About ULSN

Mission

To establish a universal, publicly verifiable standard for copyright licence identification - ensuring that rights holders are compensated, licensees are recognised, and platforms can distinguish authorised use from infringement.

Vision

A world where every copyright licence is traceable, every licensed product is verifiable, and the creative economy operates on trust, transparency, and fair compensation.

Who can join ULSN?

ULSN membership is open to any organisation or individual that licenses copyrighted creative works. This includes copyright licensing agents, rights management organisations, collecting societies, intellectual property law firms, and verifiable artists or copyright holders who license their own work directly. All applicants must pass identity verification, provide evidence of their copyright ownership or holder relationships, and comply with the ULSN Registry's standards. For full details, see Become a Member.

What is ULSN?

The Unique Licence Serial Number (ULSN) Registry is the standardised identification and verification system for copyright licences in creative works. It serves the same function for copyright licensing that ISBN serves for books, ISRC for sound recordings, and SWIFT for financial transactions.

ULSN was established to solve a fundamental problem in e-commerce: there was no universal way to verify that a seller has a legitimate licence to use copyrighted content on their products. Rights holders filed complaints, platforms processed takedowns, sellers lost listings - and no one could easily prove who was authorised and who was not.

How ULSN works

When a copyright licence is agreed between a rights holder (or their authorised representative) and a licensee, the issuing organisation generates a ULSN. This number is permanently recorded in the registry and can be verified by anyone - instantly, for free, with no account required.

Each ULSN follows the format ULSN-YYYY-XXXXXXXXXXX where YYYY is the year of issuance and the 11 characters form an opaque, tamper-resistant identifier. No personal information about the rights holder is revealed in the number itself.

What ULSN covers

ULSN covers non-performing creative works, using the same categories recognized by copyright offices across the world:

• 2-D Artwork - paintings, illustrations, patterns, textile designs, graphic art
• Photograph - all photographic works including digital photography
• Literary Work - books, articles, manuscripts, software code
• Architectural Work - architectural drawings and plans

Performing arts rights (live performance, broadcast) are managed by existing collective management organisations (PRS, ASCAP, BMI) and are not within ULSN's scope.

Who operates ULSN?

The ULSN Registry is operated by Pay Per Art Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 16700491, ICO Registration: ZC064565) specialising in copyright licensing infrastructure. PayPerArt is also the first authorised ULSN issuer.

The registry is designed to be issuer-neutral. Any licensed and vetted organisation - including licensing agents, rights management organisations, collecting societies, and copyright law firms - can apply to become an authorised ULSN issuer.

Verification

All verification must go through the official registry at ulsn.org. There is no published algorithm for generating or validating ULSNs. This design ensures that only authorised members can create valid numbers, and that every verification is logged and auditable.

Geographic coverage

ULSN currently accepts registrations from issuers and licensees in the United States, United Kingdom, European Economic Area, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Coverage is expanding in phases to additional jurisdictions.

Contact

General enquiries: hello@ulsn.org

Issuer applications: members@ulsn.org

Technical / API: api@ulsn.org

Legal: legal@ulsn.org

Privacy: privacy@ulsn.org

Become a Member

Licensing companies, rights management organisations, and copyright collectives can apply to become authorised ULSN members - enabling them to issue verified licence numbers to their own clients and licensees.

Fee Structure

What you get

• Unique issuer code in the ULSN registry
• API access to generate and manage ULSNs programmatically
• Issuer dashboard - view all issued licences, stats, and usage
• Your organisation listed as an authorised member on ulsn.org
• Technical support for API integration
• Webhook notifications for licence events (verification lookups, expiry alerts)

The Onboarding Journey

Member Tiers

Legal Framework

By applying, you agree to the Member Agreement, Acceptable Use Policy, and AML/KYC Policy. Disputes are handled under our Complaints & Disputes Procedure.

Apply

Terms of Service

Last updated: 25 March 2026

1. Registry Services

The ULSN Registry ("Registry") provides copyright licence identification and verification services. The Registry is operated by Pay Per Art Ltd ("Operator"), a company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 16700491, ICO Registration: ZC064565).

2. Verification

The public verification service is provided free of charge. Verification results confirm the status of a licence as recorded by the issuing organisation. The Registry does not guarantee the accuracy of information provided by issuers. The Registry is a record of what issuers have reported, not an independent audit of licence validity.

3. Rate Limits

Public verification is subject to rate limiting to prevent abuse. Excessive automated queries may result in temporary or permanent IP blocking. For bulk verification, licensed API access is available to authorised members and platform partners.

4. Issuer Responsibilities

Authorised members are responsible for the accuracy of information associated with ULSNs they generate. Issuers must maintain documented evidence of copyright holder consent for each licence they record. The Registry reserves the right to revoke issuer access for non-compliance with issuance standards.

