Statutory license

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See compulsory license.

A statutory license is an exception to copyright provided by law to use a copyrighted work without the explicit permission of its owner. The law may set royalties and conditions for some types uses (such as television broadcasting over cable), and designate a copyright collecting agency or other body to receive or negotiate royalty payments.

Copyright owners may give direct permission to a copyright agency (especially a performance rights organization) to sell rights to their work for royalties, but as it is an exercise of the owner's rights, this not a statutory license.

In the United States, statutory license often specifically refers to the license to broadcast digital music and audio over the Internet, as provided by the Small Webcaster Settlement Act of 2002.