Whether you are a logo designer or the client, the question about the ownership of a logo does come up quite often. The ownership of a logo is different from the permission to use a logo. Hence as a client or business that is hiring a designer or employing the services of a freelance designer it is important that you get clarity about the ownership of the logo right at the start.
There is one school of thought that says the logo ownership rights should lie with the clients as they are the ones who are paying for the designer to create the piece. However, not all designers see eye to eye with this thought process.
However, unless it has been legally put on paper, simply paying the designer to create a logo does not transfer the ownership of the logo to the business.
Now, a logo is one of the most critical elements of a brand and one of the most useful marketing materials whether in the digital media or the print. Hence, the client or the business needs to attain the ownership of the logo so that there is no conflict in terms of copyrights in the future.
Also, if the rights of the logo remain with the designer, the business will never be able to register it as their intellectual property. This means they would be vulnerable to infringement upon their brand identity.
Some designers however refuse to part completely with the ownership, precisely because they know how important it is for their clients. They, may negotiate a royalty for every time the logo is used on various marketing platforms, affording them an extra, regular source of income.
However, if you wish to, you can simply create a design using the logo maker from Appy Pie Design, thus eliminating the need to hire a designer and get into the legal complications of deciding the ownership of the logo.