Self-publisher

If you created and published your own book, you may be eligible to receive payments through the Australian Lending Rights schemes.

The schemes recognise income lost through the free multiple use of books in Australian public, school, university and TAFE libraries. They support Australian writing and publishing by compensating eligible creators and publishers for copies of their books held in lending libraries across Australia.

As a self-publisher, you will need to register for Lending Rights Online and claim as both a creator and a publisher.

Check your eligibility

You may be eligible to claim as a creator if you are:

an author
an illustrator
an editor
a translator
an individual who has contributed a significant proportion of original content to the whole or part of a book.

You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and be entitled to receive ongoing royalties from the sale of your book.

If you received a flat fee instead of ongoing royalties or an equivalent financial interest, you are not eligible to claim as a creator for that book.

You may be eligible to also claim as a publisher if you published your own book.

Check your book is eligible

Eligible books include printed books, ebooks and audiobooks that:

have an ISBN
have been published and offered for sale
are claimed within 5 years from the year of publication
have a catalogue record in a national bibliographic database, such as the Schools Catalogue Information Service or the Australian National Bibliographic Database
have individual creators, not companies or organisations
are original works protected by copyright and not wholly or substantially created using artificial intelligence.

Items that are not eligible include:

music and audio-visual material
magazines and other serial publications
games or cards
single-use books, such as activity books, sticker books or workbooks
items without an ISBN
items that only have an Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN).

What you need to do—new registration

Go to Lending Rights Online (LRO) and register as a 'New Claimant'.

We recommend registering within 4 weeks of the expected publication date, with your first title claim to be submitted following the book's publication.

After you submit your registration, you will receive an email confirmation with your unique claimant number. You will need this number and your password to sign into LRO in the future.

If you're already registered

Sign into Lending Rights Online using your claimant number and password. You can find your claimant number in the email you received when you registered.

You can use Lending Rights Online to:

view your records
change your password
submit new title claims
update your contact and bank details
view your payment history.

If you've forgotten your password, you can reset it by clicking the 'Forgot Your Password?' button and entering your email address.

If you still need help logging in, call 1800 672 842 during business hours (AEST/AEDT) or email lendingrights@arts.gov.au

Submit creator and publisher title claims

A title claim is how you tell us about a book you want to claim for.

As a self-publisher, you need to submit 2 title claims, a:

creator title claim for your contribution as an author, illustrator, editor, translator or other eligible creator
publisher title claim for publishing the book.

Submit both claims using the same book and ISBN details.

Your book may be available in different editions or formats. A print book, ebook and audiobook may each have a different ISBN. Include every edition and format you want to claim.

Print books and ebooks can be submitted on the same claim form. For audiobooks, complete a separate claim form.

If your book is later published in a new edition or format with a different ISBN, submit new creator and publisher title claims for that ISBN.

You only need to claim each book, edition or format once. You do not need to submit the same claims every year.

Claim a new book, edition or format

You should submit a new title claim if:

you have published a new eligible book
an existing book has been republished with a new ISBN
your book is released in another format, such as an ebook or audiobook, with a new ISBN.

Remember—if it's a self-published book, complete both a creator title claim and publisher title claim.

When to claim

You should lodge your title claim after the book is published and no later than 5 years after the year of publication.

New title claims close on 31 March each year.

For the current claim period, the deadline is 31 March 2027.

Keep your details up to date

Keep your contact and bank details current so we can contact you and make any payment owed to you.

You can update these details through Lending Rights Online.

If you cannot use Lending Rights Online, you can complete the change of address and bank details form.

Email the completed form to lendingrights@arts.gov.au or post it to: Lending Rights, GPO Box 3241, Canberra ACT 2601.

How payments work

Registering and claiming does not guarantee a payment.

Creator payments are based on the:

estimated number of copies of your book held in public and educational lending libraries
proportion of royalties you receive for the book as a creator
applicable Public Lending Right (PLR) and Educational Lending Right (ELR) payment rates.

Publisher payments are based on:

the estimated number of copies of eligible books held in public and educational lending libraries
your financial interest in the book as its publisher
the applicable PLR and ELR payment rates.

PLR and ELR payments are calculated and paid separately.

A payment may be made if at least 50 copies of an eligible book are estimated to be held in the libraries surveyed for the schemes. Your total calculated payment must also reach at least $100 for you to receive a payment.

We will notify you in May if you are due to receive a payment. Payments are deposited into your nominated bank account by 30 June each year.

FAQs for self-publishers

Do I need to claim as both a creator and publisher?

Yes. If you created and published the book yourself, you should claim as both a creator and publisher.

Do I need to submit 2 title claims for my self-published book?

Yes. Submit a creator title claim for your contribution to the book and a publisher title claim for publishing it.

Do I need to claim the same book every year?

No. You only need to submit a title claim once, unless the book is republished in a new edition or format with a new ISBN.

Can I claim for an ebook or audiobook?

Yes. Ebooks and audiobooks can be claimed if they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Can I claim if my ebook only has an Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN)?

No. Books (including ebooks and audiobooks) must have an ISBN to be eligible for Lending Rights.

What if my book has a new ISBN?

Submit new creator and publisher title claims for any new edition or format with a different ISBN.

Can I receive back payments for years before I claimed?

No. Back payments are not made for books that were not claimed in previous program years.

What should I put in the royalty section?

You should enter the proportion of royalties you receive. This proportion is used to calculate any PLR or ELR payment due to you for that book.

For example, if you and another creator each receive an equal royalty rate for a book you worked on together, you would list your percentage entitlement to royalties on your title claim form as '50%'. Alternatively, if you are the sole creator of the book entitled to receive royalties, you would list your percentage entitlement to royalties as '100%'.

What if I can't use Lending Rights Online?

Lending Rights Online is the preferred way to submit title claims and update your account. If you cannot use it, you can complete a paper form.

As a self-publisher, you may need to complete both creator and publisher forms:

Paper forms take longer to process. Allow 5 to 10 business days for the requested action to be completed.

These forms may not meet WCAG 2.0 requirements. For accessible versions, please email: lendingrights@arts.gov.au

Completed forms can be emailed to lendingrights@arts.gov.au or posted to: Lending Rights, GPO Box 3241, Canberra ACT 2601.

How can I view previous payments?

Sign in to Lending Rights Online and select View creator / publisher payments. Public Lending Right and Educational Lending Right payments appear under separate tabs.

Are Lending Rights payments the same as Copyright Agency payments?

No. The Copyright Agency is an Australian not-for-profit organisation that makes payments under collective licensing arrangements. You may wish to register your works with them as well.