Copyright notice for a website footer
Put a short notice in the footer of every page. A year range shows the site is maintained; link it to your terms page if you have one.
© 2020–2026 Your Name. All rights reserved.
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Copyright Notice Generator
Fill in two fields and copy the result. Free, no sign-up, and nothing leaves your browser.
Short notice
© 2026 Your Name. All rights reserved.
HTML (website footer)
<p>© 2026 Your Name. All rights reserved.</p>
Full notice
© 2026 Your Name. All rights reserved. The text, images, graphics and code on this website are the property of Your Name unless stated otherwise. No part of this website may be reproduced, distributed or republished without prior written permission.
Just need the symbol? Copy the copyright symbol ©. Not sure whether to use ©, ™ or ®? See copyright symbol vs trademark.
Templates
Copyright notice templates
Ready-made wording for the most common places a notice goes. Replace the placeholders and copy.
Copyright notice for a book or ebook
The notice goes on the copyright page, the reverse of the title page, together with the ISBN, edition and publisher details.
Copyright © 2026 Your Name. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. ISBN: 000-0-00-000000-0
Copyright notice for music and sound recordings
Recordings use two symbols: ℗ for the sound recording (usually owned by the label) and © for the artwork, lyrics and liner notes.
℗ 2026 Your Label. © 2026 Your Label. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, public performance and broadcasting of this recording is prohibited.
Copyright notice for software and apps
Add the notice to the top of source files and to your About screen. The licence terms belong in a separate LICENSE file, not in the notice itself.
Copyright (c) 2026 Your Name. All rights reserved. See the LICENSE file in the project root for licence terms.
Copyright disclaimer for YouTube videos (fair use)
A copyright disclaimer is different from a notice: it says you are using someone else's material and explains why you believe the use is fair. It does not make a use fair by itself — fair use depends on how much you use and how you transform it.
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the US Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright law that might otherwise be infringing. This video is made for commentary and educational purposes. All rights to the original material belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
Copyright notice for photos and portfolios
Add the notice as a caption or watermark, and also put it in the image metadata (the EXIF/IPTC Copyright field) so it travels with the file.
© 2026 Your Name Photography. All rights reserved. Do not use without permission.
FAQ
Copyright notice FAQ
Is a copyright notice required?
No. Copyright protects your work automatically in most countries, and a notice has been optional in the US since 1 March 1989. A notice is still worth adding: it tells people the work is owned, who to contact, and removes the “I didn’t know” defence.
What year should I put in a copyright notice?
Use the year the work was first published. For something that keeps changing, such as a website, use a range from the first year to the current year, for example © 2019–2026. This generator builds the range for you when the two years differ.
Do I need to register before using ©?
No. You can use © on any original work you own, registered or not. Registration only affects what you can do when enforcing your rights, such as suing for infringement and claiming statutory damages in the US.
Is this copyright generator free?
Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs entirely in your browser, so nothing you type is sent anywhere. You do not need to credit this site when you use the generated text.
What is the difference between a copyright notice and a copyright disclaimer?
A copyright notice claims ownership of your own work (© 2026 Your Name). A copyright disclaimer, common on YouTube, explains that you are using someone else’s material under fair use and do not claim ownership of it. They do opposite jobs, so use the one that fits.
General information, not legal advice.