Circular 1

Copyright Basics

What Is Copyright?

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States

(title 17, U.S.Code) to the authors of original works of authorship, including
literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This
protection is available to both published and unpublished works. Section 106
of the 1976 Copyright Act generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive
right to do and to authorize others to do the following:
reproduce the work in copies or phonorecords
prepare derivative works based upon the work
distribute copies or phonorecords of the work to the public by sale or other
transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending
perform the work publicly, in the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and
choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audio
visual works
display the 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
perform the work publicly (in the case of sound recordings*) by means of
adigital audio transmission

In addition, certain authors of works of visual art have the rights of attribu
tion and integrity as described in section 106A of the 1976 Copyright Act. For
further information, see 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
law to the owner of copyright. These rights, however, are not unlimited in
scope. Sections 107 through 122 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 infor
mation about the limitations of any of these rights, consult the copyright law or
write to the Copyright Office.

*note: 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

2 1.0810
 Copyright Basics 2

examples include recordings of music, drama, or lectures. A Minors may claim copyright, but state laws may regulate
sound recording is not the same as a phonorecord. A phono- the business dealings involving copyrights owned by
record is the physical object in which works of authorship are minors. For information on relevant state laws, consult an
embodied. The word phonorecord includes cassette tapes, attorney.
CDs, and vinyl disks as well as other formats.

Copyright and National Origin of the Work

Who Can Claim Copyright?
Copyright protection is available for all unpublished works,
Copyright protection subsists from the time the work is cre regardless of the nationality or domicile of the author.
ated in fixed form. The copyright in the work of authorship Published works are eligible for copyright protection in the
immediately becomes the property of the author who cre United States if any one of the following conditions is met:
ated the work. Only the author or those deriving their rights
On the date of first publication, one or more of the
through the author can rightfully claim copyright.
authors is a national or domiciliary of the United States,
In the case of works made for hire, the employer and not
or is a national, domiciliary, or sovereign authority of a
the employee is considered to be the author. Section 101 of
treaty party,* or is a stateless person wherever that person
the copyright law defines a work made for hire as:
may be domiciled; or
1 a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or
her employment; or The work is first published in the United States or in a
foreign nation that, on the date of first publication, is a
2 a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as: treaty party. For purposes of this condition, a work that is
a contribution to a collective work published in the United States or a treaty party within 30
a part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work days after publication in a foreign nation that is not a
a translation treaty party shall be considered to be first published in the
a supplementary work United States or such treaty party, as the case may be; or
a compilation The work is a sound recording that was first fixed in a
an instructional text treaty party; or
a test The work is a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work that
answer material for a test is incorporated in a building or other structure, or an
an atlas architectural work that is embodied in a building and the
building or structure is located in the United States or a
if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument
treaty party; or
signed by them that the work shall be considered a work
made for hire. The work is first published by the United Nations or
any of its specialized agencies, or by the Organization of
The authors of a joint work are co-owners of the copyright
American States; or
in the work, unless there is an agreement to the contrary.
Copyright in each separate contribution to a periodical The work is a foreign work that was in the public domain
or other collective work is distinct from copyright in the col in the United States prior to 1996 and its copyright was
lective work as a whole and vests initially with the author of restored under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act
the contribution. (URAA). See Circular 38b, Highlights of Copyright Amend-
ments Contained in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act
Two General Principles (URAA-GATT), for further information.
Mere ownership of a book, manuscript, painting, or any The work comes within the scope of a presidential
other copy or phonorecord does not give the possessor proclamation.
the copyright. The law provides that transfer of ownership
of any material object that embodies a protected work *A treaty party is a country or intergovernmental organization
does not of itself convey any rights in the copyright. other than the United States that is a party to an interna-
tional agreement.
 Copyright Basics 3

What Works Are Protected? in the Copyright Office is required to secure copyright. See the
following note. There are, however, certain definite advantages
Copyright protects original works of authorship that are to registration. See Copyright Registration on page 7.
fixed in a tangible form of expression. The fixation need not Copyright is secured automatically when the work is cre
be directly perceptible so long as it may be communicated ated, and a work is created when it is fixed in a copy or
with the aid of a machine or device. Copyrightable works phonorecord for the first time. Copies are material objects
include the following categories: from which a work can be read or visually perceived either
1 literary works directly or with the aid of a machine or device, such as books,
2 musical works, including any accompanying words manuscripts, sheet music, film, videotape, or microfilm.
3 dramatic works, including any accompanying music Phonorecords are material objects embodying fixations of
4 pantomimes and choreographic works sounds (excluding, by statutory definition, motion picture
soundtracks), such as cassette tapes, CDs, or vinyl disks.
5 pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
Thus, for example, a song (the work) can be fixed in sheet
6 motion pictures and other audiovisual works
music (copies) or in phonograph disks (phonorecords),
7 sound recordings
or both. If a work is prepared over a period of time, the part
8 architectural works of the work that is fixed on a particular date constitutes the
These categories should be viewed broadly. For example, created work as of that date.
computer programs and most compilations may be regis
tered as literary works; maps and architectural plans may
be registered as pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works. Publication

