Music Licence for Pilates, Yoga and Dance Classes (UK)

Music is half the atmosphere of a good class. It sets the pace in a mat flow, keeps a barre set honest and is non-negotiable in a dance lesson. In the UK, though, playing it to a room of paying clients counts as playing music in public under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and that usually needs permission from the people who wrote and recorded it.

The good news: for most instructors there is one licence to sort, it is cheaper than people fear, and the answer depends mostly on one question. Who runs the space you teach in? Below are the four situations I see most often, with the official example prices from PPL PRS, the joint company that issues TheMusicLicence.

Short answer by scenario

A bit of background that clears up a lot of old advice: until 2018 businesses needed two separate licences, one from PPL (record companies and performers) and one from PRS for Music (songwriters, composers and publishers). PPL PRS Ltd now issues a single licence, TheMusicLicence, which covers both repertoires and, in its own words, "the vast majority of commercially released music". If someone tells you that you need "a PPL and a PRS", they usually mean this one licence.

Scenario 1: your own studio (operator licence route)

If you lease or own the premises and run the timetable, you are the operator. PPL PRS has a separate route "for those who run a gym or fitness/dance studio", and, unlike the instructor route, it does not publish example prices for it. Their fitness page asks you to get in touch with your details for a quote.

What this means in practice:

• The licence is in the business's name and covers music played in your venue, whether that is a speaker in a Reformer room, background music in reception or a TV on the wall. PPL PRS notes that a TV licence only covers receiving broadcasts; showing TV in business premises needs a music licence too.
• Most licences renew automatically. If your music use changes (you add a second studio room, start a dance timetable, put screens in reception), you are expected to tell them, because it can change the fee.
• If instructors on your timetable are self-employed, make it clear in your agreement with them whether your venue licence covers their classes. Confirm the wording with PPL PRS rather than assuming.

If you are still at the planning stage, add this to your opening budget alongside insurance and equipment. Our guide on how to open a Pilates studio in the UK covers the rest of the list.

Scenario 2: you teach in a village or church hall (instructor licence)

This is the most common setup for new instructors, and the official guidance is direct: instructors and dance teachers who host classes in venues such as church halls or community centres "will need to have a music licence in place". The hall's own licence (if it has one) is not something you should rely on for your classes.

PPL PRS publishes two worked examples, both plus VAT and stated as correct as of July 2026:

They also quote "from" figures of 95p per day for fitness classes and 26p per day for dance classes. Prices are subject to change, so treat these as a guide and get your own quote.

How I would think about it: at £2.30 a class, the licence for a hall timetable like the one above works out at roughly £6.90 a week plus VAT, often less than a single drop-in fee. Build it into your class price from the start rather than absorbing it later.

Scenario 3: you teach at a gym or studio you don't run

Here the answer genuinely depends on the arrangement, and PPL PRS keeps the operator route and the independent instructor route separate. So do not assume either way.

Ask the operator these questions, ideally by email so you have it in writing:

1. Do you hold TheMusicLicence for this venue?
2. Does it cover classes run by self-employed or freelance instructors, or only classes you run yourselves?
3. Does it cover the room and the type of class I teach (fitness, dance, online or hybrid)?

If the answers are vague, call PPL PRS on 0116 290 0525 (8am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to 3pm Friday) and describe the setup. A quick call is far better than finding out after a few months of classes.

Scenario 4: dance teachers and the RQF exam exception

Dance teachers have one specific carve-out. For dance tuition providers that are not "educational establishments" under the CDPA 1988, PRS for Music operates a discretionary charging policy under its Tariff F & D. The condition is that music is performed "within the context of and for the purposes of a lesson and/or examination" aligned with RQF Level 1 or above. In those cases PRS will not charge for the qualifying sessions.

Points to keep in mind:

• It is a PRS policy, so it relates to the PRS side of the licence, not automatically the whole thing.
• It covers lessons and exams leading to a recognised qualification, not every dance-themed class. A dance fitness or social class is unlikely to fit.
• Check your specific syllabus and timetable with PPL PRS before you rely on it.

What a quote needs and how to get one

For fitness instructors, PPL PRS asks for two numbers:

• Number of lessons or classes per year
• Annual aggregate attendance (the total number of attendances across all classes in the year, not the number of unique clients)

You can call 0116 290 0525 or use the online quote form on the PPL PRS website. Confirmation arrives by email or post; postal licences come with a window sticker.

If you are already running classes, your booking history is the easiest place to get these figures. Many booking systems show attendance per class, so you can add up a year's sessions and check-ins instead of guessing. If you are just starting, estimate honestly from your planned timetable and capacity, then update PPL PRS when your real numbers settle. In Lorari, for example, each class in the calendar keeps its list of bookings and attendance, which makes these figures easier to pull together at renewal time.

Quick estimate template:

Alternatives: royalty-free and production music

Some instructors avoid the licence by using only music that is licensed for commercial public use. This can work, but be careful:

• "Royalty-free" does not automatically mean free to play in public to paying clients. Read the licence terms for public performance in a commercial setting.
• Personal streaming accounts such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music or YouTube are for personal use under their terms. PPL PRS says that to stream music in a business you need a commercial streaming service, and that you will usually still need TheMusicLicence on top of it.
• If your playlist includes commercially released music outside that catalogue, you are likely back to needing TheMusicLicence.
• Keep a copy of the licence terms of any music service you use, in case you are asked.

For most studios with a varied playlist, the licence is simpler than policing every track.

Checklist before your first class

• Decide which scenario applies: own studio, hired hall, or someone else's venue
• If you teach at someone else's venue, get the operator's answer about cover in writing
• Estimate classes per year and annual aggregate attendance
• Call 0116 290 0525 or use the online form for a quote
• Check whether any dance lessons qualify under the RQF Level 1+ policy
• Check the terms of any streaming or royalty-free service you use
• Add the licence cost (plus VAT) to your class pricing
• Note the renewal date and report changes in music use
• File the licence confirmation with your insurance and your PAR-Q forms

If you are also choosing tools for the studio side, our comparison of studio software alternatives is a good starting point.

Summary

• Playing recorded or live music in classes is a public performance and usually needs TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS.
• Own studio: you need a venue quote; prices are not published.
• Hall or community centre: instructors need their own licence. Official example: £345 a year (£2.30 a class) + VAT for 3 fitness classes a week over 50 weeks; £96.24 (64p a class) + VAT for a comparable dance timetable. Stated by PPL PRS as correct as of July 2026, so treat them as approximate and check the current figures.
• Someone else's gym or studio: ask the operator in writing and confirm with PPL PRS.
• PRS may not charge for dance lessons or exams leading to an RQF Level 1+ qualification.
• A quote needs classes per year and annual aggregate attendance. Phone 0116 290 0525.