Copyright registration in India. Make your work legally yours.
Copyright protects an original work from the moment you create it. Registering it gives you an official record of ownership that a court accepts as evidence. Define IPR Solutions prepares your application and files it with the Copyright Office.
Free consultation. Fees quoted before you commit to anything.
Copyright law in three numbers
Yours from the moment you create it
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60
years after the author's lifetime
How long copyright lasts in writing, music, drama and art.
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30
days of waiting after filing
The Copyright Office holds every application for objections before examining it.
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6
kinds of work protected
From a training manual to a film, the law sorts every work into one of six.
What can be yours
What copyright protects
Original work that has been written down, drawn, recorded or otherwise fixed in some form.
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Writing and software
Books, articles, training manuals and computer programmes. The law treats all of them as literary works.
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Dramatic work
Plays, screenplays and choreography.
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Music
Musical compositions, including the written notation.
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Art
Paintings, drawings, photographs, logos and labels.
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Film
Films and videos, as recorded.
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Sound recordings
Recorded songs, podcasts and other audio.
Copyright does not protect ideas, methods or facts, only the way they are expressed. Names, titles and slogans are protected as trademarks, not by copyright.
How it becomes yours
How copyright registration works in India
Five stages, from a first look at the work to the entry in the register.
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01 Review
The work and who owns it
We look at the work, the category it falls in and who owns it: the author, an employer, or someone it was assigned to.
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02 Filing
Application to the Copyright Office
We prepare the application and its statements of particulars, attach copies of the work and file it online.
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03 Waiting
A 30-day window
The Copyright Office holds the application for 30 days in case anyone objects to it.
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04 Examination
The examiner's check
An examiner reviews the application. If a discrepancy is raised, we prepare and file the reply.
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05 Registration
Entry in the Register of Copyrights
The work is entered in the Register of Copyrights and you receive the registration certificate.
Claiming it
If copyright is automatic, why register?
Because owning a work and proving you own it are different things.
| Your work | Is it protected? | How you prove it is yours |
|---|---|---|
| Unregistered | Yes, from the moment it is created. | You have to show when you made it and that you made it, with whatever records you kept. |
| Registered | Yes, in the same way. | The entry in the Register of Copyrights is accepted by a court as evidence of ownership. |
Keeping it yours
What you get from Define IPR
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The application, prepared and filed
The forms, the statements of particulars and the copies of your work, handled for you.
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Replies to the Copyright Office
If the examiner raises a discrepancy, we prepare the reply.
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Proof you can rely on
A registration that a court accepts as evidence that the work is yours.
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A basis for licensing
A registered work is easier to license, and to earn royalties from.
What we need from you
- Copies of the work.
- Its title, language and the date it was created or first published.
- The author's name, address and nationality.
- The applicant's details, if the applicant is not the author.
- A no-objection certificate or assignment from the author, if someone else is applying.
- For software: an extract of the source code.
- For a logo or label used on goods: a search certificate from the Trade Marks Registry, which we can apply for.
One thing to check first
Make sure you own the work. If an employee made it as part of the job, it usually belongs to the business. If a freelancer or an agency made it, it belongs to them until they assign it to you in writing.
Applications are filed with the Copyright Office, Government of India.
Before you decide
Copyright registration, answered
Is copyright registration mandatory in India?
No. Copyright exists automatically from the moment an original work is created. Registration is optional, but the entry in the Register of Copyrights is accepted by courts as prima facie evidence of ownership, which makes a dispute much easier to win.
How long does copyright last in India?
For literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, copyright lasts for the lifetime of the author plus 60 years. For films and sound recordings it lasts 60 years from the year of publication.
Should I copyright my logo or trademark it?
They protect different things. Copyright protects the logo as a piece of artwork. A trademark protects its use as the sign of your business. Most businesses need the trademark first, and can add copyright for the artwork.
Is software protected by copyright or by a patent?
Software code is protected by copyright as a literary work, and that protection is automatic. A patent is possible only where the software is part of an invention that solves a technical problem.
Who owns the copyright when I pay someone to create the work?
It depends on the relationship. Work made by an employee as part of the job usually belongs to the employer. Work made by a freelancer or an agency belongs to them unless they assign it to you in writing.
How long does copyright registration take?
At least a few months. Every application waits 30 days for objections and is then examined. It takes longer if someone objects or the examiner raises a discrepancy.
Does Indian copyright protect my work in other countries?
In most cases, yes. India is a member of the Berne Convention, so a work first published in India is protected in the other member countries without a separate registration there.
Can I use the © symbol without registering?
Yes. You can use © on any original work you own, registered or not. A typical notice reads: © 2026 Your Company Name.
How much does copyright registration cost?
The official fee depends on the kind of work. Our professional fee is added to that. We quote both after a free consultation, before you commit to anything.
Last reviewed . This page is general information, not legal advice.
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