This post is an update on Copyright Registration in Kenya.  Since my last copyright registration post, the process has gotten infinitely easier and accessible to anyone with a laptop and an internet connection.  The Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) has created an easy-to-use website portal.  The portal allows you, the creator, to upload your work and get your registrations done in one place. To get started:-

1. Kenya Copyright Board has a Copyright Registration Portal that you will find on this link: Copyright Portal

2. You need to create an account.  There are two types of accounts, that is, Personal and Corporate.

3. You will need the following details to sign up: Your Identification Number, Your KRA Pin, Your Phone Number and Your Email.  If you’re doing this as a Company, you need your business registration numbers and the KRA Pin associated with your business.

4. The portal does send you a verification code to validate your phone number.  Make sure the number you use is a number you have access to, and can use to receive messages.

5. Once you have your account, you now have the option to register your work on the portal.

6. To register your Copyright, choose the Make an Application option on your account.  Submit your book’s information, as needed.

7. If you’re an author copyrighting your personal work, you only need your personal information.  If you are an author with a co-author, you will need the details of your co-author too.  If you have a publisher, you will need the publisher’s information as well.

8. In this post, we are discussing submission of books for copyright registration.  The portal’s preferred format for book submission is a PDF document.  Please consult the portal for other creative works like audio.

9.  To note, your application requires a definition of ownership percentage of the work.  If you’re the creator and author of the book, then the percentage is at 100%.  If the work has different creators making up the whole, then you need to decide the percentage division to the different owners.

10. Once the details of your work are submitted to the portal, you will receive a message on your number and in your email, as below.

11. In my experience, you will receive the results of your application in a day, or within hours.

12.  Your Copyright Certificate is then available on your account and you can download it or View it, as needed.

Authors, if you’re able to do this on your own, please do it.  It is very easy and you have control on how and when you can access your copyright certificates.  If you ask someone else to do it for you, please be sure it is someone you can trust and that you’re able to access your copyright certificates at will.

If you have more questions on what you can copyright in Kenya, please visit this KECOBO Frequently Asked Questions link and go through the different types of creative media that you can copyright.  Alternatively, you can email them or call them for help and support.

Kenya Copyright Board – Email: nrr@copyright.go.ke

Copyright your work today.