What Is a Transfer of Title?
The person who owns a copyright is sometimes referred to as having “title” to the copyright. A “title” is often simply the document that establishes ownership to property, like the title to your car or house–but even in the absence of an official document, the owner of property such as a copyright is often said to have title to it. Just like title to your car or house, title to a copyright can be sold or otherwise transferred. A person or company can have ownership ( “title”) of a copyright transferred to it by means of an assignment (essentially a sale in which all or part of a copyright is transferred) or by means of a will or through bankruptcy proceedings. Since title to a copyright can be transferred, you may have to search copyright records to determine the current owner of a work you want to use. There are two ways that you can learn whether copyright ownership has been transferred: by reviewing the copyright registration certificate issued by the Copyright Office or by locatin
