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This is one of the most common — and most expensive — myths in intellectual property. Let’s clear it up.
There is no UK copyright register
Some countries (like the USA) have a copyright register. The UK does not. Your copyright exists automatically the instant you create the work. You cannot register it with the Intellectual Property Office, because there is nothing to register.
So be wary of “copyright registration” services
You’ll find private companies offering to “register your copyright” for a fee. They’re really just date-stamping services — storing a dated copy of your work as evidence. That can be useful, but you can achieve the same thing yourself for free.
What to do instead — prove the date, for free
- Mark it with ©, your name and the year.
- Keep dated originals — drafts, files and version history.
- Create a timestamp: email a copy to yourself, or save it to cloud storage that records the date. Both give you independent, dated proof you held the work at that time.
That evidence is what matters if you ever need to show you created the work first — and it costs nothing. Next: what to do if someone copies your work.
Last reviewed: June 2026 · For use in England & Wales. eLitigant is a Community Interest Company (No. 16566612), not a law firm, and does not give legal advice. Always confirm current rules and fees on gov.uk.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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