Music and Footage Licence Checklist

Clear every track, clip and stock asset before a video goes live – sync and master rights, PRS and PPL, stock licences, Creative Commons, public domain and AI-generated music.

Editable Word document
8
10pages
Guidance notes included
aml consultancy solutions

Creative & agencies

Music and Footage Licence Checklist

About this document

What it’s for

A working checklist and clearance register for videographers, editors, agencies and businesses that use music, stock footage or images in content. It walks through each type of source, the licence you need for it, and the records to keep so you can answer a takedown, Content ID claim or client query quickly.

When to use it

  • At the start of every video, podcast, presentation or campaign that uses music or third-party footage
  • Before delivering files to a client, and again before a licence extension or new use
  • When a platform raises a copyright claim

What’s inside

The document is laid out in the sections below. Each one comes with a plain-English guidance note explaining what it does and what to change.

  • A. Before you start
  • B. Music basics – the two rights
  • C. Commercial music (chart, catalogue and well-known tracks)
  • D. Production music and library music
  • E. Royalty-free and subscription music
  • F. PRS for Music and PPL – playing music in public
  • G. Stock footage, images and templates
  • H. Creative Commons
  • I. Public domain
  • J. AI-generated music, voices and footage
  • K. Delivery, claims and record keeping
  • Music cue sheet
  • Sign-off

How to complete it

  • Work through Sections A to K, ticking each item that applies
  • Record every asset in the Clearance Register in Section L
  • Store licence certificates, receipts and screenshots of licence terms in the project folder
  • Pass the completed register to the client with the final files

Key points to check

  • A PPL PRS licence to play music in public does not let you put music in a video
  • Music always has two rights – the song and the recording
  • Licence terms change: save a copy of the terms on the day you download

Our templates are professionally structured starting points for UK businesses, not legal advice. For anything complex, unusual or high-value, have your final version checked by a solicitor.

Included in the pack

Creative & agencies

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Editable Microsoft Word files

Guidance notes in every document

Written for UK businesses

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