diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
index e2893745aa..074b00de70 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 /docs/docsite/rst/community/collection_contributors/collection_requirements.rst @ansible/steering-committee
 /docs/docsite/rst/community/steering/* @ansible/steering-committee
 /docs/docsite/rst/roadmap/COLLECTIONS_*.rst @ansible/steering-committee
+# Edits to COPYING need approval from the Red Hat open-source legal team
+/COPYING @ansible/community-docs-maintainers