Sync Licensing Agreement Template - Music Sync Placement

A sync agent wants to pitch your music for TV, film, and advertising — and you need a written agreement before they take your catalog anywhere near a music supervisor. This Sync Licensing Agreement Template covers the non-exclusive synch agency arrangement: the agency gets the right to pitch and license your music for sync placements, you retain ownership of everything, and the terms of the relationship — territory, duration, fee splits, and approval rights — are documented before anyone pitches a note.

Drafted by an entertainment attorney who has worked on sync licensing agreements for independent artists and production music catalogs.

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What's Included

Grant of Rights

• Non-Exclusive License — The agency receives a non-exclusive right to pitch and license your music for sync placements. You retain the right to work with other sync agents, license directly, or sign with a publisher simultaneously.
• Sync Rights Defined — Specifies the agency's right to license your masters and compositions for synchronization with visual media: TV, film, advertising, video games, YouTube content, branded content, and other audiovisual formats.
• Territory — Worldwide or limited to specific territories. Clearly defines the geographic scope of the agency's pitch rights.
• Term — Defines the initial agreement period, renewal terms, and how either party can terminate or opt out.

Music Catalog

• Catalog Definition — Identifies which tracks are included in the agency's pitch catalog — all existing tracks, a curated selection, or tracks delivered on a rolling basis during the term.
• Delivery Specs — Addresses the format, file type, and metadata requirements for tracks submitted to the agency (WAV files, stems, ISRC codes, PRO registration info).
• New Tracks — Whether new tracks created during the term are automatically included in the catalog or require a separate submission process.
• Exclusion Rights — Your right to withdraw specific tracks from the catalog at any time, or to block the agency from pitching certain tracks to certain types of clients (e.g., political advertising, tobacco).

Licensing Fees & Revenue Split

• Sync Fee Structure — Defines how sync licensing fees are negotiated — whether the agency has authority to quote and accept fees on your behalf up to a certain threshold, or whether you must approve every placement fee before the license is granted.
• Revenue Split — Your percentage vs. the agency's commission on sync license fees received (typically 50/50, but fully customizable).
• Master vs. Publishing Split — Addresses whether the agency is licensing both the master recording and the composition, and how each side's revenue is tracked and paid.
• Payment Schedule — Defines when and how the agency remits your share of sync fees — monthly, quarterly, or upon receipt.

Approval Rights

• Placement Approval — Specifies whether you must approve each sync placement before it's finalized, or whether the agency has authority to license placements up to a certain dollar amount without prior approval.
• Brand Exclusions — Your right to prohibit placement in categories you find objectionable (political content, alcohol, tobacco, violent video games, etc.) without needing to justify each decision.
• Turnaround Requirements — Sets the response time window for placement approvals, so the agency can meet music supervisor deadlines.

Reporting & Transparency

• Placement Reports — Requires the agency to provide periodic reports of all placements, fees quoted, licenses granted, and revenue collected on your behalf.
• Accounting Statements — Quarterly or monthly accounting statements with your share of fees clearly broken out.
• Audit Rights — Your right to audit the agency's records for accuracy, subject to notice requirements.

Master & Composition Ownership

• No Transfer of Ownership — The agency receives a license to pitch and place your music, not ownership of any kind. You retain 100% of your masters and composition copyrights.
• PRO Registration Confirmation — The agency confirms it will register placements with the appropriate PROs for performance royalty collection where applicable.

Termination & Post-Term

• Termination Rights — Either party's right to terminate the agreement on notice, and the notice period required.
• Post-Term Tail — Defines whether the agency continues to receive a commission on placements that were negotiated before termination but finalized after (a "tail" period).
• Return of Materials — What happens to your music files, metadata, and catalog materials when the relationship ends.
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Common Mistakes This Template Helps You Avoid

❌ No approval rights over placements — Without written approval rights, a sync agency can license your music for anything — including political advertising, alcohol brands, or content that conflicts with your image — and you may have no recourse.

❌ Exclusive arrangement buried in the fine print — Some sync agency agreements are exclusive in practice even when they don't say so explicitly. This non-exclusive template is clear: you can work with multiple agencies simultaneously.

❌ No reporting requirements — An agency that doesn't report placements leaves you with no way to audit what your music has been licensed for, whether you've been paid correctly, or whether your PRO registrations are accurate.

❌ No post-term tail provision — Without a tail provision, disputes arise about whether the agency is owed a commission on deals that were in negotiation when you terminated but closed afterward. The template addresses this directly.

✅ This template gives the agency what they need to pitch your music — and preserves every right you have in it.

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Who This Is For

• Independent artists & producers — entering into a relationship with a sync licensing agency and needing written terms before any pitching begins.
• Music supervisors & sync agents — formalizing their representation of an artist's catalog with a template that clearly defines their authority, commission, and reporting obligations.
• Production music composers — licensing their catalogs to sync agencies and needing non-exclusive documentation that allows them to work with multiple agencies simultaneously.
• Indie labels — engaging a sync agency to pitch their label's catalog and needing written terms that protect the label's ownership and approval rights.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to clear both the master and the composition for sync?
Yes. A sync license requires clearance of both the master recording (from whoever owns the master) and the composition (from the songwriter/publisher). This template covers the agency relationship for both sides. The agency's authority to license both is addressed in the grant of rights section, and how fees from each side are split is handled separately.

What's a typical sync agency commission?
Standard sync agency commissions range from 40–50% of the sync licensing fee for non-exclusive arrangements. Some agencies take as high as 50% for exclusive deals. The template uses a customizable percentage — fill in what you've negotiated.

Can I continue to pitch my own music directly to music supervisors while under this agreement?
Under a non-exclusive arrangement (which this template governs), yes — you retain the right to pitch directly or engage other agents. If a music supervisor you pitched directly licenses the track, the agency typically receives no commission on that placement. This template includes language addressing that scenario.

What happens to licenses placed during the term if I terminate the agency?
Existing licenses granted during the term survive termination — music that's already placed remains placed. The post-term tail provision governs whether the agency earns commission on deals in negotiation at the time of termination. The template addresses both scenarios with customizable language.

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What Happens After Purchase

✅ Instant Download — Word (.docx) file delivered immediately after checkout.
✅ Fully Editable — Fill in agency name, catalog scope, commission split, territory, term, and approval rights directly in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
✅ Attorney-Drafted — Non-exclusive structure, approval rights, reporting requirements, and post-term tail provisions built in.
✅ Reusable — Use for every sync agency relationship you enter.

Thinking about a sync deal and not sure if the terms you're being offered are fair? Email adam@acfreedmanlaw.com to discuss.

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*DISCLAIMER: This template is provided as a starting point and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Sync licensing agreements involving major catalog representation, exclusive arrangements, or significant upfront advances should be reviewed by a qualified entertainment attorney before signing.