{"id":8294,"date":"2012-06-30T17:12:46","date_gmt":"2012-06-30T17:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/?p=8294"},"modified":"2019-07-31T08:56:19","modified_gmt":"2019-07-31T08:56:19","slug":"the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/","title":{"rendered":"The CCLI License: What Is Legal and What is Not?"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am constantly asked questions about what is legal and what is not legal when it comes to making copies of music or lyrics in the church. My hope is that this post will make things clearer for everyone. Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST get permission from the copyright owners. Christian Copyright Licensing International provides affordable solutions for churches in dealing with copyright issues.\u00a0Much of the following information comes from Paul Herman, Marketing Manager for Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI), based in Portland, Oregon and from the\u00a0CCLI website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The CCLI License: What It Does and Does Not Cover<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even CCLI license holders are sometimes confused about what the Church Copyright License does and does not cover. The following information should clear up some misunderstandings:<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Covered<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s the most important thing to remember about the CCLI Church Copyright License: it is primarily designed to assist with congregational singing. To that end, here is a quick summary of what the license covers:<\/p>\n

What You Can Do<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Print songs, hymns and lyrics in bulletins, programs, liturgies and song sheets for use in congregational singing.<\/li>\n
  2. Create your own customized songbooks or hymnals for use in congregational singing.<\/li>\n
  3. Create overhead transparencies, slides, computer graphics, or any other format whereby song lyrics are visually projected for use in congregational singing.<\/li>\n
  4. Arrange, print and copy your own arrangements (vocal and instrumental) of songs used for congregational singing, where no published version is available.<\/li>\n
  5. Record your worship services (audio or video) provided you only record live music. Accompaniment tracks cannot be reproduced. You may charge up to $4 each for audiocassette tapes and CDs ($5 in Canada), and $12 each for videotapes and DVDs ($15 in Canada).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Point #5 is the only slight variation from the \u201ccongregational singing\u201d rule. All live music recorded within the worship service (not just the congregational singing) is covered under the Church Copyright License, provided the songs are from the catalog of a publisher\/song owner that CCLI represents. There is also a limit on how many recorded copies can be made per service, which is 15% of a church\u2019s license size. Basically, the recording provision of the Church Copyright License is designed for the typical church recording\/tape ministry, and is not suited for commercial purposes.<\/p>\n

    What\u2019s Not Covered<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Any song copying activity pertaining to solo\/group\/choir performance is not covered by the Church Copyright License. Neither is web streaming or rehearsal recordings. Separate permission must be obtained for any of these copying and performance\/distribution activities. And here are some of the specific limitations to keep in mind.<\/p>\n

    What You Cannot Do<\/strong><\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Photocopy or duplicate octavos, cantatas, musicals, handbell music, keyboard arrangements, vocal scores, orchestrations, or other instrumental works.<\/li>\n
    2. Translate songs into another language. This can only be done with the approval of the respective publisher.<\/li>\n
    3. Rent, sell or lend copies made under the license to groups outside the church or to other churches. (It is OK to distribute recordings of the worship service to shut-ins, missionaries or others outside the church.)<\/li>\n
    4. Assign or transfer the license to another church or group without CCLI\u2019s approval.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      I hope this clarifies what the CCLI license does and does not cover. If you have further questions, you may want to check out CCLI’s support page at\u00a0http:\/\/www.ccli.com\/Support\/<\/a>. Their FAQ\/Knowledge Base section covers a wide range of common questions and copyright issues. Their SongSearch tool helps you determine if a certain song or copyright owner is covered under the license. Their Help Clip videos offer brief tutorials on various topics.\u00a0You can also call us at 1-800-234-2446 and press \u20184\u2019 for Customer Service. I have found the customer service representatives to be very helpful.<\/p>\n

