Copyright is a way for the creators of original works of authorship to get control of their work. Copyright gives you the ability to authorize others to copy or prepare derivative works based on your work, along with other rights. The law dictates that as the creator of the original work, you own the copyright from the moment of creation; however, that ownership is not enforceable until you register the work. This means that you cannot request protection from a federal court until your work is registered.
The Process of Registering a Work for Copyright
As the author of a work, you have two options: applying to have your work registered via an online application or using a paper application. The online method is preferred if you are registering claims for literary, visual, or performing arts works. Benefits include a lower fee ($35), a shorter processing time, and the ability to track the status of your application online.
You can register a basic claim for any of the following:
- A single work.
- Several works that are not published but that are assembled together "in an orderly form" and where the works have a title that identifies them as a collection.
- Several works that have all been published as long as they have been published in one publication and are owned by you, the claimant.
Filing with the Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) System
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You will need to have a payment method ready; you will pay via the governmental pay program site. You may pay with a debit/credit card, electronic funds transfer, or a Copyright Office deposit account.
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Have your work saved in one of the formats accepted by eCO. The copyright office accepts most commonly used formats including .doc (text), .avi (video), and .mpg (audio).
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Disable your browser's pop-up blocker. Note that Safari and Chrome are not certified to work with the eCO system. It is designed to work with Internet Explorer and with Firefox.
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Click the link on the copyright.gov website to go to the eCO login page. The link is located in the center of the page.
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Register by filling out the online form; you will be provided with prompts. Enter the required information, and then make your payment.
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The next step will involve depositing your work. You will either upload the work in one of the accepted formats or send a hard copy by mail. In the case of the latter, the system will provide you with a shipping slip for you to print and attach to your work.
Filing with a Paper Application
Copyright.gov also has downloadable forms.
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Go to the governmental copyright website and click on the "Forms" link. This link is located on the bottom left of the page.
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Choose the form that is appropriate for the type of work that you want to copyright. Form TX is for literary works; form VA is for visual arts.
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Fill out the form on your computer then print it. You will have to sign it before mailing it in with a copy of the work.
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You should note that at $85, sending a paper application is more expensive than an electronic application.
