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      What is a Member? How do I create one?

      A Member is the person or entity that is authorized to administer musical works, and receive digital audio mechanical royalties related to their use. A Member may be a publisher, administrator or a self-administered songwriter, composer or lyricist.   

       For you or someone you represent to receive mechanical royalties, a Member needs to be established. All Members need to have at least one payable entity in their hierarchy.    

       

      Click on an option below to find out more. 

      Do I need to create a Member?

      Songwriters, Composers and Lyricists (Referred to as "writers" by The MLC): 

      Self-administered writers have the sole right to register, license and collect royalties for their works. These writers should register as Members in order to collect royalties for their works.  

      Partially administered writers will only need to be a Member for the works that they administer.    

      If you have an HFA online account, your works will  already exist in The MLC database, but you will need to create a Member to enter tax and banking information in order to receive royalties.


      Publishers:

      If you have an HFA online account, works you manage will already exist in The MLC database, but you will need to create a Member to enter tax and banking information in order to receive royalties.

      If you do not have an HFA online account, you will need to create a Member account. 


      How to create a Member

      To create a Member, follow the steps below:

      1. Log into The MLC Portal and click on the blue circle with your initials in the top right-hand corner, then select Profile.
      2. Select the 'Members' tab (to the right of "User" tab), then click the blue Create a Member button on the far right.
        • When selecting a name for your Member, avoid using the same name as your Writer name to avoid confusion later.
      3. You will be asked to select what type of user you are. Songwriters, composers and lyricists - Remember that you should only create a Member if you are partially or fully self-administered.
        • If you're unsure which of the four options to select in the Which type of user are you? section, please review the Membership Quick Guide on The MLC website here.
      4. The Member will then go through an identity verification process. They will show as "Pending" in the 'Member' tab until approved. The verification process usually takes 24-48 hours to complete.
      5. Once approved, please be sure to enter payment and tax information, as you will not be able to manage the Member's catalog without it.  You can enter this information in the 'Banking Information' section of the 'Member Settings' tab.