Music on the terrace: what is allowed and what does it cost?

Two things with nothing to do with each other

The levies to Buma/Stemra and Sena are about the rights in the music. They are due as soon as music by human authors can be heard by the public, inside or outside.

The council’s rules are about noise nuisance: how loud, until what time, and sometimes whether amplified sound is allowed at all. That sits in the local by-law and differs per municipality and sometimes per street.

So you can comply neatly with one and breach the other. They are unrelated.

The terrace counts towards the tariff

For the declaration to Buma/Stemra and Sena what matters is the space where the music can be heard. Speakers on the terrace means that area counts.

That can push you into a higher bracket than you would expect from your indoor space alone. Work it out below.

It is seasonal work

A terrace runs from March to October, and the music on it should move with it: calmer during the day, fuller towards the end of the afternoon.

If you close in winter, check whether you can adjust the declaration to the period the terrace is actually in use. Ask Buma/Stemra and Sena; it is not automatic, but it is worth asking.