copyright assignment form

• Find a Lawyer
• Ask a Lawyer
• Research the Law
• Law Schools
• Laws & Regs
• Newsletters
• Justia Connect
• Pro Membership
• Basic Membership
• Justia Lawyer Directory
• Platinum Placements
• Gold Placements
• Justia Elevate
• Justia Amplify
• PPC Management
• Google Business Profile
• Social Media
• Justia Onward Blog

Assignment of Copyrights & Legal Implications

Copyright gives authors a bundle of personal property or economic rights in an original work of authorship. These rights include the rights to reproduce, create derivative works, distribute work to the public, publicly perform a work, publicly display visual works, and digitally transmit sound records. They belong exclusively to a copyright holder.

Usually, the copyright holder is the person who created the work. However, any of these economic rights, or any part of these economic rights, can be transferred. Under the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA), an artist’s moral rights in a work of fine art can be waived but not assigned.

An original owner who assigns their copyright to someone else will not retain any right to control how the work is used.

The transfer of economic rights may be on an exclusive basis, which requires a written agreement, or a non-exclusive basis, which does not require a written agreement. Most commonly, this transfer is accomplished by assignment or license. Unlike a license in which the copyright owner maintains their ownership, an assignment is similar to a sale. The original copyright owner sells the rights to a third party and cannot control how the rights are used, just as they would not be able to control how personal property that they sold was used once it was transferred.

Generally, a license is preferable if a copyright holder expects to continue exercising interests and control over the work. For example, if you assign your copyright in a song to a music producer, the decision about whether to allow a film studio to use your song in a film will belong to the producer, not to you. If you license your copyright in a song in a limited capacity to a music producer, however, you will continue to be able to license your copyright in the song to a film producer.

Assignments can be used for many different purposes, such as security for debt, as an asset passed to heirs, or as part of the distribution of assets after a bankruptcy proceeding. Once you assign your rights to somebody else, however, you are permanently giving away your right to control the work. That means if you try to exercise any of the rights you have assigned, you are committing copyright infringement even though you created the work. If you assign your copyright to somebody else and regret the loss, you may be able to buy your copyright back from that person, but whether or not to sell it back to you is up to the assignee.

How Is Copyright Assigned?

Under Section 204 , a transfer of ownership is only valid if the instrument, note, or memorandum of transfer is in writing, signed by the copyright owner or their duly authorized agent. Generally, a certificate of acknowledgment is not required for the transfer to be valid, but it can be used as prima facie evidence that a transfer was executed if it is issued by someone authorized to administer oaths in the United States or, if the transfer is executed abroad, if the certificate is issued by a United States diplomatic or consular official, or a person authorized to administer oaths who also provides a certificate.

Formally recording an assignment with the Copyright Office is not required but can be advantageous.

You do not have to record an assignment in order to assign the interest. However, there are advantages to recording the assignment, such as creating a public record of the transfer details, giving constructive notice to members of the public, establishing priority of rights when there are conflicting transfers of ownership, validating the transfer of the copyright against a third party, or in some cases perfecting a security interest.

Last reviewed October 2023

Intellectual Property Law Center Contents   

• Intellectual Property Law Center
• Copyright Infringement & Related Lawsuits
• Copyright Ownership Under the Law
• Assignment of Copyrights & Legal Implications
• Copyright Licensing Under the Law
• Copyright Registration Under the Law
• Safe Harbors for Online Service Providers Under Copyright Law
• Criminal Copyright Infringement Laws
• Enforcement of Copyrights Through Lawsuits & Criminal Charges
• Fair Use Defense to Copyright Infringement Lawsuits
• Software Development Agreements & Related Legal Concerns
• End-User License Agreements Imposing Legal Restrictions on Software
• Lists, Directories, and Databases Under Copyright Law
• Photos of Buildings and Architecture Under Copyright Law
• Photos of Copyrighted or Trademarked Works & the Fair Use Defense to Infringement Lawsuits
• Works in the Public Domain After Copyrights Legally Expire
• Copyrights and Credits for Songwriters Under the Law
• Music Samples and Copyright Infringement Lawsuits
• Playing Music in Stores or Restaurants — How to Avoid Copyright Infringement Lawsuits
• Consignment Sales by Artists to Stores & Legal Protections
• Destruction of Copyrighted Works & Limited Legal Protections
• Copyright Legal Forms
• Trademark Law
• Trade Secret Law
• Choosing Among Patent, Copyright, and Trademark for Legal Protection
• Intellectual Property Law FAQs
• Find an Intellectual Property Lawyer

