How Do You Copyright a Name in Canada?

The moment you create and name something, you own the copyright, but the best thing to do is to make it legal by registering it. Registering a copyright in Canada is fairly easy--you can do it without hiring a lawyer.

Things You'll Need

• Copyrightable material
• Credit card

Instructions

1. Visit the Canadian Office of Intellectual Property online (see Resources).

2. Find the copyright application and either fill it out as an online e-form (the fastest way to obtain your copyright) or print it out for mailing in with a check or credit card information.

3. Pay your fees. The cost of a new copyright application as of May, 2010 is $50 for an online application and $65 if you mail it in.

4. Submit the application and await your registration certificate.

Tips & Warnings

• Store your certificate in a safe place in case you ever need to prove copyright ownership in a court of law.

• Your work must be certifiably original. The copyright office looks very carefully at the information given before releasing the copyright certificate to you. Fees are non-refundable.

References

• Canadian Office or Intellectual Property: Fee Schedule
• Canadian Office or Intellectual Property: Forms
• Canadian Office or Intellectual Property: More official resources
• Canadian Office or Intellectual Property