Copyright Assignment

To understand Copyright Assignment, think of it like real estate. A standard license is like renting a house—you can live there for a while, but the landlord still owns it. A Copyright Assignment is like buying the house. It is a legal contract that transfers full ownership of a creative work—such as software code, a logo, or a video—from the creator to you. Once signed, the creator gives up their rights forever, and you become the full owner of the asset.

Many business owners make a dangerous mistake: they believe that paying for work automatically means they own it. Under U.S. law, this is usually false. The person who creates the work is the default owner, even if you paid them. If you hire a freelancer or agency without a written assignment agreement, they legally keep the copyright. You might have permission to use the work, but you cannot stop them from selling that same code or design to your competitors.

There are critical times when you need these agreements. The most common is when hiring contractors; you must ensure that everything they build belongs to your company. It is also vital for startup founders. Founders often create intellectual property before the company officially exists. Later, they must legally assign those personal rights to the company. Investors and buyers require this because they need to know the business owns its core assets, not the individual people behind it.

Beyond just signing the contract, there is an important step called “recordation.” This means filing your agreement with the U.S. Copyright Office. It is similar to registering a property deed with the government. While your contract is valid without this step, recording it offers a major safety net. It creates a public record that proves to the world that you are the new owner. If the original creator tries to be dishonest and sell the work to someone else later, this public record protects your rights.