# Who Owns the Copyright in My Logo?

Source: https://dijitulmedia.co.uk/guides/who-owns-the-copyright-in-my-logo/
Updated: 2026-10-12

> Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, the person who creates a logo is the first owner of its copyright, unless they made it as an employee. Paying a designer does not transfer copyright; that needs a written, signed assignment. When you commission dijitul (logos from £150 + VAT), ask for the assignment in your quote.

## Key facts

- Copyright in a logo arises automatically; there is no UK copyright register
- The creator is the first owner (CDPA 1988, section 11), unless made by an employee in the course of employment
- An assignment of copyright must be in writing and signed by the owner (CDPA 1988, section 90(3))
- Copyright in an artistic work lasts for the author's life plus 70 years
- Copyright and trade marks are different rights; most businesses need both
- Ask for a written assignment when you commission any logo

## The default rule in UK law

A logo is an artistic work under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA). Copyright arises automatically the moment it is created; there is nothing to register in the UK. Section 11 of the Act says the **author** (the person who created it) is the first owner, with one main exception: if an **employee** creates it in the course of their employment, the employer owns it.

A freelancer or design agency is not your employee. So unless something has been agreed in writing, the designer, or the agency that employs them, legally owns the copyright in the logo you paid for. This surprises a lot of business owners.

## Paying is not the same as owning

Under section 90(3) of the CDPA, an assignment of copyright is only effective if it is **in writing and signed** by or on behalf of the owner. An invoice marked paid, a chain of emails, or a verbal promise is not an assignment.

Without one, you usually have an implied licence to use the logo for the purpose it was commissioned, and UK courts have sometimes gone further. In *Griggs v Evans* (2005), the Court of Appeal found that the business that commissioned the Dr Martens AirWair logo was the owner in equity, because the logo was obviously meant to be used exclusively as its brand. But relying on a court to infer ownership is slow, expensive and uncertain. A one-page written assignment avoids the question.

## Why ownership matters

- **Trade marks.** When you register a logo as a trade mark, you are declaring it is yours to use. A designer who still owns copyright could, in theory, challenge use or registration. See how to trade mark a logo.
- **Selling the business.** Buyers and their solicitors check that the business owns its brand. Missing assignments can hold up a sale.
- **Changing designers.** You need to be free to have the logo adapted, redrawn or reused by anyone.
- **Disputes.** If a relationship with a designer breaks down, ownership in writing removes any bargaining power over your brand.

## What to ask for when you commission a logo

- A written assignment of all copyright in the final, approved logo to your business, effective on payment.
- A waiver of the designer's moral rights, so you can adapt the logo without crediting or consulting them.
- Confirmation the design is original and does not use stock icons, templates or fonts with licences that restrict logo use.
- All master files: AI, EPS, SVG, PDF and PNG. See logo file formats explained.

Unused concepts are a separate question. Many designers keep rights in rejected ideas; that is normal and rarely matters to you.

Check the same points with anyone else who creates brand assets for you: illustrators, photographers and web designers. A photographer, for example, normally owns the copyright in their images and grants you a licence to use them. That is often fine, but you should know what the licence covers, such as whether it includes advertising or packaging, before you build a campaign around the images.

## If you already have a logo with no assignment

Contact the original designer or agency and ask them to sign a short assignment. Most are happy to, sometimes for a small admin fee. Keep the signed document with your company records.

If they cannot be found or refuse, take advice from a solicitor or chartered trade mark attorney before investing in signage or a trade mark. A logo redesign by a new designer, with ownership assigned properly this time, can be the simplest fix, particularly if the old logo also needs modernising.

## When to call dijitul

When you commission a new logo design from dijitul (from £150 + VAT), ask for the copyright assignment to be written into your fixed quote, so you know exactly what you own before work starts. We have designed for UK businesses since 2006. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Request a quote.

## FAQs

### If I paid for my logo, do I own the copyright?

Not automatically. Under UK law the designer is the first owner of copyright in a commissioned logo. Ownership only transfers through a written assignment signed by the owner, as section 90(3) of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 requires. Payment alone gives you, at most, an implied licence to use it.

### Do I need to register copyright in my logo?

No. In the UK, copyright arises automatically when the logo is created, and there is no official copyright register. What you need is proof of ownership, such as a signed assignment from the designer, and ideally a registered trade mark for brand protection.

### How long does copyright in a logo last?

For an artistic work such as a logo, UK copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years from the end of the year they die. A registered trade mark can last indefinitely if you renew it every 10 years.

### What is the difference between copyright and a trade mark for a logo?

Copyright protects the logo as an artistic work against copying and arises automatically. A registered trade mark protects the logo as a sign of your business in specific classes of goods or services. Most businesses benefit from owning the copyright and registering a trade mark.

### Does a logo made with an online logo maker belong to me?

Check the terms. Many logo makers only grant a licence, and some use icons or fonts that cannot be exclusively owned or trade marked. If the logo is central to your business, a bespoke design with a written copyright assignment is safer.

### What are moral rights in a logo?

Moral rights include the right to object to derogatory treatment of the work. In the UK they stay with the creator even after copyright is assigned, but they can be waived in writing. Ask your designer for a waiver so you can adapt the logo freely.

## Prices and contact

Prices (all from, + VAT): Logo design £150; Brand identity pack £395; Business cards or letterhead £75; Flyer or leaflet £95; Brochure £295; Social media graphics pack £99; Photography, half day £295; Photography, full day £495; Product photography £25 per image; Video £695; 2D/3D CAD and design time £45 an hour. All prices are "from" and exclude VAT. Every job gets a fixed price before work starts. Printing, and travel for shoots beyond the Mansfield and Nottinghamshire area, are quoted separately. Contact: https://dijitulmedia.co.uk/contact/ · 01623 650333 · info@dijitul.uk