Publication is no longer the key to obtaining federal copy

What Is Not Protected by Copyright? right as it was under the Copyright Act of 1909. However,
publication remains important to copyright owners.
Several categories of material are generally not eligible for The 1976 Copyright Act defines publication as follows:
federal copyright protection. These include among others:
Publication is the distribution of copies or phonore-
Works that have not been fixed in a tangible form of cords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of
expression (for example, choreographic works that have ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending. The offering to
not been notated or recorded, or improvisational speeches distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons
or performances that have not been written or recorded) for purposes of further distribution, public performance,
Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar sym or public display constitutes publication. A public per-
bols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamen formance or display of a work does not of itself consti-
tation, lettering, or coloring; mere listings of ingredients tute publication.
or contents note: Before 1978, federal copyright was generally secured
Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, by the act of publication with notice of copyright, assuming
principles, discoveries, or devices, as distinguished from a compliance with all other relevant statutory conditions. U.S.
description, explanation, or illustration works in the public domain on January 1, 1978, (for example,
works published without satisfying all conditions for securing
Works consisting entirely of information that is common
federal copyright under the Copyright Act of 1909) remain in
property and containing no original authorship (for
the public domain under the 1976 Copyright Act.
example: standard calendars, height and weight charts,
Certain foreign works originally published without notice
tape measures and rulers, and lists or tables taken from
had their copyrights restored under the Uruguay Round
public documents or other common sources)
Agreements Act (URAA). See Circular 38b and see Notice of
Copyright section on page 4 for further information.
Federal copyright could also be secured before 1978 by the
How to Secure a Copyright
act of registration in the case of certain unpublished works
Copyright Secured Automatically upon Creation and works eligible for ad interim copyright. The 1976 Copy-
right Act automatically extended copyright protection to full
The way in which copyright protection is secured is frequently
term for all works that, as of January 1, 1978, were subject to
misunderstood. No publication or registration or other action
statutory protection.
 Copyright Basics 4

A further discussion of the definition of publication can Notice was required under the 1976 Copyright Act. This
be found in the legislative history of the 1976 Copyright requirement was eliminated when the United States adhered
Act. The legislative reports define to the public as distri to the Berne Convention, effective March 1, 1989. Although
bution to persons under no explicit or implicit restrictions works published without notice before that date could have
with respect to disclosure of the contents. The reports state entered the public domain in the United States, the Uruguay
that the definition makes it clear that the sale of phonore Round Agreements Act (URAA) restores copyright in certain
cords constitutes publication of the underlying work, for foreign works originally published without notice. For fur
example, the musical, dramatic, or literary work embodied ther information about copyright amendments in the URAA,
in a phonorecord. The reports also state that it is clear that see Circular 38b.
any form of dissemination in which the material object does The Copyright Office does not take a position on whether
not change hands, for example, performances or displays on copies of works first published with notice before March 1,
television, is not a publication no matter how many people 1989, which are distributed on or after March 1, 1989, must
are exposed to the work. However, when copies or phono- bear the copyright notice.
records are offered for sale or lease to a group of wholesalers, Use of the notice may be important because it informs
broadcasters, or motion picture theaters, publication does the public that the work is protected by copyright, identifies
take place if the purpose is further distribution, public per the copyright owner, and shows the year of first publication.
formance, or public display. Furthermore, in the event that a work is infringed, if a proper
Publication is an important concept in the copyright law notice of copyright appears on the published copy or copies to
for several reasons: which a defendant in a copyright infringement suit had access,
Works that are published in the United States are subject then no weight shall be given to such a defendants interposi
to mandatory deposit with the Library of Congress. See tion of a defense based on innocent infringement in mitigation
discussion on Mandatory Deposit for Works Published in of actual or statutory damages, except as provided in section
the United States on page 10. 504(c)(2) of the copyright law. Innocent infringement occurs
when the infringer did not realize that the work was protected.
Publication of a work can affect the limitations on the The use of the copyright notice is the responsibility of the
exclusive rights of the copyright owner that are set forth copyright owner and does not require advance permission
in sections 107 through 122 of the law. from, or registration with, the Copyright Office.
The year of publication may determine the duration of
copyright protection for anonymous and pseudonymous Form of Notice for Visually Perceptible Copies
works (when the authors identity is not revealed in the rec The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain all
ords of the Copyright Office) and for works made for hire. the following three elements:
Deposit requirements for registration of published works 1 The symbol (the letter C in a circle), or the word
differ from those for registration of unpublished works. Copyright, or the abbreviation Copr.; and
See discussion on Registration Procedures on page 7. 2 The year of first publication of the work. In the case of
When a work is published, it may bear a notice of copy compilations or derivative works incorporating previously
right to identify the year of publication and the name of published material, the year date of first publication of
the copyright owner and to inform the public that the the compilation or derivative work is sufficient. The year
work is protected by copyright. Copies of works pub date may be omitted where a pictorial, graphic, or sculp
lished before March 1, 1989, must bear the notice or risk tural work, with accompanying textual matter, if any, is
loss of copyright protection. See discussion on Notice of reproduced in or on greeting cards, postcards, stationery,
Copyright below. 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
Notice of Copyright generally known alternative designation of the owner.
Example: 2010 John Doe
The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under
U.S. law, although it is often beneficial. Because prior law did The C in a circle notice is used only on visually percep
contain such a requirement, however, the use of notice is still tible copies. Certain kinds of worksfor example, musical,
relevant to the copyright status of older works. dramatic, and literary worksmay be fixed not in copies
 Copyright Basics 5

