How to Copyright Photos in Canada

Obtaining copyright of original photographs in Canada is simple and inexpensive.

Copyright law in Canada, with regard to photos, protects the photographer or original creator's rightful ownership. Furthermore, copyrighting photos allows the applicant to legally sell and distribute those photos as the rightful owner. The process to obtain full copyright on photos in Canada is simple and inexpensive.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Credit card to pay fee

Instructions

1. Visit the Canadian Intellectual Property Office website at cipo.ic.gc.ca.

2. Select the "Copyright" header, then select the "Filing a Copyright" subhead.

3. Log in to your account by creating a user name and password under the "How to access this form" header.

4. Fill out the application and submit it online. The Canadian Intellectual Property Office requires a one-time fee of $50 as of June 2010, so make sure you have it available. Payment can be made using American Express, MasterCard, or VISA, according to cipo.ic.gc.ca

5. Wait 3 to 10 business days for your application to be reviewed. Upon review, you should receive a registration certificate in the mail verifying legal copyright.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure someone else doesn't already own the photo you are trying to copyright. According to the Canadian Association of Photographers and Illustrators in Communication, "Under Section 13(2) of the (Copyright) Act, any person or corporation that hires a photographer (commissions a work) will automatically own the copyright in that work, once the work has been paid for UNLESS there is an agreement to the contrary."

References

• CAPIC
• CIPO