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The calculation is based on a factor multiplied by your admission price, and this factor depends on the venue's capacity as determined by the authorities. Additionally, there is the question of whether your audience will be dancing. For a capacity of up to 100 and a 10 euro admission fee, this comes to 109.60 euros net, or 208.30 euros with dancing. The AKM rounds the admission price up to the nearest whole euro for this calculation.
The table shows the values from the autonomous tariff, which the AKM applies without a framework agreement. All rates are taken from the AKM tariff overview. Information on framework agreements can also be found on the same page in the service section.
Autonomous tariff 2025/26 of the AKM for individual events, all values net. For more than 1,000 people, the factor increases for every additional 100 people by 6.58 without dancing and by 12.50 with dancing.
By capacity, the AKM means all rooms, gardens, and courtyards used for your event. The number from the official permit counts, not the number of visitors on the evening itself. If you sell more tickets than the capacity allows, 10% of the revenue from the excess tickets is added, or 14% if there is dancing.
There are three methods, and they lead to very different amounts. The calculator above displays the suitable options side-by-side and highlights the more cost-effective result.
If you only collect donations, the flat rate is calculated using a donation rate of 5 euros instead of the admission price. If you require a minimum consumption, one-fifth of that amount counts as the admission fee. A morning pint event with space for 200 people, free admission, and a 700 euro artist fee therefore costs 70 euros net and 84 euros gross. The AKM calculates exactly this example in its information brochure.
The AKM performance fee is only part of the bill, as they also collect amounts for other collecting societies. If music is played from a sound carrier, an additional 23% of the AKM fee is added for the LSG, which represents performers and labels. For live music, this portion does not apply because no sound carrier is used.
Source: AKM information brochure for event organizers and the VVAT leaflet on music usage, both as of November 2025.
If you play copied music, an additional 31% is added for copying. This turns 100 euros in AKM fees into 184.80 euros gross. A municipal entertainment tax may also apply. Each municipality determines whether this applies and how high it is.
The AKM is a collecting society. It manages the music rights of composers and lyricists and distributes royalties to these rights holders after deducting its costs. Without them, you would have to ask the author for permission before using any piece. Through agreements with sister societies worldwide, the AKM also covers international music; practically every piece played on the radio falls under this.
Any use of music in front of an audience must be reported, regardless of whether it is live music or a playlist. How much you pay depends not on the piece itself, but on the context: capacity, admission fee, and whether there is dancing.
Music is free if the author has been deceased for more than 70 years and the work has not been rearranged. You can check whether a work qualifies using the AKM work search. In practice, this almost exclusively applies to classical pieces, and even then, the specific recording may have its own rights.
The second case is a private celebration within a personally invited circle. A wedding or birthday with invited guests is not a public performance. As soon as you promote the celebration or allow outside guests to attend, it becomes a public event that must be reported. A company party counts as public, even if only the team attends.
Streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube do not cover public music usage with a private subscription, as stated in their terms and conditions. For events and businesses, you need your own sound carriers, a radio, or a license for businesses. The AKM performance license is required in any case.
Members of the WKO and the VVAT are billed according to the general agreement rather than the standard tariff. The difference is significant: for a capacity of up to 100, the factor is 6 instead of 10.96. For a tent festival with space for 500 and a 5-euro admission fee, the total drops from 614.98 euros to 369.77 euros gross.
For club parties and other association events, it is worth checking the umbrella organization's framework agreement. Therefore, tell the AKM which association you belong to when registering. A framework agreement does not affect minimum rates; the tariff value remains the same there.
If music is played continuously, you do not pay for a single event, but rather a monthly flat rate. In the catering industry, the AKM classifies the establishment into groups based on type, location, facilities, and price level, and multiplies the base price by your average monthly guest frequency.
Autonomous AKM tariffs for 2025/26 for ongoing events, net. Group A consists of simple establishments and Group B of medium-sized ones, while Groups C and D include first-class establishments and bars.
The frequency is determined jointly by the AKM and the business, based on seating, occupancy, and opening days. A medium-sized establishment with 2,078 guests per month pays 140.06 euros net for the AKM fee. Businesses without customer traffic calculate based on headcount: 26.79 euros per month for 10 to 30 people. For public viewing, the tariff for television broadcasting applies. Live music performances, public dancing, and admission fees move the business into the higher tariff for primary music usage.
In that case, the AKM is entitled to charge double the fee plus inspection costs. The legal basis for this is the Copyright Act. This can quickly turn 614.98 euros for a marquee event into over 1,200 euros.
Therefore, register your event in the AKM portal at least three working days in advance so they can grant you the performance license. If your event is organized on short notice, 24 hours' notice with a note is sufficient. The invoice is due within 14 days. The guide to AKM fees shows how the registration process works in detail.
The same logic applies to events in Germany, albeit with different figures. For this, there is the GEMA calculator.
The examples come directly from the calculator. They show the standard rate without a framework agreement, i.e., the case without membership.
All values from the calculator above, standard rate without a framework agreement, including the LSG share and 20% VAT.
The jump for public dancing is striking. It almost doubles the factor, affecting every ball and marquee event. If you are planning a graduation ball, it is best to factor the AKM into your budget early on.
From experience: We see the three most common calculation errors time and time again.
If you still need the equipment, plan it in now. Sound systems in the right size are available from Renty with no deposit, for pickup or with on-site setup.
For a capacity of up to 100 people and a 10-euro entry fee, the cost is 109.60 euros net without dancing and 208.30 euros with public dancing. If there is no entry fee, the minimum rate is 13.58 euros or 25.81 euros with dancing. In addition, there is a 23% surcharge for LSG for music from recorded media, plus 20% VAT.
The person organizing and liable for the event must pay. For music in a venue, it is the business itself. The DJ or band does not pay anything, but they must report the tracks played.
Only works whose creators have been deceased for over 70 years and which have not been adapted by anyone in the AKM repertoire. You can check if a piece qualifies using the AKM work search. However, the rights of the artists still apply to recordings of such works.
No, as long as the celebration remains private—meaning only personally invited guests attend and there is no public promotion. As soon as tickets are sold or the event is open to the public, it is considered a public event and must be registered. A company party is also considered public, even if only the team attends.
No. The terms and conditions of Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube only permit private use. For public music, you need a radio, your own physical media, or a service licensed for business use. Registering with AKM does not replace this; it is an additional requirement.
AKM manages the performance rights for composers and lyricists. Austro Mechana handles copying and storage media remuneration. LSG represents performers and labels. AKM collects all three fees in a single invoice.
Use these free calculators and generators to plan the rest of your event, from the technical requirements to the tournament schedule.
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