5. Data Protection

The Registry processes personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Public verification results display only the minimum information necessary to confirm licence status. No personal data about rights holders is disclosed through verification unless the rights holder has explicitly chosen to include attribution information.

6. Intellectual Property

The ULSN numbering system, verification infrastructure, and associated trademarks are the property of the Operator. The ULSN format and registry are not open-source. Unauthorised use of the ULSN name, format, or verification infrastructure is prohibited.

7. Limitation of Liability

The Registry is provided "as is". The Operator does not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted or error-free. The Operator is not liable for any loss arising from reliance on verification results. The maximum liability of the Operator for any claim is limited to the fees paid by the claimant in the 12 months preceding the claim.

8. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

9. Contact

ULSN Registry · Operated by Pay Per Art Ltd · 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX · Company No. 16700491

Email: legal@ulsn.org

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a ULSN?

A Unique Licence Serial Number is a standardised identifier for copyright licences. It uniquely identifies a licence agreement between a rights holder and a licensee. Think of it as an ISBN for copyright licences rather than books.

How do I verify a licence?

Enter the ULSN on the verification page. The result will show the licensee name, country, type of work, attribution, platform, and licence status. Verification is free and requires no account.

Who can issue ULSNs?

Only authorised members registered with the ULSN Registry can generate valid licence numbers. Members must pass KYC verification, hold professional indemnity insurance, and demonstrate documented relationships with copyright holders. See Become a Member for details.

Who can join ULSN?

ULSN membership is open to any organisation or individual that licenses copyrighted creative works. This includes copyright licensing agents, rights management organisations, collecting societies, intellectual property law firms, and verifiable artists or copyright holders who license their own work directly. All applicants must pass identity verification, provide evidence of their copyright ownership or holder relationships, and comply with the ULSN Registry's standards. For full details, see Become a Member.

What types of work does ULSN cover?

ULSN covers non-performing creative works: 2-D Artwork, Photographs, Literary Works, Sound Recordings, Architectural Works, and Motion Pictures. Performing arts rights (live performance, broadcast royalties) are managed by collecting societies such as PRS, ASCAP, and BMI.

How much does a ULSN cost?

For licensees: the ULSN is included in the licence fee - there is no separate charge. For issuers: the per-ULSN issuance fee is £1–2 per number, plus an annual membership fee. See the issuer fee structure.

Can I get a ULSN for an existing licence?

Yes. If you have an existing offline licence agreement, your issuer can register it with the ULSN Registry and issue a verified licence number for it. This brings your existing agreements into the publicly verifiable system.

What information is shown publicly?

The verification display shows: licensee name, country, type of work, number of works covered, attribution (if the rights holder chose to include it), nature (online/offline), platform, jurisdiction, licence status, dates, and issuer role. The rights holder's identity, fees, and registration numbers are never disclosed.

Where should the ULSN be displayed?

Licensees are required to display their ULSN at the start of their product description on all e-commerce listings covered by the licence. The recommended format is:

Licensed under ULSN-2026-XXXXXXXXXXX | Verify at ulsn.org

This allows platforms, customers, and rights holders to instantly verify the licence. Failure to display the ULSN may result in the licence being treated as unverified by e-commerce platforms.

Can a ULSN be revoked?

Yes. If a licence is terminated, the issuer can revoke the ULSN. The verification page will then show the status as "Revoked" with the date of revocation. The record remains in the registry permanently for audit purposes.

Is ULSN an official standard like ISBN?

ULSN is a private registry, not an ISO standard. ISBN was also a private system (created by WHSmith in 1965) before being adopted as ISO 2108 and continues to operate as a commercial licensing operation through private agencies.

ULSN follows a similar path, but with the added objective of not restricting the membership pool - opening its doors to any legitimate copyright holder and their stakeholders, to bring transparency and legitimacy to the copyright licensing industry.

Which countries does ULSN operate in?

Currently: United States, United Kingdom, European Economic Area, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Expansion to additional jurisdictions is phased and subject to legal review of local copyright frameworks.

How is my data protected?

The ULSN Registry operates under UK GDPR. Verification logs are retained for 90 days. No personal data about rights holders is disclosed publicly. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Who operates the ULSN Registry?

Pay Per Art Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (Company No. 16700491, ICO Registration: ZC064565). PayPerArt is also the first authorised ULSN issuer. The registry is designed to be issuer-neutral - any vetted organisation can apply to become an issuer.

Cookie Policy

Last updated: 26 March 2026

What cookies we use

The ULSN Registry website uses minimal cookies:

• Essential cookies: None currently. The site operates without cookies for public verification.
• Analytics cookies: None currently. We do not use Google Analytics or similar tracking services.
• Third-party cookies: If you make a payment via Stripe, Stripe may set cookies on their checkout page. This is governed by Stripe's privacy policy.

