Copyright Registration in Mumbai
Registration under section 45 of the Copyright Act, 1957, on Form XIV.
There is no Copyright Office in Mumbai: India has one, in Dwarka, New Delhi, and applications are filed online on Form XIV. The law allows 30 days for objections (rule 70(10)); the Office’s FAQ puts registration at around two to three months in the normal course. We file for Mumbai’s film, music, publishing, software and advertising work.
- Reviewed by
- Advocate, intellectual property
- Last updated
- Right category, right owner. Each work filed in its proper class, in the name of the person who owns it.
- Agreements checked. Assignments, NOCs and work-for-hire terms read before filing.
- Replies handled. Discrepancy letters and objections answered within the time given.
- Copyright OfficeNew Delhi · applications filed online
- ≈ 13 km from VashiStraight line · filed online
- Form XIV preparedWork, owner and NOCs checked
- Since 2008Filing with IP India
Is there a copyright office in Mumbai?
No. IP India lists a single Copyright Office, at Bouddhik Sampada Bhawan, Plot 32, Sector 14, Dwarka, New Delhi, with no regional office. A Mumbai creator files online (rule 70(8) also allows filing in person or by post), and any hearing on an objection is fixed by the Registrar of Copyrights.
Who registers copyright
Copyright Office, New Delhi
- One officeIndia has a single Copyright Office, with no regional branch to file at.
- FilingForm XIV and the work are filed online on copyright.gov.in, from anywhere.
- GB Legal AssociatesPrepares and files applications for Mumbai creators, and answers objections and discrepancy letters.
How it works from Mumbai
Your business in Mumbai
About 13 km west of our office, in a straight line
Documents by email or WhatsApp · video calls
GB Legal Associates, Vashi
Ownership check, Form XIV, filing and replies
Online filing on copyright.gov.in
Copyright Office, New Delhi
Objection period, scrutiny and the entry in the Register
No visit to Delhi is needed: the application, the work and any replies are filed online.
Areas we serve in and around Mumbai
- Fort
- Nariman Point
- Kalbadevi
- Lower Parel
- Dadar
- Worli
- Bandra Kurla Complex
- Bandra
- Santacruz
- Vile Parle
- Andheri
- Goregaon
- Malad
- Borivali
- Kurla
- Chembur
- Ghatkopar
- Powai
- Mulund
Which Mumbai works are registered, and what does each need?
One application covers one work (rule 70(2)). The category decides the official fee and the papers the Copyright Office expects.
| Work | Category | What the application needs |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film, web series episode, advertising film | Cinematograph film | The producer’s chain of rights: agreements with the writer, composer and others, or their NOCs (Form XIV instructions) |
| Screenplay, script, dialogue | Literary or dramatic work | The script itself; the writer’s NOC if a producer files |
| Song: lyrics and composition | Literary and musical works, filed separately | Lyrics and notation or a recording that captures the composition |
| Released track or album | Sound recording | The recording, with agreements or NOCs from the authors of the lyrics and music |
| App, platform or game code | Literary work (computer programme) | At least the first 10 and last 10 pages of source code, unredacted (rule 70(5)) |
| Book, comic, newsletter | Literary work | The manuscript or published copy |
| Logo, label, packaging art | Artistic work used on goods | A search certificate from the Trade Marks Registry (proviso to section 45(1)) |
What should Mumbai’s film and music businesses register?
Mumbai is where much of the business of Indian film and music is administered. The Central Board of Film Certification is headquartered in the city, and the copyright societies IPRS (for authors, composers and music publishers) and PPL (for sound recordings) have their offices in Andheri (West). None of these registers copyright: certification by the CBFC is about exhibition, and the societies license rights their members already own. Registration of the copyright itself is a separate step, at the Copyright Office.
For a production house, the useful registrations are usually the script, before it is pitched widely, and the finished film, once the chain of rights is clean. For a label or an independent artist, the sound recording and, separately, the lyrics and composition are distinct works with different owners, and each can be registered.
A script registered with a writers’ association is a dated record of authorship for that association’s purposes. It is not registration under the Copyright Act, which only the Registrar of Copyrights makes.
What about software, publishing and advertising work?
Software. Code is registered as a literary work. Since 2021, rule 70(5) asks for at least the first 10 and last 10 pages of source code, or all of it if shorter, with nothing blocked out. A company should file in its own name, backed by employment or contractor terms that give it ownership.
Publishing. Authors and publishers register books and other text as literary works. Where a publisher files, the author’s assignment or NOC goes with the application.
Advertising and brand art. An agency’s logo, label or packaging design is an artistic work. If it is used on goods, the Copyright Office needs a search certificate from the Trade Marks Registry first, so plan for that step. Who owns agency work depends on the contract: get a written assignment before the client files. Our guide to copyright and trademark for a logo explains when each protection fits.
How does copyright registration work from Mumbai?
Day 1
Ownership and category check
We confirm who the author is, who owns the work, and its category. Agreements and NOCs are collected now, not after an objection.
Filing day
Form XIV filed online
The application, the work and the statement of particulars are filed on the Copyright Office portal with the official fee. A diary number issues.
30 days
Objection period
Under rule 70(10), if nobody objects within 30 days the Registrar may enter the particulars after scrutiny. Notice to interested persons is part of the application (rule 70(9)).
If raised
Discrepancy letter or objection
The Office’s FAQ says applicants are ordinarily given 45 days to answer a discrepancy. An objection leads to an inquiry and a hearing before any rejection (rule 70(11) and (12)).
Registration
Entry in the Register of Copyrights
The extract of the Register is the record of registration. It is prima facie evidence of the particulars in it (section 48).
What are the official copyright fees?
Per work, under the Second Schedule to the Copyright Rules, 2013. Our professional fee is quoted separately, in writing.
| Fee (e-filing) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work (a computer programme is a literary work)Form XIV, per work | ₹500 |
| Artistic work used, or capable of being used, in relation to goods or servicesForm XIV, per work | ₹2,000 |
| Sound recordingForm XIV, per work | ₹2,000 |
| Cinematograph filmForm XIV, per work | ₹5,000 |
Government fees from Copyright Rules, 2013, Second Schedule (Copyright Office), as checked on . Statutory fees only; the firm's professional fee is quoted separately in writing.
Copyright registration in Mumbai: questions
Where is the copyright office for Mumbai?
There is none in Mumbai. The only Copyright Office is in Dwarka, New Delhi, and Mumbai applications are filed online. No visit to Delhi is needed for a straightforward application.
Should I register my script before pitching it to a Mumbai producer?
It is sensible. Copyright exists from creation, but a registration gives a dated, official record that is prima facie evidence of its particulars. Ideas alone are not protected; the written script is.
Does CBFC certification protect my film’s copyright?
No. CBFC certification is about exhibiting the film. Copyright in the film belongs to its producer from creation, and registration is a separate application to the Copyright Office.
Who owns the copyright in an ad film made by a Mumbai agency?
It depends on the contract. Without a written assignment, the agency or the people who made the work may own parts of it. Settle ownership in writing before either side files.
Can a music label register a song and its recording together?
No. The lyrics, the musical composition and the sound recording are separate works, each filed on its own application with its own fee and supporting NOCs.
How long does copyright last for a film or a song recording?
Sixty years from the beginning of the calendar year after publication (sections 26 and 27). For lyrics and music, the term is the author’s life plus sixty years (section 22).
Other services in Mumbai
- Trademark Registration in MumbaiTrade Marks Registry, Mumbai
- Patent Registration in MumbaiPatent Office, Mumbai branch
- ISO Certification in MumbaiAudit preparation with accredited bodies
All cities: Copyright registration in India