Music Copyright Registration in India
Lyrics, compositions and sound recordings · Copyright Act, 1957 · Form XIV
A song in India usually carries three separate copyrights: the lyrics (a literary work), the composition (a musical work) and the recorded track (a sound recording). Each is registered separately with the Copyright Office on Form XIV, for ₹500 per work for lyrics or a composition and ₹2,000 for a sound recording (Copyright Rules, 2013). Lyrics and compositions last for the author’s lifetime plus 60 years; a sound recording lasts 60 years from publication.
- Reviewed by
- Registered Trade Marks Agent
- Last updated
- Each right identified. Lyricist, composer and producer, and who owns what.
- NOCs in place. Consents the Office needs before registering a recording.
- Contracts read. Assignments and royalty terms checked against the 2012 amendments.
- Vashi, Navi MumbaiOur office, Sector 30A
- Since 2008Filing with IP India
- Copyright OfficeForm XIV, objections and hearings
- Logo protectionCopyright and trademark together
Music copyright registration at a glance
- Works in a song
- Lyrics (literary), composition (musical), recording (sound recording)
- Form
- Form XIV, one application per work
- Government fee
- ₹500 for lyrics or a composition; ₹2,000 for a sound recording
- Term
- Lyrics and music: author’s life plus 60 years. Recording: 60 years from publication
- Performers
- A separate performer’s right for 50 years, not registered as copyright
What copyrights exist in a song?
| Element | Type of work | First owner | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyrics | Literary work | The lyricist, unless employed or assigned | Lyricist’s life plus 60 years |
| Composition | Musical work (Section 2(p)) | The composer, unless employed or assigned | Composer’s life plus 60 years |
| Recorded track | Sound recording (Section 2(xx)) | The producer of the recording | 60 years from publication (Section 27) |
| Live or recorded performance | Performer’s right (Section 38) | The performer | 50 years from the performance |
A music video is also a cinematograph film, with its own copyright and a higher registration fee.
Can lyricists and composers sign away their royalties?
Not entirely. Since the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012, the authors of lyrics and music included in a film or a sound recording keep a right to receive royalties, in equal share with the assignee, for uses of the work other than the communication of a film in a cinema hall. That right cannot be assigned or waived except to their legal heirs or to a copyright society for collection.
Assignments of music rights must also be in writing (Section 19) and should state the rights, territory, duration and royalty. Silence has consequences: an assignment without a stated duration is treated as five years, and one without a stated territory as limited to India. Labels and artists should check older contracts against these rules before relying on them. Many of these contracts are made in Mumbai, where the music societies IPRS and PPL have their offices; our page on copyright registration in Mumbai covers what labels and producers there register.
How do you register copyright in a song?
Before filing
Map the rights
Who wrote the lyrics, who composed the music, who produced the recording, and which of them have assigned their rights.
Before filing
Collect consents
NOCs from the lyricist and composer for registering the sound recording, and from any co-authors.
Day 1
File one Form XIV per work
Lyrics, composition and recording are separate applications, each with its own fee and copies. Diary numbers issue.
30 days
Objection period
Each application is open to objection for 30 days.
After 30 days
Examination
The Office examines the copies and documents and may raise discrepancies.
On approval
Registration
Each work is entered in the Register of Copyrights.
What documents are needed to register music?
Copies of the works
- Lyrics: the text
- Composition: the notation, or a recording of the melody, as the Office’s practice requires
- Sound recording: the audio file of the track
Consents and ownership
- NOCs from the lyricist and composer for a sound recording application
- Assignments, if a label or publisher is the applicant
- Details of co-writers and their shares
- Power of attorney if an agent files for you
Can you register a cover version or a remix?
You can register your own original contribution, such as a new recording, but you need the right to use the underlying song first. That means a licence from the owners of the lyrics and composition, or the statutory licence for cover versions in Section 31C, which has conditions on prior notice, timing after the original recording, the medium and advance royalties.
Samples work the same way. Every sampled recording and the composition behind it needs clearance. Registering a track that contains uncleared material does not make it lawful, and can be challenged by the owners.
Music copyright FAQs
Do I need copyright registration to release music on streaming platforms?
No. Copyright exists without registration, and platforms do not require it. Registration helps when a dispute arises, for example over authorship or a copied track.
Can I register an unreleased song?
Yes. Unpublished works can be registered, which fixes the date and the authors before the song is shared with collaborators or labels.
Should the lyrics and the music be registered together?
They are separate works with separate authors, so they are registered separately. If one person wrote both, that person files both applications.
Who owns a beat or instrumental produced for me?
The producer or composer owns the composition and the producer of the recording owns the sound recording, unless they assign the rights to you in writing.
How do songwriters collect royalties in India?
Through licences they grant directly and through copyright societies registered under Section 33, which license public performance and other uses and distribute royalties to members.
Can a band register a song written together?
Yes. Members who contributed to the lyrics or music are joint authors of those works. One member can apply with NOCs from the others, and a written band agreement on shares and ownership avoids disputes later.
Who is the author of music made with the help of software?
For computer-generated works, the Act treats the person who causes the work to be created as the author (Section 2(d)(vi)). Where a human composer uses software as a tool, the composer remains the author.