Basic Copyright Legalities
Covers what can (AND CANNOT) be copyrighted, who can apply,
registration procedures, filing fees, what forms to use, where and how to
obtain forms, and more.
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To reproduce the copyrighted work in copies or phonorecords;
To prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work;
To distribute copies or phonorecords of the copyrighted work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending;
To perform the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works;
To display the copyrighted work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work; and
In the case of sound recordings, to perform the work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission.
In addition, certain authors of works of visual art have the rights of attribution and integrity as described in section 106A of the 1976 Copyright Act. For further information, request Circular 40, "Copyright Registration for Works of the Visual Arts."
It is illegal for anyone to violate any of the rights provided by the copyright code to the owner of copyright. These rights, however, are not unlimited in scope. Sections 107 through 120 of the 1976 Copyright Act establish limitations on these rights. In some cases, these limitations are specified exemptions from copyright liability. One major limitation is the doctrine of "fair use," which is given a statutory basis in section 107 of the 1976 Copyright Act. In other instances, the limitation takes the form of a "compulsory license" under which certain limited uses of copyrighted works are permitted upon payment of specified royalties and compliance with statutory conditions. For further information about the limitations of any of these rights, consult the copyright code or write to the Copyright Office.
In the case of works made for hire, the employer and not the employee is considered to be the author. Section 101 of the copyright statute defines a "work made for hire" as:
(1) a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment; or
(2) a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work, as a part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, as a translation, as a supplementary work, as a compilation, as an instructional text, as a test, as answer material for a test, or as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire..
The authors of a joint work are co-owners of the copyright in the work, unless there is an agreement to the contrary.
Copyright in each separate contribution to a periodical or other collective work is distinct from copyright in the collective work as a whole and vests initially with the author of the contribution.
Mere ownership of a book, manuscript, painting, or any other copy or phonorecord does not give the possessor the copyright. The law provides that transfer of ownership of any material object that embodies a protected work does not of itself convey any rights in the copyright.
Minors may claim copyright, but state laws may regulate the business dealings involving copyrights owned by minors. For information on relevant state laws, consult an attorney.
Copyright protection is available for all unpublished works, regardless of the nationality or domicile of the author. Published works are eligible for copyright protection in the United States if <*any*> one of the following conditions is met:
On the date of first publication, one or more of the authors is a national or domiciliary of the United States or is a national, domiciliary, or sovereign authority of a foreign nation that is a party to a copyright treaty to which the United States is also a party, or is a stateless person wherever that person may be domiciled; or
The work is first published in the United States or in a foreign nation that, on the date of first publication, is a party to the Universal Copyright Convention; or the work comes within the scope of a Presidential proclamation; or
The work is first published on or after March 1, 1989, in a foreign nation that on the date of first publication is a party to the Berne Convention; or, if the work is not first published in a country party to the Berne Convention, it is published (on or after March 1,1989) within 30 days of first publication in a country that is party to the Berne Convention; or the work, first published on or after March 1, 1989, is a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work that is incorporated in a permanent structure located in the United States; or, if the work, first published on or after March 1, 1989, is a published audiovisual work, all the authors are legal entities with headquarters in the United States.
The work is a foreign work that was in the public domain in the
United States prior to 1996 and its copyright was restored under
the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA). Request
Copyright protects "original works of authorship" that are fixed in
a tangible form of expression. The fixation need not be directly
perceptible so long as it may be communicated with the aid of a
machine or device. Copyrightable works include the following
categories:
(1) literary works;
(2) musical works, including any accompanying words
(3) dramatic works, including any accompanying music
(4) pantomimes and choreographic works
(5) pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
(6) motion pictures and other audiovisual works
(7) sound recordings
(8) architectural works
These categories should be viewed broadly. For example, computer programs and most "compilations" may be registered as "literary works"; maps and architectural plans may be registered as "pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works."
* (See also: "Publications Incorporating United States Government Works" under NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT below.)
Several categories of material are generally not eligible for Federal copyright protection. These include among others:
Works that have NOT been fixed in a tangible form of expression, (for example, choreographic works that have not been notated or recorded, or improvisational speeches or performances that have not been written or recorded).
Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring; mere listings of ingredients or contents.
Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devices, as distinguished from a description, explanation, or illustration.
Works consisting ENTIRELY of information that is common property and containing no original authorship (for example: standard calendars, height and weight charts, tape measures and rulers, and lists or tables taken from public documents or other common sources).
The way in which copyright protection is secured is frequently misunderstood. No publication or registration or other action in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright. There are, however, certain definite advantages to registration. See "Copyright Registration" below.
Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, and a work is "created" when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time. "Copies" are material objects from which a work can be read or visually perceived either directly or with the aid of a machine or device, such as books, manuscripts, sheet music, film, videotape, or microfilm. "Phonorecords" are material objects embodying fixations of sounds (excluding, by statutory definition, motion picture soundtracks), such as cassette tapes, CDs, or LPs. Thus, for example, a song (the "work") can be fixed in sheet music ("copies") or in phonograph disks ("phonorecords"), or both.
If a work is prepared over a period of time, the part of the work that is fixed on a particular date constitutes the created work as of that date.
Publication is no longer the key to obtaining Federal copyright as it was under the Copyright Act of 1909. However, publication remains important to copyright owners. The 1976 Copyright Act defines publication as follows:
"Publication" is the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending. The offering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display constitutes publication. A public performance or display of a work does not of itself constitute publication.
A further discussion of the definition of "publication" can be found in the legislative history of the 1976 Copyright Act. The legislative reports define "to the public" as distribution to persons under no explicit or implicit restrictions with respect to disclosure of the contents. The reports state that the definition makes it clear that the sale of phonorecords constitutes publication of the underlying work, for example, the musical, dramatic, or literary work embodied in a phonorecord. The reports also state that it is clear that any form of dissemination in which the material object does not change hands, for example, performances or displays on television, is NOT a publication no matter how many people are exposed to the work. However, when copies or phonorecords are offered for sale or lease to a group of wholesalers, broadcasters, or motion picture theaters, publication does take place if the purpose is further distribution, public performance, or public display.
Publication is an important concept in the copyright for several reasons:
Works that are published in the United States are subject to mandatory deposit with the Library of Congress. See discussion on "Mandatory Deposit for Works Published in the United States".
Publication of a work can affect the limitations on the
exclusive rights of the copyright owner that are set forth in
The year of publication may determine the duration of copyright protection for anonymous and pseudonymous works (when the author's identity is not revealed in the records of the Copyright Office) and for works made for hire.
Deposit requirements for registration of published works differ from those for registration of unpublished works. See discussion on "Registration Procedures".
When a work is published, it may bear a notice of copyright to identify the year of publication and the name of the copyright owner and to inform the public that the work is protected by copyright. Copies of works published before March 1, 1989, MUST bear the notice or risk loss of copyright protection. See discussion on "Notice of Copyright" below.
The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U.S. law, although it is often beneficial. Because prior law did contain such a requirement, however, the use of notice is still relevant to the copyright status of older works.
Notice was required under the 1976 Copyright Act. This requirement
was eliminated when the United States adhered to the Berne
Convention, effective March 1, 1989. Although works published
without notice before that date could have entered the public domain
in the United States, the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA)
restores copyright in certain foreign works originally published
without notice. For further information about copyright amendments
in the URAA, request
The Copyright Office does not take a position on whether copies of works first published with notice before March 1, 1989, which are distributed on or after March 1, 1989, must bear the copyright notice.
Use of the notice may be important because it informs the public
that the work is protected by copyright, identifies the copyright
owner, and shows the year of first publication. Furthermore, in the
event that a work is infringed, if a proper notice of copyright
appears on the published copy or copies to which a defendant in a
copyright infringement suit had access, then no weight shall be
given to such a defendant's interposition of a defense based on
innocent infringement in mitigation of actual or statutory damages,
except as provided in
The use of the copyright notice is the responsibility of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with, the Copyright Office.
