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Copyright Guide: Register your work!

Steps to Registering your Work

  

     The Library of Congress and the Electronic Copyright Office both offer means to register your works.

 

Steps to Registering your Work

Here's how it's done:

  • CREATE !

    You've created something-whether research or a creative expression, that you want to Copyright:

  • REGISTER YOUR COPYRIGHT

    Complete an application
    Include the correct fee
    Include nonreturnable copies (usually, one for unpublished and two for published)

  • SEND THE PACKAGE TO:

    Library of Congress
    Copyright Office
    101 Independence Avenue, SE.
    Washington, D.C. 20559 6000

  • The Copyright Office receives your package, and your registration becomes effective on that day. We receive about 2,400 submissions each business day.
  • Our financial department processes your payment.
  • We examine your application and deposit and make sure they're acceptable and meet the requirements of Copyright law and regulations.
  • Your registration is assigned a number and a certificate of registration is issued. You'll receive that certificate in the mail about 4 months after you submit your package.
  • Catalogers create an online, searchable public record of your registration.
  • For more information, please visit: www.copyright.gov

 The Electronic Copyright Office 

Offers a faster, less expensive, and trackable means for securing copyright.  Read throught the tutorial below for details on how to secure copyright using the Electronic Copyright form.