Copying Limits Removed for Schools Licence

The APRA AMCOS board have voted to remove copying restrictions, giving schools greater flexibility when copying sheet music

The Copyright Act (1994) includes certain exemptions for educational establishments, granting schools limited permissions to use music in the course of education. If schools wish to use music in ways that fall outside of these allowances, they require the permission of music creators (a licence). The OneMusic Schools Licence effectively ‘tops up’ the rights provided to schools under the Copyright Act, granting them the permission they need to make the most of music.

Broadly speaking, the OneMusic schools licence grants schools the right to both publicly perform music (playing music to an audience other than students and staff) and to copy music.

While in the past there have been restrictions placed on the number of copies of sheet music schools are allowed to make under the OneMusic licence, in early 2019 the APRA AMCOS board voted to remove copying restrictions, giving schools greater flexibility when copying sheet music.

Schools that hold a 2019 – 2020 OneMusic licence are now free to make as many copies of an original as they need for each member of a class, ensemble or congregation - removing the need to purchase additional copies of an original when they reach their copy limit, and making it even easier to meet their obligations under the Copyright Act (1994).

OneMusic represents the rights of music creators from both New Zealand and around the world. We licence schools, businesses and organisations, and return the licence fees collected to music creators – songwriters, composers, music publishers, recording artists and record labels - as royalties.

For more information about the new allowances, or to apply for a licence visit the OneMusic Schools page.