West End Community Church has a license to use music as outlined by Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI).  License # 1397170

 
 Church Copyright License
CCLI offers what is called the Church Copyright License. It can loose your music department from the rigid demands of the copyright law and leave you free to legally copy over 150,000 songs and hymns. Here are just some of the ways the Church Copyright License allows you to copy songs:  Go to CCLI's website for more information: www.ccli.com

Record your worship service on tape.
Studies reveal that over 50% of churches record their weekly services for a tape ministry. This service is a real blessing to shut-ins, adults who work with children during services, missionaries and out-of-town members. The Church Copyright License allows you to legally include the song service on your recording.

Project songs from your overhead or slide projector.
Creating slides and overhead transparencies for projections is a practice used by many churches. They find projecting the songs by slide or overhead projector is useful for worship services, youth meetings, adult classes or prayer group where hymnals or other song resources are not available. Overheads are also helpful when introducing new songs and with the Church Copyright License your song selections are almost limitless.

Copy songs in bulletins that you hand out before worship service.
Many churches find it helpful to print the songs that will be sung during the worship service in the weekly bulletin. It makes it very easy for members to participate in the song service and gives the music minister a lot of flexibility. With the Church Copyright License you can legally copy any of over 150,000 covered songs. Almost every song sung in churches today.

Copy music on to songsheet handouts.
Here is another very convenient way to provide your congregation with songs for your services. Covered music can be copied from hymnals or songbooks or simply typed and duplicated. This practice is especially helpful for special services like Easter or Christmas programs when you're expecting visitors.

Copying songs from a variety of sources to create your own church songbooks.
This is proving to be a wonderful option to many churches. It allows them to select their favorite songs from a host of hymnals and songbooks and compile their own congregational songbook. It's an ideal and cost-effective way to utilize traditional and contemporary songs in your worship services.

Maintain a database of songs on your computer.
Even copying songs onto your computer requires legal permission. But for churches that regularly print songs in bulletins or on songsheet handouts a computer file of songs is a logical step. In fact some churches with very modern capabilities actually project songs from their computers. Whatever the case, the Church Copyright License is a perfect companion for a computer song base.

Make audio or videotapes of weddings, camps and special services.
The copyright law even prohibits copying songs on videotapes and cassettes at special functions without permission. But that doesn't have to stop you from recording congregational singing at weddings, holiday services and programs, even church-sponsored meetings outside the church. The Church Copyright License can help you cover all your bases.

IMPORTANT: This License does not convey the right to photocopy octavos, cantatas, musicals, orchestrations, vocal scores, handbell music, or other instrumental arrangements.
 
What's the Cost?
The annual fee for a Church Copyright License is determined by the size of your church. Church size is based on regular attendance at your main service(s). If your church holds multiple services, use the combined attendance figure. The total fee includes License, postage and handling.

Royalties from License fees are distributed to the song composers and publishers fairly, based upon a special song survey that churches fill out when requested (six months out over 2.5 years).

 
Category Church Size Annual Fee
AH 1-24 $46
A 25-99 $93
B 100-199 $156
C 200-499 $203
D 500-999 $282
E 1,000-1,499 $345
F 1,500-2,999 $414
G 3,000-4,999 $466
H 5,000-9,999 $587
I 10,000-19,999 $708
J 20,000-49,999 $940
K 50,000-99,999 $1408
L 100,000-199,999 $2371
M 200,000 + $3791

  • "Church size" is based on regular attendance at your main service(s). If your church holds multiple services, use the combined attendance figure.
  • The total fee includes License and service fees.
  • Amounts stated in United States dollars.

 

Copyright Laws
The first modern law governing copyright protection began with "the Statute of Ann" which was passed by British Parliament in 1709. There have been several amendments around the world since then, including the Copyright Act of 1976 in the USA, and the Copyright Act of 1985 in United States.

The purpose of the copyright law is to promote the use of copyrights and at the same time protect the rights of the copyright owner.

A copyright is an exclusive right given to an author of an original created work. It is an asset, a legal interest, protected by law. Included in the exclusive rights given to the copyright owner is the right to copy the work into any form, including in print, on screen, or on tape.

The copyright law is very clear on copying music. If you do not have express permission from the rightful owner of the song, you can not make a copy. (It is advisable to have that permission in writing in case of need for legal reference.) There have been a number of copyright disputes, although most have been settled privately. You can imagine how uncomfortable it is for a Christian songwriter to address legal entanglements with a church.

Some church music leaders have made efforts to honor the law and have tried to obtain permission first from the copyright owner before making copies. This is often a time-consuming challenge and in many cases an administrative nightmare.

Many have agreed -- the copyright law is fair but not practical. That's why more than 129,000 churches are taking advantage of the Church Copyright License from CCLI.

Do you have any questions about the copyright laws and how they might apply to you and your church? Please Email Sales.

For more information regarding copyright laws please refer to the U.S. Copyright Office