Effective Date: July 24, 2026

1. Scope

These Certification Terms apply to all MRAA certification and verification requests, including requests submitted by:

• Artists

• Labels

• Influencers

• Brands

• Businesses

• Creators

• Producers

• Songwriters

• Executives

• Managers

• Other entertainment-industry professionals

2. One Request Per Project

A separate application must be submitted for each release, project, brand, influencer, campaign, professional achievement, or certification request.

Only one project, brand, influencer, campaign, release, or professional achievement will be certified per application unless MRAA expressly approves otherwise.

An applicant may not combine unrelated projects or multiple recipients to avoid additional application fees.

3. Albums and EPs

When an album or EP seeks certification at a particular level, at least 90% of the project’s qualifying singles or tracks must satisfy the requirements for that level, unless MRAA’s published criteria provide another method.

MRAA may certify an individual single at one level and an album or EP at a different level.

4. Applicant-Specific Documentation

MRAA may request different information depending on the applicant type.

Artists and labels

This may include:

• Title

• Artist

• ISRC

• UPC

• Release date

• Distributor

• Label

• Platform analytics

• Sales, streaming, radio, or social data

• Ownership or authorization documents

Influencers

This may include:

• Platform

• Profile URL

• Campaign

• Date range

• Reach

• Engagement

• Audience information

• Campaign reports

• Brand or agency confirmation

Brands

This may include:

• Business name

• Campaign name

• Music connection

• Campaign dates

• Supporting analytics

• Agreements

• Advertising or platform reports

Industry professionals

This may include:

• Professional role

• Credits

• Project

• Measurable achievement

• Contracts, liner notes, platform records, or other documentation

5. Certification Levels

MRAA may offer certification levels including Steel, Bronze, Silver, Palladium, Rhodium, Californium, or other levels published by MRAA.

Certification levels, thresholds, eligible metrics, and evidence requirements may be updated prospectively.

The level requested by an applicant is not guaranteed. MRAA may:

• Approve the requested level

• Approve a lower or different level

• Request additional documentation

• Place the request on hold

• Deny the request

• Refer the request for additional audit or review

6. Review Process

MRAA may evaluate:

• Identity

• Release metadata

• Professional credits

• Platform information

• Distributor information

• Publicly available data

• Submitted reports

• Campaign records

• Agreements

• Source reliability

• Date ranges

• Duplicate activity

• Geographic relevance

• Consistency among sources

• Authenticity indicators

• Other evidence reasonably related to the request

MRAA may use proprietary, confidential, patent-pending, statistical, technological, professional, or manual review methods.

MRAA is not required to reveal confidential formulas, scoring methods, internal risk indicators, third-party agreements, security processes, or proprietary software functions.

7. Applicant Representations

The applicant represents that:

• All submitted information is accurate

• Documents have not been materially altered

• The applicant has authority to submit the request

• The applicant has permission to submit third-party information

• The project or achievement is not being falsely attributed

• The applicant has disclosed material limitations or corrections

• Submitted analytics have not been knowingly fabricated

• The applicant will promptly correct discovered errors

8. Review Fees

Current standard fees are:

• Member certification review: $210 per request

• Non-member certification bypass: $270 per request

• Expedited review: $100 additional

The price displayed at checkout controls if MRAA updates its pricing.

The review fee pays for processing and evaluation. It does not purchase approval or a particular certification level.

9. Expedited Review

Expedited review places an eligible request into a priority workflow. It does not guarantee:

• Approval

• A requested level

• Completion on a specific date

• Immediate delivery

• Waiver of documentation requirements

• Priority over security, fraud, or legal investigations

A delayed expedited request may remain nonrefundable once priority work has begun.

10. Additional Documentation

MRAA may request additional documentation and set a response deadline.

Failure to provide requested information may result in:

• Delay

• Administrative closure

• Denial

• Certification at a lower level

• Loss of expedited status

Submitting additional documents does not guarantee approval.

11. Decisions

Certification decisions are made in MRAA’s independent discretion based on the available evidence and current criteria.

MRAA may decline to provide detailed denial reasoning when disclosure could expose:

• Proprietary methods

• Security controls

• Confidential sources

• Third-party information

• Fraud-detection indicators

• Legal risk

• Review integrity

Unless MRAA offers a reconsideration procedure in writing, an applicant has no automatic right to an appeal or second review.

12. Public Certification Record

An approved certification may result in:

• A certification number

• A digital certificate

• A public verification record

• Publication of approved professional information

• Eligibility to purchase a physical award

MRAA may correct clerical or factual errors in a public record.

13. Physical Awards

A physical plaque, trophy, frame, or award is sold separately unless expressly included.

Purchasing a physical award does not create certification. A physical award may be produced only after MRAA confirms an approved certification or other authorized recognition.

Production appearance may vary slightly because of materials, printing, engraving, screen display, or manufacturer availability.

14. No Ownership Determination

Certification does not conclusively establish:

• Copyright ownership

• Trademark ownership

• Royalty entitlement

• Contract rights

• Authorship

• Distribution rights

• Absence of infringement

• Absence of artificial or disputed activity

MRAA may review such information as part of its process, but certification is not a judicial determination.

15. Revocation or Correction

MRAA may correct, suspend, downgrade, or revoke a certification if:

• Material information was false

• Documentation was forged or altered

• The applicant lacked authority

• The certification was issued through error

• Evidence is later invalidated

• A rights owner establishes a superior claim

• The certification is used deceptively

• New information materially affects eligibility

• Continued recognition would threaten MRAA’s integrity

MRAA may update the public record to show corrected, suspended, disputed, or revoked status.

Fees are not ordinarily refunded following revocation caused by applicant conduct or inaccurate submissions.

16. Independent Recognition

MRAA certification is independent recognition issued under MRAA’s own standards.

It does not represent certification, approval, accreditation, sponsorship, or endorsement by a government agency, RIAA, DDEX, A2IM, a digital service provider, a distributor, or another organization unless that organization expressly confirms otherwise.

17. Contact

Certification questions may be sent to support@mraa.me.

MRAA Certification Terms