Got your logo designed? Great! Now, the next step is making it secure. But how?
Many business owners invest in a perfect logo, but ignore the need for securing the legal rights to use and defend it. Your logo represents your brand everywhere. Protecting it is just as important as getting it designed.
An original logo is automatically protected as soon as it’s created in the United States. However, you still need to get it registered with the U.S. Copyright Office for stronger legal protection, just in case someone copies your work. To guide you through the process, we’ll teach you how to copyright a logo in simple steps, so you never have a problem owning it.
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What Does Copyrighting Mean?
One of the many forms of legal protection is copyright. An original creative work is copyrighted right when it exists in any form. Registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office gives you stronger authority to copy, distribute, and sell your original creative work.
What Can You Copyright?
- Books or any form of original writing
- Paintings, songs, movies, and music
- Software codes and video games
- Brand name and branding assets
In simple words, it means securing the legal right to have complete control over any original creative work, and that includes a logo design. Once your logo exists as a design file, sketch, or printed artwork, it’s protected by copyright. Registering it gives you more commercial and usage benefits.
Not every logo is eligible to be copyrighted. Logos that look generic or are template-based cannot be copyrighted because they are made up of basic shapes, common symbols, and plain text.
Copyright vs Trademark: What’s the Difference?
| Feature | Copyright | Trademark |
| What it protects | Original creative work, such as the artwork in a logo | Your brand name, logo, or slogan used to identify your business |
| Symbol | © | ™ (unregistered), ® (registered trademark) |
| Where you register | U.S. Copyright Office | U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) |
| Typical cost | About $45–$65 per application | About $350–$650+ per class of goods/services (government fees) |
| Typical timeline | Around 2–12 months, depending on processing | Around 8–18 months, depending on the application and any objections |
| Duration | Life of the creator + 70 years (for most individual works) | Can last indefinitely as long as it’s used in commerce and renewal requirements are met |
“Do you copyright or trademark a logo?” is a common question business owners have. Once your business grows, you’ll need both to protect your logo and your brand. It’s also important to know how to trademark a logo.
The difference between copyright and trademark is quite clear. Copyright protects your logo as original artwork, while trademark protects your logo as your business identity. Copyright stops others from copying your design, and trademark helps prevent customer confusion between brands.
How To Copyright A Logo In Simple Steps
Here are six simple steps on how to copyright a logo:
Step 1: Confirm Originality and Search Existing Records
Before you start filing for copyright, search for existing records available on the U.S. Copyright Office website can help you see if your logo qualifies to be copyrighted. Your logo only qualifies if it is genuinely original, unique, and distinct. But if you’ve used stock elements to design your logo, it will not qualify. The worst that can happen is that you could face an infringement claim. If it’s all clear, you can move forward in the process to register a copyright logo.
Step 2: Create an Account on the U.S. Copyright Office (eCO) Portal
Next, you’ll have to create an account on the U.S. Copyright Office website. All copyright applications are filed through the Copyright Office’s Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) system. Setting up an account takes a few minutes and is the starting point for the entire filing.
Step 3: Choose Your Application Type (Single vs Standard)
If you designed your logo and will only use it yourself, you can choose the Single Application. It costs $45. If you hired a logo design company or a freelancer to design a logo, you need to apply for the Standard Application to accommodate multiple authors and work-for-hire arrangements. The Standard Application will cost you $65. For more accurate information on filing fees, you can visit https://www.copyright.gov/about/fees.html.
Step 4: Complete the Form and Select “Work of Visual Arts”
When filling out the application, the “Type of Work” field must be set to Work of the Visual Arts. Choosing the wrong category is one of the most common reasons applications get delayed or rejected.
Step 5: Upload Your Logo File and Pay the Filing Fee
After filling out the application, you’ll be asked to upload your logo. Most logo registrations require a digital upload. There’s no need to mail a physical copy. Submit your logo file along with the filing fee to complete the application.
Step 6: Track Processing Time and Receive Your Certificate
A Standard Application typically processes in 1 to 3.5 months. It can take six months or longer if the Office requires additional information. Your filing date is the date that’ll be listed, not the date you receive your certificate. This saves you time; you don’t have to wait on marketing or launch plans while the application processes.
Can You Copyright A Logo? What Is The Eligibility Criteria?
If you don’t know what the eligibility criteria are to copyright a logo, we’re happy to help. Here’s a quick checklist to follow.
Eligibility Checklist
- Your creative work is 100% original. There are no common shapes or generic symbols used.
- It’s not just a simple design or plain text. The logo is creativity at its best.
- You created it or already have received full commercial ownership from the designer.
- It exists as a digital design file, sketch, or printed work.
- It does not resemble any other copyrighted work.
How Much Does It Cost to Copyright a Logo?
The cost to copyright a logo is structured differently than trademark. The U.S. Copyright Office clearly states the pricing details on their website. To copyright a logo, the basic online registration fees range from $45 to $65.
For startups, copyright is a faster, cheaper first step to owning your logo design and branding. A trademark is a slightly bigger investment and takes longer to be approved. Either way, protecting your logo is only worth it if it’s 100% original.
SMB Tip: Before spending money to copyright or trademark your logo, make sure it’s a design you’ll keep for years. Investing in a professional logo and branding package upfront can save you from paying legal fees twice if you end up rebranding later.
Why Should Small Businesses Copyright a Logo?
Whether it’s a medical logo or a coffee shop logo, regardless of your industry, small businesses need to consider copyrighting their logo. It’s not a “someday task”; it should be a part of your early to-do list in the logo design process.
- Once someone copies your logo, it could cost you a lot to gain the rights back. Hiring an attorney and filing a case will be the biggest part of the process. Registered copyright saves you from the cost of an infringement case and gives you access to protect yourself from damage control.
- It signals how serious you are about your business. To investors, partners, and stakeholders, a copyrighted logo makes your business look more professional and established.
- If you’re a business in the early stages, raising funds and finding investors will be your major concern. Clean IP ownership is a standard checkpoint for investing. Founders who can’t clearly show they own their branding assets put their deal at risk.
- Copyrighting your logo means you cover the freelancer ownership gap. This is the part most small business owners overlook.
Who Owns the Copyright If You Hire a Designer?
You pay a branding agency $199 to $799 for your logo design cost and branding, so you assume you own it. You don’t. Legally, under U.S. copyright law, the creator is the copyright owner.
To put it simply, you do not own your logo when an agency or a freelancer is involved. You’ll have to get the rights transferred before you pay the final invoice. Confirm in writing that you’ve received all logo file formats and commercial rights. A clear, documented ownership transfer lessens the risk of copyright issues.
AI-generated logos and free DIY logo-maker templates are not eligible for copyright. When you search for “how to copyright a logo,” the results clearly tell you that the logo needs to be a product of thoughtful human creativity.
At Logo Design Valley, we give you complete commercial ownership of all branding assets upon project completion. This helps your brand hold up better legally and visually as it grows.
Protect Your Brand Before You Scale
Starting from how to design a company logo to how to copyright a logo, building a brand from scratch requires a lot to be considered. At Logo Design Valley, we have a very simple approach. We tell our clients to copyright the artwork and trademark the brand. When you’re serious about growing your brand, eventually you’ll need both, so why not consider them before it becomes legal chaos?
We Give You Complete Ownership Of Your Logo
Most design agencies skip transferring commercial rights of the logo to brand owners. But we don’t. Once the project is complete, you own your logo and its rights to use.
Author Bio
verified expert
Duaa writes blogs about marketing, branding, web design, and logo design. She enjoys turning ideas into simple, engaging content that helps businesses build stronger brands and connect with their audience in a more meaningful way.
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