but by means of sound in an audio recording. Since audio Copies of works published before March 1, 1989, that con
recordings such as audio tapes and phonograph disks are sist primarily of one or more works of the U.S. government
phonorecords and not copies, the C in a circle notice is should have a notice and the identifying statement.
not used to indicate protection of the underlying musical,
dramatic, or literary work that is recorded. Unpublished Works
The author or copyright owner may wish to place a copyright
Form of Notice for Phonorecords of Sound Recordings notice on any unpublished copies or phonorecords that leave
The notice for phonorecords embodying a sound recording his or her control.
should contain all the following three elements:
Example: Unpublished work 2008 Jane Doe
1 The symbol (the letter P in a circle); and
2 The year of first publication of the sound recording; and Omission of Notice and Errors in Notice

3 The name of the owner of copyright in the sound The 1976 Copyright Act attempted to ameliorate the strict
recording, or an abbreviation by which the name can be consequences of failure to include notice under prior law. It
recognized, or a generally known alternative designation contained provisions that set out specific corrective steps
of the owner. If the producer of the sound recording is to cure omissions or certain errors in notice. Under these
named on the phonorecord label or container and if no provisions, an applicant had five years after publication to
other name appears in conjunction with the notice, the cure omission of notice or certain errors. Although these
producers name shall be considered a part of the notice. provisions are technically still in the law, their impact has
been limited by the amendment making notice optional for
Example: 2010 A.B.C. Records Inc. all works published on and after March 1, 1989. For further
information, see Circular 3.
note: Since questions may arise from the use of variant
forms of the notice, you may wish to seek legal advice before
using any form of the notice other than those given here.
How Long Copyright Protection Endures
Position of Notice
Works Originally Created on or after January 1, 1978
The copyright notice should be affixed to copies or phonore
A work that was created (fixed in tangible form for the first
cords in such a way as to give reasonable notice of the claim
time) on or after January 1, 1978, is automatically protected
of copyright. The three elements of the notice should ordi
from the moment of its creation and is ordinarily given a
narily appear together on the copies or phonorecords or on
term enduring for the authors life plus an additional 70
the phonorecord label or container. The Copyright Office
years after the authors death. In the case of a joint work
has issued regulations concerning the form and position of
prepared by two or more authors who did not work for hire,
the copyright notice in the Code of Federal Regulations (37 CFR
the term lasts for 70 years after the last surviving authors
201.20). For more information, see Circular 3, Copyright Notice.
death. For works made for hire, and for anonymous and
Publications Incorporating U.S. Government Works pseudonymous works (unless the authors identity is revealed
in Copyright Office records), the duration of copyright will
Works by the U.S. government are not eligible for U.S. copy
be 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation,
right protection. For works published on and after March
whichever is shorter.
1, 1989, the previous notice requirement for works consist
ing primarily of one or more U.S. government works has
been eliminated. However, use of a notice on such a work Works Originally Created Before January 1, 1978,
will defeat a claim of innocent infringement as previously But Not Published or Registered by That Date
described provided the notice also includes a statement that These works have been automatically brought under the stat
identifies either those portions of the work in which copy ute and are now given federal copyright protection. The du
right is claimed or those portions that constitute U.S. gov ration of copyright in these works is generally computed in
ernment material. the same way as for works created on or after January 1, 1978:
Example: 2010 Jane Brown the life-plus-70 or 95/120-year terms apply to them as well.
Copyright claimed in chapters 710, The law provides that in no case would the term of copyright
exclusive of U.S. government maps for works in this category expire before December 31, 2002,
 Copyright Basics 6

