Define: Copyright Owner

A copyright owner is an individual or entity that holds the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, display, perform, and create derivative works based on an original creative work. When someone creates an original work fixed in a tangible form, such as a book, song, artwork, or software, they automatically become the copyright owner. This ownership gives them the legal authority to control how their work is used, copied, or distributed. Copyright owners can grant licences to others for specific uses of their work and enforce their rights against unauthorised use or infringement by pursuing legal action.

Under the Copyright Act of 1976, a term with two meanings. First, it refers to the person or entity listed as the owner in the U.S. Copyright Office, usually the original author or developer. Second, it refers to a person or entity to which an exclusive part of the copyright has been transferred in writing. For instance, if Harry writes and copyrights a book, then sells the right to prepare a screenplay based on the book to a movie studio, both he and the studio are copyright owners.

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This glossary post was last updated: 29th March 2024.