New licensing milestone: Copyright royalties now available to surveyors nationwide
March 19, 2026
Surveyors play a vital role in Australia’s property, infrastructure and development sectors. Behind every subdivision, building project or land transaction is the work of a skilled surveyor preparing detailed plans that define boundaries and guide development.
What many people may not realise is that these plans are also copyright works.
A landmark High Court decision in 2008 confirmed that survey plans are protected by copyright, and that copyright is typically owned by the surveying firm or sole trader that prepared the plan. This means that surveyors are entitled to be paid when copies of their plans are sold or communicated, including when governments sell plans through land titles offices or authorised brokers.
Copyright Agency has worked with governments across Australia to ensure surveyors are fairly remunerated for this use of their intellectual property. With licence agreements now in place with Tasmania and the Northern Territory, all Australian states and territories have arrangements covering the sale of survey plans.
Surveyors who own copyright in their plans may be eligible to receive royalty payments through Copyright Agency’s distribution process. Membership is free and surveyors retain full ownership of their rights.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Why are royalties paid when survey plans are used?
A: State and territory governments make copies of plans available through land titles offices and authorised brokers. Because these plans are copyright works, licence fees are payable when they are copied. Copyright Agency collects those fees and distributes royalties to eligible rightsholders.
Q: Who can receive these royalty payments?
A: Surveying firms or sole traders who own or control copyright in their survey plan may be entitled to payments. To receive payments, they need to be members of Copyright Agency.
Q: Do surveyors need to assign their copyright to join?
A: No. Membership does not require surveyors to assign their copyright. Surveyors remain the owners of their work. Copyright Agency represents surveyors on a non-exclusive basis and simply manages licensing and distributions on their behalf.
Q: What if a surveyor is not a member yet?
A: Only members can receive royalty payments. Surveying firms or sole traders who are not yet members can join Copyright Agency for free so that payments can be made if their plans appear in sales data.
If your firm is not yet a member of Copyright Agency, you can join for free to ensure you are able to receive payments for the use of your plan. It’s simple to join online.
Got another question? Get in touch with our Member Services team.