# Source-code ownership in a software contract: why you need it and how to secure it > At Al-Arjan, the client owns the source code in full after delivery. Ownership means you can keep developing the system or move it to another team without staying tied to the original firm. Al-Arjan is a software company in Baghdad; this page sets out what to require in writing before you sign. Source: https://www.al-arjan.com/en/blog/source-code-ownership-iraq · العربية: https://www.al-arjan.com/ar/blog/source-code-ownership-iraq.md Author: Al-Arjan — Published 2026-11-10 ## What does owning the source code mean? Source code is the text the system was built from, not just a running copy. If you own it after delivery, another team — or your own — can read the project, change it and ship a new version without asking the original firm for permission every time. Ownership is wider than the project files alone. A clear software contract should also say who owns the system data, who holds the hosting and app-store accounts, and who receives the operating documentation. Those clauses protect continuity if the team changes later. What Al-Arjan confirms on this page is that the client owns the source code in full after delivery, and that user guides and training are part of handover, as set out on the [pricing page](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/pricing) and the [ERP service](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/services/erp). Handover of hosting accounts and the database is discussed and written into the contract once the scope is approved. Without that wording, the system may keep running for you while the keys to change or move it stay with one party. That is why [how to choose a software company in Iraq](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/blog/how-to-choose-software-company-iraq) asks about code ownership before you sign. ## Four points to write into the contract before you sign A vague line such as “the project is yours” is not enough. Ask for wording that covers at least these four points: - Transfer of source-code ownership to you after delivery, in wording that cannot be read as a mere licence to use the software. - Delivery of the repository (or a complete copy) in your name or an account you control, not only a running copy on the firm’s server. - Handover of the passwords and access tools agreed in the scope, so a single entrance does not stay solely with the vendor. - Clarity on third-party licensed libraries and tools: what is transferred to you, and what remains licensed in the original vendor’s name under its terms. ## Risks of a rented or closed system Some products are offered as a subscription or a licence to use: you benefit while the relationship lasts, but you do not own the code and cannot move it as-is to another team. That can suit a small shop choosing ready-made software, as we explain in [ready-made vs custom software](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/blog/custom-vs-ready-software). The risk appears when the system sits inside daily operations: if the subscription stops, a customisation request is refused, or a full data export is not possible, the cost of staying can exceed the original build. We do not name companies here; the test is what the contract says and what you actually receive at the end of the project. If you have branches, a till, or dinar-and-dollar accounts and you want a system that follows your processes, a custom system whose code you own after delivery is usually the better fit. That is the path of [Al-Arjan ERP systems](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/services/erp), with published starting prices on the [pricing page](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/pricing). ## How does Al-Arjan hand over a project? Al-Arjan confirms that the client owns the source code in full after delivery. At handover you also receive a user guide and hands-on Arabic training on the system. These points are set out in [Al-Arjan’s guarantees](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/guarantees) and in [how we work](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/process). The final price and delivery date are written once the scope is approved. Published starting prices — including an ERP from $3,000 over 3 to 6 months — are on the [pricing page](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/pricing). For a published example of a delivery, see the [Dalal Al-Misk warehouse system](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/work/dalal-al-misk-inventory). ## A checklist before you sign Before you sign, ask for a written answer on: who owns the code after delivery, where the repository is handed over, what documentation and training are included, and what happens if you want to move the system to another team. A wider contract checklist — including scope and payments tied to milestones you can test — is in [the software-contract checklist](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/blog/software-contract-checklist). If a firm’s answers are vague, or postponed “until handover”, that is a signal in itself. Ownership that is not written before the work starts is hard to prove afterwards. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I ask for the code a year after delivery? The safe approach is for the contract to require code delivery at handover, rather than leaving the request open-ended. If handover is delayed, the written clause is what you rely on. At Al-Arjan, the client owns the source code in full after delivery. ### Does code ownership include the design? Code ownership covers the source of the system built for you. Brand-identity elements and third-party licences are set out in the contract: what was designed specifically for your project is stated there, and what is licensed from someone else remains under its licence. ### What is the difference between a licence and ownership? A licence gives you the right to use the system under the licensor’s terms, and it may end or be restricted if the relationship ends. Ownership means the code is yours after delivery, so you can develop it or move it to another team, as the contract states. --- Contact Al-Arjan: +964 773 545 2792 (phone & WhatsApp, 24/7) — [Request a quote](https://www.al-arjan.com/en/quote)