Related Areas   

• Small Business Legal Center
• Entertainment Law Center
• Communications and Internet Law Center
• Sports Law Center
• Related Areas
• Bankruptcy Lawyers
• Business Lawyers
• Criminal Lawyers
• Employment Lawyers
• Estate Planning Lawyers
• Family Lawyers
• Personal Injury Lawyers
• Estate Planning
• Personal Injury
• Business Formation
• Business Operations
• Intellectual Property
• International Trade
• Real Estate
• Financial Aid
• Course Outlines
• Law Journals
• US Constitution
• Regulations
• Supreme Court
• Circuit Courts
• District Courts
• Dockets & Filings
• State Constitutions
• State Codes
• State Case Law
• Legal Blogs
• Business Forms
• Product Recalls
• Justia Connect Membership
• Justia Premium Placements
• Justia Elevate (SEO, Websites)
• Justia Amplify (PPC, GBP)
• Testimonials

Copyright Assignment

Choose the state of residence for the person who is assigning the copyright.

Copyright Assignment Agreement

State of Alabama

This Copyright Assignment Agreement ("Assignment"), made effective as of the date set forth at the end of this document, is agreed to by and between the following parties: ________ , with an address at the following:

and ________ , with an address at the following:

Hereinafter "Assignor" will be used to refer to the following party: ________ . "Assignee" will be used to refer to the following party: ________ .

WHEREAS, Assignor has created and/or owns the

WHEREAS, Assignee would like to acquire the rights, title, and/or interest in and to said, as well as any copyrights granted for such work in the United States and any foreign countries;

NOW, therefore, in consideration of the promises and covenants contained herein, as well as other good and valuable consideration (the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged), Assignee and Assignor do hereby agree as follows:

Article 1: ASSIGNMENT

Assignor hereby sells, assigns, transfers, and conveys to Assignee the whole and complete right, title, and interest in and to the and in and to any and all copyrights on the that have been or may be granted in the United States and any foreign countries. This Assignment includes the right, title, and interest in and to any and all derivative works arising from the referred to herein.

Article 2: COOPERATION

Assignor agrees to fully cooperate as they convey to the Assignee the right, title, and interest in the The cooperation referred to herein includes the prompt completion and execution of any papers necessary, including oaths, declarations, specifications or any other papers required to make good the complete conveyance of the as well as assistance in proceedings taking place before the Copyright Office of the United States or any foreign country.

Article 3: PAYMENT:

For the assignment, Assignee agrees to pay Assignor the following sum: $ ________ (________).

Article 4: RECORDATION

Assignor authorizes Assignee to cause recordation, and the Register of Copyrights and any other government officials to record and register this Assignment.

Article 5: SUCCESSORS

The rights and obligations under this Assignment will inure to the benefit and be binding upon any of Assignee's successors and assignees, as well as Assignor's.

Article 6: COUNTERPARTS

This Assignment may be executed in counterparts, all of which shall constitute a single agreement between the parties. If the dates set forth at the end of this document are different, this Assignment is to be considered effective as of the date that both parties have signed the Assignment, which may be the later date.

Article 7: NO CONFLICT

Assignor warrants and represents that Assignor is not a party to, or will not be a party to, any assignment, agreement or other contract in conflict with this Assignment.

Article 8: ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Assignment document constitutes the entire agreement between Assignor and Assignee and supersedes any prior or contemporaneous understandings, whether written or oral.

Article 9: 85885825

82558228 22 2588 8888222222 552 225 82282282282 2282 525 85588 222 82 822825525 22 88282 25 225258882 522282 252 22528 22 2588 8888222222.

Article 10: JURISDICTION & GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the United States of America and the laws of the state of Alabama . Assignor and Assignee consent to jurisdiction under the state and federal courts within the state of Alabama .

