1. The document provides information on copyright registration procedures in Laos, including definitions of copyright and related terms, eligibility for protection, required documents and estimated costs. 2. Copyrights and related rights in Laos automatically arise upon creation of a work and can be recorded with the Ministry of Science and Technology as evidence, though registration is not required. 3. Protection lasts for the life of the author plus 50 years for most works, 25 years for applied art, or 50 years from publication or creation for anonymous, pseudonymous or cinematographic works.

1. 1
Information on copyright registration in Laos
General information
The number of copyright applications from foreign countries to Laos is not much. Accordingly, a
smooth procedure for handling the application is NOT well-settled at the Copyright Office, comparing
to the patent/design/trademark/ application. In this situation, we may need more cooperation and
support from the right owner, for the success of the case.
Under Laos’s IP Law, Copyrights and rights relating to copyrights consist of:
1. Copyrights on artistic works, literary works and scientific works including computer programs.
2. Rights relating to copyrights on performers, sound-image recording producers and broadcasting
organization.
Their definition as below:
“Copyright” means the right of individuals, legal entities or organizations to their creative works in
the domains of art and literature, including scientific works.
“Rights relating to copyrights” is a right of person or organization in relation to copyrights in the
field of performance, sound-image recording and broadcasting programs or decoded satellite programs.
“Work” means a work of creation of person or organization in the field of artistic works, literary works
and scientific works appeared in any form.
“Derivative works” is a work of translation from any language to Lao language or into other languages
or from Lao language into other languages modified, adapted, transformed, compiled, defined or
explained from the selected or elected works.
Conditions for protection of copyrights for Artistic work means any of the following works:
1.1 Paintings and drawings, engravings, lithography or clothes’ pattern and other works of fine
arts.
1.2 Sculptures, stone sculptures, and other works of sculptures
1.3 Designs of buildings or constructions, designs of interior or exterior decoration, and other
works of architectures.
1.4 Photographs with any technical means

2. 2
1.5 Illustrations, maps, plans, sketches or three-dimensional figures relating to geography,
topography and science
1.6 Music composed for drama, dumb show or stage performance, and designs of dance, other
kinds of works composed for performance.
1.7 Music which means work relating to rhythm and lyrics or only rhythm including arranged
and transcribed musical note
1.8 Sound – image recording which means recording of work on recording materials such as
phonograph disks, cassettes, video cassettes, laser discs, CDs, VCDs, DVDs, mp3, mp4 or any
other recording means.
1.9 Cinematographic means sequences of images which can be shown in form of visual images
and can be recorded on other materials which can also be continuously shown as moving
pictures including sound track of such cinematographic work
The owners of the copyrights are the following person or organization: 1. Author 2. Joint-author 3.
Person or organization hiring the author 4. Assignee of copyrights 5. Successor 6. State
Registration
Copyright or related rights are the rights which arise immediately when the work is created without
registration requirement, but a notification of rights can be recorded with the Ministry of Science and
Technology for evidence or for record especially in case of violation or dispute.
Needed document
The application for informing of copyrights or rights relating to copyrights consists of the followings:
1. Original notarized Power of Attorney (our form attached hereto for your use);
2. Works of the created copyrights or rights relating to copyrights.
3. Other relevant evidences such as copy of identification card, enterprise register documents (in
case of organization).
We will assist you in pre-filing these documents once the details of the case are provided.
Cost
Our estimation cost for registration of each copyright depending on the amount of the amount of
document to be translated into Laos. The cost is about 300 – 700USD.

3. 3
Term of Protection of Copyrights
The term of copyright shall begin on the date the work is created and shall continue to the end of the
calendar year of the dates described below:
1. Except as otherwise provided in this article, fifty years after the date of death of the author,
or for a work of joint authorship, fifty years after the date of death of the last surviving author;
2. For anonymous or pseudonymous works, fifty years from the date the work was lawfully
made available to the public, provided, however, that the term shall be as provided in item 1 of
this Article where:
2.1. the pseudonym adopted by the author leaves no doubt as to his identity;
2.2. the author of an anonymous or pseudonymous work discloses his identity during
the above-mentioned period.
3. For a cinematographic work, fifty years from the date the work was made available to the
public with the consent of the author, or, failing such an event within fifty years from the
making of such a work, fifty years from the making.
4. For applied art, twenty-five years from the date of creation.
If you need any further information, please feel free to ask us. We thank you for your kind attention
and look forward to working with you.
Sincerely yours,
Nguyen Hoa Binh | Co-Founding Partner
M: +84 9633 7 4499 | E: binh@daitin.com.vn
*****************************************************
DAITIN & ASSOCIATES CO., LTD.
(IP Agent in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar)
Ho Chi Minh City | Hanoi
No. 68/14 Hoang Dieu Str., District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Postal code: 700000 | Phone: +84-8-6934 9899 | Fax: +84-24-3200 3524
Email: info@daitin.com.vn | Website: www.daitin.com.vn
A member of: INTA, APAA & AIPPI