The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain all of the following three elements:
1. The symbol, (c) (the letter in a circle), or the word "Copyright" or the abbreviation "Copr."; and
2. The year of first publication of the work. In the case of compilations or derivative works incorporating previously published material, the year date of first publication of the compilation or derivative work is sufficient. The year date may be omitted where a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, with accompanying textual matter, if any, is reproduced in or on greeting cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or any useful article; and
3. The name of the owner of copyright in the work, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner.
The "C in a circle" notice is used only on "visually perceptible copies." Certain kinds of works-for example, musical, dramatic, and literary works-may be fixed not in "copies" but by means of sound in an audio recording. Since audio recordings such as audio tapes and phonograph disks are "phonorecords" and not "copies," the "C in a circle" notice is not used to indicate protection of the underlying musical, dramatic, or literary work that is recorded.
* Sound recordings are defined in the law as "works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds, but not including the sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work." Common examples include recordings of music, drama, or lectures. A sound recording is not the same as a phonorecord. A phonorecord is the physical object in which works of authorship are embodied. The word "phonorecord" includes cassette tapes, CDs, LPs, 45 r.p.m. disks, as well as other formats.
The notice for phonorecords embodying a sound recording should contain all the following three elements:
1. The symbol (the letter "P" in a circle); and
2. The year of first publication of the sound recording; and
3. The name of the owner of copyright in the sound recording, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner. If the producer of the sound recording is named on the phonorecord label or container and if no other name appears in conjunction with the notice, the producer's name shall be considered a part of the notice.
The copyright notice should be affixed to copies or phonorecords in such a way as to "give reasonable notice of the claim of copyright." The three elements of the notice should ordinarily appear together on the copies or phonorecords or on the phonorecord label or container. The Copyright Office has issued regulations concerning the form and position of the copyright notice in the Code of Federal Regulations (37 CFR Part 201). For more information, request Circular 3, "Copyright Notice."
** Works by the U.S. Government are NOT eligible for U.S. copyright protection. For works published on and after March 1, 1989, the previous notice requirement for works consisting primarily of one or more U.S. Government works has been eliminated. However, use of a notice on such a work will defeat a claim of innocent infringement as previously described PROVIDED the notice also includes a statement that identifies either those portions of the work in which copyright is claimed or those portions that constitute U.S. Government material.
Example: (c) 1998 Jane Brown. Copyright claimed in Chapters 7-10, exclusive of U.S. Government maps.
Copies of works published before March 1, 1989, that consist primiarily of works of one or more works of the U.S. Government SHOULD have a notice and the identifying statement.
The author or copyright owner may wish to place a copyright notice on any unpublished copies or phonorecords that leave his or her control.
The 1976 Copyright Act attempted to ameliorate the strict consequences of failure to include notice under prior law. It contained provisions that set out specific corrective steps to cure omissions or certain errors in notice. Under these provisions, an applicant had 5 years after publication to cure omission of notice or certain errors. Although these provisions are technically still in the law, their impact has been limited by the amendment making notice optional for all works published on and after March 1, 1989. For further information, request Circular 3.
A work that is created (fixed in tangible form for the first time) on or after January 1, 1978, is automatically protected from the moment of its creation and is ordinarily given a term enduring for the author's life plus an additional 50 years after the author's death. In the case of "a joint work prepared by two or more authors who did not work for hire," the term lasts for 50 years after the last surviving author's death. For works made for hire, and for anonymous and pseudonymous works (unless the author's identity is revealed in Copyright Office records), the duration of copyright will be 75 years from publication or 100 years from creation, whichever is shorter.
Works Originally Created Before January 1, 1978, But Not Published or Registered by That Date
These works have been automatically brought under the statute and are now given Federal copyright protection. The duration of copyright in these works will generally be computed in the same way as for works created on or after January 1, 1978: the life-plus-50 or 75/100-year terms will apply to them as well. The law provides that in no case will the term of copyright for works in this category expire before December 31, 2002, and for works published on or before December 31, 2002, the term of copyright will not expire before December 31, 2027.
