Legal Protection of Logos
Logos are trademarked, not copyrighted. An organization has legal rights to its logo regardless of whether it’s reserved. A logo can be both trademark and copyright protected to safeguard their unique identifiers across all platforms.
Creating and Protecting Logos
- There are logo makers that allow you to create logos for free, like Wix, uCraft, and Canva. They require little graphic design experience.
- To copyright a logo, go to the online registration website, fill out the form, upload the file and pay the $35 fee.
Ownership and Rights
- The client owns the logo only after the artist signs over all rights. To transfer ownership, sign a contract stating you are transferring ownership and copyright to the client. Logo design costs between $300-$1300 for small businesses.
Copyright and Trademark Distinctions
Copyright gives you legal rights to distribute and promote your logo. It lets you control how it’s used so others can’t copy or sell it without permission. Copyright is a legal shield protecting your logo from unauthorized use.
Trademark protects words, phrases, symbols or designs that identify a company’s goods, while copyright protects the creative design. So trademark protects logos and slogans, while copyright protects the logo’s visual appearance.