Private-copying levy on blank CDs

Summary#

The Copyright Board published the CPCC – Private Copying Tariff (2025–2027) on November 8, 2025. It sets a levy of 29¢ on each recordable CD-type blank audio disc for 2025, 2026 and 2027, and names CPCC as the collecting body for those levies.

What it does#

• Sets the levy at 29¢ for each CD-R, CD-RW, CD-R Audio or CD-RW Audio for 2025, 2026 and 2027.
• Says no levy is payable on media that are exported, or sold to a society, association or corporation that represents persons with a perceptual disability.
• Designates CPCC (Canadian Private Copying Collective) as the body that collects the levy.
• Tells how collected money must be split:
  • 58.2% to be shared between Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA) for eligible authors;
  • 23.8% to Re:Sound Music Licensing Company for eligible performers;
  • 18.0% to Re:Sound Music Licensing Company for eligible makers.
• Sets payment and reporting rules for manufacturers and importers:
  • Payments due by the last day of the month after each two-month accounting period (with an option to pay every semester if a filer paid less than $2,000 in the prior semester).
  • Reports must include names, contact details and the number and types of blank media sold, exported, or sold to disability-representation organizations.
• Requires manufacturers/importers to keep original records for six years and allows CPCC to audit them. If an audit shows amounts were understated by more than 10%, the audited party must pay the audit costs.
• Keeps submitted information confidential in most cases, but allows sharing with the Copyright Board, courts, certain collective societies, or when required by law.
• Charges interest on late payments at a rate equal to 1% above the Bank Rate (calculated daily, not compounded).
• Provides a contact/address for notices and payments (listed in the tariff).

Who's affected#

• Mainly manufacturers and importers of blank audio recording media (the tariff’s filers and payers).
• CPCC, SOCAN, CMRRA and Re:Sound, which will collect and receive the distributed amounts.
• Organizations that serve people with perceptual disabilities are specifically mentioned because purchases by them are exempt from the levy.
• Consumers and retailers are not named in the text, but manufacturers or importers could choose to pass levy costs on to buyers.

Why it matters#

• It keeps the private-copying levy stable at 29¢ per disc for three years, which funds royalties for songwriters, performers and makers through the designated collectives.
• Manufacturers and importers face recordkeeping, reporting and potential audit responsibilities. That creates administrative work and possible added costs.
• The exemption for exports and for sales to organizations representing people with perceptual disabilities affects which sales are charged the levy.
• For everyday buyers of blank CDs, any price effect depends on whether businesses pass the levy on to retailers or consumers.