Register copyright for original literary, musical, artistic, or cinematographic works.
Jurisdiction
All of India (governed by the Copyright Act, 1957 as amended and the Copyright Rules, 2013; administered by the Copyright Office under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry)
Who applies
Authors, artists, composers, software developers, filmmakers, publishers, and any other creators or copyright owners of original literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, cinematograph film, or sound recording works who wish to create an official record of their copyright with the Indian Copyright Office
Typical time
3–12 months from filing to issue of copyright registration certificate (there is a mandatory 30-day waiting period for objections after the diary number is issued, followed by examination; total processing time varies)
Fee
₹500 per work for literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works; ₹500 per work for software (treated as literary work); ₹5,000 per work for cinematograph films; ₹2,000 per work for sound recordings; all fees are payable online via the Copyright Office portal
| # | Document | Type needed | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Statement of Particulars (SOP) — Form XIV | Soft copy (PDF) | The primary application form for copyright registration containing: title of the work, language, nature of the work, name and address of the author, name and address of the copyright owner (if different), year and country of first publication (or 'unpublished'), and a brief description of the work |
| 2 | Statement of Further Particulars (SOFP) — Form XIV (Part II) | Soft copy (PDF) | Supplementary details required for specific types of works: for literary, musical, and artistic works — nature of work, author's nationality; for cinematograph films — title, duration, director, producer details; for software — title and brief description of the program |
| 3 | Copy / sample of the work | Soft copy (PDF) | A copy of the work for which copyright registration is sought — for literary / software works, a PDF of the manuscript or source code (applicant may redact portions for confidentiality); for artistic works, a high-resolution image; for musical works, the notation or audio file; for films, relevant excerpts or synopses |
| 4 | Proof of identity of the author / copyright owner (Aadhaar / PAN / Passport) | Self-attested Copy | Identity proof of the individual author or owner; for companies, the Certificate of Incorporation and authorisation letter from the company |
| 5 | NOC from the author (if the copyright owner is not the author)(optional)Required when the applicant is not the original author — e.g., a publisher or production company registering a copyright assigned to them by the author | Original | If the copyright has been assigned to a publisher, employer, or another person, an NOC / assignment agreement from the original author confirming the transfer of copyright ownership must be submitted |
| 6 | NOC from co-authors (for joint works)(optional)Required only for works with multiple authors | Original | For works with joint authorship, all co-authors must sign and submit a No-Objection Certificate or joint application form; each co-author's identity proof is also required |
| 7 | Power of Attorney (if applying through an agent or advocate)(optional)Required when filing through an authorised agent or advocate; not required when the applicant files directly | Original | If the application is being filed by a legal representative or copyright agent on behalf of the applicant, a signed Power of Attorney authorising the representative to act on the applicant's behalf must be attached |
Original documents: Carry originals only for in-person visits — do not hand them over permanently unless explicitly required.
Ensure the work is in its final or substantially complete form. For literary works and software, prepare a clean PDF copy of the complete work (you may redact any trade secret portions of source code — the Copyright Office does not require full source code disclosure for software). Note down: the exact title of the work, the name and address of all authors, the name and address of the copyright owner (if different from author), the year of creation, and the year and country of first publication (or whether it is still unpublished). Collect identity proofs of all authors and the applicant.
Visit copyright.gov.in and register for a new account. You will need a valid email address and mobile number for OTP verification. Log in to the portal and familiarise yourself with the application interface. The portal accepts online filing with digital payment for all work categories.
Log in to copyright.gov.in and navigate to 'New Application'. Fill in the Statement of Particulars (Form XIV): select the category of work (literary, software, artistic, musical, cinematograph film, or sound recording), enter the title, author details, copyright owner details, year of creation, publication status (published / unpublished), language, and a brief description. For the Statement of Further Particulars, provide additional details specific to the work type. Review all entries carefully — errors in the form may require a fresh application.
Upload the required attachments: a copy of the work (PDF for literary/software; image file for artistic works; audio file for musical works), proof of identity of the author and applicant, NOC from co-authors or from the original author (if applicable), and Power of Attorney (if applicable). Ensure all file sizes comply with the portal's limits (generally each file must be under 5 MB; for large works, upload a representative extract and note the full work details in the application).
