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Protect your code legally. Here is where your code can be protected and how to protect it. Started 6/18/2025.
Here is a list of countries in WIPO Copyright Treaty and whether they require registrations and where if it is allowed. This is my personal list, this is not legal advice, please consult a professional or otherwise verify this for yourself. It was as of dates posted, things can change. Things with "?" I don't know. If it is not in WIPO Copyright Treaty, you may not be able to enforce software copyright in court. It is from a perspective of USA registered copyright but may or may not apply more. If it has Verified Free or like it, you do not need a registration there.
A list:
- Afghanistan: Free
- Albania: 4/16/2024, 7:21PM, Paid, Albanian, https://e-albania.al/
- Algeria: Free
- Argentina: 4/16/2024, 7:25PM, Paid, https://www.argentina.gob.ar/servicio/deposito-en-custodia-de-obra-inedita-software, over $900. 4/17/2024, 10:08AM, that for 3 years. Pesos?
- Armenia: 4/16/2024, 7:30PM, Free?
- Australia: 4/16/2024, 1:19PM, Free.
- Austria: 4/16/2024, 7:31PM, Free.
- Azerbaijan: 4/16/2024, 7:33PM, unsure.
- Bahrain: 4/16/2024, 7:36PM, unsure, probably free.
- Barbados: 4/16/2024, 7:38PM, unsure but almost certainly free.
- Belarus: 4/16/2024, 7:42PM, Paid, getting info, https://ncip.by/en/avtorskie-i-smezhnye-prava/registraciya-kompyuternyh-programm/
- Belgium: 4/16/2024, 7:45PM, Free. 4/25/2024, 3:07PM, Verified Free.
- Belize: 4/17/2024, 10:10AM, Free?
- Benin: 4/17/2024, 10:12AM, unsure, probably free.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: 4/17/2024, 10:13AM, unsure, probably free.
- Botswana: 4/17/2024, 10:16AM, Free almost certainly.
- Brunei Darussalam: 4/17/2024, 10:18AM, Free.
- Bulgaria: 4/17/2024, 10:21AM, Free?
- Burkina Faso: 4/17/2024, 10:25AM, unsure, paid?
- Burundi: 4/17/2024, 10:28AM, unsure, no registry found, Free?
- Cabo Verde: 4/17/2024, 10:30AM, unsure, no registry, free?
- Canada: 4/16/2024, 1:19PM, Free 4/25/2024, 3:06PM, Free sort of but paid: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canadian-intellectual-property-office/en/copyright/registration-copyright-filing-online
https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/canadian-intellectual-property-office/en/complete-list-fees-copyrights#:~:text=1-,Application,-Accepting%20an%20application
- Chile: 4/17/2024, 10:35AM, Free?
- Colombia: 4/17/2024, 10:36AM, unsure, Free?
- Comoros: 4/17/2024, 10:37AM, unsure, Free?
- Cook Islands: 4/17/2024, 10:38AM, unsure, Free?
- Costa Rica: 4/17/2024, 10:40AM, Paid: http://www.rnpdigital.com/derechos_autor/index.htm
- Croatia: 4/17/2024, 10:43AM, Free. 5/1/2024, 4:21PM, Verified Free.
- Cyprus: 4/17/2024, 10:44AM, Free.
- Czech Republic: 4/17/2024, 10:48AM, Free. 5/6/2024, 11:48AM, Verified Free.
- Democratic People's Republic of Korea: ?
- Denmark: 4/17/2024, 10:50AM, Free almost certainly.
- Dominican Republic: 4/17/2024, 10:54AM, free almost certainly.
- Ecuador: 4/17/2024, 2:12PM, Free.
- El Salvador: 4/17/2024, 2:14PM, Free.
- Estonia, 4/16/2024, 1:20PM, Free 4/25/2024, 2:37PM, Verified free.
- European Union (EU): ?
- Finland: 4/17/2024, 2:18PM, Free.
- France: 4/17/2024, 2:18PM, Free.
- Gabon: 4/17/2024, 2:19PM, unsure, probably free.
- Georgia: 4/17/2024, 2:21PM, unsure, almost certainly free. 4/25/2024, 3:12PM, Like free and could do without but paid: https://online.sakpatenti.gov.ge/ka/app/home/
- Germany: 4/17/2024, 2:23PM, Free.
- Ghana: 4/16/2024, 7:16PM, Paid, copyright.gov.gh, need ID.
- Greece: 4/17/2024, 2:24PM, Free. 5/8/2024, 10:17AM, Verfied free.
- Guatemala: 4/17/2024, 2:26PM, Free.
- Guinea: 4/17/2024, 2:29PM, Free?
- Honduras: 4/17/2024, 2:30PM, Free?
- Hungary: 4/17/2024, 2:31PM, Paid, cannot get it as USA? https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/en/dear-customer
- India: 4/17/2024, 2:35PM, Paid: https://copyright.gov.in/UserRegistration/frmLoginPage.aspx
- Indonesia: 4/17/2024, 2:36PM, Free.
- Ireland: 4/17/2024, 2:37PM, Free. 4/25/2024, 3:09PM, Verified free.
- Italy: 4/17/2024, 2:38PM, Free.
- Jamaica: 4/17/2024, 2:40PM, Paid. https://www.jipo.gov.jm/node/47
- Japan: 4/17/2024, 5:50PM, 50 years after first published or my dormition, register first created and first published. Research more. Maybe not publish there.
- Jordan: 4/17/2024, 5:54PM, Free?
- Kazakhstan: 4/17/2024, 5:57PM, Paid but can be free. https://egov.kz/cms/en/articles/copyright/intellectual_property
- Kiribati: 4/17/2024, 6:00PM, Paid? https://mcic.gov.ki/copyright/
- Kyrgyzstan: 4/17/2024, 6:02PM, Free?