and for works published on or before December 31, 2002, the Copyright is a personal property right, and it is subject to
term of copyright will not expire before December 31, 2047. the various state laws and regulations that govern the owner
ship, inheritance, or transfer of personal property as well as
Works Originally Created and Published or Registered terms of contracts or conduct of business. For information
before January 1, 1978 about relevant state laws, consult an attorney.
Under the law in effect before 1978, copyright was secured Transfers of copyright are normally made by contract. The
either on the date a work was published with a copyright Copyright Office does not have any forms for such transfers.
notice or on the date of registration if the work was reg The law does provide for the recordation in the Copyright
istered in unpublished form. In either case, the copyright Office of transfers of copyright ownership. Although recor
endured for a first term of 28 years from the date it was dation is not required to make a valid transfer between the
secured. During the last (28th) year of the first term, the parties, it does provide certain legal advantages and may be
copyright was eligible for renewal. The Copyright Act of 1976 required to validate the transfer as against third parties. For
extended the renewal term from 28 to 47 years for copyrights information on recordation of transfers and other docu
that were subsisting on January 1, 1978, or for pre-1978 copy ments related to copyright, see Circular 12, Recordation of
rights restored under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act Transfers and Other Documents.
(URAA), making these works eligible for a total term of pro
tection of 75 years. Public Law 105-298, enacted on October Termination of Transfers
27, 1998, further extended the renewal term of copyrights Under the previous law, the copyright in a work reverted to
still subsisting on that date by an additional 20 years, provid the author, if living, or if the author was not living, to other
ing for a renewal term of 67 years and a total term of protec specified beneficiaries, provided a renewal claim was regis
tion of 95 years. tered in the 28th year of the original term.* The present law
Public Law 102-307, enacted on June 26, 1992, amended drops the renewal feature except for works already in the first
the 1976 Copyright Act to provide for automatic renewal of term of statutory protection when the present law took effect.
the term of copyrights secured between January 1, 1964, and Instead, the present law permits termination of a grant of
December 31, 1977. Although the renewal term is automati rights after 35 years under certain conditions by serving writ
cally provided, the Copyright Office does not issue a renewal ten notice on the transferee within specified time limits.
certificate for these works unless a renewal application and For works already under statutory copyright protection
fee are received and registered in the Copyright Office. before 1978, the present law provides a similar right of ter
Public Law 102-307 makes renewal registration optional. mination covering the newly added years that extended the
Thus, filing for renewal registration is no longer required former maximum term of the copyright from 56 to 95 years.
to extend the original 28-year copyright term to the full 95 For further information, see circulars 15a and 15t.
years. However, some benefits accrue to renewal registrations
that were made during the 28th year. *note: The copyright in works eligible for renewal on or after
For more detailed information on renewal of copyright June 26, 1992, will vest in the name of the renewal claimant
and the copyright term, see Circular 15, Renewal of Copyright; on the effective date of any renewal registration made during
Circular 15a, Duration of Copyright; and Circular 15t, Exten- the 28th year of the original term. Otherwise, the renewal
sion of Copyright Terms. copyright will vest in the party entitled to claim renewal as of
December 31st of the 28th year.

Transfer of Copyright
International Copyright Protection
Any or all of the copyright owners exclusive rights or any
subdivision of those rights may be transferred, but the trans There is no such thing as an international copyright that
fer of exclusive rights is not valid unless that transfer is in will automatically protect an authors writings throughout
writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or the entire world. Protection against unauthorized use in a
such owners duly authorized agent. Transfer of a right on a particular country depends, basically, on the national laws of
nonexclusive basis does not require a written agreement. that country. However, most countries do offer protection to
A copyright may also be conveyed by operation of law and foreign works under certain conditions, and these conditions
may be bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by have been greatly simplified by international copyright trea
the applicable laws of intestate succession. ties and conventions. For further information and a list of
 Copyright Basics 7

