Guide · Italy
Music licence for bars in Italy (SIAE)
A music licence for bars in Italy (SIAE) is mostly one subscription: for bars and restaurants, SIAE collects the authors’ rights and, on SCF’s mandate, the neighbouring rights of record producers and performers. Live music, DJ sets and karaoke are events and need their own permit. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
In short
- Background music in bars and restaurants needs the SIAE “musica d’ambiente” subscription
- For bars and restaurants, SIAE also collects the neighbouring rights on SCF’s mandate
- The fee depends on the number and type of devices, the business category and the duration
- Live music, DJ sets and karaoke are events and need a separate SIAE permit
- SkafRemix plays your licensed music; the licences stay with your venue
One counter for background music
Italy has three groups of rights holders in recorded music: authors and publishers (SIAE), record producers (SCF) and performing artists (Nuovo IMAIE among others). For bars, restaurants and other public establishments, SCF lists them among the categories where SIAE collects the neighbouring rights on its behalf.
So a bar that plays the radio, TV or streamed music in the background usually deals with one counterpart: SIAE, through an annual or seasonal “musica d’ambiente” subscription that includes the neighbouring rights for producers and performers.
If you receive a SIAE request for neighbouring rights, SCF’s own FAQ confirms that this is correct for the categories SIAE collects for.
Which permit for which use
| Use | Permit | What drives the fee |
|---|---|---|
| Background music (radio, TV, streaming, CD) | SIAE “musica d’ambiente” subscription, neighbouring rights included | Number and type of devices, business category, duration |
| Live music, DJ or karaoke without dancing and without an entry fee | SIAE event permit, requested online in the Music&Go portal | Previous year’s turnover and floor area of the venue |
| Events with dancing | Separate SIAE category for events with dancing | Set by SIAE for that category |
| Radio, TV and web broadcasting | Licensed by SCF directly, not via SIAE | Not relevant for a typical bar |
The background-music subscription does not cover shows or entertainment events. Based on the official pages under Sources (checked October 2026).
What drives the musica d’ambiente fee
SIAE names these factors for the subscription.
Number of devices
Every radio, TV or player that guests can hear counts.
Type of device
A TV, a radio and a sound system are not priced alike.
Business category
Bars, restaurants and other public establishments have their own tariff tables, one for authors’ rights and one for neighbouring rights.
Annual or seasonal
Seasonal venues can take a seasonal subscription instead of an annual one.
How to license music in an Italian bar, step by step
A typical sequence for a new or existing venue:
List devices and uses
Count every TV, radio and sound system guests can hear, and note whether you plan nights with live music, a DJ or karaoke.
Activate the subscription
For a first subscription, contact the nearest SIAE office. It covers authors’ and neighbouring rights for background music.
Check association agreements
Trade associations have agreements with SIAE and SCF; reduced rates usually require paying by a deadline SIAE publishes each year.
Renew every year
If your devices have not changed, renew by paying the MAV notice SIAE sends to your certified email (PEC); otherwise visit a SIAE office.
Request event permits
For live music, DJ or karaoke without dancing and without an entry fee, request the permit in the Music&Go portal of SIAE Online Services before the event.
Report changes
Extra screens, a new sound system or dancing change what you need. Update SIAE before the change.
What changed in 2026
In January 2026 SIAE announced a wider one-stop shop: SCF and Nuovo IMAIE extended their collection mandates to SIAE for background music in shops and craft businesses as well. Bars and restaurants were already among the categories SIAE collects for.
For 2026, SIAE set 10 March as the renewal deadline to keep association discounts without surcharges. Dates change every year, so check the current notice on siae.it.
Checklist for your venue
- Active musica d’ambiente subscription for the current year
- All devices declared: TVs, radios, sound systems
- Renewal paid before the published deadline
- Event permit requested before each live, DJ or karaoke night
- Dancing only with the matching SIAE permit
- Certified email (PEC) address up to date with SIAE
Streaming apps and SkafRemix
Personal streaming subscriptions are licensed for private use; their terms usually exclude playing music in a business, and the SIAE subscription does not change those terms. Business music services have their own conditions: check what they include and what SIAE still requires.
SkafRemix supplies no commercial music. It plays your venue’s own licensed music; the SIAE subscription and any event permits stay with your venue. A karaoke night run with SkafRemix is an event like any other: request the SIAE permit for it.
Official sources
Pages we checked for this guide (October 2026):
- SIAE: bars, restaurants and public establishments Background-music subscription, neighbouring rights, exclusion of events
- SIAE: musica d’ambiente Activation, renewal via MAV and PEC, fee factors
- SIAE: music events without dancing Music&Go portal; fee by turnover and floor area
- SIAE: one-stop shop from 2026 Extended SCF and Nuovo IMAIE mandates (January 2026)
- SCF: how to get a licence Categories where SIAE collects on SCF’s mandate
- SCF: FAQ on SIAE requests Why SIAE asks for neighbouring rights
- Nuovo IMAIE: single counter Performers’ rights collected through SIAE
Related guides
Questions and answers
Do I pay SIAE and SCF separately for my bar?
Usually not for background music. For bars and restaurants, SIAE collects SCF’s neighbouring rights on its mandate, together with the authors’ rights, in the musica d’ambiente subscription.
Is a SIAE request for neighbouring rights correct?
Yes, for the categories SIAE collects for on SCF’s mandate; SCF lists them on its licensing page.
What does the SIAE fee for a bar depend on?
On the number and type of devices, the business category and whether the subscription is annual or seasonal. The tariff tables are published on siae.it.
Does the subscription cover live music or a DJ?
No. The musica d’ambiente subscription does not cover shows or entertainment events; live music, DJ sets and karaoke need a SIAE event permit.
Can I request event permits online?
Yes, for events without dancing and without an entry fee in bars, restaurants and pubs, through the Music&Go portal in SIAE Online Services.
Does SkafRemix pay SIAE for my venue?
No. SkafRemix plays your venue’s own licensed music; the SIAE subscription and any event permits stay with your venue.
Music that fits your licensed venue
We set up SkafRemix with your own licensed music; for licences and event permits, SIAE is the right contact.
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