How do I register an arrangement and what do I need to consider?

Please check first whether the work you want to arrange is still protected by copyright. In Germany, copyright protection lasts until 70 years after the death of the author or creator. If several authors have co-created a work, the copyright protection usually does not expire prior 70 years after the death of the author who died last.

In the case of copyright-protected works, you must acquire an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders up front. Rightsholders are the authors (composers and lyricists). If the authors have a publisher or if the work is sub-published in Germany, please direct your query to the publisher, otherwise to the authors. Moreover, you do require an authorisation to arrange a work if the arrangers also expect to be included in the pay-outs.

Two ways to notify us of an arrangement:

1. The easiest way for you to notify us of an arrangement is by using the GEMA Online Portal and selecting the item Change notification in the service Work declaration. If you are an arranger and carry out the notification directly, we need you to provide an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders. Please send it by e-mail to: Werke@gema.de
2. You register the arrangement using a hard copy. To do this, complete the form Declaration for a GEMA original work  and post it together with the arrangement authorisation  by the rightsholders to:
   
   GEMA
   Postfach 30 12 40
   10722 Berlin

Please follow the same steps if you want to set a poem or another text to new music and have an  authorisation for music settings or wish to use a work protected by copyright in your new creation. For this purpose, please provide us with the all about your works in the lower section.

Watch our video for further information regarding your work notification. (Only available in German)

Please check first whether the work you want to arrange is still protected by copyright. In Germany, copyright protection lasts until 70 years after the death of the author or creator. If several authors have co-created a work, the copyright protection usually does not expire prior 70 years after the death of the author who died last.

In the case of copyright-protected works, you must acquire an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders up front. Rightsholders are the authors (composers and lyricists). If the authors have a publisher or if the work is sub-published in Germany, please direct your query to the publisher, otherwise to the authors. Moreover, you do require an authorisation to arrange a work if the arrangers also expect to be included in the pay-outs.

Two ways to notify us of an arrangement:

1. The easiest way for you to notify us of an arrangement is by using the GEMA Online Portal and selecting the item Change notification in the service Work declaration. If you are an arranger and carry out the notification directly, we need you to provide an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders. Please send it by e-mail to: Werke@gema.de
2. You register the arrangement using a hard copy. To do this, complete the form Notification for a GEMA original work  and post it together with the  arrangement authorisation  by the rightsholders to:
   
   GEMA
   Postfach 30 12 40
   10722 Berlin

Please follow the same steps if you want to set a poem or another text to new music and have an  authorisation for music settings or wish to use a work protected by copyright in your new creation. For this purpose, please provide us with the Everything about your works in the lower section.

Please check first whether the work you want to arrange is still protected by copyright. In Germany, copyright protection lasts until 70 years after the death of the author or creator. If several authors have co-created a work, the copyright protection usually does not expire prior 70 years after the death of the author who died last.

In the case of copyright-protected works, you must acquire an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders up front. Rightsholders are the authors (composers and lyricists). If the authors have a publisher or if the work is sub-published in Germany, please direct your query to the publisher, otherwise to the authors. Moreover, you do require an authorisation to arrange a work if the arrangers also expect to be included in the pay-outs.

Two ways to notify us of an arrangement:

1. The easiest way for you to notify us of an arrangement is by using the GEMA Online Portal and selecting the item Change notification in the service Work declaration. If you are an arranger and carry out the notification directly, we need you to provide an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders. Please send it by e-mail to: Werke@gema.de
2. You register the arrangement using a hard copy. To do this, complete the form Declaration for a GEMA original work  and post it together with the arrangement authorisation  by the rightsholders to:
   
   GEMA
   Postfach 30 12 40
   10722 Berlin

Please follow the same steps if you want to set a poem or another text to new music and have an  authorisation for music settings or wish to use a work protected by copyright in your new creation. For this purpose, please provide us with the all about your works in the lower section.

Watch our video for further information regarding your work notification. (Only available in German)

Please check first whether the work you want to arrange is still protected by copyright. In Germany, copyright protection lasts until 70 years after the death of the author or creator. If several authors have co-created a work, the copyright protection usually does not expire prior 70 years after the death of the author who died last.

In the case of copyright-protected works, you must acquire an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders up front. Rightsholders are the authors (composers and lyricists). If the authors have a publisher or if the work is sub-published in Germany, please direct your query to the publisher, otherwise to the authors. Moreover, you do require an authorisation to arrange a work if the arrangers also expect to be included in the pay-outs.

Two ways to notify us of an arrangement:

1. The easiest way for you to notify us of an arrangement is by using the GEMA Online Portal and selecting the item Change notification in the service Work declaration. If you are an arranger and carry out the notification directly, we need you to provide an arrangement authorisation from the rightsholders. Please send it by e-mail to: Werke@gema.de
2. You register the arrangement using a hard copy. To do this, complete the form Notification for a GEMA original work  and post it together with the  arrangement authorisation  by the rightsholders to:
   
   GEMA
   Postfach 30 12 40
   10722 Berlin

Please follow the same steps if you want to set a poem or another text to new music and have an  authorisation for music settings or wish to use a work protected by copyright in your new creation. For this purpose, please provide us with the Everything about your works in the lower section.