countries that maintain copyright relations with the United copy or copies of the work being registered and deposited
States, see Circular 38a, International Copyright Relations of with the Copyright Office.
the United States. If you apply online for copyright registration, you will
receive an email saying that your application was received.
If you apply for copyright registration using a paper appli
Copyright Registration cation, you will not receive an acknowledgment that your
application has been received (the Office receives more than
In general, copyright registration is a legal formality intended 600,000 applications annually). With either online or paper
to make a public record of the basic facts of a particular copy applications, you can expect:
right. However, registration is not a condition of copyright a letter, telephone call or email from a Copyright Office
protection. Even though registration is not a requirement for staff member if further information is needed or
protection, the copyright law provides several inducements
a certificate of registration indicating that the work has
or advantages to encourage copyright owners to make regis
been registered, or if the application cannot be accepted,
tration. Among these advantages are the following:
aletter explaining why it has been rejected.
Registration establishes a public record of the copyright
claim. Requests to have certificates available for pickup in the
Public Information Office or to have certificates sent by Fed
Before an infringement suit may be filed in court, regis
eral Express or another mail service cannot be honored.
tration is necessary for works of U.S. origin.
If you apply using a paper application and you want to
If made before or within five years of publication, regis know the date that the Copyright Office receives your mate
tration will establish prima facie evidence in court of rial, send it by registered or certified mail and request a
the validity of the copyright and of the facts stated in return receipt.
the certificate. Here are the options for registering your copyright, begin
If registration is made within three months after publica ning with the fastest and most cost-effective method.
tion of the work or prior to an infringement of the work,
statutory damages and attorneys fees will be available to Option 1: Online Registration
the copyright owner in court actions. Otherwise, only an Online registration through the electronic Copyright Office
award of actual damages and profits is available to the (eCO) is the preferred way to register basic claims for literary
copyright owner. works; visual arts works; performing arts works, including
Registration allows the owner of the copyright to record motion pictures; sound recordings; and single serials. Advan
the registration with the U.S. Customs Service for pro tages of online filing include the following:
tection against the importation of infringing copies. For lower filing fee
additional information, go to the U.S. Customs and fastest processing time
Border Protection website at www.cbp.gov/.
online status tracking
Registration may be made at any time within the life of secure payment by credit or debit card, electronic check,
the copyright. Unlike the law before 1978, when a work has or Copyright Office deposit account
been registered in unpublished form, it is not necessary to ability to upload certain categories of deposits directly
make another registration when the work becomes published, into eCO as electronic files
although the copyright owner may register the published
edition, if desired. note: You can still register using eCO and save money even if
you will submit a hard-copy deposit, which is required under
the mandatory deposit requirements for certain published
Registration Procedures works. The system will prompt you to specify whether you
intend to submit an electronic or a hard-copy deposit, and it
Filing an Original Claim to Copyright with the will provide instructions accordingly.
U.S. Copyright Office
Basic claims include (1) a single work; (2) multiple unpub
An application for copyright registration contains three lished works if the elements are assembled in an orderly form;
essential elements: a completed application form, a nonre the combined elements bear a single title identifying the
fundable filing fee, and a nonreturnable depositthat is, a
 Copyright Basics 8

collection as a whole; the copyright claimant in all the ele to periodicals); Form SE/Group (serials); and Form G/DN
ments and in the collection as a whole is the same; and all (daily newspapers and newsletters)
the elements are by the same author, or, if they are by dif
To access these forms, go to the Copyright Office website
ferent authors, at least one of the authors has contributed
and click on Forms or call the Copyright Office. Informa
copyrightable authorship to each element; and (3) multiple
tional circulars about these types of applications and cur
published works if they are all first published together in the
rent registration fees are available on the Copyright Office
same publication on the same date and owned by the same
website or by phone.
claimant.
To access eCO, go to the Copyright Office website at www. note: Complete the application form using black ink pen or
copyright.gov and click on electronic Coyright Office. type. You may photocopy blank application forms. However,
photocopied forms submitted to the Copyright Office must be
Option 2: Registration with Fill-In Form CO clear, legible, on a good grade of 8V"*11" white paper suitable
The next best option for registering basic claims is the fill-in for automatic feeding through a photocopier. The forms should
Form CO. Using barcode scanning technology, the Office can be printed, preferably in black ink, head-to-head so that when
process these Form CO submissions more efficiently than type- you turn the sheet over, the top of page 2 is directly behind
or hand-written paper forms. Simply complete Form CO on the top of page 1. Forms not meeting these requirements may
your personal computer, print it out, and mail it along with a be returned, resulting in delayed registration. You must have
check or money order and your a copy(ies) of the work being Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view
registered. To access Form CO, go to the Copyright Office and print the forms accessed on the Internet. Adobe Acrobat
website and click on Forms. Do not save your filled-out Form Reader may be downloaded free from www.copyright.gov.
CO and reuse it for another registration. The barcode it con
tains is unique for each work that you register. Mailing Addresses for Applications Filed on
Paper and for Hard-copy Deposits
note: Make sure your Form CO has a barcode on each page.
Library of Congress
Do not use screen shots to create your Form CO.
U.S. Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue SE
Option 3: Registration with Paper Forms
Washington, DC 20559-****
Paper versions of Form TX (literary works); Form VA (visual
arts works); Form PA (performing arts works, including To expedite the processing of your claim, use the address
motion pictures); Form SR (sound recordings); and Form SE above with the zip code extension for your type of work:
(single serials) are still available. They are not available on the
6222 for literary work
Copyright Office website; however, staff will send them to
6211 for visual arts work
you by postal mail upon request. Remember that online reg
6233 for performing arts work
istration through eCO and fill-in Form CO (see above) can
6238 for motion picture or other audiovisual work
be used for the categories of works applicable to Forms TX,
6237 for sound recording
VA, PA, SR, and SE.
6226 for single serial issue
6601 for works sent in response to a mandatory deposit notice
Types of Applications that Must Be Completed on Paper
Certain applications must be completed on paper and Filing a Renewal Registration
mailed to the Copyright Office with the appropriate fee and
To register a renewal, send the following:
deposit. Forms for these applications include
1 a properly completed application Form RE and, if neces
Form D-VH for registration of vessel hull designs
sary, Form RE Addendum, and
Form MW for registration of mask works
2 a nonrefundable filing fee* for each application and each
Form GATT for registration of works in which the U.S. Addendum. Each Addendum form must be accompanied
copyright was restored under the 1994 Uruguay Round by a deposit representing the work being renewed. See
Agreements Act Circular 15, Renewal of Copyright.
Form RE for renewal of copyright claims, and
Forms for group submissions, including Form GR/PPh/
CON (published photographs); Form GR/CP (contributions
 Copyright Basics 9

