The music performance license that NFDA has offered for over 20 years covers the performance of music (live or recorded) that is played at any funeral service, whether at the funeral home or at another facility, as long as it is performed in connection with a funeral, memorial service, or ceremony.

U.S. Copyright Law requires a music performance license for all establishments that play copyrighted music. Penalties for violating the law can be up to $30,000 or more if the violation is deemed to be intentional and potentially even more in damages to the copyright holder.

While the music performance license covers performances, a different license is required for a funeral home to stream music performances over the internet in conjunction with a funeral, memorial service, or ceremony. Unless they have a separate live streaming license, funeral homes that offer funeral live streaming services are violating copyright laws when they broadcast over the internet any funeral service that contains copyrighted music.

NFDA has agreements with BMI, ASCAP and SESAC to offer the only group live streaming license available to funeral homes in the market, enabling you to legally live stream funeral services that include covered copyrighted music over the Internet. Recently, NFDA has entered into agreements with two newer licensing agencies, GMR and AllTrack, to offer additional licensing opportunities that cover even more music.

ASCAP, BMI, SESAC application, together covering roughly 90%–96% of public performance repertoire

Additional application for GMR, All Track (covers more contemporary music)

NFDA Music Performance License Fee & Qualifications

NFDA has expanded its music performance license program, offering the lowest rates available in the profession.

Because of NFDA’s commitment to allied associations, all FAMIC (Funeral and Memorial Information Council) member organizations and NFDA federated state associations to participate in this offering. To qualify for the $350 music performance license fee, a participant must be a member of one of those organizations. This is the same rate that NFDA members currently receive.

FAMIC members include:

The package license covers all three licensing organizations—BMI, SESAC, and ASCAP. Additional licensing opportunies are available through NFDA for music in the catalogs of GMR and AllTrack for an additional fee. Though the music performance license is available to FAMIC and federated state associations, the program is administered by NFDA, and music performance license payments should be sent directly to NFDA. The license fee does not include membership to NFDA, which provides benefits such as The Director magazine, free marketing and public relations materials, and discounted continuing education

“Music licensing is an issue that has far-reaching effects on the funeral service profession,” says NFDA Chief Executive Officer Christine Pepper, CAE. “Now that the music licensing agencies have granted NFDA this opportunity, we can provide another option for firms in the country, particularly the smaller firm. If a significant number of funeral directors, cremationists, and cemeterians respond positively, we may have even more bargaining power with the music licensing agencies, resulting in an even lower rate in the future."