How much is a music licence for a shop? 2026 UK costs by floor area
For a shop, the price follows the size of the area where customers can hear the music. Here are the 2026 figures.
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If a shop plays music that customers can hear, whether from a radio, a streaming service or a background music system, it needs TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS. That's two charges on one bill: PRS for Music, for the songs, and PPL, for the recordings. For shops, both are based on the customer-audible floor area, meaning the part of the premises where customers can hear the music.
PRS for Music: Tariff RS (2026)#
| Audible area | Annual PRS royalty |
|---|---|
| Up to 100m² | £246.80 |
| 101 to 200m² | £359.90 |
| 201 to 300m² | £473.70 |
| 301 to 500m² | £586.70 |
| 501 to 750m² | £700.20 |
| 751 to 1,000m² | £813.60 |
PPL: Tariff PPLPP211 shops (2026)#
PPL's shop fee is £204.19 a year for any audible area up to 600m². Above that it rises by £17.68 for each extra 50m², reaching £345.63 at 951 to 1,000m².
Combined annual cost for a shop#
| Audible area | PRS | PPL | Combined per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 100m² | £246.80 | £204.19 | £450.99 |
| 101 to 200m² | £359.90 | £204.19 | £564.09 |
| 201 to 300m² | £473.70 | £204.19 | £677.89 |
| 301 to 500m² | £586.70 | £204.19 | £790.89 |
| 501 to 600m² | £700.20 | £204.19 | £904.39 |
So a small shop of up to 100m² pays £450.99 a year before VAT, which is £541.19 including VAT. Stores over 1,000m² are quoted on the published tariff for their size. Our cost calculator works out the figure for any area up to 1,000m².
Where shop bills go wrong#
- The audible area measured as the whole building, including stockrooms, offices and staff areas where customers can't hear the music.
- An area declared at the start and never updated after a refit, a smaller trading floor or a move.
- Sitting just over a band boundary. Going from 100m² to 101m² adds £113.10 a year to the PRS charge alone.
- A first-year higher rate still showing after the first year. It's meant to apply only to the first licence year where music was played before a licence was taken out.
How to check yours#
The invoice gives the total, not the area it was based on. The declared area is on your Usage Summary. Check that figure against the space customers actually use, then find your band in the tables above for the licence year shown.
If you have one site and want a written verdict, the free Invoice Check reviews one invoice and tells you the result either way. If you run four or more sites, the initial estate review is free; any success fee for work that follows is agreed in writing before we act. Not ready to send documents? Ask Matt a question. MLC is independent and is not affiliated with PPL PRS, PPL or PRS for Music.
- How audible area affects your music licence →
- What is a PPL PRS Usage Summary? →
- How much does a business music licence cost? →
Common questions
- How much is a music licence for a small shop in the UK?
- For 2026, a shop with up to 100m² of customer-audible space pays £246.80 to PRS for Music and £204.19 to PPL, £450.99 a year before VAT or £541.19 including VAT.
- What is audible area?
- The part of your premises where customers can hear the music. Stockrooms, offices and staff-only areas where customers can't hear it shouldn't be included in a shop's declared area.
- Is the first year more expensive?
- Only if music was played before the licence was taken out. In that case PRS charges its higher rate, 50% above standard, for the first licence year, and PPL can add a 50% surcharge. It shouldn't carry into later years.
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.
Related guides
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.