Royalties and Payment

OnStage allows writer members receiving royalties via direct deposit to notify ASCAP of their live performances via Member Access. This data is processed and a royalty is distributed to the writers and publishers of the songs based upon the license fee paid by the respective venue. ASCAP OnStage is not a platform for reporting classical events, i.e., performances in the Symphonic, Recital and Educational fields. To report a Symphonic, Recital or Educational performance please visit the following link: Performance Notification

No. Only one writer needs to submit a performance claim via OnStage to ensure all writers and publishers on the title registration receive a royalty. All writers can view submitted performance claims in their Member Access account.

Each performance claim will be paid during the corresponding domestic performance distribution. If you are unsure when we make our domestic distributions, please view our Distribution Schedule.

You should register your missing works with ASCAP through your Member Access account. Confirm that your works have been received by revisiting your catalog in Member Access. It may take up to seven days for each registration to be processed.

You can submit a claim via OnStage right after you perform live, but there is a deadline:

DATE OF PERFORMANCE SUBMISSION DEADLINE
January 1 to March 31 June 30
April 1 to June 30 September 30
July 1 to September 30 December 31
October 1 to December 31 March 31 (following year)

If you miss the deadline, we will not be able to process your claim. Make OnStage a regular part of your post-show routine!

ASCAP OnStage is not a platform for reporting classical events, i.e., performances in the Symphonic, Recital and Educational fields. To report a Symphonic, Recital or Educational performance please visit the following link: Performance Notification

ASCAP must be able to license the performance or the claim will be declined. Most performances not a part of the Symphonic, Recital or Educational survey are eligible for processing by OnStage, but some are not based upon US copyright law (as described within 17 USC § 110), generally including non-licensable performances such as:

• musical theater

• teaching activities

• religious services

• livestock and agricultural exhibits

• government-sponsored events

• private parties

• non-permitted events

All OnStage claims must be submitted by writers of the performed works.

The royalty generated by a live performance is based upon the license fee paid by the venue. As venues with larger capacities pay a larger license fee to ASCAP, the royalty generated by these venues will be larger than venues with smaller capacities.

Yes, and specific details of the performance will remain available in Member Access for future reference.

All ASCAP writers and publishers who are properly listed on the title registration will receive a royalty.

A claim can be withdrawn and edited in Member Access as long as it is still within the same Distribution period.

A claim must be submitted to your respective society per their specific procedures. Each foreign society will then forward the information to ASCAP for processing as part of our International Awards program.

Yes, as it ensures ASCAP receives a record of all music performed.

OnStage is not for any specific genre. Any writer members who perform their songs live can submit eligible performance claims through OnStage. However, ASCAP OnStage is not a platform for reporting classical events, i.e., performances in the Symphonic, Recital and Educational fields. To report a Symphonic, Recital or Educational performance please visit the following link: Performance Notification

ASCAP Plus Awards is not related to ASCAP OnStage. If you are a writer member who performs live, you should submit those performance claims through OnStage.

ASCAP rules permit living members to assign some or all of his or her royalties in certain situations. Permitted assignments include (a) an assignment to repay an advance, loan or line or credit, (b) an assignment to a corporation or similar entity, at least 95% owned by one or more ASCAP writer member(s), (c) an assignment to a living trust, or (d) an assignment to a family member, non-profit, foundation, or charity. Given the unique needs of the estates of writer members, ASCAP also permits the estate to sell or irrevocably assign the right to receive ASCAP writer royalties.

All royalty assignments require a $75.00 processing fee.

If you are interested in assigning your royalties, you may request the required forms in ASCAP Member Access via Member Service Inquiry or by calling ASCAP’s Member Services department at 1-800-95ASCAP (1-800-952-7227). For more information about these assignments, see the Compendium of ASCAP Rules and Regulations, available on our Governing Documents page.

All requests to cancel and replace outstanding checks must be made through ASCAP Member Access via Member Service inquiry (Category: 'My Royalties,’ Topic: ‘Cancel and Re-issue Distribution Check’). All check replacements incur a fee of $25.00 per check replaced. ASCAP is unable to stop payment on royalties that have been directly deposited into a bank account.

If there is a dispute between two or more parties as to entitlement to all or part of the credits and/or royalties for a work or membership and ASCAP concludes that there is a reasonable basis for the claim, ASCAP may hold royalties attributable to the disputed portion of such interests for as long as ASCAP deems appropriate. ASCAP will hold credits and/or royalties earned by works that are subject to litigation if specifically directed to do so by a court of competent jurisdiction. For more information about ASCAP’s policy regarding claims, see Section 2.8 of the Compendium of ASCAP Rules and Regulations, available on our Governing Documents page.

ASCAP can issue a portion of your royalties directly to a former spouse as a result of a marital dissolution. You must complete ASCAP’s Marital Dissolution Notification form, which can be requested in ASCAP Member Access via Member Service Inquiry or by calling ASCAP’s Member Services department at 1-800-95ASCAP (1-800-952-7227). Note that in order to update ASCAP’s records pursuant to a marital dissolution a $250.00 processing fee is required.

If ASCAP is served with a federal or state levy, garnishment, restraining notice, judgment, child support order, or other process involving redirection of your royalties to a third party, ASCAP will notify you by First Class mail or e-mail prior to forwarding your royalties to the third party. ASCAP will deduct an administrative fee of $100.00 (or less, if required by law) from future royalties otherwise payable to you for each new process received. No fee is charged for processing a release of an active levy, garnishment, or other continuing order.

ASCAP follows all state unclaimed property law and remits unclaimed royalties according to state requirements. Once royalties have been remitted to the state, ASCAP is unable to retrieve those royalties. For more information about ASCAP’s policy regarding unclaimed property, see Article XVII of ASCAP’s Articles of Association and Section 3.9 of the Compendium of ASCAP Rules and Regulations, available on our Governing Documents page.