Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (No. 3)
Registering copyright now costs US$20 for an individual and US$50 for a company, a folklore licence US$200 or US$1 000, and setting up a new collecting society US$1 500 — the 2023 fees are repealed.
The First Schedule to the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Regulations, 2006 is repealed and replaced, and the 2023 fee amendment (SI 94 of 2023) is repealed with it. Fees are in US dollars across two tiers only: students, universities, research institutions and individuals; and corporate bodies.
The routine filings all cost US$20 or US$50 — applying to register copyright and neighbouring rights (form CNR1), entering an assignment or transmission of copyright (CNR2), and registering a licence under section 49 of the Act (CNR3).
Two categories cost far more. A licence over reserved works of folklore (CNR4) is US$200 for an individual and US$1 000 for a corporate body. Registering a collecting society other than the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Collecting Society of Zimbabwe (CNR5) is US$1 500 at both tiers, as is restoring a society to the register (CNR7). A society's prescribed statement of financial position (CNR6) costs US$500 or US$1 000.
The flat US$1 500 on registering a competing collecting society, and the fact that the named incumbent society is carved out of that item, are the changes most likely to matter to anyone trying to enter that market.
One printing inconsistency: a running header on the second page of the schedule reads "Regulations, 2024 (No. 3)" although the instrument is the 2025 (No. 3) regulations throughout. No commencement date is stated; the instrument was gazetted on 18 April 2025.
What changed
- The First Schedule to the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Regulations, 2006 (SI 256 of 2006) is repealed and replaced.
- The 2023 fee amendment (No. 2), SI 94 of 2023, is repealed.
- Fees are set in two tiers only: individuals/students/universities/research institutions, and corporate bodies.
- Registration of copyright and neighbouring rights (CNR1): US$20 or US$50.
- Entry of assignment or transmission (CNR2) and registration of a licence under section 49 (CNR3): US$20 or US$50 each.
- Licence over reserved works of folklore (CNR4): US$200 or US$1 000.
- Registering a collecting society other than the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Collecting Society of Zimbabwe (CNR5): US$1 500 at both tiers.
- Statement of financial position of a society (CNR6): US$500 or US$1 000; restoration of a society (CNR7): US$1 500.
Who this affects
- authors, musicians and other copyright holders registering works
- corporate copyright owners and publishers
- collecting societies and anyone seeking to register a new one
- applicants for licences over reserved works of folklore
- copyright lawyers and agents
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.