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Licensing & Copyright Overview

Thank you for your interest in using our music. Below you’ll find all you need to know about using our music in church services, print, audio, or video.

Without express permission from the publisher (i.e. song owner), you cannot make copies of music in any form (including print, CDs, digital files, video, etc.). Please read through the information below to learn what type of license you need to request in order to use our music in your project, and then proceed to the license request page.

FOR CONGREGATIONAL USE OF COPYRIGHTED MUSIC

A Church Copyright License from Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI) gives a church permission to copy from over 150,000 songs for congregational use. This license allows a church to make overhead transparencies, song sheets and songbooks. It also allows a church to input lyrics into a computer, record worship services, and make arrangements of the music (where no published version exists). For more information, check their website. Churches who do not obtain a CCLI license must independently obtain permission for individual songs.

Visual Credit for Lyric Projection

For those who hold a current CCLI license, the following section 4.2 from CCLI’s Terms of Agreement shows how to display the visual credit for song lyrics. Please note the CCLI license number included in the credit is that of the license holder, not the catalogue number given to the song.

4.2 Church agrees that each reproduced version of a Song will contain the Song title, writer credit(s), and copyright notice in substantially the following form:

“Hallelujah,” words and music by John Doe
© 2000 Good Music Co.
Used By Permission. CCLI License #____________

For other uses of songs outside the scope of your CCLI license (examples below) you will need a specific license for each song you wish to use, whether on physical product or on internet content sites. The owner information is indicated in the copyright notice which should appear on the physical product itself.

FOR USE ON AN AUDIO PROJECT (CDs, CASSETTES, DIGITAL FILE DOWNLOADS, ETC.)

A mechanical license gives you permission to use a song (lyrics and music). You must obtain a license from the publisher for each song used in your project. You may be required to pay a royalty. Request this license.

If you want to use one of our actual recordings, you will also need to request a master use license in advance for each song track used, and you may be required to pay a fee for usage. For the majority of the music featured on this site, Sovereign Grace Music is the owner of the recording. Request this license.

FOR USE ON A VIDEO PROJECT (DVDs, VIDEOTAPES, ETC.)

A synchronization license gives you permission to use a song (lyrics and music) on a video project. Just like a mechanical license, you must obtain one for each song in your project from the publisher. Also like a mechanical license, you may be required to pay a royalty. Request this license.

FOR INTERNET CONTENT USE

Any use of music or lyrics in any medium, including internet content sites (e.g. streaming on websites; blogs, etc,) requires permission from the publisher. A website license gives you permission to reproduce a sound recording and/or lyrics on a website (non-downloadable). Request this license.

FOR PRINTED USE (IN ANY FORM OTHER THAN PERMITTED BY A CCLI LICENSE)

A print license gives permission to duplicate a song or its lyrics on a physical, printed product. You will need to request permission for each song used. Request this license.

A website license is needed to print songs or lyrics on an internet content site. This is not covered by CCLI, and you must obtain permission for each song that you use. Request this license.

“OUTSIDE” COPYRIGHTS

An “outside” copyright is a song or other copyrighted material that appears in a Sovereign Grace Music project, but that we do not own. Sovereign Grace Music licenses the use of these songs for publication from their song owners when we create the product that you purchase. However, our license is non-transferable.

If you need a license for copyrighted material that appears in a Sovereign Grace Music project, but is owned by other publishing companies, you will be required to obtain that third party’s and/or others’ additional permission. Sovereign Grace Music makes no representation or warranty as to your proposed use of any such material.

Sovereign Grace Music cannot grant permission for songs or anything else that has third party content outside of our control. Please contact the appropriate parties for licensing requests.

Churches wishing to use lyrics in projection, song sheets or bulletins are encouraged to visit www.ccli.com for information on the Church Copyright License.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided as a public service for church musicians seeking information about copyright. Sovereign Grace Music makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any responsibility in the use of this service or its contents for its accuracy, completeness, currency, its use for any general of particular purpose, nor that such items or use of such items would not violate or infringe rights of others.

Request a License

If you already know what kind of license you need, you can skip straight to our license request page.