Intellectual Property Checklist
A 3-minute quiz that reveals who owns what in your project — source files, fonts, stock assets, code, and AI-generated content. Get instant risk flags and ready-to-use contract clauses.
We'll show relevant deliverables based on your discipline.
About the IP Ownership Checklist
A 3-minute quiz that reveals who owns your deliverables — source files, fonts, stock assets, code, and AI content. Get risk flags and contract clauses instantly.
What you can do with it
- 12 deliverable categories
- Risk level scoring
- Contract clause generation
- Action item checklist
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the work I create as a freelancer?
By default, you do — until you transfer it. 'Work made for hire' and assignment clauses in your contract decide when ownership passes. The critical details: does the transfer cover source files or just the final export? Does it cover pre-existing tools, templates, and libraries you use (it shouldn't — you should license those, not sell them)? Does it wait for final payment (it should)?
Do I have to hand over my source files and design files?
Many clients will ask, and it's a legitimate request for deliverables they've paid for — but you should decide the terms, not discover them later. Common freelancer positions: deliver final files + source of the specific project, keep your master templates and component libraries, and retain the right to show the work in your portfolio (unless there's a genuine confidentiality reason). This checklist walks through each asset class.
Who owns AI-generated content in a freelance project?
It's still unsettled in many jurisdictions. In the US, purely AI-generated output isn't copyrightable, which complicates who 'owns' it. Practically: disclose AI use to the client, put ownership terms in the contract (the client typically gets the commercial rights to the deliverable), and avoid building your process on tools whose ToS prohibit commercial use or claim rights over your output. The checklist flags the AI-specific risks.
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IP Ownership Checklist: Common Questions
Who owns the work I create as a freelancer?
By default, you do — until you transfer it. 'Work made for hire' and assignment clauses in your contract decide when ownership passes. The critical details: does the transfer cover source files or just the final export? Does it cover pre-existing tools, templates, and libraries you use (it shouldn't — you should license those, not sell them)? Does it wait for final payment (it should)?
Do I have to hand over my source files and design files?
Many clients will ask, and it's a legitimate request for deliverables they've paid for — but you should decide the terms, not discover them later. Common freelancer positions: deliver final files + source of the specific project, keep your master templates and component libraries, and retain the right to show the work in your portfolio (unless there's a genuine confidentiality reason). This checklist walks through each asset class.
Who owns AI-generated content in a freelance project?
It's still unsettled in many jurisdictions. In the US, purely AI-generated output isn't copyrightable, which complicates who 'owns' it. Practically: disclose AI use to the client, put ownership terms in the contract (the client typically gets the commercial rights to the deliverable), and avoid building your process on tools whose ToS prohibit commercial use or claim rights over your output. The checklist flags the AI-specific risks.
Explore the rest of the toolkit in the free tools directory, or read practical guides in the blog.