Certificate of authorship: what it is and how to get one
A certificate of authorship is a dated document that ties three things together: a specific file of yours, your declaration that you made it, and a trusted date and time that nobody can quietly change later. With StampR it is a one-page PDF. It shows who declared authorship, what the work is, an exact "fingerprint" of the file, the date and time it was recorded, and a QR code anyone can scan to check it. It costs €6.80, and the first one on an account is €4.90.
This page explains the document itself: what is printed on it, how you get one, how other people check it, and what it is worth. If you want to know about the declaration on its own, read what a declaration of authorship is.
What a certificate of authorship is, in plain words
Copyright does not need paperwork. In almost every country it arises automatically the moment you create a work, and most countries have no register of works at all. That sounds good until someone copies your song, design or photo and says they had it first. Then the question is not "who owns copyright" in the abstract, but "who can show they had this exact work, and when".
A certificate of authorship is a ready-made answer to that question. It records that this exact file existed at a specific moment, that it has not changed since, and that you declared yourself its author at that moment. The date does not come from StampR or from your computer clock. It comes from BORICA B-Trust, an EU-supervised trust provider, and under EU law (the eIDAS Regulation) courts in every member state presume that date accurate.
What's on the certificate, field by field
Every StampR certificate has the same layout. Here is what each part means.
| Field on the PDF | What it tells the reader |
|---|---|
| Certificate number and date | Printed under the heading "Certificate for recordation of a work and declaration of authorship". The number is how you and others look the certificate up. |
| QR code | Top right. Scanning it opens the public verification page for this certificate. |
| Applicant/Author | The name of the person who declared authorship, with their phone number if they gave one. |
| The holder's email address. | |
| Holder type | Individual, co-authorship or organisation. Co-authors, or the organisation's name and ID, are listed when they apply. |
| Title of the object | The name you gave the work, for example "Summer Rain – final mix". |
| Digital object and size | The exact file name and file size that were recorded. |
| Description of the object | Your short description of the work, in your own words. |
| Trusted time | The date and time from the qualified timestamp. This is the moment the certificate fixes. |
| Timestamp identifier | The serial number of the timestamp issued by B-Trust. |
| Cryptographic hash (SHA-256) | The file's "fingerprint": a long code calculated from the file's content. Change one pixel or one note and the fingerprint is completely different. |
| Legal effect | A short paragraph explaining the EU rules the certificate relies on, and a reminder to keep your file unchanged. |
| Online verification | The verification link, written out in full, for anyone who prefers typing to scanning. |
StampR produces each certificate in six languages – English, Bulgarian, German, Spanish, French and Italian – with the same fields in each. You download it in the language you are using the site in.
How to get one
- Choose your file on the certificate page. Any file type works, up to 500 MB. If the work is several files, put them in one ZIP and certify that.
- Give the work a title and a short description. These appear on the certificate exactly as you type them.
- Choose who the certificate is for: yourself, you and co-authors, or an organisation.
- Read and accept the declaration of authorship. This is where you confirm the work is yours.
- Pay by card. You don't need an account: as a guest you enter your name, phone and email. With an account, your first certificate is €4.90.
- Receive the PDF. You can download it straight away, and it is also sent to your email as an attachment.
One thing surprises most people: your file is not sent to StampR. The fingerprint is calculated in your own browser, and only the fingerprint is recorded. You can choose to store a copy with us (up to 20 MB) if you want it kept alongside the certificate, but that is optional. Either way, keep your original file safe and unchanged, because it is what the fingerprint matches.
How anyone can check it
A certificate is only useful if somebody who doesn't know you can check it. They have three easy ways to do that:
- Scan the QR code on the PDF. It opens the verification page for that certificate.
- Search on the verification page by certificate number or timestamp serial.
- Check a file against it. If they have a copy of your file, the verification page can calculate its fingerprint and look it up. A match means it is the very same file that was recorded.
Privacy is your choice. A private certificate shows only the evidence to others: the number, the serial, the fingerprint and the date. Your name, the description and the PDF itself are visible to others only if you made the certificate public. You can always show the PDF yourself to whoever needs to see it.
What it is worth, and what it is not
What the certificate does is narrow but solid. It shows that this exact file existed at a specific date and time, that it hasn't changed since, and that the holder declared authorship at that moment. In most disputes about creative work, the real argument is "who had it first", and that is exactly what the certificate fixes. The timestamp is recognised in every EU member state, and courts start from the assumption that its date is right. For a closer look at how that plays out, see do timestamp certificates hold up in court.
What it does not do matters just as much:
- It doesn't create or record any rights. Your copyright already exists; the certificate is evidence about it.
- It isn't an entry in any public register, and StampR is not a government office.
- It does not decide who the author is if that is disputed. It records your declaration, not a ruling.
- It does not show that a work was made by a person rather than by AI.
- It does not cover ideas, only the specific file you recorded.
- It does not guarantee how any dispute will end.
That is why it works best alongside your drafts and working files. The certificate fixes the date; your process shows how the work came about. If you're weighing it against notaries, registries and other options, see every option compared.
What it costs
One certificate costs €6.80. The first certificate on an account is €4.90. If you create often, packs bring the price down: 10 certificates for €49, 50 for €199 or 200 for €599. There is no subscription, and a certificate never expires. Full details are on the pricing page.
Get your certificate of authorship – the first certificate on an account is €4.90.
Related reading
- Declaration of authorship – what the declaration on your certificate is and when it counts.
- Authorship evidence: every option and what it costs – how a certificate compares with notaries, registries and free methods.
- Do timestamp certificates hold up in court? – what EU law says about the date on the certificate.
- What is qualified timestamping? – the technology behind the date, for the curious.
- How to show your certificate to a client or label
Frequently asked questions
What is a certificate of authorship?
It is a document that links a specific file to your declaration that you made it, and to a trusted date and time. With StampR it is a PDF showing your name, the work's title and description, the file's fingerprint, a qualified timestamp from BORICA B-Trust and a QR code for checking it.
Do I need an account to get one?
No. You can buy a certificate as a guest by entering your name, phone and email at checkout. With a free account, your first certificate costs €4.90 instead of €6.80.
Do I have to upload my work?
No. The fingerprint of your file is calculated in your browser and only the fingerprint is recorded. Storing a copy of the file with StampR is optional, up to 20 MB.
How do I receive the certificate?
As a PDF. You can download it as soon as it is issued, and it is also emailed to you as an attachment.
Can other people see my name on it?
Only if you make the certificate public. A private certificate shows others only the certificate number, the serial, the fingerprint and the date. You decide when to show the full PDF.
Does the certificate expire?
No. The date and the fingerprint are fixed when it is issued and stay checkable. Just keep your original file unchanged, because the fingerprint only matches that exact file.
Is it the same as registering my copyright?
No. Copyright arises automatically when you create a work, and most countries have no register of works. The certificate doesn't create or record any rights; it is evidence that this exact file existed on a specific date and that you declared it yours.
Certify your work with a trusted date.
Create a certificate →Your first certificate is €4.90 with an account.