What is an IPI Number?

Key takeaway:

An Interested Party Information (IPI) number is a globally standardized ID that uniquely identifies songwriters, composers, publishers, and other rights holders in the music industry. IPIs are essential for tracking ownership, streamlining royalty payments, and ensuring accurate credit—and compensation—for all parties worldwide.

Additional insights:

The Interested Party Information (IPI) number and system are foundational to global copyright management and royalty tracking. Designed for the globally unique identification of any natural person or legal entity with an interest in an artistic work, the IPI system records songwriters, composers, arrangers, publishers, and other rights holders—across all work types and in any role, from composer to publisher to arranger.

Each interested party is automatically allocated an IP Base Number upon entry into the IPI system. This robust international database houses the names and information of all owners or holders of rights in both copyright-protected and public domain works, as notified to the IPI Centre. The data collation and presentation follow the Common Information System (CIS) regulations mandated by CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) and BIEM (Bureau International des Sociétés Gérant les Droits d’Enregistrement et de Reproduction Mécanique). These standards ensure the accuracy, consistency, and interoperability essential to the documentation, distribution, and accounting processes for all CISAC-linked member societies.

Administration of the IPI system and its comprehensive database is managed by SUISA, the Swiss copyright society, in accordance with CISAC and BIEM guidelines. Publishers can request the Pocket Edition of the IPI, which contains detailed IP codes, the member society each IP is affiliated with, as well as the IP-Name-Number for public entities.

The IPI—sometimes referred to as an IPI code—was historically a nine-digit number, but the international standard now requires 11 digits. If your code is only nine characters, add leading zeroes to meet the 11-digit format (e.g., 123456789 becomes 00123456789).

This standardized, centralized system significantly advances the transparency and efficiency of global royalty distribution, helping ensure every rights holder receives recognition and proper compensation, regardless of how complicated their portfolio or affiliations may be.

For additional information on IPIs, visit CISAC’s IPI Information Services. https://www.cisac.org/services/information-services/ipi