Who owns the code a freelance developer writes for my startup?
We hired a freelance developer to build our app. We paid in full but never signed a contract about ownership. Do we own the code?
1 lawyer answer
Not necessarily. In many legal systems, the person who writes software owns the copyright unless they are an employee acting in the course of employment or have assigned the rights in writing. Paying for the work does not always transfer ownership; you may only have an implied licence to use it.
The usual fix is a written intellectual property assignment signed by the developer, which can often be done after the fact. Investors and acquirers typically check for these during due diligence.
Also confirm whether the code includes open-source components and what licences apply to them.
This is general information, not legal advice — speak to a licensed lawyer about your situation.
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