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Assignor and Assignee have executed and delivered this Assignment:

Signature: ___________________________

Date: _______________________________

State of Alabama NOTARIZATION:

On the following date: ___________________, before me personally appeared the Assignor of this Assignment, namely, ________ . I am a Notary Public in and for said the state of Alabama and ________ is personally known to me or proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose name is subscribed to the within the assignment and acknowledged that he/she/they executed the same.

WITNESS my hand and official seal:

HOW TO CUSTOMIZE THE TEMPLATE

Answer the question, then click on "Next."

The document is written according to your responses - clauses are added or removed, paragraphs are customised, words are changed, etc.

At the end, you will immediately receive the document in Word and PDF formats. You can then open the Word document to modify it and reuse it however you wish.

• THIS IS AN ADVERISEMENT

Copyright Assignment (Transfer Ownership of a Copyright)

General information.

A copyright assignment is the transfer of one’s ownership of a copyrighted work to another person or entity. The prior owner (assignor) gives up all rights to the work to the new owner (assignee). The assignee gains all rights to the work as the legal or beneficial owner and may take legal action to prevent infringing uses of the work, etc. Copyright Act Section 501(b) .

According to federal law, a voluntary transfer of copyright ownership is not valid unless the details of the conveyance are contained in a writing signed by the copyright owner or the owner’s authorized agent. Copyright Act Section 204(a) .

Purpose/Necessity

An assignment may be used:

• After a business is sold and the work’s rights are transferred to the purchaser
• As security for a debt (through a mortgage or other security interest)
• As a bequest in a will or an asset passed to heirs by intestacy/probate
• As part of the distribution of assets following a bankruptcy proceeding
• The work’s owner retains ownership but changes his or her name
• The work’s owner retains ownership but changes its business name or entity type
• Any other instance where the owner of a work wishes to transfer it to another

Recording an assignment is not mandatory to assign the interest bur provides the following advantages:

• Recording the transfer establishes a public record of the details of the transfer and the contents of the document affecting the transfer. Such details will appear in the Copyright Office’s online public catalog .
• The document or material attached to it specifically identifies the work to which it pertains so that, after the document is indexed by the Register of Copyrights, it would be revealed by a reasonable search under title or registration number of the work; and
• Registration has been made for the work.
• Constructive notice means that the public is deemed to have knowledge of the facts stated in the document – including those speaking to the ownership of rights – and cannot claim otherwise.
• Under Sections 205d and 205e of the Copyright Act , recording establishes priority of rights as between conflicting assignments/transfers of ownership, or between a conflicting assignment and a nonexclusive license. This means that the first recorded assignment will be taken as valid as against any later alleged assignments.
• In some instances, recording may be necessary to validate the transfer of copyrights as against third parties. Copyright Office – Circular 1: Copyright Basics .
• In some states, recording may be necessary to perfect a security interest. Copyright Office – Circular 12: Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents .

Frequently Asked Questions

• Once a work is created and fixed in a tangible form, the author (or the author’s employer if the work was a Work Made for Hire), gains certain rights to the copyrighted work. The author has the exclusive right to: •  Reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords; •  Prepare derivative works based upon the work; •  Distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public; and •  Perform or display the work publicly.The author may subsequently transfer all or part of these rights through an (permanent) assignment or a (temporary) license. Copyright Act Section 201(d)(2) . Following negotiations between the parties as to the terms of the transfer, a written document must be signed by the owner of the rights conveyed stating the particular rights to be conveyed.
• An assignment does not alter the work’s copyright duration. The assignee gains all rights transferred for the remainder of the copyright in effect. For works created by a single author, the length of copyright is the life of the author plus 70 years. Copyright Act Section 302(a) .
• According to the Copyright Act, a copyright may be transferred by any means of conveyance, including bequeath by will or pass through intestate succession. Copyright Act Section 201(d)(1) . Some types of documents that may suffice include an assignment, mortgage, contract, deed, or promissory note.If you use our firm to assist you in your copyright assignment, we review your document to ensure that it conveys the rights desired, and then record it with the Copyright Office to establish a public record. Alternatively, if you do not have an existing document of transfer, we can draft a document to meet your purposes and then complete the recording process.
• The Copyright Office does not provide a form or example of an acceptable document which effects a copyright transfer. Copyright Office FAQ – Assignment/Transfer of Copyright Ownership . The Copyright Office does not examine documents for legal sufficiency for their intended purpose prior to recording. Furthermore, the fee to record a document with the Copyright Office is nonrefundable. Copyright Office – Circular 12: Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents .It is therefore important to consult with an attorney knowledgeable about copyright assignments to ensure that the copyrighted work(s) in question actually transfer as desired.
• No, the rights given by copyright are the author’s immediately upon fixing the work in a tangible medium of expression. These rights may be transferred through a written instrument and the Copyright Office will record such an instrument before or after the work has been registered with the Copyright Office. Copyright Act Section 205(a) . However, there are several important benefits of copyright registration, and it is helpful to register the work so that the recorded assignment references a work indexed in the Copyright Office’s records .
• No, essentially for the same reasons, copyrights may be transferred whether or not the underlying work has been published. The Copyright Office will record a document evidencing a transfer of an unpublished work. Copyright Office – Circular 12: Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents .

