FAQ
AVLA Frequently Asked Questions
DJ Licensing Questions
Q: I'm a DJ and I play only store
bought CD's, Cassettes, and vinyl, do I need a licence?
A: No.
Q: I'm a DJ and I download all of my songs from
iTunes, do I need a licence?
A: Yes. The iTunes Terms of Sale prohibit
commercial use. When you obtain the AVLA Standard "All-in-one" DJ
licence it permits you to use those iTunes downloads for a
commercial purpose (such as DJ'ing).
Q: I'm a DJ and I want to transfer and store
all of my CD's onto a Hard Drive to play at shows, do I need a
licence?
A: Yes, you would require an AVLA
Standard "All-in-one" DJ Licence ($331.55 + gst/hst)
Q: Can I put downloaded music onto the hard
drive?
A: Yes, but it must be from an AVLA approved
source (e.g. iTunes)
Q: Is an ipod or mp3 device considered a hard
drive source?
A: Yes. If you are using your ipod or mp3 player
for a commercial purpose (such as background music or DJ'ing) an AVLA
Standard "All-in-one" DJ licence is required.
Q: I run a dance school and our instructors
use copies of sound recordings either on CD-R's or
ipods, do I need a licence?
A: Yes, if your instructors are using copies of
sound recordings as background music for their classes, you will
need to obtain an AVLA Standard "All-in-one" DJ
licence for each classroom. Even though a dance school is
technically not a "DJ", the copies and use of the sound recordings
is the same (performance to the public).
Q: How long does it take for a licence to be
processed?
A: If you purchase your licence online, you will
receive confirmation by email within a few minutes and a display
licence within a few business days
Q: Will I need to bring my display licence with
me to every venue that I DJ at?
A: Yes, the display licence is your proof that
you obtained permission for the copied sound recordings you are
playing
Q: What are the benefits of being
licensed?
A: Being licensed shows your client that you are
a professional, that you respect the rights of the creators of the
music that is the backbone of your business, and that you are
guaranteeing the quality of the sound recordings you have
copied.
Q: Do you have to own a company to obtain a
licence?
A: No, AVLA can licence an individual or a
company
Q: If I register now as an individual and I
become a company later on, is the membership still good for the
company?
A: If you provide us with notice that you have
registered your company, and return the display licence with your
name on it, we will provide you with a new display licence with
your company name on it
Q: Should I wait until my company becomes
registered?
A: No, you should become licensed before you make
copies of sound recordings, regardless of your status as a
corporation. You do not need to be a registered business in order
to obtain an AVLA Standard "All-in-one" DJ
licence.
Q: Can anyone be licensed or are there some
restrictions?
A: Anyone who is making copies of sound
recordings for public performance must be licensed, regardless of
whether they are receiving compensation for the performance
Q: If I want to start using music videos that
i've purchased from iTunes in my DJ services, do I need an
additional licence for that?
A: Yes, an AVLA Video Road Show agreement would be
required in order to use the iTunes video downloads for a
commercial purpose (such as DJ'ing).
Q: If I subscribe to an AVLA licensed Music Supply Service
Company, do I need a separate AVLA DJ licence?
A: If you are only using the content
supplied to you by one of AVLA's licensed Music Supply Service
companies then you do not require any further
licensing. However, if you are also using any copies of sound
recordings on a hard drive source or CD-Rs that have been copied
from your store bought CD's/vinyl/etc… OR you have downloaded songs
from iTunes in addition to the content you are
subscribed to then you will require an additional AVLA
Standard "All-in-one" DJ licence.
Q: Do I need a SOCAN licence to perform someone else's
song at a large venue?
A: The venue would require a licence from SOCAN for that
use. You can check with the venue first to see if they already have
a SOCAN licence in place to cover any performance of sound
recordings in their venue. SOCAN also offers a single event licence
for such use if the venue doesn't have the licence in place but you
want to ensure that you're covered; please contact www.socan.ca for more
information
Q: What is the difference between AVLA and SOCAN and
Re:Sound?
A: AVLA collects on behalf of the master rights owners of
sound recordings and collects reproduction royalties.
SOCAN collects on behalf of the composers and authors of sound
recordings and collects performance royalties.
Re:Sound collects on behalf of the master rights owners of sound
recordings and collects performance royalties.
By way of example, if you are playing COPIED sound recordings from
your hard drive, you require an AVLA licence. The performance
royalties collected by SOCAN and Re:Sound are the responsibility of
the venues.
*Click here
to see the General Licensing FAQ