Copyright & Licensing

If you sampled “Blue Suede Shoes” by Elvis Presley, you would need a master license from RCA as the owner of that specific recording and a mechanical license from Harry Fox Agency to pay the royalties to the publishing company.

All orders submitted to United Record Pressing are audio tested. If your source material contains samples of any kind, regardless of length, you will be asked to provide licensing or to edit out the sample, otherwise your order will be rejected. If the order is rejected, you will be billed for any charges incurred to the point of audio testing as well as an order cancellation fee.

If you’re putting someone else’s recording on your record either as a sample or in its entirety, you need a master license. This is obtained from the original owner of the actual recording that is being replicated (ie: record label, movie, television, etc). This license pays for the use of the exact replica of material owned by the record label, artist, production company, etc.

A mechanical license is needed when you are either using a cover song or are licensing someone else’s song. This can usually be obtained through the Harry Fox Agency. The mechanical license pays royalties to the writers/publishers of the material being used. If the material is not available through Harry Fox Agency, then the publishing company would need to be contacted for this license.

If you are originating an order from one of the countries listed below, United requires that you register your content with the corresponding performing rights organization for your country. For example, if you are in Australia, you would first need to register the work your label is reproducing with APRA. United then requires that you submit that licensing information to us before we can begin pressing your records.