# Copyright registration in Pakistan: fee, forms, how long it takes and what it protects

URL: https://which.pk/business/guides/copyright-registration-pakistan/
Author: Ahtisham
Updated: 20 Oct 2026

## Summary

Copyright registration in Pakistan is voluntary: copyright exists once a work is created. Registering with IPO-Pakistan's Copyright Office on Form-II costs Rs 2,000 for a book, artwork or song, Rs 5,000 for software, Rs 6,000 for artwork used with goods such as a logo, and Rs 10,000 for a film, as of October 2026. IPO's average time to a certificate is about 11 months. Artistic works must also be advertised in a newspaper. Protection usually lasts until 50 years after the author's death.

## Key facts

- Fee (book, artwork, song): Rs 2,000 per work
- Software: Rs 5,000
- Time to certificate: About 11 months
- Lasts: Author's life + 50 years

**Copyright registration in Pakistan** is done at IPO-Pakistan's Copyright Office on **Form-II**. The fee is **Rs 2,000** for a book, artwork or song, **Rs 5,000** for software and **Rs 10,000** for a film, as of October 2026. IPO's average time to a certificate is **about 11 months**. Registration is optional: your copyright exists from the day you create the work, but the certificate is your proof in court.

## Do I need to register copyright in Pakistan?

No. IPO's own FAQ says copyright is secured automatically when a work is created in a fixed form, and registration is not compulsory.

Registering still helps. Under section 42 of the Copyright Ordinance, 1962, a registration certificate is **prima facie evidence** that copyright exists and that the person named on it is the owner.

What copyright doesn't cover, per IPO's FAQ:

- **Ideas, methods and processes.** Copyright protects the way you express something, not the idea behind it.
- **Common information** with no original work in it, such as standard calendars or height and weight charts.

Owning a copy of a book or painting also doesn't make you the copyright owner.

## Which works can I register?

IPO groups works into four kinds:

| Kind of work | Examples from IPO |
|---|---|
| Literary | Books, magazines, lectures, dramas, novels, **computer software**, compilations of data |
| Artistic | Paintings, photographs, drawings, maps, calligraphy, sculptures, architectural works, **label designs, logos, monograms** |
| Cinematographic | Movies, dramas, documentaries, animated films, games |
| Record | Songs, music, sound recordings |

A logo can be both an artistic work and a trademark. Copyright protects the artwork; a [trademark registration](/business/guides/trademark-registration-pakistan/) protects the brand on your goods or services. The [trademark vs copyright vs patent](/business/guides/trademark-vs-copyright-vs-patent/) guide explains which one fits which asset.

## What is the copyright registration fee in Pakistan?

Fees on Form-II, per work, from IPO's fee page as of October 2026 (unchanged since the March 2019 fee notification):

| Work | Fee |
|---|---|
| Literary work (book, article, script) | Rs 2,000 |
| Computer programme or software | Rs 5,000 |
| Artistic work (painting, photo, drawing, architecture) | Rs 2,000 |
| Artistic work used with goods or services (logo, label) | Rs 6,000 |
| Cinematographic work (film, drama, animation, game) | Rs 10,000 |
| Record work (song or sound) | Rs 2,000 per song |
| Musical work with video | Rs 2,000 per song |

Other fees: Rs 3,000 to record an assignment of copyright (Form-III), Rs 6,000 to oppose someone else's application, and Rs 300 per page for a certified copy. These are government fees only; a lawyer charges on top, but IPO says you don't need one.

## How do I register copyright, step by step?

1. **Download Form-II** from IPO's copyright "Fee & Forms" page and fill in **three copies**.
2. **Gather copies of the work.** Three copies for an artistic work; two for a literary work; two on CD, DVD or USB for a film or a song.
3. **Sign the affidavits.** IPO wants an undertaking that the work is your original creation. If someone else made it (a designer, a writer, singers or actors), add their **NOC affidavit** transferring the copyright to you. IPO's sample asks the designer to confirm they were paid in full.
4. **Get a pay order or demand draft** for the fee, in the name of **Director General, IPO-Pakistan**.
5. **File it** at the Copyright Office in Karachi or IPO's Lahore regional office. You get an acknowledgement receipt and file number in about a week.
6. **Artistic works only: advertise in a newspaper.** Section 39 of the Ordinance says you must publish the work in a newspaper within one month of filing and send two copies of the paper to the Registrar. IPO gives an advertisement format that invites objections within one month.
7. **Answer the examination.** IPO's average time for examination is nine months.
8. **Receive the certificate**, about two months after you meet all requirements.

