For creators
When you create something original, you automatically own the copyright. No registration needed, no paperwork required. The moment you write, draw, photograph, or compose, copyright protection exists.
Copyright gives you the exclusive right to:
- Copy your work
- Publish it
- Perform it publicly
- Adapt it
- Control how others use it
These rights last for your lifetime plus 50 years.
Copyright owner vs rightsholder
This distinction matters, especially when working with publishers.
You’re the copyright owner – You created the work, you own the copyright. This doesn’t automatically change if you work with a publisher, unless you assign your copyright to them.
Publishers can become rightsholders – When you sign a publishing contract, you typically licence certain rights to your publisher (like the right to publish and distribute your work). The publisher becomes the rightsholder for those specific rights.
Why this matters for secondary use – When schools or businesses want to photocopy pages from your published work, they need permission from whoever holds those copying rights. If you’ve licenced those rights to a publisher, the publisher is the rightsholder Tāwhia Copyright Aotearoa deals with. If you self-publish, you’re both the copyright owner and the rightsholder.
What’s covered by copyright
- Literary works (books, articles, scripts, computer coding, song lyrics)
- Dramatic works (plays, screenplays)
- Musical works (scores, charts, lead sheets)
- Artistic works (paintings, photographs, illustrations, sculptures, carvings)
- Films and sound recordings
Both physical and digital formats are protected.
Copyright exceptions
You don’t need permission to use copyrighted work for:
- Research or private study
- Criticism or review
- Reporting current events
The amount copied must be fair. Copying an entire poem for study might be fair. Copying an entire book when you only need one chapter isn’t.
In education, teachers can copy without permission:
- A single copy for lesson planning
- Multiple copies up to 3% or three pages (whichever is greater)
Beyond these limits, schools and universities need a licence.
Want more information?
Downloadable guides, fact sheets and videos.
Browse articles, FAQs, user guides and email your questions.
A smart assistant trained on our information and copyright law.
Want more information?
Downloadable guides, fact sheets and videos.
Browse articles, FAQs, user guides and email your questions.
A smart assistant trained on our information and copyright law.
Tāonga Raranga by Firstname Lastname. Photograph © Susan Smith 2023
“Quote lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor”
-Sam Irvine