Copyright Registration Procedure (India)

It is a supposedly well known fact that Copyright is with the author/creator as soon as the work is created. Everything else from Private Copyright Registration sites/firms to the Government Copyright Registration Office only serves its purpose as providing documented evidence in case of a dispute.

Is it necessary to register a work to claim copyright?

No. Acquisition of copyright is automatic and it does not require any formality. However, certificate of registration of copyright and the entries made therein serve as prima facie evidence in a court of law with reference to dispute relating to ownership of copyright.

taken from Hand Book of Copyright Law

Nevertheless, one cannot deny the importance of registering in order to protect your work.

Procedure for registration of Copyright in India is fairly simple. First you need to download and fill up the Copyright Registration Form IV, which is fairly straightforward and simple. After that you will need to submit the same along with copy(s) (1 if unpublished & 3 if it is published) of your work, registration fee of Rs 50/- for a Literary Work (Book), for other types fee will be as per respective categories mentioned in the form.

Completed forms may be sent/submitted at:
Copyright Office
B-2/W-3, Curzon Road Barracks
K.G. Marg, New Delhi – 110001, India

Note: The fee can only be submitted as a Demand Draft or I.P.O (Indian Postal Order) in favor of “Registrar of Copyrights, New Delhi”. They do not accept Cash, cheque or any other mode of payment than the one mentioned above.