Works Originally Created and Published or Registered Before January 1, 1978
Under the law in effect before 1978, copyright was secured either on the date a work was published or on the date of registration if the work was registered in unpublished form. In either case, the copyright endured for a first term of 28 years from the date it was secured. During the last (28th) year of the first term, the copyright was eligible for renewal. The current copyright law has extended the renewal term from 28 to 47 years for copyrights that were subsisting on January 1, 1978, making these works eligible for a total term of protection of 75 years.
Public Law 102-307, enacted on June 26, 1992, amended the 1976 Copyright Act to extend automatically the term of copyrights secured between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977, to the further term of 47 years. Although the renewal term is automatically provided, the Copyright Office does not issue a renewal certificate for these works unless a renewal application and fee are received and registered in the Copyright Office.
P.L.102-307 makes renewal registration optional. There is no need
to make the renewal filing in order to extend the original 28-year
copyright term to the full 75 years.
For more detailed information on renewal of copyright and the
copyright term, request
Any or all of the copyright owner's exclusive rights or any subdivision of those rights may be transferred, but the transfer of exclusive rights is not valid unless that transfer is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner's duly authorized agent. Transfer of a right on a nonexclusive basis does not require a written agreement.
A copyright may also be conveyed by operation of law and may be bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by the applicable laws of intestate succession.
Copyright is a personal property right, and it is subject to the various state laws and regulations that govern the ownership, inheritance, or transfer of personal property as well as terms of contracts or conduct of business. For information about relevant state laws, consult an attorney.
Transfers of copyright are normally made by contract. The Copyright
Office does not have any forms for such transfers. The law does
provide for the recordation in the Copyright Office of transfers of
copyright ownership. Although recordation is not required to make a
valid transfer between the parties, it does provide certain legal
advantages and may be required to validate the transfer as against
third parties. For information on recordation of transfers and other
documents related to copyright, request
Under the previous law, the copyright in a work reverted to the author, if living, or if the author was not living, to other specified beneficiaries, provided a renewal claim was registered in the 28th year of the original term.* The present law drops the renewal feature except for works already in the first term of statutory protection when the present law took effect. Instead, the present law permits termination of a grant of rights after 35 years under certain conditions by serving written notice on the transferee within specified time limits.
* The copyright in works eligible for renewal on or after June 26, 1992, will vest in the name of the renewal claimant on the effective date of any renewal registration made during the 28th year of the original term. Otherwise, the renewal copyright will vest in the party entitled to claim renewal as of December 31st of the 28th year.
For works already under statutory copyright protection before 1978, the present law provides a similar right of termination covering the newly added years that extended the former maximum term of the copyright from 56 to 75 years. For further information, request Circulars 15a and 15t.
There is no such thing as an "international copyright" that will
automatically protect an author's writings throughout the entire
world. Protection against unauthorized use in a particular country
depends, basically, on the national laws of that country. However,
most countries do offer protection to foreign works under certain
conditions, and these conditions have been greatly simplified by
international copyright treaties and conventions. For a list of
countries which maintain copyright relations with the United States,
request
In general, copyright registration is a legal formality intended to make a public record of the basic facts of a particular copyright. However, registration is not a condition of copyright protection. Even though registration is not a requirement for protection, the copyright law provides several inducements or advantages to encourage copyright owners to make registration. Among these advantages are the following:
Registration establishes a public record of the copyright claim.
Before an infringement suit may be filed in court, registration is necessary for works of U.S. origin and for foreign works not originating in a Berne Union country.
If made before or within 5 years of publication, registration will establish prima facie evidence in court of the validity of the copyright and of the facts stated in the certificate.
If registration is made within 3 months after publication of the work or prior to an infringement of the work, statutory damages and attorney's fees will be available to the copyright owner in court actions. Otherwise, only an award of actual damages and profits is available to the copyright owner.
Registration allows the owner of the copyright to record the registration with the U.S. Customs Service for protection against the importation of infringing copies. For additional information, request Publication No. 563 from: _Commissioner of Customs_, ATTN: IPR Branch, Franklin Court, Suite 4000, U.S. Customs Service, 1301 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20229.
Registration may be made at any time within the life of the copyright. Unlike the law before 1978, when a work has been registered in unpublished form, it is not necessary to make another registration when the work becomes published, although the copyright owner may register the published edition, if desired.
