How to Get Your Platinum Plaque Certified and Ordered (2025 Guide)

Hit a million units? Here’s the official RIAA path to certification, what documents you’ll need, fees to expect, and how to order a legitimate plaque through licensed framers.

In this guide — Eligibility · Apply · Documents · Fees · Licensed plaque makers · Credits & genre · FAQ · Further reading

Step 1 — Confirm Eligibility

Level	Units Sold	Estimated Streams
Gold	500,000	≈ 75 million
Platinum	1,000,000	≈ 150 million
Multi-Platinum	2,000,000+	≈ 300 million+
Diamond	10,000,000+	≈ 1.5 billion+

Only on‑demand, verified streams from approved partners count toward totals.

Step 2 — Have Your Label or Distributor Apply

Artists can’t apply directly. Your authorized label or distributor submits the title for certification to the RIAA. After initial approval, the RIAA’s independent auditors verify the data.

Contact: [email protected]
Info hub: riaa.com/gold-platinum/apply
Typical timeline: 2–6 weeks after submission

Step 3 — Prepare Required Documents

Sales report — direct export or Excel (domestic, net of returns)
Label copy (“one‑sheet”) — credits, track titles, label/imprint
Product copy — photo of physical product or digital audio files

Step 4 — Certification Fees

RIAA member companies: $350 per certification
Non‑members: $450 per certification (prepaid)

Notes: If multiple sales levels are certified at the same time, the fee is charged once for members. First‑time companies may need to cover travel costs for the independent auditor. Ineligible requests are still charged the fee.

Step 5 — Order Through Licensed Plaque Manufacturers

After certification, plaques can be ordered only through RIAA‑licensed framers. Orders require label authorization and include the official RIAA hologram.

Dejay Gold/Products — Seattle, WA
Gold Rush Vinyl — Austin, TX
Jewel Box Platinum — Inglewood, CA
Metro Pro LLC — Pine Brook, NJ
The Award Group — multiple U.S. locations

Typical price range: $300–$700+ depending on size and style; allow ~4–6 weeks after design approval.

Step 6 — Genre Selection & Credit Verification

When finalizing your plaque, you can select an award genre (Pop, R&B/Hip Hop, Dance/Electronic, Rock, Latin, Country, Jazz, Soundtracks, etc.). This is also when to confirm spelling and order for producers, writers, engineers, featured artists, and label/imprint.