What kind of contract is needed to transfer copyright ownership?

• A. Written.
• B. Oral.
• C. Implied.
• D. Electronic.

Answer: (A)

Transferring copyright ownership must be done through a written instrument signed by the copyright owner. The law requires a written assignment to convey the full bundle of rights, and this writing records exactly what is being transferred, to whom, and on what terms, creating a durable and enforceable transfer. An oral agreement cannot satisfy this requirement and won’t properly transfer ownership. Licenses, by contrast, can be oral because they grant permission to use the work rather than ownership itself. In modern practice, a written transfer can take an electronic form if it satisfies the writing requirement and is properly signed, but the essential rule is that the transfer must be in writing.