Copyright assignment template
A copyright assignment transfers the ownership of copyright in specific works from one person or company to another, in writing and signed by the person giving it up. A business uses one when it commissions a designer, writer, photographer or developer and wants to own the finished work, or when it buys existing work. It lists the works, the payment and what happens to the author's moral rights.
Made by DocuWeave. Use at your own discretion.
What changes each time
19 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The parties
- Date
- Assignor name or company and address
- Assignor company number
- Assignee name or company and address
- Assignee company number
The works
- Each work
- Type of work
- Date created
- Commission or contract covering further works
How the assignor came to the works
- Date of commission
- Existing licence, if any
- Third-party material in the works
- Licence terms for that material
Payment
- Amount paid or payable
- Days to pay
- Purpose of the interim licence, if payment comes first
Moral rights and credit
- Credit wording
- Author's full name, if not the assignor
Signatures
- Signatory names, positions and dates
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- Only when…
“Include company numbers if either party is a company.”
The party lines add the company number, and the signature block names the company.
- One of several wordings
“The assignor either created the works for a commission, or owns them and has agreed to sell.”
The background clause gives the commission date or the sale.
- Once for each item
“Add a row for each work.”
The works table gets one row per work, with its type and date.
- Only when…
“Include future works if the assignment covers them.”
Works created under a named commission are included as they are created.
- One of several wordings
“The assignee has already paid, or will pay within a stated number of days.”
Clause 3 shows which.
- Only when…
“Include the take-effect-on-payment wording if the assignment should only take effect once paid.”
The assignment takes effect on full payment, with a non-exclusive licence until then.
- One of several wordings
“The author either waives moral rights, or keeps them and is credited.”
Clause 5 gives the waiver or the credit wording.
- Only when…
“Include an existing licence if there is one.”
The assignor's promise lists the existing licence as an exception.
- One of several wordings
“Third-party material is none, or a listed set with licence terms.”
Clause 6.3 shows the choice.
- One of several wordings
“The assignor either may not use the works afterwards, or may use them as stated.”
Clause 8 shows the version chosen.
- Only when…
“Include the author's own signature if moral rights are waived and the author is not the assignor.”
A separate signature line for the author, such as an employee, is added.
Questions people ask
What does a copyright assignment do?
It moves ownership of the copyright in named works from one person or company to another. After it, the new owner decides how the work is used. It is different from a licence, which only gives permission to use the work.
Does it have to be in writing?
An assignment of copyright needs to be in writing and signed by or for the person assigning. This template is a signed agreement for both parties, rather than a deed.
What are moral rights?
They are an author's rights to be named as the author and to object to unfair treatment of their work. This template gives you a choice: the author waives them, or keeps them and is credited.
Do I need one if I paid a freelancer?
Paying for work does not always mean you own the copyright in it. If you want to own it, a written assignment is a clear way to record that.
Can it cover work not yet created?
Yes, there is an optional line for further works created under a named commission or contract, which are included as they are created.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.