How Your Application for Copyright Clearance on Government of Canada Works is Processed

The Crown Copyright and Licensing section (CCL) reviews your application form within 48 hours of receipt, and returns any forms that are either incomplete or illegible. If we have to return your form, we will send an explanatory note along with a copy of your form.

Contact Crown Copyright and Licensing to obtain further information concerning your application.

Steps in the application process

1. Receipt of form

  1. Review for completeness and legibility
    • Activity: Verification that all mandatory information has been provided
    • Contact with Requester: None
    • Processing Time: Within 24 hours
    • Action By: CCL
  2. Identification of the work requested
    • Activity: Confirmation that the work is © Government of Canada
    • Contact with Requester: None
    • Processing Time: Within 24 hours
    • Action By: CCL
  3. Request returned to sender
    • Activity: Requester revises and corrects application form
    • Contact with Requester: Form returned by fax, email or regular mail
    • Action By: CCL
  4. Resubmission by requester
    • Activity: Requester revises and corrects application form
    • Contact with Requester: Requester returns application to CCL
    • Action By: Requester

2. Registration

  • Activity: Request entered into CCL database; file number assigned
  • Contact with Requester: None
  • Processing Time: 1 working day
  • Action By: CCL

3. Communication with approval authority

  • Activity: Correspondence prepared; request sent to approval authority for review and decision
  • Contact with Requester: None
  • Processing Time: 1 working day
  • Action By: CCL

4. Decision

  • Activity: Review; decision made; CCL advised of decision
  • Contact with Requester: None
  • Processing Time: 10 working days
  • Action By: Approval authority

5. Response

  • Activity: Response (email / letter) prepared
  • Contact with Requester: Decision communicated to requester
  • Processing Time: Within 48 hours of receipt from approval authority
  • Action By: CCL

Steps 1.1, 1.2, 2, 3 and 4 are followed for every form submitted. If the request requires the negotiation of a licensing agreement, finalization of the request may take longer than shown in Step 5. Steps 1.3 and 1.4 are taken only when required.

Your request will not be processed until you have provided all of the mandatory information required, at which point the request will be officially registered as received and assigned a file number. Each resubmission will result in longer processing times.