How To Register For A Copyright

Registration is not required, but registering a copyright tin can have important advantages, including allowing you to sue others for copyright infringement.

Registration is a procedure for creating a record of your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office. Upon registration, the U.S. Copyright Role will send you a certificate confirming your registration.

A guy with a giant pen beside a giant phone

When Will My Copyright Registration Accept Effect?

A copyright registration is effective on the date the copyright role receives all of the required materials for registration. You don't need to await until you receive a registration certificate from the copyright part.

Contents of a Copyright Registration Awarding

To register a copyright, y'all must submit 3 things to the Copyright Office:

A completed application form. In nearly instances, you tin submit an online form or mail a paper form. Online applications have lower filing fees and faster processing times than newspaper applications.
A filing fee for online forms or paper forms.
Copies of the work yous are registering.

In general, yous must submit one copy of an unpublished work or a piece of work that was get-go published outside the U.s., and two copies of a published work.

Before Submitting a Copyright Registration

You should confirm the number of copies yous need to deposit and cheque to come across if there are special deposit requirements for the blazon of work you want to register before submitting your registration.

For example, to register a flick, you must eolith a re-create of the move moving-picture show and a split up written description of its contents. Details virtually these requirements tin can be found on the copyright part website or by writing or calling the copyright office.

The copyright part volition not return the copies y'all deposit with them.

Registering a Copyright Online

You lot can register a copyright online by logging in to the copyright office'due south online registration organization, filling out the registration form, and submitting payment. In some cases, you lot can too electronically submit a copy of the work you lot are registering.

Types of Copyrights that can Exist Registered Online

Basic copyrights can exist registered online. These include copyrights for literary works, visual arts works, performing arts works, sound recordings, and motion pictures. You can register a copyright online even if you are planning to mail a copy of the work to the copyright office.

Works That Can Be Deposited Electronically

You lot tin can submit the following types of work electronically. All other works must be mailed to the copyright function, fifty-fifty if you consummate a registration application online.

Unpublished works
Works that are only published electronically
Three-dimensional works for which the deposit requirement is photographs or prints of the actual work.

Registering a Copyright past Post

The copyright function has unlike forms for literary works, visual arts works, performing arts works, sound recordings, and single serials. These forms are available on the copyright office website.

A completed form must be sent in the aforementioned bundle as payment and a copy of the work. Payment must be made past bank check or money gild.

Post-obit Up On Your Registration

If y'all register your copyright online, you will receive an email confirmation that your registration was received. If you register by mail, yous volition not receive a confirmation when the copyright office receives your registration.

Many people postal service their applications by certified mail, then they will know when the awarding was received.

You can wait one of three responses to your registration awarding:

If in that location are questions, you will receive a letter, email, or phone telephone call from the copyright office.
If for some reason, your copyright registration is rejected, you volition receive a letter of the alphabet explaining why the registration was rejected.
If your copyright is registered, you lot will receive a certificate of registration in the post. It generally takes anywhere from iii-9 months to process an application and outcome a certificate.