*note: For current information on fees, please check the Special Deposit Requirements
Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov, write the Special deposit requirements exist for many types of works.
Copyright Office, or call (202) 707-3000. The following are prominent examples of exceptions to the
general deposit requirements:
Deposit Requirements
If the work is a motion picture, the deposit requirement
If you file an application for copyright registration online
is one complete copy of the unpublished or published
using eCO, you may in some cases attach an electronic copy
motion picture and a separate written description of its
of your deposit. If you do not have an electronic copy or
contents, such as a continuity, press book, or synopsis.
if you must send a hard copy or copies of your deposit to
comply with the best edition requirements for published If the work is a literary, dramatic, or musical work pub
works, you must print out a shipping slip, attach it to your lished only in a phonorecord, the deposit requirement is
deposit, and mail the deposit to the Copyright Office. If you one complete phonorecord.
use Form CO, you must mail the form, fee, and deposit in If the work is an unpublished or published computer pro
the same package. Send the deposit, fee, and paper registra gram, the deposit requirement is one visually perceptible
tion form packaged together to: copy in source code of the first 25 and last 25 pages of
Library of Congress the program. For a program of fewer than 50 pages, the
U.S. Copyright Office deposit is a copy of the entire program. For more infor
101 Independence Avenue SE mation on computer program registration, including
Washington, DC 20559-**** deposits for revised programs and provisions for trade
secrets, see Circular 61, Copyright Registration for Com-
To expedite the processing of your claim, use the address
puter Programs.
above with the zip code extensions found above.
The hard-copy deposit of the work being registered will If the work is in a CD-ROM format, the deposit require
not be returned to you. ment is one complete copy of the material, that is, the
Thedeposit requirements vary in particular situations. CD-ROM, the operating software, and any manual(s)
The general requirements follow. Also note the information accompanying it. If registration is sought for the com
under Special Deposit Requirements in the next column. puter program on the CD-ROM, the deposit should
also include a printout of the first 25 and last 25 pages of
If the work is unpublished, one complete copy or phono
source code for the program.
record
If the work was first published in the United States on or In the case of works reproduced in three-dimensional
after January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonore copies, identifying material such as photographs or drawings
cords of the best edition is ordinarily required. Other examples of special deposit
requirements (but by no means an exhaustive list) include
If the work was first published in the United States before
many works of the visual arts such as greeting cards, toys,
January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonorecords of
fabrics, and oversized materials (see Circular 40a, Deposit
the work as first published
Requirements for Registration of Claims to Copyright in Visual
If the work was first published outside the United States, Arts Material); computer programs, video games, and other
one complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first machine-readable audiovisual works (see Circular 61); auto
published mated databases (see Circular 65, Copyright Registration for
When registering with eCO, you will receive via your Automated Databases); and contributions to collective works.
printer a shipping slip that you must include with your For information about deposit requirements for group regis
deposit that you send to the Copyright Office. This shipping tration of serials, see Circular 62, Copyright Registration for
slip is unique to your claim to copyright and will link your Serials.
deposit to your application. Do not reuse the shipping slip. If you are unsure of the deposit requirement for your
work, write or call the Copyright Office and describe the
note: It is imperative when sending multiple works that you work you wish to register.
place all applications, deposits, and fees in the same package. If
it is not possible to fit everything in one package, number each
package (e.g., 1 of 3; 2 of 4) to facilitate processing and, where
possible, attach applications to the appropriate deposits.
 Copyright Basics 10

