Works, software, artwork—copyright arises the moment a work is created, but the registration certificate is the piece of paper you can actually hand over when it comes to enforcement.
Copyright exists without registration—that much is common knowledge. But when you actually need to use it—a complaint to an e-commerce platform, customs recordal, evidence in litigation—what the other side wants to see is proof of title you can produce on the spot, not your explanation of when the work was created. The value of a registration certificate lies not in acquiring the right but in the ease of proving it.
For brand owners, copyright in artwork has a further use: it complements the device element of a trademark. A trademark protects use as a sign on the designated goods; copyright protects the artwork itself. Holding both puts you in a stronger position when copying happens across classes.
We handle registration, changes and assignments of copyright in both works and computer software, including copyright matters in China and overseas.
Software copyright registration takes three steps: confirm what you need → prepare the documents (contract, application form, source code, a copy of the business license) → file the registration application.
Timeline: normally about 3–4 months to certificate; the expedited track takes 21–30 working days. Actual timing follows the official progress once the Copyright Protection Center of China has accepted the application.
