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How to File a DMCA Takedown on GitHub

Stolen code on GitHub takes many shapes: your entire repository re-uploaded under someone else's name, your license stripped, your paid course files or game assets dumped into a public repo. GitHub runs one of the most transparent DMCA processes on the web, with a dedicated portal at github.com/contact/dmca and published guides for both sides. Here's how to use it.

Before you start

  • Proof you own the work, a link to your original repository, package, or product page, with commit history or release dates that predate the copy.
  • The URL of every infringing repository, and its forks. GitHub does not automatically remove forks, so open the fork list and note every fork that contains your work.
  • A license check. If you released the code under an open-source license, confirm the copying actually violates it (for example, your attribution or non-commercial terms were stripped).
  • Your contact details, name, email, and physical address.

Step 1: Read GitHub's takedown guide

Start at https://github.com/contact/dmca. Before the form, GitHub asks you to read its guide to submitting a takedown notice, do it. The guide explains what makes a notice complete, how forks are handled, and what happens next. GitHub's guides aren't legal advice, but they mirror exactly what its team checks.

Step 2: Gather every infringing URL, including forks

List direct links to the offending repositories, and to specific files or directories if only part of a repo infringes. Then enumerate the forks that carry the infringing content, a takedown notice generally covers only what you identify, and forks you skip stay up.

Step 3: Describe your work and why the copy infringes

Point to your original and explain the relationship: "this repository is a copy of my project at [URL], with the copyright notice removed" or "these files reproduce my paid product sold at [URL]". If only certain files infringe, say which, precise notices are processed faster and may let GitHub disable just the infringing content.

Step 4: Complete the DMCA form

Fill in the takedown form linked from the portal: your details, the work, the infringing URLs, and the standard statements, good-faith belief that the use is unauthorized, accuracy of the notice, and, under penalty of perjury, that you're the owner or authorized to act. Type your full name as a signature and submit.

Step 5: Expect your notice to be published

GitHub posts complete, actionable notices in its public dmca repository with personal contact details redacted. Write your notice knowing the world can read it, keep it factual and professional.

What happens after you file

GitHub reviews the notice, and for valid claims disables the repository or infringing files; in some cases it first gives the owner a short window to remove the specific infringing content. The owner can file a counter notice, which can lead to restoration unless you initiate court action. Cloned repos have a way of reappearing under fresh accounts, so recheck periodically, or let a managed service handle the churn. Rulta files and follows up on DMCA takedowns for creators and businesses across GitHub and other platforms so you can stay focused on building.

This guide is educational information, not legal advice.

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

Exhibit A — official takedown formhttps://github.com/contact/dmca

Frequently asked questions

Where do I file a DMCA notice with GitHub?

At github.com/contact/dmca, GitHub's official DMCA portal. It links to the takedown notice form and to GitHub's guides for both takedown and counter notices.

Will my DMCA notice be public?

Yes. GitHub publishes complete, actionable notices in its public dmca repository, with personal contact information redacted. Assume the text of your notice will be readable by anyone.

Does taking down a repository also take down its forks?

Not automatically. If forks contain the same infringing code, you generally must identify each fork in your notice, so check the repository's fork list before you file.

The code is under an open-source license, can I still file?

Only if the use breaks the license terms or exceeds them. If you published code under a license that permits copying with attribution, copying with attribution isn't infringement. Review your license before filing.

Can the repository owner fight the takedown?

Yes. GitHub's process allows counter notices, and content may be restored if the owner files one and you don't pursue court action. GitHub may also give the owner a chance to remove just the infringing files first.