To register a work, send the following three elements in the same envelope or package to:
Library of Congress Copyright Office Register of Copyrights 101 Independence Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
1. A properly completed application form;
2. A nonrefundable filing fee of $20* for each application. *(For
the fee structure for application Form SE/GROUP, Form
GATT, Form GATT/GRP, and Form G/DN, see the instructions on
these forms.)
3. A nonreturnable deposit of the work being registered. The
deposit requirements vary in particular situations. The
GENERAL requirements follow. Also note the information under
"Special Deposit Requirements".
If the work is unpublished, one complete copy or phonorecord.
If the work was first published in the United States on or after January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonorecords of the best edition.
If the work was first published in the United States before January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonorecords of the work as first published.
If the work was first published outside the United States, one complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first published.
Applications and fees received without appropriate copies,
phonorecords, or identifying material will not be processed and
ordinarily will be returned. Unpublished deposits without
applications or fees ordinarily will be returned, also. In most
cases, published deposits received without applications and fees can
be immediately transferred to the collections of the Library of
Congress. This practice is in accordance with
After the deposit is received and transferred to another service unit of the Library for its collections or other disposition, it is no longer available to the Copyright Office. If you wish to register the work, you must deposit additional copies or phonorecords with your application and fee.
To register a renewal, send:
1. A properly completed application Form RE and
2. A nonrefundable filing fee of $20* for each work. (*For the
fee structure for application Form
Special deposit requirements exist for many types of works. The following are prominent examples of exceptions to the general deposit requirements:
If the work is a motion picture, the deposit requirement is one complete copy of the unpublished or published motion picture AND a separate written description of its contents, such as a continuity, press book, or synopsis.
If the work is a literary, dramatic, or musical work published only on phonorecord, the deposit requirement is one complete phonorecord.
If the work is an unpublished or published computer program, the
deposit requirement is one visually perceptible copy in source
code of the first 25 and last 25 pages of the program. For a
program of fewer than 50 pages, the deposit is a copy of the
entire program. For more information on computer program
registration, including deposits for revised programs and
provisions for trade secrets, request
If the work is in a CD-ROM format, the deposit requirement is one complete copy of the material, that is, the CD-ROM, the operating software, and any manual(s) accompanying it. If registration is sought for the computer program on the CD-ROM, the deposit should also include a printout of the first 25 and last 25 pages of source code for the program.
For information about group registration of serials, request
In the case of works reproduced in three-dimensional copies, identifying material such as photographs or drawings is ordinarily required. Other examples of special deposit requirements (but by no means an exhaustive list) include many works of the visual arts such as greeting cards, toys, fabrics, oversized materials (request Circular 40a, "Deposit Requirements for Registration of Claims to Copyright in Visual Arts Material"); video games and other machine-readable audiovisual works (request Circular 61); automated databases (request Circular 65, "Copyright Registration for Automated Databases"); and contributions to collective works. For information about deposit requirements for group registration of serials, request Circular 62, "Copyright Registration for Serials on Form SE."
If you are unsure of the deposit requirement for your work, write or call the Copyright Office and describe the work you wish to register.
Under the following conditions, a work may be registered in unpublished form as a "collection," with one application form and one fee:
The elements of the collection are assembled in an orderly form;
The combined elements bear a single title identifying the collection as a whole;
The copyright claimant in all the elements and in the collection as a whole is the same; and
All the elements are by the same author, or, if they are by different authors, at least one of the authors has contributed copyrightable authorship to each element.
An unpublished collection is not indexed under the individual titles of the contents but under the title of the collection.
A copyright registration is effective on the date the Copyright Office receives all the required elements in acceptable form, regardless of how long it then takes to process the application and mail the certificate of registration. The time the Copyright Office requires to process an application varies, depending on the amount of material the Office is receiving.
If you apply for copyright registration, you will not receive an acknowledgment that your application has been received (the Office receives more than 600,000 applications annually), but you can expect:
* A letter or a telephone call from a Copyright Office staff member if further information is needed or
* A certificate of registration indicating that the work has been registered, or if the application cannot be accepted, a letter explaining why it has been rejected.
