A legal document, pertaining to Section 115 of the U.S. Copyright Act, that is required to record or distribute someone else’s original composition. Sending an NOI to the original copyright owner of the composition is necessary in obtaining a compulsory mechanical license.

On October 11, 2018, the Orrin G. Hatch–Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (MMA) was signed into law. Among other things, it makes significant changes to the section 115 compulsory license. In accordance with the new law, the Copyright Office no longer accepts section 115 notices of intention to obtain a compulsory license for making a digital phonorecord delivery of a musical work. The Office will continue to accept notices of intention with respect to phonorecords that are not digital phonorecord deliveries (e.g., for CDs, vinyl records, tapes, and other physical media).

Please visit the Office’s MMA homepage for more information.