BMI & ASCAP Split Sheets: What You Need to Know

You wrote the song. You agreed on the splits. Now you need to tell your PRO about it — because they won't pay you for a song they don't know you wrote. BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC all require you to register your works and declare the ownership splits. Here's how to get it right.

Why PROs need your split sheet

Performance Rights Organizations — BMI, ASCAP, SESAC in the US, PRS in the UK, SOCAN in Canada — collect royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers. When your song plays on the radio, streams on Spotify, or gets used in a TV show, the PRO identifies the song and pays the registered owners.

But they can only pay you if they know you own a share. That's what song registration is for — you tell your PRO the song title, your co-writers, and the percentage each person owns. The split sheet is your source document for those numbers.

How to register your splits with each PRO

Each PRO has its own portal, but the process is similar:

BMI

Log into BMI's online portal and go to “Register a Work.” You'll enter the song title, alternate titles if any, all co-writers with their IPI numbers and ownership percentages, and publisher information. BMI requires that the total writer shares add up to 100% and the total publisher shares add up to 100%. Each co-writer registers from their own BMI account — BMI cross-references the submissions to confirm the shares match.

ASCAP

ASCAP uses their “Member Access” portal. Navigate to “Register Works” and fill in the song title, all writers (with IPI numbers and their ASCAP member IDs), ownership percentages, and publisher details. ASCAP splits the royalty 50/50 between the writer share and the publisher share — so if you own 50% of the composition and self-publish, you register 50% writer and 50% publisher for your portion. Like BMI, each co-writer should register independently.

SESAC

SESAC is invitation-only, so the process varies. If you're a SESAC affiliate, your representative can help with registration. The information needed is the same: song title, writers, IPI numbers, percentage splits, and publisher info.

In all cases, your split sheet is what you reference to fill in these fields accurately. Without it, you're guessing — and guessing wrong means royalties go to the wrong people.

What happens if you don't file

If you don't register your song with your PRO, one of two things happens. Best case: the song earns royalties but they sit uncollected in the PRO's system because nobody claimed ownership. Worst case: your co-writer registers 100% and you get nothing.

This isn't hypothetical. It happens constantly, especially in situations where one collaborator is more organized than the other. The person who registers first doesn't automatically get everything — PROs will investigate disputes — but correcting the record after the fact takes months and requires evidence. That evidence is your signed split sheet.

The lesson: register your songs promptly, and keep your split sheet accessible so you can prove your ownership if anyone files incorrectly.

What information PROs require

Every PRO registration asks for the same core information. Have these ready before you sit down to register:

• Song title — the final release title, plus any alternate titles or working titles
• All co-writers— full legal name, PRO affiliation, and whether they're a writer, writer-publisher, or represented by a publisher
• IPI/CAE numbers— this is the unique identifier your PRO assigns when you register as a songwriter. Every co-writer needs one. If a collaborator doesn't have an IPI number yet, they need to join a PRO first.
• Ownership percentages — the composition share for each writer, adding up to exactly 100%
• Publisher information— if you self-publish, you list yourself as the publisher. If you have a publishing deal, your publisher's name and IPI go here.
• ISRC / ISWC codes — if available. The ISWC (International Standard Musical Work Code) identifies the composition globally. The ISRC identifies the specific recording. Not always required at registration but useful to include.

A split sheet that captures all of this information makes PRO registration a copy-paste job instead of a research project.

Filing deadlines and timing

PROs don't have a hard filing deadline — you can register a song at any time. But timing matters for two reasons:

• Retroactive royalties are limited.BMI and ASCAP will pay back royalties for a registered work, but only for a limited period. If your song was earning for two years before you registered, you might not collect everything you're owed.
• First-to-file creates problems. If your co-writer registers the song with incorrect splits before you do, correcting it is a slow, paperwork-heavy process. Register early to establish your claim.

The best practice: register the song with your PRO as soon as the split sheet is signed. Don't wait for the release. Don't wait for it to blow up. Register now, while the information is fresh and everyone agrees.

With creddid, your signed split sheet has all the information you need for PRO registration in one place — song title, co-writer names, IPI numbers, and agreed percentages. Create one before the session ends and you'll never scramble for registration details again.