Copyright registration in Ireland: there’s no procedure. Here’s how to show when you made it.

Drop a file to timestamp Any file type. Up to 10 files per TimeBind. Opens the TimeBinder app.

Clicking opens the TimeBinder app. Files are hashed locally on your computer; nothing is uploaded or stored by TimeBinder.

Ireland has no copyright registration. Protection is automatic. The Intellectual Property Office of Ireland says what matters is being able to show, later, when your work was created.

Your files never leave your computer. With TimeBinder, each file is hashed locally on your own device. Nothing is uploaded or stored by TimeBinder.

Can you register copyright in Ireland?

Short answer: no. The Intellectual Property Office of Ireland (IPOI) says: “In Ireland, there is no registration procedure for owners of a copyright work.” Copyright arises automatically under the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 (IPOI copyright FAQs).

IPOI adds that it is important for the originator to be able to show subsequently when the work was created. Its suggestions include lodging a copy with a bank or solicitor, or sending a copy to yourself by registered post. A timestamp does the same job for digital files, without handing them to anyone.

What is TimeBinder? TimeBinder is a blockchain timestamping service. It shows that a digital file existed no later than a specific time, and that it still matches its fingerprint, by anchoring the file’s SHA-256 fingerprint to the Bitcoin blockchain. Files are hashed in your browser and never uploaded, and each TimeBind comes with a Proof of Time Certificate that can be checked later. It does not prove who created a file or that its contents are true.

IPOI’s suggestions compared with a timestamp

	Bank or solicitor deposit	Registered post to yourself	TimeBinder timestamp
Who holds the evidence	The bank or solicitor	You, in a sealed envelope	You hold the certificate; the anchor is on the public Bitcoin blockchain
Digital files	Usually a printout or disc	Printouts or discs only	Any file type and size
Cost	Fees, often per deposit	Postage each time	Free plan: 1 Token a month
Many versions over time	Impractical	Impractical	Easy: one TimeBind per milestone
Checking it later	Ask the holder for records	Open the envelope, which can only be done once	Re-check the file whenever you like
Strongest point	A professional’s independent record	Simple and familiar	Tied to the exact bytes of the file

A solicitor’s deposit may still be worth it for a single high-value work, especially with a sworn statement. It works alongside a timestamp.

What to keep for an Irish copyright dispute

Evidence beats assertions. Keep:

Frozen copies of milestones: first draft, submitted version, final release.
Process files: sessions, layered artwork, notes, version history.
Records of sharing: who you sent the work to, and when.
Ownership terms: employment contracts, commissions, co-writing splits.
Independent dates on the versions that matter.

How to timestamp your work from Ireland

Three steps. Submitting takes a few minutes; a Pooled TimeBind is usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity, and ASAP is faster. Prices are in US dollars.

Drop your files
Add up to 10 files per TimeBind. Any file type and size works.
novel-draft.docx · track-master.wav
Hashed on your computer
Your browser works out a unique SHA-256 fingerprint for each file. Nothing is uploaded. The files never leave your device and TimeBinder never stores them.
fingerprint 9f2c…41ab · file stays with you
Sealed to Bitcoin
The fingerprints are anchored to the Bitcoin blockchain: ASAP (your own transaction, sent straight away) or Pooled (usually recorded within 24 to 48 hours, and often sooner, depending on Bitcoin network activity). You get a Proof of Time Certificate, a PDF with a QR code and the Bitcoin transaction ID.
✓ sealed · certificate ready

Timestamp a file →

What a TimeBind shows, and what it doesn’t

What it shows

That this exact file existed no later than the time recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain
That a file shown later still matches its fingerprint: the same file gives the same fingerprint, and any edit gives a different one
A record kept outside your own systems: an ASAP TimeBind can be checked on the Bitcoin blockchain without relying on TimeBinder, and a Pooled TimeBind is verified through TimeBinder

What it doesn’t show

Who created, wrote or signed the file
That the contents are true or accurate
Whether AI was used to make it
How a court or other decision-maker will treat it: that depends on the jurisdiction and the rules that apply. It isn’t legal advice

Pooled TimeBinds are verified through TimeBinder. ASAP TimeBinds can also be verified independently, from the certificate and the public Bitcoin blockchain. Checking is always free.

Copyright in Ireland: FAQ

Is there copyright registration in Ireland?

No. IPOI says there is no registration procedure for owners of a copyright work in Ireland. Copyright arises automatically.

How long does copyright last in Ireland?

IPOI says literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works are protected for the life of the author plus 70 years. Other kinds of work, such as sound recordings and broadcasts, have their own terms.

What does IPOI suggest instead of registration?

Being able to show when the work was created, for example by lodging a copy with a bank or solicitor or sending a copy to yourself by registered post.

Is posting my work to myself enough?

It is better than nothing, but an envelope can be opened and resealed and doesn’t suit digital files. See poor man’s copyright.

Is my work uploaded to TimeBinder?

No. Your browser calculates a SHA-256 fingerprint of each file, and only that fingerprint is anchored to Bitcoin.

What does it cost?

The Free plan is $0 and includes 1 Token a month. A Pooled TimeBind costs 1 Token and an ASAP TimeBind costs 3 Tokens; checking is free. Essential is $20 a month for 5 Tokens ($4 per Token, against $5 pay-as-you-go) and Expert is $50 a month for 15 Tokens (about $3.33 per Token). Paid plans replace the Free plan’s monthly Token, so Essential adds 4 Tokens for $20 and Expert adds 14 for $50.

Related guides

Open TimeBinder and timestamp your work

Here’s what you’ll do next:

Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
Add your files. They stay on your computer.
Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.

Open TimeBinder →

Your work stays privateEvery file is hashed locally on your own computer. Your files are never uploaded or stored by TimeBinder; only a fingerprint is sealed to Bitcoin.

Start free: your first Pooled TimeBind each month costs nothing. See pricing