# Music licensing at your event: how Buma/Stemra and Sena work — MijnEvent [Home](https://mijnevent.nl/en) / [Blog for event organizers](https://mijnevent.nl/en/blog) / Music licensing at your event: how Buma/Stemra and Sena work legislation music-rights festival finance # Music licensing at your event: how Buma/Stemra and Sena work Playing music at your festival, parade, sports day or theatre show? You almost always owe music royalties. Here's a clear breakdown of who collects what and how to settle it in one go. [Jasper Koers](https://mijnevent.nl/en/author/jasper-koers) · 9 March 2026 · 7 min read ![](https://regify-mijnevent.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/blog/covers/music-licensing-events-buma-sena.webp) Photo: [Matthew Kalapuch](https://unsplash.com/@matthewkalapuch?utm_source=MijnEvent&utm_medium=referral) / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=MijnEvent&utm_medium=referral) In short - Two separate rights apply: Buma/Stemra collects copyright for the creators, and Sena collects neighbouring rights for performers and record companies on recorded music only. - For 2026, Buma/Stemra applies a degressive tariff: 7% on the first €100,000, tapering to 2.50% for higher brackets. Sena charges 1.625% at a ticket price up to €112.77 excl. VAT, plus a 12.5% RAAP-PPI surcharge in the events sector (roughly 1.83% effective). - The organiser is legally the licensee and paying party, not the DJ or band; even free-entry events may require an event licence. - You settle both in one step via MijnLicentie: apply before the event and file one combined declaration within 30 days afterwards at evenementen@mijnlicentie.nl. Not legal advice This article explains the rules as we read them, on the date of publication. It is general information, not legal advice — your situation may differ. The moment music plays at your event — a live band on a parade, a DJ in the marquee, a playlist between sports matches, or the house music at a theatre show — you owe music royalties. Not because the platform or the municipality made that up, but because it's written into law. Many organisers only find out when the invoice lands. It doesn't have to be that way: once you understand how it works, you simply budget for it. Below we explain, plainly, who collects what, when it applies, roughly what you'll pay, and how to settle it in one step. *Updated on 20 July 2026: rates corrected. The Buma rate of 7% is degressive (it applies only to the first €100,000) and its basis is broader than ticket revenue; Sena has no 60% repertoire threshold, and a 12.5% RAAP-PPI surcharge applies in the events sector.* This article covers the Dutch situation; if you organise events in another EU country, the principle is the same but the collecting societies and rates differ — check your national society. # Two rights, two organisations The biggest misconception: people assume "Buma" is one pot that covers all music. In reality there are two separate rights, and therefore two separate organisations collecting money. ## Buma/Stemra — copyright [Buma/Stemra](https://bumastemra.nl/) collects on behalf of the **creators**: composers, lyricists and music publishers. The legal basis is the Dutch Copyright Act ([Auteurswet](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0001886)), which dates back to 1912. Anyone who makes a work public — and an event with an audience counts as making it public — needs permission and pays a fee for it. Whether it's a cover band, a DJ spinning other people's tracks, or a Spotify playlist over the speakers: copyright sits on the composition, not on the specific recording. ## Sena — neighbouring rights [Sena](https://sena.nl/licentie/evenementen) collects on behalf of the **performers**: the artists who played the track and the record company that produced the recording. These are the "neighbouring rights", governed by the Dutch Neighbouring Rights Act ([Wet op de naburige rechten](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0005921)) from 1993. Sena only applies to **recorded** music — a DJ set or audio from a sound carrier. If only live music plays (a band performing their own or someone else's work), there's no Sena component, because no commercial recording is being played. In short: Buma/Stemra is about who wrote it, Sena about who recorded it. For a DJ or background music you usually pay both. For a purely live performance, usually only Buma/Stemra. # Does this apply to your event? Almost always, yes. The rules barely distinguish between a large dance party and a modest club night. A few of the guidelines [Sena](https://sena.nl/licentie/evenementen) applies: - If you run an event at an **external venue** (a rented hall, a tent, a field), you almost always need a separate event licence. - If you have your **own venue** with a running music licence, an event with an entry fee up to €25 (excl. VAT) is usually included. Charge more, or offer free entry, and a separate event licence is required. - One-off or small-scale moments — a market, a Christmas celebration, a sports tournament with music — fall under it too. Day licences exist for those. So free entry does not automatically mean you have nothing to arrange. If you're unsure about registration and permits for a free event, read [why your small event deserves tickets](/en/blog/why-small-events-deserve-tickets) — it explains how attendee registration helps with exactly these obligations. # Roughly what will you pay? The fee is calculated per event, usually as a **percentage of the box-office revenue** (recette) or of the artist fees. The exact percentages are set in the annual tariff texts and depend on how much of the music played belongs to each society's repertoire. - **Buma/Stemra**, in its [General Music Tariff 2026](https://bumastemra.nl/app/uploads/BUM.121.26_02-Algemeen-uitgebreide-tarief-1.pdf), applies a **degressive** tariff: **7% on the first €100,000**, then tapering through 6.25%, 5.50%, 4.75%, 4.00% and 3.25% to 2.50% for the highest brackets. That 7% rate applies when **more than two-thirds of the programme's total running time** is Buma repertoire — it is measured in playing time, not in number of tracks. Note the basis too: it is broader than ticket revenue alone, covering admission income **plus subsidies, donations, sponsorship and other income**, excluding VAT. If your artist fees or buyout sums exceed the ticket revenue, Buma charges over those instead. A floor based on floor area always applies (€33.55 to €122.47 per day), and licensing late adds a 10–20% surcharge. - **Sena** charges **1.625% of revenue at a ticket price up to €112.77 excl. VAT** for dance and entertainment events, and 1.3% above that. Contrary to a common belief there is no 60% repertoire threshold: what sets the basis is the **share of mechanical (recorded) music** within your event. In the events sector a **12.5% RAAP-PPI surcharge** applies on top, bringing the effective rate to roughly **1.83%**. For free events Sena charges per visitor (€0.100, with a minimum and maximum per event). Rates are indexed annually to the Dutch CPI. So for a small to mid-sized event with mostly well-known music, budget roughly just under 9% of your ticket revenue for music royalties combined. Grow past the Buma brackets and that percentage falls — a large box office pays proportionally less. It is still not a small amount, which is exactly why it's wise to factor it in when setting your ticket price. In [how to price tickets for your event](/en/blog/which-plan-fits-your-event) we walk through the cost side — music royalties belong there, alongside the [ticket types and capacity](/en/blog/ticket-types-and-capacity) decisions that shape your revenue. Note: these are indicative figures. Your own situation — event type, repertoire, entry price — determines the exact rate. Always confirm it in your declaration. # How to settle it in practice The good news: you don't have to visit two desks separately. Buma/Stemra and Sena work together under the name [MijnLicentie](https://www.mijnlicentie.nl/). The practical route: 1. **Apply for the licence before your event.** The organiser is legally the licensee and paying party — not the DJ or the band. So count on it yourself. 2. **Declare within 30 days after the event.** You fill in one combined declaration form (Buma and Sena together) and send it to `evenementen@mijnlicentie.nl`. You report your revenue, the type of music and the visitor count. 3. **You receive a tailored invoice.** The societies calculate the final amount from your declaration. The Sena invoice is VAT-exempt; payment is due within 30 days. So keep your sales figures tidy — you'll need them for an accurate declaration. A platform that gives you a clear per-event overview of tickets sold and revenue makes this much easier. # Three misconceptions that cost money **"The DJ sorts that out."** No. In almost all cases the organiser is the licensee, not the artist. Don't make assumptions about this in your agreements with acts. **"Entry is free, so it doesn't apply."** Even free events may require an event licence. The calculation then works differently (often based on visitor count or budget rather than revenue), but the obligation stands. **"I'm just playing a playlist."** Background music from a streaming service also falls under Buma/Stemra and Sena. A private Spotify subscription does not grant you permission for public use at an event. # Budget for it and it won't surprise you Music royalties aren't a surprise but a fixed cost — as predictable as your venue rent. Put them in your budget from the start, arrange the licence on time via MijnLicentie, and keep your sales figures for a smooth declaration afterwards. With MijnEvent you see exactly how many tickets you've sold and what your revenue is per event — precisely the data you need for your declaration to Buma/Stemra and Sena. No percentage commission on your turnover, just a flat fee per ticket, so your revenue is easy to reconcile. [See the pricing](/en/pricing) or [register your organisation](/registreer) and keep your records in order from the very first ticket. Legislation changes and tariffs are revised annually. We do our best to keep this article current and link to the source where we can, but we cannot guarantee everything still holds at the moment you read it. If a decision carries financial or legal consequences, check with the authority itself or put it to a lawyer or adviser. See also our [general disclaimer](https://mijnevent.nl/en/disclaimer). Frequently asked questions ## Frequently asked questions ## What is the difference between Buma/Stemra and Sena? Buma/Stemra collects copyright on behalf of the creators — composers, lyricists and publishers — based on the composition. Sena collects neighbouring rights for the performers and record company and applies only to recorded music such as a DJ set; a purely live performance usually has no Sena component. ## Roughly how much do music royalties cost for an event? For 2026, Buma/Stemra applies a degressive tariff — 7% on the first €100,000, then tapering to 2.50% — when more than two-thirds of the programme's total running time is Buma repertoire. Sena charges 1.625% at a ticket price up to €112.77 excl. VAT, plus a 12.5% RAAP-PPI surcharge in the events sector. For a small to mid-sized event with mostly well-known music, budget roughly just under 9% of your ticket revenue combined; larger events pay proportionally less. ## Do I still need a licence if entry to my event is free? Often yes. Free entry does not automatically exempt you; an event licence may still be required, though the calculation then works differently — often based on visitor count or budget rather than revenue. 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