 for 201–300m², so an over-stated area that pushes you up a band can cost around £110+ a year on the PRS side alone, before the PPL step is added. (Figures exclude VAT and re-index annually.)
What often shouldn’t be included#
- Storerooms, stockrooms and cellars.
- Staff-only areas, offices and back-of-house.
- Corridors, plant rooms and other non-customer space.
- Areas that are no longer in use after a downsizing or refit.
How to check yours#
Compare the audible area recorded on your invoice against the space where music is genuinely audible to customers today. If it looks high, or hasn’t been updated since a change to your premises, it’s worth a proper review.
Not sure? Send us your invoice and we’ll check the audible-area basis. One site? The free Invoice Check gives you a written verdict in five working days. Four or more sites? The estate review is free and we only charge if we recover money. See pricing.
Common questions
- What counts as audible area for a music licence?
- Broadly, it's the space where your music can be heard, measured wall-to-wall, which can legitimately include toilets, corridors, back-of-house and outdoor areas where music carries. It's placed into tariff bands, so being near a band boundary, or having the wrong figure recorded, makes a real difference to the fee.
- What shouldn't be counted as audible area?
- Storerooms, stockrooms and cellars, staff-only areas, offices and back-of-house, corridors and plant rooms, and any areas no longer in use after a downsizing or refit shouldn't normally be included, since audible area is meant to reflect only the space where customers can genuinely hear the music.
- How much can one band too many cost?
- On the PRS shops tariff (RS, 2026) the standard annual charge runs roughly £246.80 up to 100m², £359.90 for 101 to 200m², and £473.70 for 201 to 300m², so an over-stated area that pushes you up a band can cost around £110 or more a year on the PRS side alone, before the PPL step is added (figures exclude VAT and re-index annually).
- How do I check if my audible area is right?
- Compare the audible area recorded on your invoice against the space where music is genuinely audible to customers today. If it looks high, or hasn't been updated since a change to your premises, it's worth a proper review.
Want it checked or set up properly?
- Already paying? Send your latest invoice for a free check and a plain-English answer within five working days.
- Four or more sites? A free estate check, site by site, with a clear summary of anything that's off.
- No licence yet? We tell you exactly what to declare and make the application for you.
Get told when the rates change
PPL and PRS re-index their tariffs every year. Leave your email and we'll let you know when the main rates change (January and July), with a reminder to check your invoice. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe any time.
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This guide is general information, not legal advice, and MLC is an independent consultancy, not affiliated with PPL PRS Ltd, PRS for Music or PPL.