Verification logging

When you use the verification service, we log your IP address and the licence number queried. This is not done via cookies - it is server-side logging for rate limiting and abuse prevention. These logs are retained for 90 days.

Future changes

If we introduce analytics or advertising cookies in the future, this policy will be updated and a consent banner will be displayed before any non-essential cookies are set.

Your rights

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Since we currently set no cookies, disabling cookies will not affect your use of this site.

Contact

For questions about this policy: privacy@ulsn.org

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 25 March 2026

What we collect

When you use the public verification service, we log the licence number queried, the timestamp, and your IP address. This data is used solely for rate limiting and abuse prevention.

When you submit an membership application, we collect the information you provide (name, email, organisation details). This data is used to process your application and communicate with you about your issuer status.

How we use it

Verification logs are retained for 90 days and then deleted. Application data is retained for the duration of the issuer relationship plus 6 years as required by UK law.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, and port your personal data. To exercise these rights, contact privacy@ulsn.org.

Data controller

Pay Per Art Ltd · 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX · Company No. 16700491 · ICO Reg. ZC064565

Anti-Money Laundering & KYC Policy

Last updated: 26 March 2026

1. Purpose

Pay Per Art Ltd ("the Operator") is committed to preventing money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes. This policy sets out the procedures for identifying and verifying the identity of ULSN issuer applicants and monitoring transactions processed through the ULSN Registry.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all organisations applying to become authorised ULSN issuers, and to all payment transactions processed through the ULSN Registry including issuer membership fees, compliance deposits, and per-ULSN issuance charges.

3. Customer Due Diligence

Before approving any membership application, the Operator conducts the following checks:

• Identity verification: Government-issued photo ID (passport or driving licence) for all directors and beneficial owners holding 25% or more of the organisation.
• Company verification: Confirmation of company registration via the relevant national registry (Companies House for UK, Secretary of State for US, equivalent for other jurisdictions).
• Address verification: Proof of registered office address via official documentation.
• Sanctions screening: All directors and the organisation are screened against HM Treasury sanctions lists, OFAC SDN list, and EU consolidated sanctions lists.
• PEP screening: Politically Exposed Person checks on all directors.

4. Enhanced Due Diligence

Enhanced checks are applied where the applicant is based in a high-risk jurisdiction (as defined by the Financial Action Task Force), has a complex ownership structure, or where the application raises any concerns. Enhanced checks may include source of funds verification, additional director interviews, and third-party references.

5. Ongoing Monitoring

The Operator monitors issuer activity for unusual patterns including sudden increases in ULSN issuance volume, issuance of ULSNs for works not matching the issuer's stated specialisation, multiple disputes from rights holders, and payment anomalies.

6. Suspicious Activity Reporting

Where the Operator identifies suspicious activity, it will file a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) with the National Crime Agency (NCA) in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Terrorism Act 2000. The Operator will not inform the subject of the report ("tipping off" prohibition).

7. Record Keeping

All KYC documentation and transaction records are retained for a minimum of 5 years from the end of the business relationship, in accordance with the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017.

8. Training

All personnel involved in issuer onboarding and transaction monitoring receive annual AML/KYC training. Training records are maintained.

9. KYC Provider

Identity verification is conducted via Stripe Identity, a regulated KYC provider. Stripe processes identity documents securely and returns verification results to the Operator. The Operator does not store copies of identity documents - they are retained by Stripe in accordance with their data retention policy.

10. Contact

For questions about this policy: privacy@ulsn.org

Pay Per Art Ltd · 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX · Company No. 16700491

Acceptable Use Policy

Last updated: 26 March 2026

1. Permitted Use

Authorised members may use the ULSN Registry to generate verified licence numbers for legitimate copyright licence agreements between rights holders they represent and licensees who have agreed to pay the applicable licence fee.

2. Prohibited Use

Issuers must not:

• Issue ULSNs for works they do not have documented authority to license
• Issue ULSNs without a signed agreement from the copyright holder or their authorised representative
• Issue ULSNs for works that are in the public domain
• Use the ULSN system to harass, threaten, or extort sellers
• Issue ULSNs for performing arts works (managed by collecting societies)
• Share or transfer their API key to any third party
• Attempt to reverse-engineer the ULSN generation algorithm
• Use automated tools to scrape or bulk-query the verification service beyond published rate limits
• Misrepresent their identity, authority, or relationship with rights holders
• Use the ULSN system in connection with fraudulent, deceptive, or illegal activity

3. Licensee Display Requirement

Members must inform all licensees that they are required to display their ULSN at the start of their product description on all e-commerce listings covered by the licence, in the following format:

Licensed under ULSN-2026-XXXXXXXXXXX | Verify at ulsn.org

Members are responsible for communicating this requirement to their licensees at the point of licence issuance.