      Further Clarification<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      The CCLI license permits the church to copy the lyrics, as well as the music, provided the following three points apply:<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. The song is copyrighted by a publisher contracted with CCLI. To verify the song’s coverage, you may use “Song Search” located at:\u00a0http:\/\/www.ccli.com\/usa\/LicenseHolder\/Search\/<\/li>\n
      2. The purpose of making the copy is to assist the congregation in singing or to teach the congregation a new worship song. The license would include the worship leading of any ministry solely sponsored by this church. The license would not cover the permission to make copies for the choir, or any performing individual or group, to use while they are performing a special number.<\/li>\n
      3. The lyrics and guitar chords may be copied from any source; however, the music may only be photocopied, or scanned, from congregational songbooks, such as Hymnals or Praise & Worship congregational books. It is not necessary to own these songbooks.\u00a0Music from any type of an arrangement book (choral, solo, instrumental, Worship Leader\/Team edition, Piano edition, etc) may not be duplicated.”<\/li>\n
      4. What It Costs<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The annual fee varies for the Church Copyright License, depending on your church size. Church size is based on your\u00a0regular attendance<\/strong> for your main service(s). If you have multiple services, use your combined attendance. Here is the\u00a0chart of fees.<\/a><\/p>\n

        Next, we will look at how you must notate the copyright and license information. This is an area that is very much out of compliance in the majority of churches I have visited.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

        Kenny Lamm<\/em>,\u00a0senior consultant for worship and music for the <\/em>Baptist State Convention of North Carolina<\/em><\/a>, is a frequent worship conference leader with a strong focus on equipping leaders in North Carolina (USA) and Southeast Asia. His blog, <\/em>Renewing Worship<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0features posts that\u00a0explore ways to renew–impart new life and vigor to–the worship in the local church.<\/em><\/p>\n

        \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Other copyright related posts you might like:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

        What are the copyright implications of using a secular song for worship?<\/a><\/p>\n

        Ask the Expert \u2013 Is burning CDs from iTunes legal when used for educational purposes?<\/a><\/p>\n

        Ask the Expert \u2013 How to copyright and licensing songs I have written<\/a><\/p>\n

        Ask the Expert – Is it OK to make a worship song our own, or should we follow the original recording?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        I am constantly asked questions about what is legal and what is not legal when it comes to making copies of music or lyrics in the church. My hope is that this post will make things clearer for everyone. Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10197,"featured_media":14549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[14],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe CCLI License: What Is Legal and What is Not?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST get permission from the copyright owners, normally via CCLI\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The CCLI License: What Is Legal and What is Not?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST get permission from the copyright owners, normally via CCLI\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Musicademy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Musicademy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-06-30T17:12:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-07-31T08:56:19+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/drc0fhsrp02et.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/CCLI-Graphic-Representation-hi-res.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"531\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kenny Lamm\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@musicademy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@musicademy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kenny Lamm\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/\",\"name\":\"The CCLI License: What Is Legal and What is Not?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2012-06-30T17:12:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-07-31T08:56:19+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/61d82eba8d5b950f2254429916c16eaf\"},\"description\":\"Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST get permission from the copyright owners, normally via CCLI\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Musicademy\",\"description\":\"Award-winning training resources for church based musicians\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/61d82eba8d5b950f2254429916c16eaf\",\"name\":\"Kenny Lamm\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The CCLI License: What Is Legal and What is Not?","description":"Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST get permission from the copyright owners, normally via CCLI","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The CCLI License: What Is Legal and What is Not?","og_description":"Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST get permission from the copyright owners, normally via CCLI","og_url":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/","og_site_name":"Musicademy","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Musicademy","article_published_time":"2012-06-30T17:12:46+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-07-31T08:56:19+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":531,"url":"https:\/\/drc0fhsrp02et.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/CCLI-Graphic-Representation-hi-res.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kenny Lamm","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@musicademy","twitter_site":"@musicademy","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kenny Lamm","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/","url":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/","name":"The CCLI License: What Is Legal and What is Not?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2012-06-30T17:12:46+00:00","dateModified":"2019-07-31T08:56:19+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/61d82eba8d5b950f2254429916c16eaf"},"description":"Anytime you copy music or lyrics or distribute recordings of music that is copyrighted, you MUST get permission from the copyright owners, normally via CCLI","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/the-ccli-license-what-is-legal-and-what-is-not\/"]}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/","name":"Musicademy","description":"Award-winning training resources for church based musicians","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/61d82eba8d5b950f2254429916c16eaf","name":"Kenny Lamm"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8294"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10197"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8294"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22110,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8294\/revisions\/22110"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}