**Paper filing only:** On 20 October 2026, IPO's copyright pages describe paper filing with a pay order or bank draft. IPO's online filing system is for trademarks. IPO's Islamabad head office accepts copyright applications, but its page says issuing copyright file numbers there "will be offered shortly".

## Where is the Copyright Office in Pakistan?

- **Copyright Office, Karachi:** IP-House, Plot CD-3, behind KDA Civic Centre, Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Tel +92-21-99230140, copyright@ipo.gov.pk (IPO contact page, checked 20 Oct 2026).
- **IPO Regional Office, Lahore:** receives copyright applications, issues file numbers and examines them, per IPO's services page.

IPO also posts lists of copyright applications it has received as PDFs on its Copyright E-Journal page. The latest, for September 2026, went up on 7 October 2026.

## How long does copyright last in Pakistan?

Under the Copyright Ordinance, 1962 (the copy IPO publishes):

| Work | Copyright lasts until |
|---|---|
| Book, music, drama or artwork published in the author's lifetime | 50 years after the year the author dies |
| Joint work | 50 years after the last surviving author dies |
| Film, sound recording or photograph | 50 years after the year it's published |
| Anonymous or pen-name work | 50 years after the year it's first published |

You don't renew copyright. The term runs whether or not you register.

## What can I do if someone copies my work?

Section 66 of the Ordinance makes knowingly infringing copyright an offence, punishable with up to **three years in prison**, a fine of up to **Rs 100,000**, or both, in the copy IPO publishes. Section 60 also gives the owner civil remedies in court.

A registration certificate helps here: under section 42, courts take it as prima facie evidence that you own the copyright.

**Copies on YouTube are a separate process:** Registering with IPO doesn't enrol you in YouTube's Content ID. YouTube runs its own process: Content ID is only for owners of a large body of original material that's uploaded often. Everyone else can file a removal request in YouTube Studio (Content detection, then New removal request) or by email to copyright@youtube.com.

More guides: [Company Setup](/business/company-setup/), [trademark search in Pakistan](/business/guides/trademark-search-pakistan/), [patent registration in Pakistan](/business/guides/patent-registration-pakistan/), [software export from Pakistan](/business/guides/software-export-pakistan/).

## Questions people ask

### Is copyright registration compulsory in Pakistan?

No. Copyright exists once a work is created in fixed form. Registration gives you a certificate that courts treat as prima facie evidence that you own the copyright.

### What is the copyright registration fee in Pakistan?

As of October 2026: Rs 2,000 for a literary or artistic work or one song, Rs 5,000 for software, Rs 6,000 for artwork used with goods or services (such as a logo) and Rs 10,000 for a film, drama or game.

### How long does copyright registration take in Pakistan?

IPO's published average is about eleven months from filing to certificate: one week for the receipt, nine months for examination and two months for the certificate.

### Does IPO copyright registration stop YouTube copyright claims?

No. YouTube runs its own systems. Its Content ID is only for owners of a large body of original material uploaded often; anyone else can file a removal request in YouTube Studio. YouTube's help pages don't ask for a government registration.

## Sources

- [Copyright: Fee & Forms](https://ipo.gov.pk/copyrights-fee-forms), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Documents Required for Registration of Copyright](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/Procedure%20for%20Registration%20%28Copyright%29_0.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Introduction to Copyright](https://ipo.gov.pk/copyright_intro), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Copyrights: Frequently Asked Questions](https://ipo.gov.pk/copyright_faqs), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Average process time for Services of Copyright Office](https://ipo.gov.pk/copyright_average_time), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Copyright Ordinance, 1962 (as published by IPO)](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/Copyright_Ordinance_1962_4.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Notification of revision of copyright fees (March 2019)](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/Notification%20of%20Revision%20of%20fee-Copyright%20%2804.03.2019%29.pdf), Ministry of Commerce (via IPO-Pakistan) (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Contact Information of Copyright Office, Karachi](https://ipo.gov.pk/node/995), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [IP Services Offered at IPO Regional Office Lahore](https://ipo.gov.pk/node/111), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Copyright E-Journal](https://ipo.gov.pk/copyrights-e-journal), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [How Content ID works](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2797370?hl=en), YouTube Help (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Submit a copyright removal request](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2807622?hl=en), YouTube Help (accessed 20 Oct 2026)