NCB (Nordisk Copyright Bureau)

NCB (Nordisk Copyright Bureau) is a non-profit collecting society founded in 1915 and based in Copenhagen, Denmark, that administers mechanical reproduction rights and synchronization rights for musical works across the Nordic countries. It is owned by the five Nordic performing rights societies: KODA (Denmark), STEF (Iceland), STIM (Sweden), Teosto (Finland), and TONO (Norway), which handle performance rights while NCB focuses on mechanical and sync licensing.

How NCB Works

NCB serves as the connection between music creators and music users in the Nordic region. It collects license fees from record companies, CD/DVD manufacturers, digital platforms, and audiovisual producers, then distributes royalties to composers, lyricists, publishers, and record companies through its owner societies.

NCB issues mechanical licenses for:

• Physical reproduction (CDs, vinyl, DVDs) based on statutory or negotiated rates
• Digital downloads and streaming where mechanical rights apply
• Synchronization rights for audiovisual productions using Nordic repertoire
• Multi-territory licensing for digital services operating across the Nordic region

Since April 1, 2017, NCB has operated under a back office cooperation agreement with KODA, which supplies mechanical rights licenses and administrative services. KODA appointed Market Director Camilla Kjaer Hejselbaek to manage NCB's day-to-day business. NCB's board of directors oversees compliance with this agreement.

NCB owns 50% of the shares in NMP (Network of Music Partners A/S), a joint venture with PRS for Music (UK) that provides back office services to the music copyright administration industry.

As of July 1, 2020, NCB no longer includes the Baltic territories (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) in its direct territory. The cooperation agreements with EAUE (Estonia), AKKA-LAA (Latvia), and LATGA (Lithuania) were replaced with reciprocal representation agreements.

NCB distributes royalties twice a year, in June and December, for sales made during the previous six months. Royalties collected from outside the Nordic region may take longer due to the need for foreign society reporting. Commission rates vary by product type and whether NCB or a foreign partner collected the payment.

NCB publishes annual transparency reports and annual reports detailing its operations and financial performance. The organization is approved by the Danish Ministry of Culture regarding mechanical rights under the Danish Copyright Act.

Real-World Example

A Swedish songwriter represented by STIM writes a song that a Danish record label wants to release on CD and on Spotify. The record label obtains a mechanical license from NCB for both the physical reproduction and the digital distribution.

If the label manufactures 10,000 CDs and pays NCB a mechanical royalty of 0.50 DKK per copy, NCB collects 50,000 DKK. After deducting its commission (which varies by product), NCB remits the remainder to STIM, which distributes the songwriter's share according to the registered splits.

For the Spotify streams, NCB collects the mechanical royalty portion from Spotify based on the Nordic usage of the songwriter's works. This is distributed through STIM in the June and December distribution cycles, approximately six months after the actual usage period.

If the same song is used in a Norwegian film production, the filmmaker obtains a synchronization license from NCB. The sync fee is negotiated based on the usage scope (territory, duration, context), and the resulting royalty flows through TONO to the songwriter.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a songwriter, composer, or publisher based in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, or Iceland, NCB handles the mechanical rights for your music when it is reproduced in the Nordic region. This includes physical manufacturing, digital downloads, and streaming mechanicals. Your performing rights are handled separately by your national PRO (KODA, TONO, STIM, Teosto, or STEF).

You do not join NCB directly. Instead, you join your national performing rights society, which is one of NCB's owners. NCB then collects mechanical royalties on your behalf and channels them through your national society for distribution.

If you are a foreign songwriter whose music is reproduced in the Nordic region, NCB collects mechanical royalties through reciprocal agreements with your home society. Those royalties are then remitted to your society for distribution to you.

Register your works with your national society with complete metadata (ISRC, ISWC, split sheets) so that NCB's matching systems can correctly identify your usage. Mechanical royalties for streaming and physical sales in the Nordic region will not reach you without proper registration.

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical License - Understanding mechanical licensing
• Sync License - How synchronization licenses work
• NCB Official Website - Visit NCB for licensing and royalty information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings