An author or copyright holder of a work can transfer all or any of the property rights and the right to publish the work, or given written permission to others to do so in respect of that work to another person or to license another person to use such copyrights or related rights. A licensee to the licensed copyrights or related rights over the work may sub-license such rights in respect of that work upon the consent of the author (or of the copyright holder).

Where a work, performance, audio and visual fixation, or broadcast is under joint ownership, the licensing of copyright or related rights therein must be agreed upon by all co-owners. If a work, performance, audio and visual fixation or broadcast is composed of separate parts that have been separately created by different authors or owned by different copyright/related right holders, such authors or copyright/related right holders may license their copyrights or related rights with respect to their separate parts to other organizations or individuals.

A contract for the license of copyright or related rights must be made in writing and include provisions which specify the following matters: the names and addresses of the licensor and the licensee; the grounds for the license; the scope of the license (for the licensing of copyright or related right); the price and method of payment; the rights and obligations of the parties; and the liability for contractual breach. Such contracts are not subject to registration to be legally effective. Of note, personal rights are not subject to licensing, except the right of publication of the work.