How Long Does It Take To Register A Copyright

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Pace-by-Step Guide: How to Annals a Copyright

Formal registration of a copyright is non required to receive protection under U.S. law, since an author is entitled to copyright protection from the moment of the creation of a piece of work in a tangible format. Nevertheless, formal registration with the Us Copyright Office is required in social club to bring arrange against an alleged infringer. In the outcome of a successful litigation, registration also allows an writer to recover statutory damages and chaser'southward fees from the infringer.

Filing a Copyright Application

There are three parts to filing a copyright application.

First, you must complete an application.
Second, you must pay a fee.
Third, you must postal service a physical copy, or upload a digital copy, of the work to the Copyright Office.

Completing the Application

Step 1: Create an Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) account at https://eco.copyright.gov/

Stride 2: Nether "Copyright Registration," click "Register a New Merits."

Stride 3: Select "Aye" or "No" for each of the below statements. Note that an answer of "No" for any of the below questions requires that your work be registered as a "Standard Application."[1] Click "Start Registration."

Step 4: Select your "Type of Work" from the drib-downward menu. Once selected, a cursory clarification of your "type of work" volition announced beneath. Click the box below to confirm your pick. Click "Continue" when complete.
- For films or other audiovisual works, including feature films, documentary films, animated films, tv shows, videos, webisodes, or videogames select "Motion Pic/AV Work."
- For screenplays, scripts, pantomimes or other dramatic works select "Work of the Performing Arts."
- For musical works (with or without lyrics) or choreographic works select "Work of the Performing Arts."
- For sound recordings and their underlying dramatic, literary, or musical works select "Sound Recording." Conduct in mind that the claimant must own all rights in both the sound recording and underlying works.
- For books or other literary works, including fiction, nonfiction, verse, textbooks, reference works, directories, and catalogs select "Literary Piece of work."
- For individual problems of a series intended to be connected indefinitely—including periodicals, newspapers, magazines, bulletins, newsletters, annuals, journals, proceedings of societies, and other similar works cull "Single Series Issue." Note that musical works, manuscripts, verse, single articles published within a larger piece of work, and advertising copies are not considered to be series issues.

Step half-dozen: Under the "Links" tab, click "Publication/Completion." Enter your publication status by selecting "Aye" or "No" from the drib-downwardly bill of fare. For unpublished works, enter the year your work was completed. For published works, enter the year of completion, date your work was first published, and the nation in which work was first published. Click "Proceed" when complete.

Footstep 7: Under the "Links" tab, click "Author" and so "New*" to enter the writer information. The writer may be either an individual or an entity, but not both.[2] Be sure to select either "citizenship" or "domicile." Cheque the boxes that correspond to the author'south contribution to the work (i.e., music, lyrics, text, musical arrangement, or other) and click "Save." Repeat this process to add additional authors. Click "Continue" when complete.

Stride 8: Nether the "Links" tab, click "Claimants." If y'all intend to be the sole owner of the copyright, click "Add Me." If you are non the claimant, click "New*" to enter the claimant information. Click "Continue" when complete.

Step 9: Under the "Links" tab, click "Limitation of Merits." If your work does not contain preexisting textile, leave the screen blank and click "Continue." If your work contains or is based upon previously registered material or fabric that is otherwise not owned by you lot (the claimant), cheque the boxes that correspond to the preexisting material under the "Fabric Excluded" and "New Material Included" sections.[3] Click "Continue" when consummate.

Step 10: Under the "Links" tab, click "Rights & Permissions." If you lot wish to designate an agent (e.yard., an private or organization) to grant permission to employ your work, enter his/her/its contact information in the corresponding fields. Otherwise, leave the screen blank and click "Continue."

Step eleven: Under the "Links" tab, click "Contributor." Enter the name and contact information of the individual or entity yous would like the Copyright Office to contact for whatever questions about your awarding. In one case completed, click "Go on."

Footstep 12: Under the "Links" tab, click "Post Certificate." Enter the name and address of the individual or entity to which you would like the Copyright Function to mail the registration certificate. Once completed, click "Continue."

Step 13: Nether the "Links" tab, determine whether to click "Special Handling." Special handling refers to an optional expedited mailing service that is available to applicants who have certain compelling reasons.[4] The fee for this service is $800.00. If you wish to order special handling, select the "Special Handling" box, cull a "Compelling Reason," and certify your pick. If you do not wish to order special handling, get out all of the spaces blank and click "Continue." Contact the Copyright Office for electric current processing times.