4. Member Obligations

Issuers must maintain documented evidence of copyright holder consent for each licence they record. This evidence must be produced within 5 business days if requested by the Registry during a compliance review or dispute investigation.

5. Consequences of Violation

Violation of this policy may result in: temporary suspension of API access, revocation of all ULSNs issued in violation, permanent termination of issuer status, forfeiture of the compliance deposit, and referral to relevant legal authorities where appropriate.

6. Reporting Violations

If you believe an issuer is violating this policy, report it to legal@ulsn.org with the ULSN number(s) in question and a description of the concern.

Complaints & Disputes

Last updated: 26 March 2026

1. Who Can File a Dispute

Any copyright holder who believes a ULSN has been issued for their work without proper authorisation may file a dispute. Licensees who believe their ULSN has been incorrectly revoked may also file a dispute.

2. How to File

Send an email to legal@ulsn.org with:

• The ULSN number(s) in dispute
• Your name and contact information
• Evidence of your claim (copyright registration certificate, signed agreements, or other documentation)
• A clear statement of what you are disputing and what resolution you seek

3. Investigation Process

Upon receiving a dispute, the Registry will:

• Acknowledge receipt within 2 business days
• Contact the issuer who generated the disputed ULSN and request evidence of authority
• The issuer has 5 business days to provide documentation
• The Registry will review all evidence and reach a determination within 10 business days of receiving the issuer's response

4. Possible Outcomes

• Dispute upheld: The ULSN is revoked, the issuer receives a compliance warning, and repeated violations may result in issuer suspension and deposit forfeiture.
• Dispute denied: The ULSN remains active. The complainant is informed of the reasons and may escalate to independent mediation.
• Further investigation required: The ULSN may be temporarily suspended pending additional evidence from either party.

5. Escalation

If either party is dissatisfied with the Registry's determination, they may request independent mediation. Mediation costs are shared equally unless the mediator determines otherwise. The governing law for all disputes is England and Wales.

6. Emergency Suspension

Where there is clear evidence of fraud or systematic misuse, the Registry may immediately suspend an issuer's API access and all associated ULSNs pending investigation. The issuer will be notified within 24 hours of the suspension.

Member Agreement

Version 1.0 · Effective: 26 March 2026

This agreement governs the relationship between Pay Per Art Ltd ("the Registry") and the authorised member ("the Issuer"). By completing the onboarding process and making payment, the Issuer agrees to the following terms.

1. Grant of Authority

The Registry grants the Issuer a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to generate ULSNs via the Registry API for the purpose of recording legitimate copyright licence agreements.

2. Issuer Responsibilities

• Maintain signed agreements with all copyright holders whose works are licensed through ULSNs
• Verify the identity and authority of copyright holders before issuing ULSNs on their behalf
• Ensure all information submitted to the Registry is accurate and current
• Comply with all applicable laws including copyright law, data protection law, and anti-money laundering regulations
• Respond to Registry compliance requests within 5 business days
• Report any suspected misuse of ULSNs to the Registry immediately
• Keep API credentials secure and not share them with third parties

3. Fees

The Issuer agrees to pay: the application fee (non-refundable), the annual membership fee (renewable), the compliance deposit (refundable after 12 months of clean operation), and the per-ULSN issuance fee as published on the Registry website. Fees may be updated with 30 days' notice.

4. Compliance Deposit

The compliance deposit is held by the Registry for 12 months. It is refundable in full if no compliance violations occur. In the event of confirmed fraud or systematic policy violation, the deposit is forfeited. The deposit does not accrue interest.

5. Member Tiers

New issuers are assigned "New" tier status with a monthly issuance limit of 50 ULSNs. After 6 months with no compliance issues, the Issuer may be upgraded to "Verified" (500/month). After 12 months, "Trusted" (unlimited). Tier status is at the Registry's sole discretion.

6. Suspension and Termination

The Registry may suspend or terminate an Issuer's access for: violation of the Acceptable Use Policy, failure to respond to compliance requests, confirmed fraud, non-payment of fees, or any conduct that brings the Registry into disrepute. On termination, all ULSNs issued by the Issuer remain in the registry with their current status.

7. Limitation of Liability

The Registry's liability to the Issuer for any claim arising under this agreement is limited to the fees paid by the Issuer in the 12 months preceding the claim. The Registry is not liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages.

8. Governing Law

This agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

9. Amendments

The Registry may amend this agreement with 30 days' written notice to the Issuer's registered email. Continued use of the API after the notice period constitutes acceptance of the amended terms.

Pay Per Art Ltd · 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX · Company No. 16700491 · ICO Reg. ZC064565

Submit Your Documents

Thank you for your payment. To complete your membership application, please upload the following documents.