updated September 1, 2023 · 3min read
Blueprints and technical drawings are entitled to copyright protection as pictorial, graphic or sculptural works. Blueprints and technical drawings must meet two standards to be eligible for copyright protection:
When does copyright protection begin?
A technical drawing or blueprint is copyrighted as soon as it has been created and fixed in a tangible object. It does not need to be registered with the copyright office, nor does it need to include a copyright notice to receive copyright protection.
Rights conferred by copyright
The owner of a copyright to a blueprint or technical drawing has the exclusive right to make copies, sell or distribute copies, prepare derivative works, and publicly display the work.
Copyright ownership and works for hire
In general, the person who creates architectural or technical drawings owns the copyright to those drawings. An exception exists for “works made for hire.”
Types of technical drawings that can be copyrighted
Copyright protection distinguished from patent protection
Copyright protects an author’s creative expression, or the way an idea or concept is communicated. It does not protect ideas or concepts that have not been expressed in some tangible way. Copyright also does not extend to useful articles—only to the creative elements in those articles. Patents protect inventions. Thus a design concept or useful article may be eligible for a patent where it would not be eligible for copyright protection.
Why should you register a copyright?
You don’t have to register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office to receive copyright protection. However, registration has several important advantages:
Registration procedures and deposit requirements
To register a copyright, you must deposit three things with the U.S. Copyright Office:
When you're ready to register your copyright, LegalZoom will help you file the paperwork. Just get started by answering some questions about your creative work.
by Jane Haskins, Esq.
Jane Haskins is a freelance writer who practiced law for 20 years. Jane has litigated a wide variety of business disp...
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