Compulsory Licenses

Normally, to use a copyrighted work, the user has to seek permission of the copyright owner. In many instances such permission is given in exchange for a license fee paid to the owner. However, in some situations the law permits the user to use the work without the owner’s permission provided the user pays a statutory fee or a “compulsory license” to the copyright owner. Composers and performers are affected by different types of compulsory licenses.