Legal Services Offered and Cost

Recording of Copyright Assignment Note: this service is for copyright holders who have already transferred their copyright through a written instrument but have not yet filed/recorded the instrument Legal fees: $300 flat fee This includes:

• Review of client’s information to ensure legal requirements are fulfilled
• Answer client questions, make corrections, and obtain additional information as needed
• Review of copyright assignment document to ensure proper transfer is made
• Completion of Copyright Recordation Document Cover Sheet
• Submission of the assignment document, Cover Sheet, and filing fee with the Copyright Office
• Email confirmation of copyright assignment recording by the Copyright Office with official Certificate of Recordation

If you are ready to get started, please CLICK HERE to enter basic information using our secure online form.

Drafting and Recording of Copyright Assignment Legal fees: $300 flat fee

This includes:

• Completion of copyright assignment document to make the assignment

WassUp 1.9.4.5 timestamp: 2024-07-10 11:17:36AM UTC (11:17AM) If above timestamp is not current time, this page is cached.

Assignment of Copyright – Explained With Modes and Disputes

Original work may not be reproduced, distributed, or sold by anybody other than the copyright owner without that owner’s consent. As a result, the law allows the copyright owner to assign ownership to a third party.

The term “copyright assignment” describes the transfer of ownership or rights in a work that has been granted copyright from the original copyright holder (the “ assignor “) to a different party (the “ assignee “). Through a legal procedure, the assignor gives up their ownership of the work and gives the assignee the only authority to reproduce, distribute, display, perform, or alter it.

This article discusses the concept of copyright assignment, which involves the transfer of ownership or rights in a copyrighted work from the original copyright holder (assignor) to another party (assignee). The article also explains the various aspects of copyright assignment, including its mode of assignment and disputes with respect to the assignment of copyright.

Assignment of Copyright

(Section 18 of the Copyright Act, 1957 )

The owner of the current work or the potential owner of the future work may assign the copyright. It may be fully or partially allocated. Limitations may apply to all or a portion of the copyright.

Additionally, if future work is assigned, the assignment will become effective when the new work is created. In future works, “assignee” includes the assignee’s legal representative if they die before the work is created.

The court ruled in  Saregama India Ltd. vs Suresh Jindal And Ors.  that the copyright owner to a future work has the right to assign the copyright, in whole or in part, to a third party. This indicates that the owner may assign the copyright ownership for the entire term or only a portion.

The assignee is regarded as the legal owner of the copyright after the assignment is made, and the Copyright Act recognises all associated rights and benefits. As mentioned above, the ruling affirms that copyright ownership can be transferred by assignment, enabling people or organisations to obtain and exercise control over the rights connected to the copyrighted work.

Mode of Assignment of Copyright

(Section 19 of the Copyright Act, 1957)

Every assignment of the copyright to a work must be made in writing and be signed by the assignor or an authorised representative. Only that assignment will be accepted. Any assigned work must include all relevant information, including the assignment, length, rights, and geographic scope.

The amount of any royalties or other payments made to the author or his legal heirs during the assignment should also be specified. Any revisions, extensions, or terminations of the assignment are subject to the mutually agreed-upon terms and circumstances.

Let’s say the assignee fails to utilise the right granted during the assignment within a year of receiving it. If such a thing occurs, the assignment of those rights will be presumed to have terminated unless otherwise specified in the assignment. When the assignment time and geographical scope are not specified, they will be assumed to be five years from the date of the assignment and inside India, respectively.

