Do I have to register my copyright in NZ or overseas?

You do not have to register your copyright in New Zealand, and copyright also arises automatically on creation of an original work in most other countries.

However, it may be advisable to mark your original copyright works with the © symbol, year of creation and your name to serve as notice to others and to keep an independent record of original works and their creation dates.

International copyright protection arises on the basis of international treaties, including the Berne Convention 1928, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the Universal Copyright Convention 1952.

The Berne Convention provides reciprocal protection for copyright works protected under New Zealand law to be similarly recognized under the law of the other signatories. To see a list of contracting countries to the Berne Convention, click here.

If you have further questions about copyright protection, please contact us.