The short answer
In the UK, you do, unless you've signed it over. The person who creates a work is the first owner of the copyright in it (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11). Work made by an employee belongs to the employer, but freelancers aren't employees. Paying for a commissioned work doesn't, by itself, transfer the copyright.
What a paying client usually gets without a written agreement is an implied right to use the work for the purpose it was made for. That leaves plenty to argue about, so write it down.
Your three options
- Assign the copyright. Ownership moves to the client. An assignment only works if it's in writing and signed by you (section 90(3)).
- Give an exclusive licence. You keep ownership, but only the client can use the work in the agreed way. This also needs to be in writing and signed by you.
- Give a non-exclusive licence. The client can use the work, and so can you or others. Common for photos, illustrations and stock-style work.
Transfer it when you're paid
Many freelance contracts say ownership passes only once the client has paid in full. That's what our Freelance Services Agreement does: once everything due is paid, the copyright in work made specially for the client passes to them. Until then they can use it for the project, but not after failing to pay fees that are due. It gives you leverage without holding files hostage.
Things to keep for yourself
- Your existing materials: code libraries, templates, presets and know-how you bring to every job. Say that these stay yours and the client gets a licence to use them in the deliverable.
- Portfolio use: if you want to show the work, say so in the contract. Owning the copyright lets the client refuse.
- Third-party material: fonts, stock photos and plugins come with their own licence terms, which you can't improve on. Tell the client what they're getting.
Moral rights
You also have moral rights: to be named as the author and to object to derogatory treatment of the work (sections 77 to 89). They can't be assigned, but they can be waived in writing. Clients sometimes ask for a waiver so they can edit freely; decide whether you're happy with that.
Signing it electronically
An assignment has to be "signed", and an electronic signature can meet that. The Law Commission's 2019 report on electronic execution concluded that an e-signature is capable of meeting a legal requirement for a signature. See are electronic signatures legal in the UK?
Questions people ask
Does a client own my work once they've paid?
Not automatically. Unless you've assigned the copyright in a signed document, you still own it, and the client usually has a right to use it for what it was made for.
Do the same rules apply in Scotland?
Yes. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 applies across the UK.
Can I use client work in my portfolio?
Only if your contract allows it or the client agrees. If the client owns the copyright, they can say no, so add a portfolio clause before you start.
This guide explains the general position in the UK as we understand it on 22 October 2026. The law differs between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and it changes. If something important turns on it, talk to a solicitor or an accountant.
Templates and tools for this
Send your first agreement free
Send a freelance agreement that says who owns the work and when, and have your client sign it on their phone.
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