The Bombay High Court considered whether the assignment of video rights included the right of satellite transmission in the case of  Video Master vs Nishi Production . The court accepted the defendant’s claim that several public communication channels, such as satellite broadcasting, video TV, and terrestrial television broadcasting, each constituted a distinct copyright.

As a result, the film’s owner may transfer these rights to other people or companies. The court concluded that the video copyright granted to the plaintiff was separate from the copyright for the satellite transmission of the movie. Consequently, the satellite broadcast right was not part of the assignment.

Disputes With Respect to the Assignment of Copyright

(Section 19A of the Copyright Act, 1957)

After receiving a complaint from the assignor and completing an investigation, the appellate board has the authority to revoke the assignment or issue any orders it sees suitable when the assignee fails to execute the powers granted to him if such failure is not a result of any action or inaction on the part of the assignor.

If the assignor is also the author, the appellate board should hold off on issuing any revocation unless it is established that the terms of the assignment are harsh to the assignor. Additionally, no revocation may be made for five years if an assignment has been made.

The appellate board should handle copyright assignment complaints promptly and with diligence. They have a time limit of six months from the date of receiving the complaint to reach a final decision. If, for any reason, there is a delay beyond this period, the appellate board must explain the reasons for the delay. The goal is to ensure that copyright disputes are resolved promptly and transparently.

In this evolving world, copyright assignment is an unavoidable need. People are not always able to rely on themselves. The ownership of the work must be transferred to properly frame the art and realise the original piece’s full creative potential.

Furthermore, copyright assignment aids in the seamless development of the creative process when several creative minds collaborate or when a work is adapted across various media. It allows for fresh viewpoints, interpretations, and variations that could improve the original work or investigate other creative paths.

Read Next: Doctrine of Merger Under Copyright Law

• Latest Posts

• What Is Misappropriation of Trade Secrets and Its Defences? - 15th May 2024
• 7 Important Types of Mediation Briefly Defined - 14th May 2024
• Whirlpool India vs Videocon Industries – Case Explained - 13th May 2024

How to Start Studying Law – For New, Existing, and Old Students

How to Study and Prepare for Judiciary Exams (13 tips)

11 Tips to Pass AIBE With Bare Acts and MCQ Tests in 2024

How to Write the Best Answer in Judiciary Mains Exam

10 Legal Jobs and Career Options After Law in 2024

Best Books for Judiciary Exam Preparation in 2024

My name is Ankur . I am a law graduate. I was my college topper for five years. In March 2018, I started WritingLaw.com . The main motive was to make a modern law website that is clean and comfortable.

Everything is going well . This is because of law students, advocates, judges and professors like you, who give me satisfaction, hope and the motivation to keep working. Thank you for your love and support. I hope you have a fruitful time here.

Law Study Material

© 2018-2024 | About Us |  Contact Us | Privacy Policy | T&C | Disclaimer | Cookies | Sitemap

Copyright Assignment Form

In practical business terms, there are many reasons why you would want to relinquish ownership of your copyright (or gain someone else’s). Maybe you’re leaving your band and making a clean break by giving them full rights to the songs you co-wrote. Maybe you’re selling a story or article to an organization asking to own the material. Maybe you’ve selected a logo from a graphic designer’s portfolio and decide to purchase the copyright to your own company logo.

Whatever your reason, a copyright assignment form transfers full ownership over copyrighted material. This completely severs the original author’s ties to his or her work, which in many cases can be the cleanest, simplest way to allow someone else to use your intellectual property.

[Note: A copyright assignment form is permanent. Before you use this form, be absolutely certain that you will not regret giving up control of your materials.]

Related Forms

A Work For Hire Agreement is used when a project is first commissioned; it establishes that the hiring party will own the resulting material.

A Copyright License Agreement allows you to retain ownership of the material while allowing another party to use it in a specific way.

Fast, Secure Process

With just a few mouse clicks and a few minutes' time, Click and Copyright can have your work off to the US Copyright Office within 24 hours to quickly establish your rights and protections over your work.

• 100% Money Back Guarantee

Trust the experts

Click and Copyright was designed by copyright attorneys to offer a complete and affordable copyright protection service without the high cost of legal fees. We’ve been helping people just like you file their copyrights for over 10 years!

