Title 17, CopyrightsRelease 119-110

§1007 Procedures for Distributing Royalty Payments

Title 17 › CHAPTER 10 — DIGITAL AUDIO RECORDING DEVICES AND MEDIA › SUBCHAPTER C — ROYALTY PAYMENTS › § 1007

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Each year, during the first 2 months, anyone who wants royalty money for the previous year must file a claim with the Copyright Royalty Judges in the way the Judges require. People in each group named in section 1006(b) may agree among themselves on how to divide the royalties, file one joint claim, or pick a common agent (including an organization in section 1001(7)(D)) to act for them. Those agreements cannot change the split rules in section 1006(b). After the filing window, the Judges check for any dispute about dividing payments under section 1006(c). If there is no dispute, the Judges must authorize payment within 30 days according to the agreed split, after the Librarian of Congress deducts reasonable administrative costs. If there is a dispute, the Judges must hold a proceeding under chapter 8, withhold enough money to cover disputed claims, but may pay out amounts that are not in dispute; the Librarian still deducts administrative costs before any payment.

Full Legal Text

Title 17, §1007

Copyrights, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Filing of Claims and Negotiations.—
(1)Filing of claims.—
During the first 2 months of each calendar year, every interested copyright party seeking to receive royalty payments to which such party is entitled under section 1006 shall file with the Copyright Royalty Judges a claim for payments collected during the preceding year in such form and manner as the Copyright Royalty Judges shall prescribe by regulation.
(2)Negotiations.—
Notwithstanding any provision of the antitrust laws, for purposes of this section interested copyright parties within each group specified in section 1006(b) may agree among themselves to the proportionate division of royalty payments, may lump their claims together and file them jointly or as a single claim, or may designate a common agent, including any organization described in section 1001(7)(D), to negotiate or receive payment on their behalf; except that no agreement under this subsection may modify the allocation of royalties specified in section 1006(b).
(b)Distribution of Payments in the Absence of a Dispute.—
After the period established for the filing of claims under subsection (a), in each year, the Copyright Royalty Judges shall determine whether there exists a controversy concerning the distribution of royalty payments under section 1006(c). If the Copyright Royalty Judges determine that no such controversy exists, the Copyright Royalty Judges shall, within 30 days after such determination, authorize the distribution of the royalty payments as set forth in the agreements regarding the distribution of royalty payments entered into pursuant to subsection (a). The Librarian of Congress shall, before such royalty payments are distributed, deduct the reasonable administrative costs incurred under this section.
(c)Resolution of Disputes.—
If the Copyright Royalty Judges find the existence of a controversy, the Copyright Royalty Judges shall, pursuant to chapter 8 of this title, conduct a proceeding to determine the distribution of royalty payments. During the pendency of such a proceeding, the Copyright Royalty Judges shall withhold from distribution an amount sufficient to satisfy all claims with respect to which a controversy exists, but shall, to the extent feasible, authorize the distribution of any amounts that are not in controversy. The Librarian of Congress shall, before such royalty payments are distributed, deduct the reasonable administrative costs incurred under this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–303, § 4(f)(1), substituted “Copyright Royalty Judges” for “Librarian of Congress” in second sentence and struck out “by the Librarian” after “administrative costs incurred” in last sentence. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–303, § 4(f)(2), struck out “by the Librarian” after “administrative costs incurred” in last sentence. 2004—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–419, § 5(i)(3)(A), reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “During the first 2 months of each calendar year after calendar year 1992, every interested copyright party seeking to receive royalty payments to which such party is entitled under section 1006 shall file with the Librarian of Congress a claim for payments collected during the preceding year in such form and manner as the Librarian of Congress shall prescribe by regulation.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–419, § 5(i)(3)(B), reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “After the period established for the filing of claims under subsection (a), in each year after 1992, the Librarian of Congress shall determine whether there exists a controversy concerning the distribution of royalty payments under section 1006(c). If the Librarian of Congress determines that no such controversy exists, the Librarian of Congress shall, within 30 days after such determination, authorize the distribution of the royalty payments as set forth in the agreements regarding the distribution of royalty payments entered into pursuant to subsection (a), after deducting its reasonable administrative costs under this section.” Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–419, § 5(i)(3)(B), reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “If the Librarian of Congress finds the existence of a controversy, the Librarian shall, pursuant to chapter 8 of this title, convene a copyright arbitration royalty panel to determine the distribution of royalty payments. During the pendency of such a proceeding, the Librarian of Congress shall withhold from distribution an amount sufficient to satisfy all claims with respect to which a controversy exists, but shall, to the extent feasible, authorize the distribution of any amounts that are not in controversy. The Librarian of Congress shall, before authorizing the distribution of such royalty payments, deduct the reasonable administrative costs incurred by the Librarian under this section.” 1997—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–80, § 12(a)(25)(A), substituted “calendar year 1992” for “the calendar year in which this chapter takes effect”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–80, §§ 9, 12(a)(25)(B), substituted “After the period established” for “Within 30 days after the period established” and “each year after 1992” for “each year after the year in which this section takes effect”. 1993—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103–198, § 6(b)(4)(A), substituted “Librarian of Congress” for “Copyright Royalty Tribunal” before “a claim for” and for “Tribunal” before “shall prescribe”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–198, § 6(b)(4)(B), substituted “Librarian of Congress” for “Copyright Royalty Tribunal” before “shall determine whether” and for “Tribunal” wherever appearing. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–198, § 6(b)(4)(C), substituted first sentence for “If the Tribunal finds the existence of a controversy, it shall, pursuant to chapter 8 of this title, conduct a proceeding to determine the distribution of royalty payments.”, substituted “Librarian of Congress” for “Tribunal” wherever appearing in second and third sentences, and “the reasonable administrative costs incurred by the Librarian” for “its reasonable administrative costs” in last sentence.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2006 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 109–303 effective as if included in the Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act of 2004, Pub. L. 108–419, see section 6 of Pub. L. 109–303, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2004 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 108–419 effective 6 months after Nov. 30, 2004, subject to transition provisions, see section 6 of Pub. L. 108–419, set out as an

Effective Date

Transition Provisions note under section 801 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

17 U.S.C. § 1007

Title 17, Copyrights

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110