Edit Pages Legal Virginia Copyright Assignment Forms For Free

In an assignment of copyright rights, the owner sells his or her ownership rights to another party and has no control over how the third party uses those rights. A copyright assignment is sometimes referred to as a sales agreement for copyright.

Assignment and licensing are two very distinct methods to exercise IP rights, each giving owners an opportunity to permit another party to use the IP. Assignment involves a transfer of ownership and control, while licensing involves the grant of a right to use IP without transferring ownership.

A transfer of copyright rights is usually either an assignment or a license. An assignment of copyright rights is like the sale of personal property. The original owner sells its rights to a third party, and can no longer exercise control over how the third party uses those rights.

A copyright owner's exclusive rights (either in whole or in part) can be transferred to another party. It must be in writing and signed by the copyright owner. An authorized agent of the copyright owner (such as an attorney or business associate) can also sign the writing.

“Copyright,” the name of the copyright owner, and the year of first publication. Placing a copyright notice on a work is not a substitute for registration. Registration establishes a claim to copyright with the Copyright Office.

There are three requirements for a work to be copyrighted: The work must have the correct subject matter (expression, not just ideas). The work must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Works such as choreography and dances must be videotaped to be fixed.

A valid assignment of copyright must be in writing and signed by, or on behalf of, the copyright owner/assignor. The subject of the assignment must be clear as to what copyright is being assigned in which work(s).

Recording a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to a copyright with the Copyright Office under 17 U.S.C. § 205 is voluntary.

Records of copyright registrations and recorded documents are available to the public to identify the author(s) and copyright owner(s) of a work. The public record will also provide information about an agent who can be contacted to license the registered work and to grant permission to use it, where applicable.