Frequently Asked Questions: Other

What is the IP Rights Office, and why was it set up?

The IP Rights Office is an independent non-governmental organization with international scope. It was established to reflect the international nature of copyright law (governed primarily by the Berne Convention) and provide a common means of registering works regardless of which Berne Convention nation they originated from. The IP Rights Office is an independent UK business run on a for-profit basis.

How can I get in touch with the IP Rights Office?

To contact the IP Rights Office please go to https://www.copyrightregistrationservice.com/contactus/, or click the "Contact Us" button in the menu on the left, or the link at the bottom of the page.

My registered work is going to be published. Does this affect my registration?

No. Your registration is proof that you were in possession of the work on the date of registration. What happens to the work subsequently does not alter that fact.

What do I need to do if an employee who has registered works on behalf of the business is leaving the business?

You need to have them log into the business's CRS account and alter the primary email address to that of another employee, or ask them for the login details so that you can do this. If the employee has already left the business and cannot be contacted then you can try retrieving the login details by email by clicking here. If other colleagues' email addresses were listed as alternative contact addresses then they will receive notification of the login details. If no other email addresses were given on the account, then ask your IT department to re-create the departed employee's email address temporarily so that you can receive the email containing the login details for the account.

If I sell my copyright to a registered work, do I need to transfer the registration to the new owner?

No. The registration refers to the date of registration only, and cannot be updated or altered. The registration is intended to prove who was in possession of the work at the date of registration, not who may have bought it subsequently. It is important for whoever buys your work that your name remains on the original registration: if a third party claims ownership over the copyright then the new owner of the work needs to be able to prove that the person they bought the work from was the rightful owner of that work. The new owner of the work may take out their own registration once they are in possession of the work.

I want to reproduce all or part of a work which has been registered through the CRS – do I need to contact the IP Rights Office for permission?

No. You do not need to contact the IP Rights Office for any permission to reproduce your own work.