Requests to have certificates available for pickup in the Public Information Office or to have certificates sent by Federal Express or another mail service cannot be honored.
If you want to know the date that the Copyright Office receives your material, send it by registered or certified mail and request a return receipt.
To correct an error in a copyright registration or to amplify the
information given in a registration, file a supplementary
registration form-Form CA-with the Copyright Office. The information
in a supplementary registration augments but does not supersede that
contained in the earlier registration. Note also that a
supplementary registration is not a substitute for an original
registration, for a renewal registration, or for recording a
transfer of ownership. For further information about supplementary
registration, request
Although a copyright registration is not required, the Copyright Act establishes a mandatory deposit requirement for works published in the United States. See the definition of "publication" on page 3. In general, the owner of copyright or the owner of the exclusive right of publication in the work has a legal obligation to deposit in the Copyright Office, within 3 months of publication in the United States, two copies (or in the case of sound recordings, two phonorecords) for the use of the Library of Congress. Failure to make the deposit can result in fines and other penalties but does not affect copyright protection.
Certain categories of works are exempt entirely from the mandatory
deposit requirements, and the obligation is reduced for certain
other categories. For further information about mandatory deposit,
request
For works published in the United States, the copyright code contains a provision under which a single deposit can be made to satisfy both the deposit requirements for the Library and the registration requirements. In order to have this dual effect, the copies or phonorecords must be accompanied by the prescribed application form and filing fee.
The following persons are legally entitled to submit an application form:
THE AUTHOR. This is either the person who actually created the work or, if the work was made for hire, the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared.
THE COPYRIGHT CLAIMANT. The copyright claimant is defined in Copyright Office regulations as either the author of the work or a person or organization that has obtained ownership of all the rights under the copyright initially belonging to the author. This category includes a person or organization who has obtained by contract the right to claim legal title to the copyright in an application for copyright registration.
THE OWNER OF EXCLUSIVE RIGHT(S). Under the law, any of the exclusive rights that go to make up a copyright and any subdivision of them can be transferred and owned separately, even though the transfer may be limited in time or place of effect. The term "copyright owner" with respect to any one of the exclusive rights contained in a copyright refers to the owner of that particular right. Any owner of an exclusive right may apply for registration of a claim in the work.
THE DULY AUTHORIZED AGENT of such author, other copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive right(s). Any person authorized to act on behalf of the author, other copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive rights may apply for registration.
There is no requirement that applications be prepared or filed by an attorney.
Form PA:
for published and unpublished works of the performing arts (musical
and dramatic works, pantomimes and choreographic works, motion
pictures and other audiovisual works)
Form SE:
for serials, works issued or intended to be issued in successive
parts bearing numerical or chronological designations and intended
to be continued indefinitely (periodicals, newspapers, magazines,
newsletters, annuals, journals, etc.)
Form SR:
for published and unpublished sound recordings
Form TX:
for published and unpublished non-dramatic literary works
Form VA:
for published and unpublished works of the visual arts (pictorial,
graphic, and sculptural works, including architectural works)
Form G/DN:
a specialized form to register a complete month's issues of a
daily newspaper when certain conditions are met
Short Form/SE and Form SE/GROUP:
specialized SE forms for use when certain requirements are met
Short Forms TX, PA, and VA:
short versions of applications for original registration. For
further information about using the short forms, request publication
SL-7.
Form GATT and Form GATT/GRP:
specialized forms to register a claim in a work or group of related
works in which U.S. copyright was restored under the 1994 Uruguay
Round Agreements Act (URAA). For further information, request
Circular 38b.
Form RE:
for claims to renew copyright in works copyrighted under the law in
effect through December 31, 1977 (1909 Copyright Act)
Form CA:
for supplementary registration to correct or amplify information
given in the Copyright Office record of an earlier registration
Form GR/CP:
an adjunct application to be used for registration of a group of
contributions to periodicals in addition to an application Form TX,
PA, or VA
Library of Congress Copyright Office Publications Section, LM-455 101 Independence Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
Or you may obtain
You must have _Adobe Acrobat Reader_ (R) installed on your computer to view and print the forms. Adobe Acrobat Reader may be downloaded free from Adobe Systems Incorporated through links from the same Internet site from which the forms are available.