Pace 14: Under the "Links" tab, click "Certification." Bank check the box to certify that you lot are the author, authorized agent, copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive rights in the piece of work. Enter the proper name of individual certifying the application. Click "Continue" when complete.
Step 15: Under the "Links" tab, click "Review Submission." Review the information you entered for accuracy and completeness. Ensure that all boxes on the left-paw side under "Completed" are checked. Click "Add together to Cart."[5] On the next page, click "Checkout."

Selecting A Payment Method

Electronic Funds Transfer or Credit Card

Pace 1: You may pay by eCO Eolith Account, credit or debit card, or electronic funds transfer (ACH). To pay past eCO Deposit Account, click "Pay – Deposit Acct." To pay by credit card or ACH, click "Pay – Credit Card / ACH." The fee for a new copyright registration is $55.00.

Electronic Funds Transfer
- Under Option 1, navigate to "Stride 1: Enter Payment Information." Enter your proper name, account blazon, routing number, account number, and confirmation of account number. Click "Keep with ACH Payment" to go on.
Credit or Debit Card
- Under Choice 2, navigate to "Stride 1: Pay Via Plastic Menu (PC)." Provide your name, billing accost, card type, menu number, security code, and expiration engagement. Note that filing fees are not-refundable. Click "Continue with Plastic Card Payment" to go on.

Stride ii: Authorize your payment by inbound and confirming your email accost. Under "Authorization and Disclosure," check the box to qualify the charge. Click "Submit Payment" to finalize the transaction.

Copyright Office Eolith Account

Footstep 1: Contact the Copyright Office directly to set upwardly a eolith account. Enter your account number. Ostend that your contact information, including your proper noun, organisation, phone number, email address, and mailing address, is right.
Pace ii: Select the link that corresponds to your account number. Click the "Pay" icon to accuse the account. In one case complete, select "OK." Be sure to click only in one case. One time your payment is completed, you should encounter a page that says "Payment Successful."

Sending A Re-create of Your Piece of work

Uploading Your Piece of work
- Read the submission instructions on the screen. You may upload a digital copy of your piece of work directly into the organisation if it meets ane of the following criteria: 1) the work is unpublished, two) the work is published only electronically, 3) the work is a published work for which the eolith requirement is identifying textile, and 4) the work is not a published work for which there are special agreements that require a difficult-copy submission to the Library of Congress. All other classes of works must be mailed to the Copyright Office. For a list of acceptable file types, click hither.
Mailing Your Work
- For hard copy works, you lot must send a "best edition"[half dozen] re-create of your piece of work forth with an accompanying "Shipping Slip" to the Copyright Role past U.S. Postal Service or express courier. For more information on the "best edition" requirement, click hither. Note that the Copyright Function will not return these items. For packing instructions, click here. Create a Shipping Slip past clicking "Create Shipping Sideslip." Click the attachment to impress the Shipping Slip. For multiple works, you must create additional Aircraft Slips. Attach the Shipping Slips to the corresponding works and mail the piece of work(s) to the address provided on the Aircraft Slip. Equally the Copyright Office does non confirm receipt of your mailed work, be sure to request your commercial carrier to provide an acknowledgement of receipt. For more detailed information on this process, click here.
Confirming Your Submission
- Once your application has been submitted electronically, you should receive an electronic mail indicating that the Copyright Part has received it. The Copyright Office does not otherwise provide a confirmation of receipt. The processing time for electronic filings varies, but could have up to eight months. Annotation that for works that meet all of the requirements for registration, the effective date of copyright registration volition be the engagement that the Copyright Office received the completed application, payment submission, and a copy of the work in an acceptable format.
Checking the Condition of your Claim
- To check the condition of your claim, login to the eCO website, navigate to the "Open up Cases" table, and click the blue case number associated with your claim.

[one] If you respond "Yeah" to all three questions, you must register a "Unmarried Awarding." Click hither for a tutorial.

[2] If you prepared the work for an employer or other person, the piece of work is considered to be a "work made for hire." Yous must name that employer or person every bit an author on the application. Be certain to respond "yes" to the question regarding whether the piece of work is made for hire.

[3] Examples include films using previously registered music and or using previously registered screenplays for films.

[4] Examples of compelling reasons for special treatment service include but are non limited to 1) contract or publishing deadlines, 2) customs matters, or 3) pending or prospective litigation.

[5] To brainstorm another registration, click "Add together More Services" and repeat steps 1–15.

[6] More information regarding the "best addition" requirement can exist plant here.