What is the copyright symbol?

The © symbol is an international symbol used before the creator’s or copyright holder’s name in a work that is protected by copyright. By using the copyright symbol, you can indicate who owns the copyright to the work. However, it is not necessary to use the © symbol for copyright to arise or for protection to be obtained. The absence of a copyright statement or the © symbol from a work does not remove copyright protection from a work that meets the threshold for originality of expression. In Ireland, copyright arises, and protection begins, as soon as the work is created, and no registration or other action is required.

There are no universally accepted formats for using the © symbol. The most common format is Copyright © [author’s or copyright holder’s name] and the first year of publication. The word “copyright” can also be omitted. For example, © ICLA 2024.