The MLC’s policies are intended to facilitate the timely and efficient processing of catalog transfers, conflicts and disputes involving claims to musical works, and statutory terminations. The MLC established these policies under the guidance of the Dispute Resolution Committee, as required in the Music Modernization Act of 2018 (MMA).
Catalog Transfer Policy
The Catalog Transfer Policy outlines the standard procedures The MLC uses to (a) analyze catalog transfer requests, (b) administer royalties for works, or shares of works that are subject to a catalog transfer, and (c) address conflicts and disputes that arise in the catalog transfer process.
Click here to read the current version of the Catalog Transfer Policy. Additional information about The MLC’s catalog transfer process and The MLC's Catalog Transfer Tool, which enables Members to facilitate and manage catalog transfers directly within their Member Hub accounts, can be found here.
Ownership Dispute Policy
The Ownership Dispute Policy addresses disputes between or among copyright owners related to ownership claims of musical works (i.e., what we do when there is a disagreement about who owns the copyright to a song). To read the full Ownership Dispute Policy, click here.
Also, if you are unable to register a share of a work because another party is already claiming all or part of the same share resulting in a conflict, then you may seek to resolve the conflict through a conflict procedure as outlined in the Ownership Dispute Policy. To give notice to The MLC of a conflict, click here.
Statutory Terminations Policy
The Statutory Terminations Policy outlines the standard procedures The MLC uses to (1) review and address Termination Claims, (2) administer Royalties for Works/Shares that are subject to Termination Claims, and (3) address Termination Disputes.
To read the full Statutory Terminations Policy, click here. For more information about Statutory Terminations and to access the Termination Notice Form required to initiate a Termination Claim, please click here.
Policy Archives
Click here to access prior versions of the policies.
Foreign Language Documentation
When The MLC Policy requires the submission of documentation and the documentation is in a foreign language, The MLC requires the submission of a completed and signed Foreign Language Documentation Summary form along with any foreign language documentation. Please click here to access the Foreign Language Documentation Summary form.