Print forms head to head (top of page 2 is directly behind the top of page 1) on a single piece of good quality, 8 1 /2-inch by 11-inch white paper. To achieve the best quality copies of the application forms, use a laser printer.
All remittances should be in the form of drafts, that is, checks, money orders, or bank drafts, payable to: Register of Copyrights. Do not send cash. Drafts must be redeemable without service or exchange fee through a U. S. institution, must be payable in U.S. dollars, and must be imprinted with American Banking Association routing numbers. International Money Orders and Postal Money Orders that are negotiable only at a post office are not acceptable.
If a check received in payment of the filing fee is returned to the Copyright Office as uncollectible, the Copyright Office will cancel the registration and will notify the remitter.
The filing fee for processing an original, supplementary, or renewal claim is nonrefundable, whether or not copyright registration is ultimately made.
The records of the Copyright Office are open for inspection and
searching by the public. Moreover, on request, the Copyright Office
will search its records for you at the statutory rate of $20 for
each hour or fraction of an hour. (See
Copyright Office records in machine-readable form cataloged from January 1, 1978, to the present, including registration and renewal information and recorded documents, are now available for searching on the Internet. These files may be examined through _LOCIS_ (Library of Congress Information System). Access to LOCIS requires Telnet support. If your online service provider supports Telnet, you can connect to LOCIS through the World Wide Web or directly by using Telnet.
World Wide Web: http://www.loc.gov/copyright
Telnet: _locis.loc.gov_
Gopher: marvel.loc.gov (port 70)
If your online service provider does not support Telnet, address your concerns directly to the provider.
To request Copyright Office publications including application forms and circulars, write to:
Library of Congress Copyright Office Publications Section, LM-455 101 Independence Avenue, S.E. Washington, D.C. 20559-6000
There is no charge for circulars and application forms supplied by the Copyright Office.
To speak with an information specialist, call (202) 707-3000 or TTY: (202) 707-6737, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, eastern time, except Federal holidays. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day.
Selected circulars and announcements are available via fax. Call (202) 707-2600 from any touchtone telephone. Key in your fax number at the prompt and the document number of the item(s) you want. The item(s) will be transmitted to your fax machine. If you do not know the document number of the item(s) you want, you may request that a menu be faxed to you. You may order up to three items at a time. Note that copyright application forms are not available by fax.
Frequently requested Copyright Office circulars, announcements, regulations, and all copyright application forms are available at the Internet address cited above. For a list of other material published by the Copyright Office, request Circular 2, "Publications on Copyright."
The Copyright Office provides a free electronic mailing list, NewsNet, that issues periodic email messages on the subject of copyright. The messages alert subscribers to hearings, deadlines for comments, new and proposed regulations, new publications, and other copyright-related subjects of interest. NewsNet is not an interactive discussion group. To subscribe, send a message to LISTSERV@RS8.LOC.GOV. In the body of the message say: SUBSCRIBE USCOPYRIGHT. You will receive a standard welcoming message indicating that your subscription to NewsNet has been accepted.
The Copyright Public Information Office is open to the public 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, eastern time, except Federal holidays. The office is located in the Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building, Room 401, at 101 Independence Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C., near the Capitol South Metro stop. Information specialists are available to answer questions, provide circulars, and accept applications for registration. Access for disabled individuals is at the front door on Independence Avenue, S.E.
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PLEASE NOTE! NOTHING on this website is intended to diagnose, treat or cure ANY illness or disease; nor to prescribe, endorse, OR EVEN RECOMMEND any substance, therapy or other health care choice. All material is provided as INFORMATION ONLY for the exclusive use of persons wishing to take greater PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for their body and health or those desiring to defend the reasonableness of doing so. While based on sources believed by the editor to be reliable, all statements not directly quoted and referenced to other sources should be considered merely one person's unorthodox opinion. |
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