Licensing Basics
A Year-End Licensing Paperwork Checklist for Independent Artists
By the Starchild Music team · October 25, 2026 · 5 min read
The short answer
Before the year ends, collect every license certificate in one folder, check that credits on your releases match them, confirm registrations like SoundExchange and The MLC are in order, and note when any exclusive term ends. An hour of filing in December saves days of searching when a platform or a buyer asks for proof of permission.
Release schedules slow down in late fall, which makes it the best time to tidy your paperwork. A little order now pays off if a platform ever asks you to prove permission.
This checklist is for artists who licensed songs this year. It takes about an hour.
1. Gather every certificate
Put each license certificate PDF in one folder, named by song and date. Add the receipt and a copy of the license text you agreed to.
Back it up in a second place. Anyone can check a Starchild certificate at /verify, so you can always show it quickly.
2. Compare credits with certificates
Open each release on the streaming services and compare the writers to the certificate. Spotify says credits come from the metadata your distributor provides, so any fix goes through the distributor.
Corrected credits usually appear on Spotify within seven days of delivery.
3. Look up your songs in the public data
The MLC's Public Work Search is free and needs no login. Look up each song you released and check that the writers appear, so you know the writer-side registration is in place.
If something is missing, tell the songwriter. As the MLC explains, the people entitled to digital audio mechanical royalties are the ones who should become members and register.
4. Register your own recordings
SoundExchange says recording artists and sound recording owners must be registered with it to receive digital performance royalties from non-interactive services. Registration is described as free, simple and fast.
If you own the recording you made, check your agreement and register it. Add new releases with their ISRC codes as they come.
5. Note every exclusive term
If you licensed an exclusive this year, write down when the term ends. Exclusives run for 3, 6 or 12 months, and the song returns to the marketplace afterward. Our guide to renewing an exclusive license shows the options.
Earlier non-exclusive licensees keep their rights, so your own non-exclusive licenses stay valid after any exclusive term ends.
6. Check what you used the song for
A Starchild license covers recording, releasing on streaming platforms and stores, performing live, and your own music and lyric videos. If you ran paid ads or brand deals, that is a separate conversation, so sort it out before you plan more.
Make sure you did not enroll a non-exclusively licensed song in YouTube Content ID. If you did, fix it now.
7. Plan next year's licenses
Look at what worked: which songs your audience liked, which production styles fit your voice. Browse songs for artists and write a short list.
Save one line in your folder for each plan, such as the song, the target release month and the license type. It turns January into a head start.
A simple filing system
Use one folder per release. Inside, keep the certificate, the receipt, the distributor confirmation, the cover art file and a screenshot of the credits. Name each file with the song title and the year.
If you license many songs, add one spreadsheet with a row per song: title, writers, license type, date, and release date. It takes minutes to maintain and answers most questions at a glance.
What to do with old licenses
Because a Starchild license is perpetual, a certificate from three years ago is still the proof for a release you still have up. Do not delete it when the year turns.
Archive each year into its own folder and keep it as long as the recording is available. Your records are small, and the cost of losing them is large.
When to ask for help
If a platform sends a notice, a buyer asks for proof, or a writer's details have changed, go through the folder first. Most answers are already there.
For anything involving money owed or a dispute, talk to a music lawyer. This checklist is general information and not legal advice.
A ten-minute version
If you only have ten minutes, do three things. Save every certificate in one folder, compare the credits on your newest release to its certificate, and write down the end date of any exclusive term.
Those three steps cover the questions that come up most often. You can do the rest in January.
A note on holiday releases
If you are releasing a holiday single, add its folder now. A clean set of credits from day one means you will not be fixing metadata in the middle of the busiest weeks.
Our timeline for planning a Christmas single covers the dates that matter, from distributor lead time to playlist pitching.
Share the folder with someone you trust
Give one person access to your licensing folder, such as a bandmate, a manager or a family member. If you are traveling or sick when a platform asks for proof, they can send it.
Share a read-only copy. It is enough to answer a question, and it keeps your originals safe.
Then set a calendar reminder for next October. A yearly habit is easier than a yearly scramble, and it keeps your catalog ready for any new release.