The Kenya Copyright Board has announced that fees for copyright registration will be reinstated. According to the Board, the fees will be collected beginning July 1, which means that the free copyright registration will be available for the next month.
The Copyright Act requires the Board to keep a database of authors and their works by registering copyright works. This registration is entirely voluntary.
Non-registration confers no rights on authors under the Copyright Act.
Registering copyright works ensures that a public record of owners/authors exists. The registration certificate also serves as proof of ownership of a copyright. If a loan is sought, it could also be used as collateral in a bank or other lending institution.
Even if you automatically own the copyright to your original, creative work, registering your copyright is a good idea. One of the primary advantages of writing is to sue others who infringe on your copyright. For most people, this is a sufficient reason to go through the registration process.
The good news is that copyright registration is a simple process that can be completed online:
How to register for a Copyright
- Navigate to nrr.copyright.go.ke.
- Create an account before uploading your work. You can set up either an individual or a corporate account.
- Get a validation code
- Complete the account creation process by entering the code.
- Log in and complete the registration process.