Delving into Copyright Registration in Saudi Arabia
Enhancing Copyright Protection in Saudi Arabia
In the current phase of rapid globalization, IP protection has become one of the keys for businesses to establish a foothold in international markets. Today, we delve into the copyright registration system in Saudi Arabia, uncovering its details and exploring its implications for our development in the field of intellectual property.
Definition of “Author” under Saudi Arabian Copyright Law
An author refers to the person who creates a work, and his name may be printed on the work, unless proven otherwise. If his name is not mentioned on the work, or a pen name is mentioned, then the publisher whose name appears on the work shall be deemed his representative. Persons who participate in the creation of audio and video works are considered authors — such as scriptwriters, screenwriters, dialogue writers, and directors.
Definition of “Rights Holder” under Saudi Arabian Copyright Law
The owner is the author, unless ownership has been transferred between them to another person or corporate entity without a contract.
Definition of Copyright in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, copyright refers to a privilege — the exclusive right granted to the author to accept or refuse the use of creative works (such as literary, audio, visual, or artistic works) and only for a limited period of time. Under copyright, the author may not only prevent unauthorized use of his work, but also generate financial income from new creative activities.
Copyright refers to economic rights (which under the copyright law have a certain protection period), such as:
- The right to publish and distribute the work
- The right to adapt or translate the work into other languages
- The right to exploit the work in any material form, such as licensing or leasing it to third parties
- Moral rights (perpetual rights)
- The author’s right to attribute the work to himself
- The right to oppose any infringement of the work
- The author’s right to publish the work
- The author’s right to modify the work
- The author’s right to withdraw the work from circulation
Authority:
- Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP): www.saip.gov.sa
Types & Timeline:
| Computer Software Copyright — Timeline: 7 days | |||
| Category | Individual (SAR) | Company (SAR) | Student (SAR) |
| Examination | 100.00 | 200.00 | 75.00 |
| Grant | 200.00 | 400.00 | Free |
| Required documents | To register software copyright, the complete source code must be submitted in PDF format. | ||
| Artworks — Timeline: 7 days | |||
| Category | Individual (SAR) | Company (SAR) | Student (SAR) |
| Examination | 50.00 | 100.00 | 36.00 |
| Grant | 100.00 | 200.00 | Free |
| Required documents | Artwork in PDF format. | ||
| Work Modification — Timeline: 7 days | ||||||
| Work Modification for Computer software | Other works | |||||
| Category | Individual (SAR) | Company (SAR) | Student (SAR) | Individual (SAR) | Company (SAR) | Student (SAR) |
| Examination | 100.00 | 200.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 |
| Grant | 100.00 | 200.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 |
| Work Modification / Work Assignment / Transfer Recordal — Timeline: 7 days | ||||||
| Work Modification for Computer software | Other works | |||||
| Category | Individual (SAR) | Company (SAR) | Student (SAR) | Individual (SAR) | Company (SAR) | Student (SAR) |
| Examination | 100.00 | 200.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 |
| Grant | 100.00 | 200.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 | 100.00 | 50.00 |
Protection Term
- Author’s works are protected for the author’s lifetime and 50 years after his death.
- For joint works, the term is calculated from the death of the last surviving author.
- If the author is a legal entity or the author’s name is unknown, the term is 50 years from first publication. If the author’s name becomes known within that 50-year period, the term shall revert to the term specified in item (1).
- If the work consists of several parts or volumes published separately or over time, each part or volume shall be considered an independent work for calculating the term of protection.
- For audio works, audiovisual works, films, collective works, and computer programs, the term is 50 years from first performance or publication, whether reissued or not.
- For applied art (handmade or industrial) and photographs, the term is 25 years from publication — calculated from the first publication date, regardless of reissue.
- For broadcasting organizations, the term is 20 years from the date of first broadcast of the program or broadcasting material.
- For producers of sound recordings and performers, the term is 50 years from the date of performance or first fixation, as applicable.
What Cannot Be Registered as Copyright?
- Laws, regulations, court judgments, etc.
- Ideas, procedures, working methods, concepts of mathematical science
- Abstract facts
- Daily news published in newspapers and magazines.