Rule 70 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 70 is the working rule of copyright registration: which form, who signs, what must go with the application for each kind of work, whom to notify and how the Registrar deals with objections. It was amended in 2016.
Apply in Form XIV (changes in Form XV), for one work only, with the Second Schedule fee. The applicant signs, and an owner who is not the author encloses the author's original no objection certificate. Add two copies of an unpublished work, source and object code for software, a Trade Marks Registrar's certificate for an artistic work used or capable of being used in relation to goods or services, and a Designs Act affidavit where relevant. Notify interested persons. If no objection arrives within thirty days, the Registrar enters the particulars. The Registrar must hear the applicant before rejecting.
Which section the rule serves
Rule 70 implements section 45 of the Act (entries in the Register). See our article on sections 44 and 45 and our how-to guide on filing Form XIV. If you want your work registered, our copyright registration team can prepare Form XIV, the Statement of Particulars and the enclosures.
The 2016 amendment
In rule 70(6), the words "in relation to any goods or services" were substituted by G.S.R. 788(E), dated 10 August 2016 (with effect from 12 August 2016), for "in relation to any goods". A second footnote, printed just before rule 72, records that "sub-rule (10)" in rule 70(11) was substituted for "sub-rule (7)". Later amendments are not in this text.
Rule 70(1) and (2): form, one work, fee
Rule 70(1). "Every application for registration of copyright shall be made in Form-XIV and every application for registration of changes in the particulars of copyright entered in the Register of Copyright shall be made in Form-XV."
Rule 70(2). "Every such application shall be in respect of one work only, and shall be accompanied by the fee specified in the Second Schedule in this behalf."
Fees (as notified in 2013; check the current Schedule)
| Application | Fee in the Second Schedule |
|---|---|
| Registration of copyright in a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work (entry 9(a)) | Rs. 500 per work |
| Registration of a literary or artistic work used or capable of being used in relation to any goods (entry 9(b)) | Rs. 2,000 per work |
| Registration in a cinematograph film (entry 11) | Rs. 5,000 per work |
| Registration in a sound recording (entry 13) | Rs. 2,000 per work |
Software is not named in the Schedule; Form XIV's Statement of Further Particulars covers "Literary, including Software". Entry 9(b) still says "goods" only, while rule 70(6) now says "goods or services"; check the current Schedule.
Rule 70(3): who signs, and the no objection certificate
"Every application should be signed only by the applicant, who may be an author or owner of right. If the application is submitted by the owner of copyright, it shall be enclosed with an original copy of no objection certificate issued by the author in his favour."
The form's General Instructions add that the rule does not provide for an attorney to sign. See our guide on NOC for registration.
Rule 70(4) to (7): extra documents by kind of work
| Sub-rule | Work | What must accompany the application |
|---|---|---|
| (4) | Unpublished work | Two copies of the work |
| (5) | Computer programme | The source and object code |
| (6) | Artistic work used or capable of being used in relation to goods or services | A statement to that effect, and a certificate from the Registrar of Trade Marks (section 3 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999) that no identical or deceptively similar trade mark has been registered, or applied for, by anyone other than the applicant |
| (7) | Artistic work capable of being registered as a design under the Designs Act, 2000 | An affidavit stating (a) it has not been registered under the Designs Act, 2000 and (b) it has not been applied to an article through industrial process and reproduced more than fifty times |
Rule 70(8) and (9): filing and notice
The application "can be filed in the Copyright Office by person or by post or by online filing facility as provided on the website of the Copyright Office". The applicant "shall give notice of his application to every person who claims or has any interest in the subject-matter of the copyright or disputes the rights of the applicant to it." Form XIV, paragraph 2, records copies sent by pre-paid registered post, with names, addresses and date of dispatch.
Rule 70(10) to (14): what the Registrar does
| Sub-rule | Step |
|---|---|
| (10) | If no objection reaches the Registrar within thirty days of receipt of the application, the Registrar enters the particulars if satisfied about their correctness |
| (11) | If an objection is received within that time, or the Registrar is not satisfied about the correctness of the particulars, he may, after such inquiry as he deems fit, enter such particulars as he considers necessary |
| (12) | The Registrar shall give an opportunity of hearing before rejecting any application |
| (13) | Registration is deemed complete only when a copy of the entries, signed and issued by the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar with delegated authority, is issued |
| (14) | The Registrar shall, as soon as may be, send wherever practicable a copy of the entries to the parties concerned |
The thirty days run from receipt of the application, and the text does not say whether the Registrar waits for the notices to be delivered. Rule 70(13) means filing is not registration: the process is complete only on issue of the signed entries.
Form XIV in outline
Form XIV is a letter applying under section 45, with a 17-item Statement of Particulars (matching Form XIII, plus items on the trade mark certificate and the Designs Act) and a Statement of Further Particulars (original, translation or adaptation). It records the notices sent, the fee paid and a verification.
Drafting slips. The form says "in triplicate" but the General Instructions say one copy is required, and it refers to "rule 70 of the Copyright Rules, 2012". Check the current form.
An example
Aarav Singh, an illustrator, designs a character for a food brand. The artwork is capable of being used in relation to goods, so he files Form XIV for that one work with the Rs. 2,000 fee (entry 9(b), as notified in 2013), the Trade Marks Registrar's certificate and the Designs Act affidavit. He signs himself and posts notices to the brand owner. With no objection in thirty days, the Registrar enters the particulars; registration is complete when the signed entries issue.
What rule 70 does not say
- No time limit for the Registrar to decide after thirty days.
- No definition of "interest in the subject-matter", and no form of the NOC.
- No mention of the Board.
Need help with a copyright registration application?
Most delays come from a missing NOC, an incomplete trade mark certificate or a notice that was not sent. Our copyright registration team can check the file before you submit.
Key takeaways
- Form XIV for registration, Form XV for changes; one work per application, with the Second Schedule fee.
- The applicant signs; an owner who is not the author encloses the author's original NOC.
- Extra papers depend on the work: copies, source code, a Trade Marks certificate or a Designs Act affidavit.
- With no objection within thirty days, the Registrar enters the particulars; a hearing precedes any rejection.
- The text is as notified in 2013 with the 2016 amendment; check later amendments and fees.
Read next
- Rules 71–72: correction and rectification of entries and indexes
- Rule 69: form of the Register of Copyrights
- Documents required for copyright registration
Disclaimer: Based on the Copyright Rules, 2013 as notified (with the 2016 amendment), read with the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, as consulted on 1 October 2026. Later amendment rules, forms and fees should be checked in their current form. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.