Pay the prescribed fee online via net banking, debit card, UPI, or credit card: ₹500 for literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works; ₹5,000 for cinematograph films; ₹2,000 for sound recordings. Upon successful payment, a Diary Number is assigned to the application. This diary number is the official receipt and tracking number for the application. Download and save the diary number acknowledgement. The 30-day objection waiting period begins from the date of the diary number.
After the diary number is issued, the Copyright Office waits 30 days for any third party to file an objection challenging the application (on grounds that they are the true owner, or that the work is copied, etc.). During this period, no examination takes place. If an objection is filed, the Copyright Office sends a notice to the applicant and gives 30 days to respond before scheduling a hearing. If no objection is received, the application moves to examination after 30 days.
After the waiting period, a Copyright Examiner reviews the application and documents to verify completeness and compliance with the Copyright Act and Rules. If the examiner is satisfied, the application is forwarded for registration. If deficiencies are found, a communication is sent to the applicant requesting corrections or additional documents. Respond to any examiner communication promptly — delays in response can extend processing time significantly.
Upon successful examination, the Copyright Office issues a Registration Certificate for the work. The certificate is available for download on the copyright.gov.in portal. The registration certificate specifies: the diary/registration number, title of the work, category, name and address of the author and copyright owner, year of creation, and the year of first publication. The certificate is digitally signed by the Registrar of Copyrights. Download and store the certificate safely — it is admissible as prima facie evidence of copyright ownership in legal proceedings.
Copyright Office, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Step 7 — examining the application for completeness and compliance
Examines the copyright registration application, verifies the completeness of the Statement of Particulars and submitted documents, requests any missing information, and approves the application for registration.
Copyright Office, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Steps 6–8 — overseeing the objection process, examination, and issuance of the registration certificate
The statutory authority under the Copyright Act, 1957 who administers copyright registration, decides on contested applications and objections, and issues the Certificate of Registration.
Register an account, fill and submit the copyright application (Form XIV), upload work samples and documents, pay fees, track application status, and download the copyright registration certificate.
Access information on copyright law and policy in India, download the Copyright Act 1957 and Copyright Rules 2013, and access official circulars from the Copyright Office.
Copyright arises automatically upon creation of an original work and does not require registration. However, a registration certificate from the Copyright Office creates a public record of ownership and is treated as prima facie evidence in court — it shifts the burden of proof to the party challenging ownership. Without registration, proving ownership in an infringement dispute requires extensive evidence of creation history.
Copyright protects the expression of an idea (a book, code, logo design, music composition) — not the underlying idea, product, method, or brand name. A logo can simultaneously be protected by copyright (the artistic expression) and trademark (the brand identity). Software can be protected by copyright but not by a patent per se in India. Assess which forms of IP protection you need and apply for each separately.
The Copyright Office cannot skip the 30-day objection period. If you are trying to use the copyright certificate for an urgent legal matter or a contract requirement, factor in the minimum 30-day waiting period plus examination time (which can take several more months). Apply well in advance of when you need the certificate.
Copyright protects a work only once it is fixed in some tangible medium (paper, digital file, canvas, recording). A spoken idea, an improvised performance, or an unrecorded melody is not registrable. Ensure the work has been written down, recorded, or otherwise fixed before applying.
For software copyright registration, the Copyright Office requires a copy of the source code or relevant excerpts. Once submitted, the file forms part of the official record. If your source code contains proprietary algorithms or trade secrets, submit only the first and last 25–50 pages or representative portions, and note in the application that a full copy has been redacted for confidentiality. The Copyright Office has accepted such partial submissions.
Under Section 17 of the Copyright Act, if a work is created by an employee in the course of their employment, the employer is the first owner of copyright (unless there is an agreement to the contrary). Freelancers and contractors retain copyright unless they assign it by written agreement. If you are registering copyright as an individual for work you created while employed, ensure the work was created outside the scope of your employment.