• Copyright Now

Disclaimer: The information provided in this site is not legal advice, but general information on legal issues commonly encountered. Click Industries, Ltd. is not a law firm, doesn’t provide legal advice or legal services, and is not a substitute for services of an attorney familiar with your situation. Your access and use of the site is only permitted if you agree to our terms .

• Photography
• Visual Arts
• Written Works
• Trademark Registration
• Filing Prices
• Intellectual Property Forms
• Copyright Handbooks
• Price Comparison
• Why Copyright?
• What is Copyright Protection?
• Copyright Symbol Guidelines
• Copyright, Patent, and Trademark
• How to Copyright
• More Resources
• Intellectual Property Blog

• Receive Our Newsletter

Search form

What is a copyright assignment.

Submitted by New Media Rights last modified Wed, 06/28/2017 - 4:47pm

A copyright assignment is when the copyright holder transfers ownership of the copyright to another person or organization.

The copyright holder is normally the person who created the work, but they may decide to sign the agreement over to a publisher (in the book industry or music industry) or record label (in the music industry). This occurs because publishers and record labels have more resources than an author to print copies of the work, distribute to a broader audience, and maintain other aspects of their career. A lot of times, the publisher or record label may even supply the author with a monetary advance so the author can focus on just creating the work.

The downside of assigning your copyright over to a publisher is that you receive only a cut of what you would have received if you retained the copyright, and you may also lose some creative control. For instance, the decision over whether to turn your book into a movie may now rest with the publisher and not you.

An alternative of transferring the entire copyright over to a publisher is licensing the work to them in a limited capacity. In this instance, you retain the copyright, but you also get the business advantages from the publisher. 

Debates have popped into court over who actually owns a copyright. So like any other contract, an assignment must be in writing in order to avoid any future confusion. 

If you have a question about whether you own a copyright and/or if need an assignment drafted,  feel free to contact New Media Rights via our  contact form  to find out whether you qualify for  free  or  reduced fee  legal services. We also offer competitive  full fee  legal services on a selective basis. For more information on the services we provide  click here .

Related Types of Content: 

Learn about our legal services for: App Developers , Artists & Graphic Designers , Bloggers & Journalists, Clothing Designers,   Entrepreneurs, E-commerce Business People & Startups, Filmmakers & YouTube creators , Public Broadcasting producers, Game Developer s, Internet users & Smartphone users , Maker s, Musicians,   Non-Profits, Photographers, Scholars, Researchers ,   and  Writers and Publishers.

What's the best way to avoid legal problems for your business or creative work?  Read our book ! 

Paperback |  Ebook  |  Audiobook

The Fair Use App

Ever wonder when you can reuse music, photo, or film clips from other sources? Find out with our interactive Fair Use App .

Check out our videos!

150+ videos to help you create. You can find our video guides here .

Featured Content

Legal Services we provide

Law school IP and entrepreneurship clinics list

Arts & IP Volunteer Lawyer Organizations

Frequently Asked Questions about Copyright Law

Video Games and the law guide: Copyright, Trademark and Intellectual Property

How to find free music, images, and video you can use or remix in your own creative works 

Stop unwanted texts and calls

Guide to Secret Audio & Video Recordings

Events & Competitions

• New Media Rights Hosts Discussion Panel at the 21st Annual MLRC Media & Entertainment Conference
• Legal Considerations for Startups at the REC Innovation Lab
• Event: Algorithmic Justice: The New Frontier

You’ll learn how to form your business, protect your intellectual property, and avoid problems when launching your project. Taking a few simple steps upfront to protect your business or project can save time and money down the road. Don't Panic has also been used in undergraduate & graduate classes nationwide to teach business and legal concepts to non-lawyers. Professors can request a FREE evaluation copy

CHOOSE YOUR FORMAT

Paperback  |  Ebook  |  Audiobook

Free copyright agreement templates

Copyright Assignment

Protect your intellectual property with a copyright assignment form. Securely transfer your copyright to another party, clearly defining ownership terms while preserving your rights effectively.

Copyright License Agreement for Artwork

Protect your artwork with a copyright license agreement. Cover essential details like parties involved, artwork description and usage, and payment terms.

