In short
SACM collects on behalf of authors and composers (the song: lyrics and music) and SOMEXFON on behalf of phonogram producers (the recording or master). They are separate rights under the law, so paying one doesn't cover you with the other: SACM's own rate schedule makes clear its license doesn't include neighboring rights or masters. If your business plays recorded commercial music, you usually owe both.
It's one of the most common points of confusion for business owners: “if I already pay SACM, why is SOMEXFON billing me?” The answer lies in how the law splits up the rights to a recorded song. Once you see it, both charges make sense, and so does the way to avoid them.
One song, two different rights
When a commercial song plays in your store, at least two rights holders are involved: whoever wrote it and whoever produced the recording. Mexico's Federal Copyright Law protects them separately:
The songauthors and composers (art. 26 bis)
The recordingphonogram producers (arts. 131 bis and 133)And there's a third group: the performing artists, the people who sing and play. Article 133 of the LFDA says that, absent an agreement, payment for publicly performing a recording is split equally between artists and producers.
SACM vs SOMEXFON, side by side
| SACM | SOMEXFON | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de México (Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico) | Sociedad Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas, Videogramas y Multimedia (Mexican Society of Phonogram, Videogram and Multimedia Producers) |
| Who it represents | Authors and composers: the song | Phonogram producers (record labels): the recording |
| Legal basis in the LFDA | Art. 26 bis: royalty for the public performance of the work | Arts. 131, 131 bis and 133: phonogram producer rights |
| How it calculates | In UDA, by type of business, area and capacity | Flat fees by type of business and size (sq m, tables, students) |
| Billing period | Monthly | Annual, plus VAT |
| Published example | 10-table café in Mexico City: MX$620 a month (2 UDA, 2025) | Snacks-only café: MX$7,273 a year + VAT (2026) |
| Does it cover the other one? | No: its license excludes neighboring rights and masters | No: it collects for the recorded music in its catalog |
| Can it fine you? | No. Fines are imposed by IMPI | No. Fines are imposed by IMPI |
| Where to get a quote | tarifario.sacm.org.mx | somexfon.com/tarifario |
Examples: SACM per Expansión (Dec. 2025); SOMEXFON per its rate schedule in effect since February 20, 2026. These are not quotes.
How much does each one charge?
Each one uses its own calculation method, so you can't just add them up by eye.
SACM
Monthly fee in UDA. Expansión reported a UDA of MX$310 in 2025 and fees such as MX$620 a month for a 10-table café or MX$7,440 for a 20-table nightclub. As of October 2026, its online calculator values each UDA at MX$350.
SOMEXFON
Annual fee plus VAT by type of business. For example, MX$9,291 for a boutique under 40 sq m or MX$15,546 for a restaurant with 1 to 20 tables.
The only way to know your total is to get a quote from both rate schedules using your venue's real details, and to ask for each proposal in writing.
Who sets the rates, and who can fine you?
Neither SACM nor SOMEXFON is a government authority. They are collecting societies: non-profit organizations authorized by INDAUTOR (articles 192 and 193 of the LFDA). Here's how the roles break down:
- IMPI. Inspects and fines commercial infringements: 5,000 to 40,000 days of minimum wage (articles 231, 232 and 234).
- INDAUTOR. Authorizes collecting societies, and the law tasks it with proposing rates and publishing them in the Diario Oficial (article 212). According to Expansión, it also allows conciliation procedures.
- SACM and SOMEXFON. Negotiate licenses with users and collect on behalf of their members (article 202).
- Chambers of commerce. After the 2025 complaints, IMPI, SACM, and Concanaco Servytur set up working groups to make rates transparent (El Financiero).
If you want the details on penalties, see How much is the fine for playing music in my business without a license?
Music that pays neither SACM nor SOMEXFON
Both collect for their own repertoire, not for music in general. The law lets each rights holder decide whether to join a collecting society (article 195 of the LFDA), and SOMEXFON acknowledges in its FAQ that if you don't use music from the labels it represents, you don't have to pay it. If the song and the recording belong to someone who never registered them with either society and who gives you a written license, there's no repertoire to charge for.
What doesn't work is switching apps: Spotify, YouTube and the radio mostly play commercial music, which is usually part of those repertoires (we explain why in Can I use Spotify or YouTube in my business?).
At GeoVENN the music is original: we create it ourselves, it isn't registered with SACM or SOMEXFON, and GeoVENN controls 100% of its rights. Every location gets a written license letter, ready to show during an inspection. An honest note: the letter covers GeoVENN music; if you also play radio, Spotify, or well-known commercial music, that isn't covered. See how our Legal Shield works and check out our per-location plans.
An original catalog outside both repertoires, with a license letter for every location. Try it free for 21 days at 2 locations.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between SACM and SOMEXFON?
SACM collects on behalf of the song's authors and composers (lyrics and music), and SOMEXFON on behalf of the phonogram producers, meaning the recording or master. They are separate rights under Mexico's Federal Copyright Law: article 26 bis for authors and articles 131, 131 bis and 133 for producers.
Do I have to pay both SACM and SOMEXFON?
If your business plays recorded commercial music from their repertoires, usually yes, because each one collects for a different right. If the music isn't part of their repertoires and you have a written license, no.
If I pay SACM, do I still have to pay SOMEXFON?
Yes. SACM's rate schedule makes clear that its license covers only the public performance right for the songs and doesn't include neighboring rights or masters, which is what SOMEXFON collects for.
Who sets SACM's and SOMEXFON's rates?
Each society publishes its own rate schedule: SACM in monthly UDA based on type of business, area, and capacity, and SOMEXFON in annual fees plus VAT by type of business. The law provides for INDAUTOR to propose rates and publish them in the Diario Oficial de la Federación, and only IMPI can impose fines.
Is there music that pays neither SACM nor SOMEXFON?
Yes: original music whose rights holders didn't register it with either society and who give you a written license. That's GeoVENN's catalog, with a license letter for every location.
Sources
- SACM — SACM rate schedule (official rate calculator)
- SOMEXFON — Official website
- SOMEXFON — Frequently asked questions
- SOMEXFON — Rate schedule (effective February 20, 2026)
- Mexican Chamber of Deputies — Mexico's Federal Copyright Law (arts. 26 bis, 131, 131 bis, 133, 192, 193, 195, 202, 212, 231, 232 and 234)
- Expansión — Fines of up to 11 million pesos: the risk of playing music in your business without paying royalties (Dec. 19, 2025)
- El Financiero — IMPI and SACM announce working groups to make copyright fees transparent (Sep. 23, 2025)
- IMPI — Mexican Institute of Industrial Property
This article is general information and does not constitute legal advice. Fees vary by type of business, size, location, and year; before paying or signing anything, check the corresponding official rate schedule or consult a professional.
