Before You Cancel: What You Need to Know
If you've decided to transition from Songtrust to another publishing administration solution, understanding their cancellation process and timeline is essential for planning your transition. The process is complex and can take 15-24 months from initial cancellation request to complete transfer of administration.
Before taking action, review these critical aspects of Songtrust's cancellation terms.
1-Year Minimum Term
You cannot cancel Songtrust before completing one full year from your registration date. Attempting to cancel early will not release you from the agreement.
What this means:
Check your registration date in your Songtrust account
Your cancellation eligibility begins exactly one year after registration
The 1-year minimum applies regardless of your reason for canceling
Cancellation Notice Requirements
Submit your cancellation request through their cancellation form at https://www.songtrust.com/cancel.
Your cancellation becomes effective at the end of the calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31) following your notice, subject to their post-term exploitation period.
Important timing considerations:
If you submit cancellation on January 15, it becomes effective March 31
If you submit cancellation on April 1, it becomes effective June 30
Plan accordingly to minimize your post-cancellation collection period
Outstanding Fees Must Be Paid
If you owe Songtrust any money at termination, they will invoice you and you must pay within 14 days. Your cancellation is not valid until all amounts owed are repaid. The $100 per songwriter registration fee is non-refundable regardless of cancellation timing.
Key points:
Review your account for any outstanding balances before submitting cancellation
Set aside funds to cover final invoices
Unpaid fees can delay or invalidate your cancellation
Post-Termination Collection Period
After your agreement ends, Songtrust continues collecting royalties during their exploitation period for a fixed one-year post-term collection period and continues charging their commission on any royalties earned during your agreement term that are received during this period.
What this means:
Songtrust continues receiving and collecting royalties earned during your agreement for up to one year after your cancellation effective date.
They continue taking their commission during this period (15% on performance royalties and 20% on non-performance mechanical royalties.)
This one-year post term period applies regardless of how quickly you re-register with each society.
You remain responsible for re-registering your works with each collection society so that future royalties are directed to you or your new administrator.
Step-by-Step Cancellation Process
Step 1: Verify Your Eligibility to Cancel
Before submitting your cancellation request:
Check your Songtrust registration date in your account
Confirm you've completed the 1-year minimum term
Review any outstanding fees or unpaid invoices
Prepare to pay any final balances within 14 days
Step 2: Submit Cancellation Notice
Submit your cancellation request either:
Through their online cancellation form at https://www.songtrust.com/contact-support
In your cancellation request, include:
Your email address
Your First name
Last Name
Type of cancellation
Individual Songwriter(s) - List their name
All Songwriters/full account
Clear statement that you wish to cancel
Step 3: Understand the Timeline
After submitting your cancellation:
Immediate: Cancellation request received and processing begins
Within 30 days: Cancellation becomes effective at the end of the calendar quarter
Next 12 months (Exploitation Period)
Songtrust's fixed one-year post-term collection period, during which:
Songtrust continues collecting royalties earned during your agreement term
They continue charging their commission (15% on performance royalties and 20% on non-performance mechanical royalties) on any income received during this period.
You should contact each collection society to update your publisher information so future earnings are directed to you or your new administrator.
Songtrust will provide a Letter of Relinquishment (LOR) to facilitate this process.
What Happens Next
Once your cancellation is submitted and processed, the responsibility of re-registering your compositions with each collection society falls on you. This means you must:
Maintain accurate contact and banking information in your Songtrust account during the transition
Contact each collection society individually and directly to update your publishing information
Register your works directly with each society under your new administrator
Monitor which societies have completed the updates
Track when Songtrust stops receiving payments for your works
Alternative: Start Building with TuneRegistry Now
You do not need to wait for your Songtrust agreement to be cancelled to register new works. Whether the Songtrust agreement is in effect or not, new works can be registered immediately with TuneRegistry since they have never been submitted to societies by Songtrust and therefore are not subject to their exclusive administration agreement.
This allows you to:
Start benefiting from commission free administration immediately
Build your catalog in TuneRegistry's system over time
Test the platform while your Songtrust term runs its course
Visit our pricing page to view subscription plans and sign up.
Need additional assistance with preparing to use TuneRegistry? Our support team is here to help at support@tuneregistry.com or via chat in the app. See something that needs updating? Let us know we strive to ensure these articles are accurate and helpful.