Copyright License Agreement for Written Work

Want to obtain permission to republish or create new content from original written work? Create a copyright license agreement to get the owner's consent to reuse the written work.

Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement

Safeguard the sale or purchase of assets with an intellectual property assignment agreement. Transfer the ownership of patents, trademarks, software, and other critical assets easily.

Work Made for Hire Agreement

Use a work made for hire agreement and confidently commission your creative work to a third party.

Browse other categories

Bills of Sale

Promissory Notes

Copyright form

Upon submission of an article, authors are requested to complete a copyright form, which transfers (or for some journals, licenses) copyright in all original material in the article to IOP or its relevant publishing partner if the article is accepted.

IOP requires a copyright form to be signed, whether or not the article will be published under the subscription model or under the gold open access model. The copyright form must be filled in correctly, signed, dated and submitted to IOP (for most of our journals this is done via the Author Centre) before an article can be accepted.

For further information on completing the copyright form, please see the Copyright FAQs page.

Related information:

The Copyright Office adopted new fees for its services, which went into effect on March 20, 2020. More information may be found on the 2018 Fee Study webpage .

Please be aware that when you register your claim to a copyright in a work with the U.S. Copyright Office, you are making a public record. All the information you provide on your copyright registration is available to the public and will be available on the Internet.

Basic Registration

Literary Form TX

Visual Form VA

Single Serials Form SE

Performing Arts Form PA

Sound Recording Form SR

Supplementary & Renewal Registration

Continuation Sheet used in conjunction with forms below when more space is necessary.

  Form CA w/instructions

  Form RE

  Form RE/CON — Continuation form to be used only in conjunction with RE application form.

  Addendum to Form RE — For all works published between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977, that were not registered during their first 28-year term. Must accompany form RE.

Group Registration of Photographs

  Published Photographs Title Template (Updated 2020) — To accompany application for group registration of published photographs

  Unpublished Photographs Title Template (Updated 2020) — To accompany application for group registration of unpublished photographs

Additional Forms

If you are required to mail a physical copy to the Copyright Office, you may also upload an electronic copy of the work if you complete this declaration

  Deposit Ticket Declaration Form

For certain works that have had a history of prerelease infringement

  Electronic Form PRE

For requesting expedited processing of an application for registration or recordation of a document.

  Special Handling Form

To accompany application for registration of a secure test or a group of secure test items.

  Secure Test Questionnaire

  Secure Test Declaration

For registering a foreign work that has been restored to copyright protection in the United States

  Form GATT

  Form GATT/CON Continuation form to be used only in conjunction with GATT application form

For 3-dimensional patterns fixed on a semiconductor chip (not for theatrical facial masks)

  Form MW w/instructions Fill-in version — for registration of mask works

  Form MW/CON Continuation sheet to be used only in conjunction with MW application form

For further information, see Registration of Vessel Designs

  Form D-VH Fill-in version — for registration of vessel hull designs

  Form D-VH w/instructions Fill-in version — for registration of vessel hull designs

  Form D-VH/CON Non Fill-in version — continuation sheet and for multiple designs

  Form DC — application to correct a design registration

  Form DVH-ID — recordation of distinctive identification of owner of vessel hull designs

For use when submitting transfers and other documents

  Document Cover Sheet Form DCS

  Notice of Termination Cover Sheet Form TCS

  Electronic Title List Template

For use when requesting copies of copyright deposits

  Litigation Statement Form LS

Recordation

Research and certification, licensing forms.

  SA1-2 Paper Short Form — For use by cable television systems whose semiannual gross receipts are less than $527,600

  SA1-2E Short Form — For use by cable television systems whose semiannual gross receipts are less than $527,600

  SA3 Paper Long Form — For use by cable television systems whose semiannual gross receipts are $527,600 or more

  SA3E Long Form — For use by cable television systems whose semiannual gross receipts are $527,600 or more

  Old Cable Statement of Account Forms

For semiannual accounting periods beginning January 1, 2014

  Satellite SOA Form

  Quarterly Statement of Account Form

  Annual Statement of Account Form

  Form

  M-269 Form — Notice of Use of Sound Recordings under Statutory License

  EFT Form — For use by statutory licensees to receive refund payments via electronic funds transfer