A method for authorizing the rendering of a digital recording. A first section and a last section of a track is first identified. A watermark is then decoded from the first and last sections of the track. It is then determined if at least one reserved bit is marked in the watermark in each of the first and last sections of the track. If so, it is determined if the sequence IDs of sections interposed between the first and last sections of the track are in sequential order. If both conditions are met, the rendering is authorized.