Dutch Public Lending Right (PLR)

What is Dutch PLR?

In the Netherlands, public libraries are required by law to pay a royalty for each book they lend out. These royalties are distributed to writers, artists and publishers via collecting societies.

We receive public lending right royalties from our Dutch sister society, for works published in UK books which have been translated into Dutch and published in the Netherlands. We distribute this to our members every year through Dutch PLR.

What you can and cannot claim for

Your work must have been published in a UK published book which has subsequently been translated into Dutch and published in the Netherlands.

You can apply for all types of published artwork, including photography, illustration and fine art.

You cannot claim for magazines, newspapers and audiobooks.

Picture libraries cannot claim PLR through DACS.

What to include in your claim

List past use of your work in books, providing titles and the number of your images used in each and the ISBN (international standard book number).

ISBNs and book titles are necessary for our Dutch sister society to match the book to their data on lending usage within public libraries and to correctly confirm whether a book has been published in the Netherlands.

If you cannot provide a valid ISBN and book title, we cannot process your PLR claim.

To help you research Dutch language books, we recommend using the Dutch versions of Google and Amazon.

Making your Dutch PLR claim

If you are new claimant, please list all eligible works in books published up to and including 31 December 2023.

If you claimed before and have no new works to add, there is no need to complete a new form. We will automatically submit your claim for you.

If you have new works to add since then, between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023, please add them to your claim.

Is it free to register for Dutch PLR?

Yes. As a not for profit organisation, DACS deducts 15% from your Dutch PLR royalties to cover our administrative costs.

The difference between Dutch PLR, UK PLR and Payback

Payback and PLR are two separate schemes, each operating differently with distinct eligibility criteria.

DACS manages Payback for visual artists in the UK. This scheme covers secondary uses of your works, like photocopying, scanning and cable retransmission.

The Public Lending Right scheme remunerates artists and authors for the lending of books that feature their work throughout public libraries in a specific territory.

The UK Public Lending Right scheme is distinct from Dutch and German PLR, which are distributed through DACS.

UK PLR is administered by The British Library and it relates only to books loaned in public libraries in the United Kingdom.

How to get in touch with us

Email us or call 0207 780 7580.