Copyright Registration in India

Copyright exists automatically the moment you create something original — but a registration certificate is what you actually produce in court, in a takedown notice, or during investor diligence.

Software, artwork, content, music and film covered
Government fee from ₹500 per work
Ownership chain documented properly
Protection for life of the author plus 60 years

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Government fee from: ₹500
Our fee from: ₹3,999
Typical timeline: 6–12 months total

Overview

Automatic rights, and why registration still matters

Copyright subsists automatically in original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, as well as cinematograph films and sound recordings, from the moment they are created. You do not need to register to own copyright. So why register?

Because ownership and proof of ownership are different things. A registration certificate from the Copyright Office is prima facie evidence in court. Without it you are reconstructing a paper trail — draft files, email timestamps, contractor agreements — to prove you created the work first. That is difficult, slow, and often decisive against you.

Registration also unlocks practical remedies. Platform takedown processes, customs recordal, marketplace enforcement, licensing negotiations and investor diligence all move faster with a certificate. For software companies in particular, a copyright registration over the codebase is a standard item acquirers look for.

One important detail: registering an artistic work that is used in relation to goods or services — a logo, label or packaging design — requires a search certificate from the Trade Marks Registry (Form TM-C, ₹10,000) confirming no conflicting mark. Logos therefore usually need both trademark and copyright thinking.

Why it matters

What copyright registration gives you

The practical advantages, not the marketing version.

Evidence that stands up in court

The certificate is prima facie proof of ownership — the difference between asserting a claim and proving one.

Faster platform takedowns

YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Google content-removal processes move quickly against a registered work.

Protection for 60 years plus

Literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works are protected for the author's lifetime plus sixty years.

A licensable asset

Registered works can be licensed, assigned or franchised with a clear title the counterparty can verify.

Diligence-ready ownership

Acquirers and investors ask who owns the code, the content and the creative assets. A certificate answers it.

Covers contractor work

Registration is the natural point to fix the ownership chain where freelancers or agencies created the work.

How it works

The process, step by step

Every stage, with realistic timelines — including the ones that depend on the registry rather than on us.

11 day
Classify the work
We identify the correct category — literary, artistic, software, sound recording or cinematograph film — since this determines the fee and the particulars required.
22–5 days
Establish the ownership chain
We check authorship, employment and contractor arrangements, and prepare assignments or NOCs where the author and the applicant differ.
32–3 days
Prepare and file Form XIV
The application with statement of particulars and, for artistic works, the statement of further particulars is filed electronically with the Copyright Office.
4Same day
Diary number issued
You receive a diary number immediately on filing. A mandatory thirty-day waiting period then begins for third-party objections.
52–8 months
Examination
After the objection window, the Examiner reviews the application and may raise a discrepancy letter requiring clarification.
66–12 months total
Registration certificate
Once the Registrar is satisfied, the work is entered in the Register of Copyrights and the certificate is issued.

Documents

What you need to provide

Have these ready and the filing moves quickly. We tell you if anything is missing before we start.

For every application

Two copies or samples of the work
Title of the work and language
Name, address and nationality of the author
Name and address of the applicant / owner
Year and country of first publication, if published
Form XIV with statement of particulars
Power of Attorney in favour of the agent

Software and computer programmes

First and last ten pages of source code, or the full code
Brief description of the programme's function
Employment or contractor agreements for the developers
NOC from developers where they are not the applicant
Version and release details

Artistic works, logos and labels

High-resolution copy of the artwork
Search certificate from the Trade Marks Registry (Form TM-C) if used on goods or services
NOC from the designer or agency who created it
Details of where and how the work is used
Assignment deed if created by a third party

Official fees

Official Copyright Office fees

These are statutory fees payable to the government, separate from our professional fee. We never mark them up.

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work	₹500	Per work.
Computer software / programme	₹500	Per work. Treated as a literary work.
Artistic work used on goods or services (logo, label)	₹2,000	Per work. TM search certificate required.
Sound recording	₹2,000	Per work.
Cinematograph film	₹5,000	Per work.
Trade Marks search certificate (Form TM-C)	₹10,000	Required for artistic works used on goods or services.
Change of particulars — literary or artistic work	₹200	Per work.
Change of particulars — cinematograph film	₹2,000	Per work.

Each application covers one work only. There are no reduced rates for individuals, startups or MSMEs — copyright fees are the same for all applicants.

Our pricing

Transparent professional fees

Fixed fees, quoted upfront. Government fees are charged at cost and shown separately on every invoice.

Single Work

One literary, artistic or software work.

₹3,999+ government fee

Work classification advice
Form XIV drafting and filing
Statement of particulars prepared
Diary number and status tracking
Discrepancy reply if raised

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Most chosen

Logo & Brand Assets

For logos and artwork used on goods or services.

₹7,999+ government fee

Everything in Single Work
Trade Marks search certificate (TM-C) coordination
Statement of further particulars
Designer NOC and assignment drafting
Combined trademark and copyright strategy advice

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Software & Portfolio

Codebases, content libraries and multi-work portfolios.

Custom

Multiple works filed together
Source-code extract preparation
Employee and contractor IP assignment audit
Chain-of-title documentation pack
Diligence-ready ownership record

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FAQ

Questions we get asked

If your question is not here, send it over — we answer directly rather than routing you to a form.

Is copyright registration mandatory in India?

No. Copyright arises automatically on creation. Registration is voluntary — but the certificate is prima facie evidence of ownership in court and in enforcement processes, which is why most businesses register works that matter commercially.

How long does copyright registration take?

Six to twelve months typically. A diary number is issued immediately on filing, followed by a mandatory thirty-day objection window, then examination. Discrepancy letters can extend the timeline.

Can I copyright my logo?

Yes, as an artistic work. Where the logo is used in relation to goods or services the fee is ₹2,000 and a search certificate from the Trade Marks Registry is mandatory. In practice a logo usually needs a trademark registration too — copyright protects the artwork, trademark protects its use as a brand identifier.

How long does copyright protection last?

For literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works: the author's lifetime plus sixty years. For cinematograph films, sound recordings, photographs and works of government or international organisations: sixty years from the year of publication.

Who owns copyright in work created by an employee or freelancer?

Work created by an employee in the course of employment generally vests in the employer. Work by an independent contractor usually stays with the contractor unless there is a written assignment. This is the single most common ownership gap we find — always get a written IP assignment from freelancers and agencies.

Does Indian copyright protect me abroad?

Largely yes. India is a member of the Berne Convention, so Indian works receive automatic protection in over 180 member countries without separate registration. Enforcement still follows each country's own law and procedure.

Can I register software source code?

Yes. Software is protected as a literary work at ₹500 per work. You submit the first and last ten pages of source code, or the complete code. Registration should be paired with proper IP assignment agreements from every developer who contributed.

Still unsure? Book a free consultation and we will tell you honestly whether this is the right service for you.

Ready to start your copyright registration?

Talk to an IP professional first. No obligation, no sales script — just a clear view of where you stand and what it will cost.

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