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How to File a DMCA Takedown on Wattpad

Few things sting like finding your novel reposted on Wattpad under someone else's name, sometimes with nothing changed but the title and the character names. Wattpad takes copyright seriously and documents a clear DMCA process, with an online form and a designated copyright agent, and it typically responds within a few business days. Here is how to file.

Before you start

  • Proof the story is yours, original drafts, publication dates, and the link to where it first appeared (your Wattpad profile, blog, or published book).
  • The URL of every infringing story and chapter on Wattpad. Copy the links from your browser or the share menu.
  • Your contact details, full legal name and a monitored email address.
  • Confirmation that you are the rights holder, legally authorized to act for one, or authorized under an exclusive copyright right, Wattpad warns of legal and financial consequences for false claims.

Step 1: Document the theft

Before anything gets deleted or edited, capture evidence: screenshots of the stolen story, its posting dates, and side-by-side passages showing the copying. Note anything the infringer changed, a new title or renamed characters, since pointing this out helps the reviewer match the texts.

Step 2: Collect the infringing links

Grab the exact URL of the stolen story and, if the whole work was lifted, the story's main page plus representative chapters. If several accounts have reposted your work, list each one. Wattpad acts on the links you provide, so completeness now saves you a second filing later.

Step 3: Open Wattpad's DMCA takedown form

Go to Wattpad's Help Center article How to file a DMCA takedown notice and use the online form, it is the fastest route, because it captures everything Wattpad legally requires in one pass. If you prefer, you can instead email a complete notice to Wattpad's Designated Copyright Agent at [email protected].

Step 4: Identify your work and the copy

Fill in who you are, what your original work is and where it lives, and the URLs of the infringing content. Be specific: "Chapters 1 through 14 of my novel [title], first posted on [date] at [URL], reposted without permission at [infringing URL]."

Step 5: Sign the legal statements and submit

Complete the standard DMCA declarations, good-faith belief that the use is unauthorized, accuracy of your statements, and a declaration under penalty of perjury that you are the rights holder or authorized to act for them, then sign with your full name and submit. Keep a copy for your records.

Step 6: Watch for Wattpad's response

Wattpad typically responds within three business days, depending on request volume. If you have heard nothing after a week, re-check that your notice included direct links and every required statement, then follow up.

What happens after you file

If the notice is valid, Wattpad removes the stolen story and notifies the uploader, who has the right to file a counter-notice. If they do, Wattpad follows the standard DMCA process, which can lead to restoration unless you escalate to court. Keep your evidence, serial plagiarists tend to reappear under new usernames.

And remember that Wattpad can only clean up Wattpad. If your story has also been scraped onto ebook piracy sites or reposted on other platforms, each host needs its own notice. A takedown service like Rulta can monitor for stolen copies of your writing across the web and file those notices for you.

This guide is educational information, not legal advice.

Need the notice text?Generate a complete DMCA notice for Wattpad — free, one minute

Exhibit A — official takedown formhttps://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/10375920731540-How-to-file-a-DMCA-takedown-notice

Frequently asked questions

How long does Wattpad take to respond to a DMCA notice?

Wattpad says requests are typically answered within three business days, depending on volume. Complete notices with direct story links get handled fastest.

Is there an email address for Wattpad copyright complaints?

Yes. You can send a complete DMCA takedown notice to Wattpad's Designated Copyright Agent at [email protected], though the online form is the quickest route.

My Wattpad story was stolen and posted on another website. Can Wattpad remove it?

No. Wattpad can only remove content hosted on Wattpad. For copies on other sites you need to file with that site or its web host, Wattpad's Help Center has guidance on reporting infringement located outside Wattpad.

Can I report an unauthorized adaptation or translation of my story?

Yes. Adaptations, translations, and continuations of your work made without permission can infringe your rights, and Wattpad addresses infringing adaptations in its copyright help articles.

What if I file a false copyright claim?

Wattpad warns there may be legal and financial consequences for submitting false claims, so only file if you are the rights holder or authorized to act for one.