Department For Culture Media Sport
You need permission if you want to show films or TV shows in public. Public spaces or events may include:
- staff rooms
- common areas for guests or passengers (for example receptions or lounge spaces)
- bedrooms in hotels and guesthouses
- retail and entertainment venues
- one-off events
- film clubs
- community cinemas
- social groups that put on film nights in their communities
You still need permission whether you sell tickets or not.
You do not need to get permission to show curriculum-based content in a state school.
The type of permission youll need depends on what youre showing and where. You may need one or more of the following:
- licensed permission from the copyright owner
- permission from your local council (premises licence)
- a TV licence
- a commercial subscription
Permission from the copyright owner
Youll usually need permission from whoever owns or is authorised to license the copyright.
If youre showing a film through a commercial or business subscription, you may already have permission. Check with the service provider if youre not sure.
If you want to screen a TV show, contact the channel or service provider directly to ask for permission.
If you want to show a film, check the Film Distributors Association (FDA) records to see who distributed a film. You can then contact them to ask for permission.
The Independent Cinema Office (ICO) has a list of contact details for film distributors. This includes the British Film Institute.
The distributor may tell you to contact a company who manages permission to show the film (a licensing body).
Many films are available through one of these bodies:
- Motion Picture Licensing Company Limited (MPLC)
- Filmbank Distributors Limited (Filmbankmedia)
- Audiovisual Licensing Alliance (AVLA)
You could be sued for damages if you show a film or TV show in public without permission from the copyright owner.
You should always check if you need permission to show a film or TV show, even if it was made a long time ago. The copyright may not have expired.
Permission from your local council
You may need a premises licence from your local council. If you live in Northern Ireland, you may need a cinema licence instead.
Check whether you need a premises licence with your local council.
TV Licence
A TV licence is a legal requirement that allows you to use equipment and devices to watch or record television programmes in public spaces.
Equipment and devices may include:
- TV sets
- digital boxes (for example a Sky or Virgin Media box)
- computers
- laptops
- tablets (for example iPads)
- mobile phones
- games consoles
A TV Licence does not automatically give you permission to show a film in public. This includes content youve bought, rented, or paid to stream. Using a personal streaming account to show content in public may breach the terms of use for that service.
Commercial subscriptions
If you want to show a sports channel, youll need a commercial or business subscription from each service allowing you to show their content in public. Contact the service directly to check if you can show their content.