Copyright for Sound Recording
A sound recording is a separate copyright from the song it carries, and it belongs to the producer. We register your track, album or podcast in Form XIV (government fee ₹2,000 per recording), with the NOCs from the lyricist and composer that keep the file clean.
What it is
Section 2(xx) of the Copyright Act, 1957 defines a sound recording as a recording of sounds from which they can be reproduced, whatever the medium. Under Section 2(d)(v), its author is the producer: the person or label who takes the initiative and responsibility for making it, not the singer.
Section 14(e) gives the owner the right to make other recordings embodying it, sell or rent copies and communicate it to the public. Section 13(4) keeps the copyright in the lyrics and music separate. You register under Section 45 and Rule 70 of the Copyright Rules, 2013, on the same portal as our copyright registration for other kinds of work.
Who it applies to
Independent music producers
Singles, EPs and albums you financed. Say a Faridabad producer releases Haryanvi singles sung by hired vocalists: the recordings are still the producer’s.
Music labels and studios
Labels that commission recordings, regional and devotional catalogues, and jingles. Many run as a private limited company that holds the catalogue.
Podcasters and audiobook makers
Each episode or audiobook is a sound recording. The script beneath it is a separate literary work.
Why it matters
Prove the master is yours
Under Section 48, the register entry is prima facie evidence. Distributors and streaming platforms ask for this proof.
Stop unlicensed copies
Section 14(e) covers re-recording, selling copies and playing it in public. A registered owner acts faster against pirated uploads.
Show clean underlying rights
Under Section 13(3)(b), no copyright subsists in a recording that infringed the song’s copyright. Filing with author NOCs shows you had permission.
Documents required
About the producer
- Name, address and nationality of the producer
- PAN; for a company or LLP, the certificate of incorporation
- Power of attorney if we file as your agent
About the recording
- The audio file and its title
- Year and country of first publication, if released
- Names of the singers and musicians
NOCs and agreements
- NOC or licence from the lyricist and the composer
- NOC from the producer if someone else applies as owner (Rule 70(3))
- Agreements with performers and the studio
How it works
Map every right in the track
We list the lyricist, composer, performers and producer, and check what each has signed. Here is the catch: a handshake with the lyricist is not a licence.
Collect the author NOCs
We draft NOCs for the lyricist and composer and, where needed, an assignment or licence.
File Form XIV with the audio
We file online with the recording, the NOCs and the ₹2,000 fee. You get a diary number the same day.
Clear the 30 days and the examiner
Rule 70(10) lets the Registrar proceed if no objection comes within thirty days. We answer any discrepancy; Rule 70(12) ensures a hearing before rejection.
Timelines
Filing
One to three working days once the audio and signed NOCs reach us.
Objection window
A fixed thirty days from when the Copyright Office receives the application.
Term of protection
Sixty years from the beginning of the calendar year after publication, under Section 27.
Who owns what in a song
| Layer | Owner by default | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Lyrics (literary work) | Lyricist | Life + 60 years |
| Music (musical work) | Composer | Life + 60 years |
| Sound recording | Producer | 60 years from publication (Section 27) |
| Performance | Singer or musician (performer’s right) | 50 years from the performance (Section 38) |
Under the proviso to Section 18(1), a lyricist or composer of a song in a sound recording (not part of a film) cannot give up the right to an equal share of royalties with the assignee, except to legal heirs or a copyright society.
What happens if someone copies your recording
File a criminal complaint
Section 63: six months to three years in prison and a fine of ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh for knowing infringement.
Sue for an injunction
Claim an injunction, damages and profits, with the register entry as proof of ownership.
Fix gaps before you enforce
In practice, the first thing a copier attacks is your licence. If the recording infringed the song, Section 13(3)(b) leaves nothing to enforce.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the author of a sound recording?
The producer is the author of a sound recording under Section 2(d)(v) of the Copyright Act. That is the person or label who arranged and paid for the recording, not the singer or the studio engineer. So an independent artist who funds a track is its producer. With the lyricist’s and composer’s NOCs, the producer can register in their own name.
What is the government fee for a sound recording?
The government fee is ₹2,000 per sound recording, under the Second Schedule to the Copyright Rules, 2013. Changing registered particulars later costs ₹1,000. Each recording is a separate work with its own Form XIV, so an album of ten tracks is ten applications. We help you decide which tracks to register first.
Why do I need NOCs from the lyricist and composer?
You need them because the lyrics and music are separate works with their own owners. Section 13(3)(b) says no copyright subsists in a sound recording made by infringing the copyright in the song. The NOC shows the Copyright Office, and any later buyer, that you recorded with permission. We draft short NOCs both authors can sign.
How long does copyright in a sound recording last?
It lasts sixty years from the beginning of the calendar year after the recording is published, under Section 27. A track released in 2026 is protected until the end of 2086. This is shorter than the lyrics and music, which last for the author’s life plus sixty years. No renewal is needed.
Do the singers have any rights in my recording?
Yes, singers and musicians have a performer’s right under Section 38, lasting fifty years from the beginning of the calendar year after the performance. It is separate from your copyright in the recording. A written agreement with each performer, signed before or at the session, keeps the master free to use and register.
Can I record a cover version of a song?
Yes, under Section 31C, but only after five calendar years from the end of the year the song was first recorded with the owner’s licence. You must give prior notice and pay the royalty fixed by the Commercial Court in advance, for at least fifty thousand copies a year. Otherwise, take a direct licence from the song’s owner.
Can a podcast or audiobook be registered?
Yes, each podcast episode or audiobook is a sound recording and costs ₹2,000 to register. The script or book behind it is a literary work that can be registered separately for ₹500. If you narrate someone else’s book, get the author’s or publisher’s written permission first, since the recording uses their text.
Does the lyricist keep any royalty after assigning rights?
Yes, for songs in sound recordings that are not part of a film. The proviso to Section 18(1) stops the lyricist or composer from giving up their right to share royalties equally with the assignee, except in favour of legal heirs or a copyright society. Any contract term to the contrary is void, so build it into your label agreements.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Government fees: ₹2,000 per sound recording and ₹1,000 to change registered particulars.
Ready to begin?
Send us the track and the names of everyone who worked on it. We line up the NOCs and file. Protect the label name too, with a trade mark for your label.