Who Owns Code Written by a Contractor?

Paying an invoice does not necessarily complete the ownership transfer.

Product team collaborating in a modern workplace

Trace the rights

Copyright ownership depends on the facts and agreements. Work-made-for-hire rules cover limited circumstances and should not be assumed to apply to all contractor software.

Document assignments and exclusions

Review a written assignment alongside retained tools, pre-existing work, and third-party materials. The company may need licenses as well as ownership of new work.

Build a usable record

Keep signed agreements and a clear inventory of contributors and dependencies. This helps explain the product’s ownership during financing or acquisition diligence.

Further reading: U.S. Copyright Office: Work Made for Hire ↗

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+FROM PRODUCT TO BUSINESS

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