Copyright registration in Canada: optional, useful, and not the whole story.

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.

In Canada copyright is automatic, but you can choose to register it with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). Registration is real evidence, and for some people it’s worth the fee. Here is what it adds, what it doesn’t, and where a timestamp fits.

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

Do you need to register copyright in Canada?

Short answer: no, but you can. CIPO says copyright is automatic once a work is created and fixed, and registration is voluntary. A registration certificate is evidence that copyright exists and that the person registered is the owner, although that evidence can be challenged. The online fee is C$63 (CIPO guide to copyright).

CIPO doesn’t examine your claim and doesn’t accept copies of the work, so a registration doesn’t show what your work looked like on a given day. A timestamp records exactly that, for each version you choose. Many creators use both: register the finished work, and timestamp drafts along the way.

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.

CIPO registration vs a timestamp

	CIPO copyright registration	TimeBinder timestamp
Is it official?	Yes, a government registration	No. A private record anchored to the public Bitcoin blockchain
What it shows	Evidence that copyright exists and that the registered person owns it (which can be challenged)	That this exact file existed no later than a time recorded on Bitcoin
Is a copy of the work kept?	No. CIPO doesn’t accept copies of works	No. Only a fingerprint; you keep the file
Is the claim examined?	No	No. It records timing, not ownership
Cost	C$63 online, C$81 by other means, per work	Free plan: 1 Token a month. Pooled costs 1 Token, ASAP costs 3
Drafts and versions	Usually one registration for the work	One TimeBind per milestone, up to 10 files each

CIPO details are from CIPO’s guide to copyright, checked on 29 October 2026. Filing online needs a My Canada Business Account. This page is general information, not legal advice.

When each one is the better choice

Register with CIPO when…

You want an official certificate naming you as owner of a finished work
You may need to enforce rights in Canada and want the evidence a certificate gives
A publisher, label or investor asks whether the work is registered
The work is finished and unlikely to change much

Add a timestamp when…

You want to show what a specific version contained, and when
You are sharing drafts, pitches or demos before the work is finished
You work in versions: code, designs, mixes, manuscripts
You don’t want to rely only on your own word about dates

Library and Archives Canada legal deposit, which applies to publishers, is a separate thing and is not copyright registration.

How to timestamp your work from Canada

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.
manuscript.docx · source.zip
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 registration in Canada: FAQ

Is copyright registration mandatory in Canada?

No. CIPO says copyright is automatic once a work is created and fixed, and registration is voluntary.

How much does it cost to register copyright in Canada?

CIPO lists C$63 for an online application and C$81 for other methods, per work. Check CIPO’s fees page for current amounts.

Does CIPO keep a copy of my work?

No. CIPO doesn’t accept copies of works, so the registration doesn’t record what the work contained on a date.

How long does copyright last in Canada?

Generally the life of the author plus 70 years, following a change that took effect on 30 December 2022. Some works have different terms.

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