Unpublished Collections Effective Date of Registration

Under the following conditions, a work may be registered
in unpublished form as a collection, with one application When the Copyright Office issues a registration certificate,
form and one fee: it assigns as the effective date of registration the date it
received all required elementsan application, a nonrefund
The elements of the collection are assembled in an
able filing fee, and a nonreturnable depositin acceptable
orderly form;
form, regardless of how long it took to process the applica
The combined elements bear a single title identifying the tion and mail the certificate. You do not have to receive your
collection as a whole; certificate before you publish or produce your work, nor
The copyright claimant in all the elements and in the col do you need permission from the Copyright Office to place
lection as a whole is the same; and a copyright notice on your work. However, the Copyright
All the elements are by the same author, or, if they are by Office must have acted on your application before you can
different authors, at least one of the authors has contrib file a suit for copyright infringement, and certain remedies,
uted copyrightable authorship to each element. such as statutory damages and attorneys fees, are available
only for acts of infringement that occurred after the effective
note: A Library of Congress Control Number is different from date of registration. If a published work was infringed before
a copyright registration number. The Cataloging in Publica- the effective date of registration, those remedies may also be
tion (CIP) Division of the Library of Congress is responsible for available if the effective date of registration is no later than
assigning LC Control Numbers and is operationally separate 3 months after the first publication of the work.
from the Copyright Office. A book may be registered in or
deposited with the Copyright Office but not necessarily cata-
loged and added to the Librarys collections. For information Corrections and Amplifications of
about obtaining an LC Control Number, see the following Existing Registrations
website: http://pcn.loc.gov/pcn. For information on Inter-
national Standard Book Numbering (ISBN), write to: ISBN, R.R. To correct an error in a copyright registration or to amplify
Bowker, 630 Central Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974. Call the information given in a registration, file with the Copy
(877) 310-7333. For further information and to apply online, right Office a supplementary registration Form CA together
see www.isbn.org. For information on International Stan- with the filing. Form CA may be filed in the same manners as
dard Serial Numbering (ISSN), write to: Library of Congress, described above under Registration Procedures. The infor
National Serials Data Program, Serial Record Division, mation in a supplementary registration augments but does
Washington, DC 20540-4160. Call (202) 707-6452. Orobtain not supersede that contained in the earlier registration. Note
information from www.loc.gov/issn. also that a supplementary registration is not a substitute
An unpublished collection is not indexed under the for an original registration, for a renewal registration, or for
individual titles of the contents but under the title of the recording a transfer of ownership. For further information
collection. about supplementary registration, see Circular 8, Supplemen-
tary Copyright Registration.
Filing a Preregistration
Preregistration is a service intended for works that have had a
history of prerelease infringement. To be eligible for preregis Mandatory Deposit for Works Published
tration, a work must be unpublished and must be in the pro in the United States
cess of being prepared for commercial distribution. It must
also fall within a class of works determined by the Register of Although a copyright registration is not required, the Copy
Copyrights to have had a history of infringement prior to right Act establishes a mandatory deposit requirement for
authorized commercial distribution. Preregistration is not a works published in the United States. See the definition of
substitute for registration. The preregistration application publication on page 3. In general, the owner of copyright or
Form PRE is only available online. For further information, the owner of the exclusive right of publication in the work
go to the Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov. has a legal obligation to deposit in the Copyright Office,
within three months of publication in the United States, two
copies (or in the case of sound recordings, two phonore
cords) for the use of the Library of Congress. Failure to make
 Copyright Basics 11

the deposit can result in fines and other penalties but does The duly authorized agent of such author, other copyright
not affect copyright protection. claimant, or owner of exclusive right(s). Any person author
If a registration for a claim to copyright in a published ized to act on behalf of the author, other copyright claim
work is filed online and the deposit is submitted online, the ant, or owner of exclusive rights may apply for registration.
actual physical deposit must still be submitted to satisfy
There is no requirement that applications be prepared or
mandatory deposit requirements.
filed by an attorney.
Certain categories of works are exempt entirely from
the mandatory deposit requirements, and the obligation is
reduced for certain other categories. For further informa
tion about mandatory deposit, see Circular 7d, Mandatory Fees*
Deposit of Copies or Phonorecords for the Library of Congress.
All remittances that are not made online or by deposit
account should be in the form of drafts, that is, checks,
Use of Mandatory Deposit to Satisfy money orders, or bank drafts, payable to Register of Copy-
Registration Requirements rights. Do not send cash. Drafts must be redeemable without
service or exchange fee through a U.S. institution, must be
For works published in the United States, the copyright law payable in U.S. dollars, and must be imprinted with Ameri
contains a provision under which a single deposit can be can Banking Association routing numbers. International
made to satisfy both the deposit requirements for the Library Money Orders and Postal Money Orders that are negotiable
and the registration requirements. To have this dual effect, only at a post office are not acceptable.
the copies or phonorecords must be accompanied by the pre If a check received in payment of the filing fee is returned
scribed application form and filing fee. If applicable, a copy to the Copyright Office as uncollectible, the Copyright Office
of the mandatory deposit notice must also be included with will cancel the registration and will notify the remitter.
the submission. The filing fee for processing an original, supplementary,
or renewal claim is nonrefundable, whether or not copyright
registration is ultimately made. Do not send cash. The Copy
Who May File an Application Form? right Office cannot assume any responsibility for the loss
of currency sent in payment of copyright fees. For further
The following persons are legally entitled to submit an appli information, read Circular 4, Copyright Fees.
cation form:
*note: Copyright Office fees are subject to change. For current
The author. This is either the person who actually created fees, please check the Copyright Office website at www.copy-
the work or, if the work was made for hire, the employer right.gov, write the Copyright Office, or call (202) 707-3000.
or other person for whom the work was prepared.
Certain Fees and Services May Be Charged to a Credit Card
The copyright claimant. The copyright claimant is
defined in Copyright Office regulations as either the If an application is submitted online, payment may be made
author of the work or a person or organization that has by credit card or Copyright Office deposit account. If an
obtained ownership of all the rights under the copyright application is submitted on a paper application form, the fee
initially belonging to the author. This category includes a may not be charged to a credit card.
person or organization who has obtained by contract the Some fees may be charged by telephone and in person in
right to claim legal title to the copyright in an application the office. Others may only be charged in person in the office.
for copyright registration. Fees related to items that are hand-carried into the Public
Information Office may be charged to a credit card.
The owner of exclusive right(s). Under the law, any of the
exclusive rights that make up a copyright and any subdi Records Research and Certification Section: Fees for the
vision of them can be transferred and owned separately, following can be charged in person in the Office or by
even though the transfer may be limited in time or place phone: additional certificates; copies of documents and
of effect. The term copyright owner with respect to any deposits; search and retrieval of deposits; certifications;
one of the exclusive rights contained in a copyright refers and expedited processing. In addition, fees for estimates
to the owner of that particular right. Any owner of an exclu of the cost of searching Copyright Office records and for
sive right may apply for registration of aclaim in the work. searches of the copyright facts of registrations and recor
 Copyright Basics 12

