Our Community Radio Licences are for radio stations broadcasting on an AM/FM signal that hold an Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) community radio broadcasting licence. If you are looking for information on online-only radio stations, head over to Online licences.
We offer a Permanent or Temporary licence to Community Radio Stations covering broadcast, reproduction and online use on an “opt-in” basis, so stations only pay for what they need. We also offer a specific licence for providers of Radio for the Print Handicapped.
Stations can choose which rights they need:
You'll need to complete a Schedule 5 form annually.
Rates include 10% GST and are not negotiable. Fees will increase by CPI each year. Licence fees are renewed and may be reassessed each year to take into account any changes in your music use.
| Permanent Stations - Annual Licence Fees | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APRA | AMCOS | Net Simulcast/On Demand Streaming | Other Online Use | |
| Stations with gross revenue of $10,000 a year or less | $147.71 | $119.87 | $76.28 | $30.27 |
| Stations with gross revenue of $10,001 to $25,000 a year | $741.01 | $147.71 | $105.33 | $44.80 |
| Stations with gross revenue of $25,001 to $50,000 a year | $1,337.92 | $267.58 | $176.78 | $76.28 |
| Stations with gross revenue of more than $50,000 a year (APRA Broadcast Licence) | ||
|---|---|---|
The greater of | ||
| APRA Licence Fee | $1,337.92 | |
OR | ||
| Average Music Use (percentage of airtime using music) | RATE | |
| Percentage of Category A Income* | Percentage of income from grants and subsidies | |
| 80%+ | 3.75% | 1.25% |
| 60 - 79.99% | 3.00% | |
| 25 - 59.99% | 1.75% | |
| < 25% | 0.50% | |
| *Category A Income is defined as sponsorship, sale of airtime & access fees, subscriptions & memberships, donations & bequests, fundraising (gross), sale of programs and racing radio. | ||
| Add-on licences | ||
|---|---|---|
| AMCOS | Net Simulcast/On Demand Streaming | Other Online Use |
| The greater of 5% of the APRA Licence Fee (capped at $1,337.92) or $267.58 | The greater of 5% of the APRA Licence Fee (capped at $1,337.92) or $176.78 | The greater of 5% of the APRA Licence Fee (capped at$1,337.92) or $76.28 |
| Temporary Stations - Annual Licence Fees | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APRA | AMCOS | Net Simulcast/On Demand Streaming | Other Online Use | |
| Stations with gross revenue of $25,000 a year or less | $222.78 | $134.40 | $89.60 | $44.80 |
| Stations with gross revenue of more than $25,000 a year | The greater of 1.50% of Net Revenue and $222.78 | The greater of 5% of APRA Licence Fee (capped at $1,337.92) and $134.40 | The greater of 5% of APRA licence fee (capped at $1,337.92) and $89.60 | The greater of 5% of APRA Licence Fee (capped at $1,337.92) and $44.80 |
| Radio for the Print Handicapped - Annual Licence Fees | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| APRA | AMCOS | Net Simulcast/On Demand Streaming | Other Online Use |
| $251.85 | $104.12 | $76.28 | $59.32 |
Our distribution of community radio licence fees as royalties is based on music use data provided by:
This system keeps our administrative costs low, minimises the administrative burden on you and ensures more money goes to music creators.
If you are unsure whether your community radio station is required to report, please contact us.
Read our article "Community radio rules!" - Stu Mackenzie from King Gizz.
Want to print out this information?
Download your copy of the community radio licence information guide (PDF 1.3MB).
This webpage is a guide only. Refer to the licence for full terms and conditions.
Community Radio Stations frequently inquire about legitimate music sources for broadcasting purposes. Common questions include the legality of using streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music during broadcasting, converting YouTube videos to audio for broadcast, and where to find music that can be legally broadcast.
APRA AMCOS Guidance (Not Legal Advice)
The APRA AMCOS Community Radio Licence permits the reproduction and broadcast of musical works, provided the sound recordings used are legally obtained with the copyright owner's permission. This permission can be sought via PPCA (Phonographic Performing Company of Australia). This means you can use music if the sound recording was made under a valid licence.
Digital Music Services
Services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube are designed for personal, non-commercial use. Broadcasting music from these platforms without proper licensing violates their terms and is not covered under the APRA AMCOS Community Radio Licence. Similarly, converting YouTube videos into audio for broadcast likely infringes copyright laws, making such works ineligible for legal broadcast under the APRA AMCOS licence.
Internet Downloads and Royalty Free Music
Obtaining music directly from the internet poses significant copyright infringement risks. Although searching for 'free' or 'royalty-free' music might yield many results, determining their legality for broadcast use is complex and uncertain.
Licensed Recordings: The APRA AMCOS Community Radio licence allows broadcasters to copy music onto their station’s servers from a legally obtained CD or vinyl, even if borrowed, for shared use among broadcasters, providing the station/s hold a current AMCOS Add-On Licence.
Amrap Service: The CBAA’s Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) provides a huge library of Australian music free of charge to Community Radio Stations, offering a legal source of music.
Paid Downloads: Services such as iTunes provide the opportunity to purchase individual tracks or complete albums to download, which is a legitimate source of music.
Production Music (PM) Libraries: Stations with an APRA AMCOS Community Radio Licence have access to over a million tracks from AMCOS controlled PM libraries, which can be used in programs, sponsorship announcements, and promos. A list of PM music libraries is available at https://www.apraamcos.com.au/production-music. Stations just need to inform the PM supplier of their APRA AMCOS licence to gain access to production music tracks.
For any specific guidance or queries regarding music sourcing, it's always best to consult directly with APRA AMCOS or a legal professional to ensure compliance with copyright laws and licensing agreements. Send through your questions to [email protected].
Read our article Community Radio Spotlight: 8CCC Alice Springs.
APRA AMCOS alternatives
There are a couple of ways to get permission to use music in your business.
Comments and complaints
We care about the service we give you and we welcome your feedback.
Give feedback
If you do not agree with how we apply this licence, our fees, or our services, you can raise a dispute.
Call (02) 9935 7900
Email [email protected]