Mechanical License A Mechanical license is the license issued by a music publisher or the agent of the publisher to a record label, giving the company the right to record and release a specific composition at an agreed-upon fee per unit manufactured and sold. The Statutory Compulsory Mechanical royalty rate for recordings; CDs and (permanent) digital downloads is 9.10 Cents per copy. Harry Fox Agency Harry Fox is an agency that represents music publishers to negotiate and collect royalties from mechanical, digital, and foreign licenses. Harry Fox Agency (HFA) is the primary mechanical licensing, collections, and distribution agency for music publishers in the United States. If you find the Music Powers site helpful - please consider visiting the sponsors - thank you.