dations on a regular or expedited basis may be charged to By Telephone

a credit card by phone. For general information about copyright, call the Copyright
Public Information Office: These fees may only be charged Public Information Office at (202) 707-3000. Staff members
in person in the office, not by phone: standard regis are on duty from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, eastern time, Monday
tration request forms; special handling requests for all through Friday, except federal holidays. Recorded informa
standard registration requests; requests for services pro tion is available 24 hours a day. If you want to request paper
vided by the Records, Research, and Certification Section application forms or circulars, call the Forms and Publica
when the request is accompanied by a request for special tions Hotline at (202) 707-9100 and leave a recorded message.
handling; additional fee for each claim using the same
deposit; full term retention fees; appeal fees; secure test By Regular Mail
processing fee; short fee payments when accompanied by Write to:
a remittance due notice; and online service providers fees. Library of Congress
Public Records Reading Room: On-site use of Copyright Copyright Office-COPUBS
Office computers, printers, or photocopiers can be 101 Independence Avenue SE
charged in person in the office. Washington, DC 20559-6304
Accounts Section: Deposit accounts maintained by the The Copyright Public Information Office is open to the
Accounts Section may be replenished by credit card. See public 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, eastern
Circular 5, How to Open and Maintain a Deposit Account time, except federal holidays. The office is located in the
in the Copyright Office. Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building, 101
NIE recordations and claims filed on Form GATT may be Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC, near the Capitol
paid by credit card if the card number is included in a sepa South Metro stop. Staff members are available to answer
rate letter that accompanies the form. questions, provide circulars, and accept paper applications
for registration. Access for disabled individuals is at the front
door on Independence Avenue SE.
Search of Copyright Office Records The Copyright Office may not give legal advice. If you
need information or guidance on matters such as disputes
The records of the Copyright Office are open for inspection over copyright ownership, suits against possible infringers,
and searching by the public. Upon request and payment of procedures for publishing a work, or methods of obtaining
a fee,* the Copyright Office will search its records for you. royalty payments, you may need to consult an attorney.
For information on searching the Office records concerning
note: The Copyright Office provides a free electronic mail-
the copyright status or ownership of a work, see Circular 22,
ing list, NewsNet, that issues periodic email messages on the
How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work, and Circu
subject of copyright. The messages alert subscribers to hear-
lar 23, The Copyright Card Catalog and the Online Files of the
ings, deadlines for comments, new and proposed regulations,
Copyright Office.
updates on eService, and other copyright-related subjects of
Copyright Office records in machine-readable form cata
interest. NewsNet is not an interactive discussion group. Sub-
loged from January 1, 1978, to the present, including registra
scribe to the Copyright Office free electronic mailing list via
tion and renewal information and recorded documents, are
the Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov. Click on
available for searching on the Copyright Office website at
News. You will receive a standard welcoming message indicat-
www.copyright.gov.
ing that your subscription to NewsNet has been accepted.

For Further Information

By Internet
Circulars, announcements, regulations, certain application
forms, and other materials are available from the Copyright
Office website at www.copyright.gov. To send an email com
munication, click on Contact Us at the bottom of the home
page.

U.S.CopyrightOffice LibraryofCongress 101IndependenceAvenueSE Washington,DC20559-6000 www.copyright.gov

circular 1 rev: 08 2010 (20110629) Printed on recycled paper u.s. government printing office: 2010-xxx-xxx x x,xxx