Prepare Online Copyright Assignment Templates For Free

Assignment of Copyright Contracts As long as the contract is signed by both parties, includes all of the relevant information and was not made under duress or pressure, it will generally be considered valid. Copyright assignment does not necessarily entail giving up all your rights to the creation.

There are three basic requirements for copyright protection: that which is to be protected must be a work of authorship; it must be original; and it must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression. What is a work of authorship?

The assignment must be done in writing to be valid. Although notarization isn't required, it's a good idea to have someone witness the assignor and assignee signing and dating the agreement. Transfer of ownership usually involves monetary exchange, although that's not a requirement.

Unlike a non-exclusive copyright transfer such as a licensing agreement, a copyright assignment is a form of exclusive copyright transfer. Copyright assignments could be made on part or on the entirety of an intellectual work.

Recording a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to a copyright with the Copyright Office under section 205 is voluntary.

In general, blank-forms or templates are not considered a work of authorship sufficient for copyright protection. This is because such templates/forms reflect general IDEAS. Ideas are not copyrightable. Rather the Expression of the Idea is copyrightable.