IPI (Interested Parties Information) numbers identify the parties who receive royalties from a musical work. A writer IPI and a publisher IPI are separate numbers that serve different functions in the royalty distribution chain. Self-publishing songwriters typically need both.
What an IPI number is
An IPI (Interested Parties Information) number is a unique identifier assigned by CISAC (the international body of collecting societies) through your national PRO — PRS for Music in the UK. Every writer and publisher registered with a collecting society has an IPI number. When a musical work is registered, the IPI numbers of all writers and publishers are attached to it, with their corresponding royalty shares. Royalty distribution is calculated using these IPI records.
Writer IPI vs publisher IPI
If you join PRS only as a writer (the £100 membership), PRS assigns you a writer IPI. This identifies you as a composer or lyricist in the royalty system. If you also join PRS as a publisher (the additional £400 membership), PRS assigns you a separate publisher IPI. This identifies you as a publisher entity — the party entitled to receive the publisher's 50% share of royalties. These are two distinct IPI numbers, even if the same person holds both. They are treated as separate parties in the royalty distribution system, reflecting that writer income and publisher income are legally distinct.
Why self-publishing songwriters need both
When a song is registered at PRS, the total royalty (100%) is divided between writer interests (50%) and publisher interests (50%). If a composition has only a writer IPI registered (and no publisher IPI), the publisher's 50% share sits unclaimed. PRS does not automatically direct this share to the writer — it requires the composer to also hold a publisher membership and register the publisher interest in the work. Self-publishing songwriters who joined PRS only as writers, and who did not register the publisher interest on their works, have effectively been leaving half their royalties uncollected.
How to register both interests in a work
When registering a work at PRS, you specify both the writer interest (your writer IPI + percentage) and the publisher interest (your publisher IPI + percentage). For a sole songwriter who is self-published, the registration looks like:
- Writer: [Your Name] — writer IPI — 50% writer share.
- Publisher: [Your Company Name / Your Name as Publisher] — publisher IPI — 50% publisher share.
- Total: 100% accounted for.
- If you have co-writers, the splits are divided between all writers and their respective publishers, totalling 100%.
How to get a publisher IPI
Join PRS as a publisher at prsformusic.com/join (the publisher membership costs £400). PRS will assign you a publisher IPI upon approval. You then need to update your existing registered works to add the publisher interest — works registered before you obtained your publisher membership may only show your writer IPI and be missing the publisher share claim.
Publisher IPI and third-party publishing administrators
If you engage a publishing administrator (such as Code Group Music, Sentric, or Songtrust), the administrator holds the publisher IPI for your works on your behalf. They register as the publisher entity and collect the publisher's share, distributing it to you minus their commission. In this arrangement, you retain your writer IPI and the administrator's publisher IPI is registered for the publisher interest in your works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have my writer IPI and publisher IPI under the same name?
Yes. A self-publishing songwriter can hold both a writer IPI under their own name and a publisher IPI under their own name (or a trading name). PRS treats them as separate parties in the royalty system even if the underlying individual is the same.
What if I registered works before I got a publisher IPI?
You will need to update those works in your PRS account to add the publisher interest. Contact PRS member services or use the online works management portal to amend existing registrations. Without the publisher interest registered, the publisher's share of those works has been accumulating unclaimed.
Does the publisher IPI appear on my published works?
Yes. When another party (a distributor, a PRO, a metadata database) looks up your works, they can see the writer IPI and publisher IPI associated with each work. This is how royalty calculations are made when your music is used internationally.
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