- Latvia: 4/18/2024, 2:18PM, Free?
- Liechtenstein: 4/18/2024, 2:21PM, Free?
- Lithuania: 4/18/2024, 2:23PM, Free almost certainly.
- Luxembourg: 4/18/2024, 2:25PM, Paid but since it is only proof of creation, maybe others apply. https://guichet.public.lu/en/entreprises/gestion-juridique-comptabilite/propriete-intellectuelle/droits-auteur/defendre-droits-auteurs-droits-voisin.html
5/12/2024, 4:19PM, Verified Free.
- Madagascar: 4/18/2024, 2:27PM, Free?
- Malaysia: 4/18/2024, 2:30PM, Free? https://www.myipo.gov.my/en/copyright-basic/?lang=en
- Mali: 4/18/2024, 2:32PM, Free?
- Malta: 4/18/2024, 2:34PM, Free. 4/27/2024, 10:44AM, Verified free.
- Mexico: 4/18/2024, 2:36PM, Unsure, Free?
- Mongolia: 4/18/2024, 2:39PM, Free?
- Montenegro: 4/18/2024, 2:42PM, Free almost certainly.
- Morocco: 4/18/2024, 2:43PM, Free?
- Nauru: 4/18/2024, 2:43PM, Free?
- Netherlands (Kingdom of the): 4/18/2024, 2:45PM, Free, sell here? https://business.gov.nl/regulation/copyright/#art:when-does-copyright-apply
- New Zealand: 4/18/2024, 2:47PM, Free.
- Nicaragua: 4/18/2024, 2:48PM, Free?
- Nigeria: 4/18/2024, 2:49PM, Paid. https://www.eregistration.copyright.gov.ng/
- North Macedonia: 4/18/2024, 2:53PM, Free?
- Oman: 4/18/2024, 2:55PM, Free almost certainly.
- Panama: 4/18/2024, 2:57PM, Free? 4/25/2024, 2:41PM, Paid, https://micultura.gob.pa/dnda/
- Paraguay: 4/18/2024, 2:58PM, Free?
- Peru: 4/19/2024, 10:42AM, Free almost certainly.
- Philippines: 4/19/2024, 10:43AM, Paid. https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/how-to-copyright/
- Poland: 4/19/2024, 10:47AM, Free almost certainly. 6/12/2024, 8:12PM, Verified free.
- Portugal: 4/19/2024, 10:50AM, Paid? https://www.spautores.pt/formularios/
- Qatar: 4/19/2024, 10:53AM, maybe free.
- Republic of Korea: ?
- Republic of Moldova: 4/19/2024, 10:54AM, Paid. https://www.agepi.gov.md/en/copyright/registration
- Romania: 4/19/2024, 10:55AM, Free.
- Russian Federation: 4/16/2024, 7:15PM, Free. (all Russia)
- Saint Lucia: 4/19/2024, 10:58AM, Unsure, getting more info.
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 4/19/2024, 11:02AM, Free.
- San Marino: 4/19/2024, 11:04AM, Free?
- Sao Tome and Principe: 4/19/2024, 11:06AM, Free?
- Senegal: 4/19/2024, 11:07AM, Free?
- Serbia: 4/19/2024, 11:09AM: Paid, https://www.zis.gov.rs/en/rights/copyright-and-related-rights/recording-and-depositing/
- Singapore: 4/19/2024, 11:12AM, Paid? https://www.ipos.gov.sg/about-ip/copyright/forms-fees
4/25/2024, 2:44PM, Free verified.
- Slovakia: 4/19/2024, 11:13AM, Free? 4/27/2024, 10:43AM, Verified Free.
- Slovenia: 4/19/2024, 11:14AM, Free.
- Spain: 4/19/2024, 11:15AM, Free almost certainly. 4/25/2024, 2:38PM, Paid, https://www.cultura.gob.es/cultura/areas/propiedadintelectual/mc/rpi/inicio.html
- Sweden: 4/19/2024, 11:16AM, Free.
- Switzerland: 4/19/2024, 11:17AM, Free.
- Tajikistan: 4/19/2024, 11:19AM, Free? Paid.
- Thailand: 4/19/2024, 11:21AM, Paid? https://www.ipthailand.go.th/en/copyright-002-1.html
- Togo: 4/19/2024, 11:23AM, Free?
- Trinidad and Tobago: 4/19/2024, 11:24AM, Free.
- Tunisia: 4/19/2024, 11:26AM, Unsure, probably free.
- Türkiye: 4/19/2024, 7:14PM, Free, also called Turkey.
- Uganda: 4/19/2024, 11:27AM, Free.
- Ukraine: 4/19/2024, 11:30AM, Paid, is this correct registration? https://ukrpatent.org/uk/articles/copyright
- United Arab Emirates: 4/19/2024, 11:32AM, Should be paid.
- United Kingdom: 4/16/2024, 7:15PM, Free. 4/25/2024, 2:50PM, Verified free.
- United States of America: 4/16/2024, 7:16PM, Paid, https://uspto.gov and https://copyright.gov.
- Uruguay: 4/19/2024, 11:33AM, Free?
- Uzbekistan: 4/19/2024, 11:34AM, Free almost certainly.
- Vanuatu: 4/19/2024, 11:36AM, Free almost certainly.
- Viet Nam: 4/19/2024, 11:41AM, Paid, https://vietanlaw.com/the-fee-for-copyright-registration-in-vietnam/
https://dichvucong.gov.vn/p/home/dvc-trang-chu.html
X E.