In the digital age, eBooks are becoming a popular publishing channel that helps authors easily reach global readers. However, along with the opportunity comes the risk of copying and illegally sharing content. This article VCD will guide you in detail through the A-Z process of registering copyright for eBooks so that you can rest assured when publishing and exploiting your work legally.
Benefits of registering copyright for ebooks
According to the Vietnamese Intellectual Property Law, ebooks are considered written works, a type of copyright protected. Whether presented in the form of PDF, ePub, MOBI files or on an online platform, ebooks are still essentially literary and artistic works, expressing the creative thinking of the writer.
Thus, as soon as the work is created and expressed in a material form (file, print, manuscript), you automatically have copyright. However, to have solid legal evidence when a dispute arises, registering an ebook copyright at the Copyright Office is the right thing to do.
Registering an ebook copyright brings many practical benefits to the author or owner, including:
- Affirming legal ownership of ebook content.
- Preventing unauthorized copying and use, especially on social networking platforms and ebook sharing sites.
- Creating trust with readers, publishers, and distribution partners about the authenticity of the work.
- Is an important legal basis when disputes, complaints, or handling copyright infringement occur.
- Increasing the commercial value of an ebook when collaborating, selling copyright, or converting it into other products (audiobooks, movies, plays, etc.).
Required documents to register copyright for ebooks
To submit an application for copyright registration for ebooks, you need to prepare the following documents:
- Copyright registration form – according to the form of the Copyright Office (full information of author, owner, work…).
- 02 copies of the ebook work (in the form of printed paper or CD/USB containing the ebook file).
- A letter of guarantee that the author is the person who directly created the work, not copying from others.
- Authorization letter (if authorizing a representative unit to carry out the procedure).
- Documents proving ownership (if the ebook is created under a creative rental contract, work assignment…).
- A copy of the ID card/CCCD or Business Registration Certificate (depending on whether the subject is an individual or an organization).
Note: The work should be printed with the ebook name, author name, and year of publication clearly on the cover page and the first part of the content to facilitate the review process.
A – Z process of registering copyright for eBooks
Here are the specific steps from the preparation stage to receiving the Copyright Certificate:
- Step 1 – Prepare a complete and valid application: The author or owner prepares the application as above. You should carefully check the information on the declaration (name of work, author, time of creation, form of expression…) to avoid having the application returned.
- Step 2 – Submit the application to the competent authority: There are 2 ways to submit an application for ebook copyright registration: Directly at the Copyright Office (33 Alley 294/2 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Hanoi) or at the Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang; Send the application by post or submit online via the Public Service Portal of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
- Step 3 – Pay registration fee: The fee for registering an ebook copyright is specified in Circular 211/2016/TT-BTC, usually ranging from 100,000 – 600,000 VND/work, depending on the type and form of registration by the author.
- Step 4 – The Copyright Office reviews and issues a Certificate: Within 15 working days from the date of receiving a valid application, the Copyright Office will review and issue a Certificate of copyright registration for the ebook. If the application is not valid, the Office will notify the applicant to amend and supplement within the prescribed time.
Some important notes when registering an ebook copyright
Here are some important notes when registering an ebook copyright that you should not ignore.
- The ebook must be created by the author himself, not copied or compiled illegally from other sources.
- In case the ebook has multiple authors, it is necessary to clearly state the contribution or consensus ratio in the document.
- If the ebook is published under a brand or company, the ownership may belong to the organization, but the personal rights still belong to the author.
- Ebooks have accompanying images, illustrations or sounds, these elements should also be clearly listed in the registration dossier.
- For internationally published ebooks, it is advisable to consider registering international copyright through the Berne Convention, which helps to be protected in more than 180 countries.
Above is the entire A-Z process of copyright registration for ebooks. If you own a dedicated ebook, register the copyright today to avoid the risk of being copied, content stolen and affirm legal ownership of your “brainchild”.
Sincerely,
FAQ
Not required. With ebooks, you can submit a soft copy (PDF, epub, docx…) with a description of the content. However, many individuals still choose to print an additional hard copy to make the file clear and limit errors during appraisal.
Normally, the processing time is 7-15 working days from the date the agency receives a valid set of documents. In case the documents are missing or need to be supplemented, the time may be longer. If you need to get it quickly, you can ask the service unit to help shorten the process.