Software has become one of the most valuable intellectual property assets of modern businesses. An enterprise management system, mobile application, e-commerce platform, SaaS solution, or device-control software may represent months or even years of investment in personnel, technology, and financial resources.However, the fact that a company has funded, developed, and commercially used software does not necessarily mean that issues concerning authorship, copyright ownership, and the scope of rights in the software are legally clear.Disputes may arise when a developer leaves the company, an outsourced software provider retains the source code, a business partner copies the program, or the parties disagree over who legally owns the software.For this reason, although copyright generally arises automatically without registration, copyright registration for computer programs remains an important legal measure for establishing evidence of ownership and strengthening the enforceability of software-related rights.This article by A.D.V.N Law Company Limited provides a practical guide to software copyright registration in Vietnam under the regulations applicable in 2026.

Learn about the latest copyright registration requirements in Vietnam under Decree No. 134/2026/ND-CP, including required documents, filing procedures, processing timelines, and important compliance considerations.