Copyright Registration

What is a copyright?

A copyright is a form of intellectual property that gives the creator of an original creative work the exclusive legal right to control whether and under what conditions that work may be used and/or copied by others. Copyright protects a range of works such as books, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, musical recordings, plays, films, computer code, and more. The bundle of rights encompassed by a copyright gives the copyright owner control over various ways of using or exploiting the work, including reproduction, distribution, creation of derivative works, and public performance.

What is copyright registration?

Copyright registration is the process of obtaining official recognition of your copyright claim in a work from the U.S. federal government. Registration can be done online through the Registration Portal of the U.S. Copyright Office. The process typically takes around 4-5 months to complete. We charge very reasonable flat fees to handle this process for you.

Why should I register my copyrighted work?

In the United States (as in many other countries), copyright subsists the moment that you fix your original creative idea in a tangible medium of expression – e.g., on paper, in clay, in film, as computer code, etc. Registration is not mandatory. However, registration with the U.S. Copyright Office provides multiple benefits, including:

• Easier Enforcement – Registration serves as prima facie evidence of a valid copyright. This means that if you hold a registration for your copyrighted work, you will have automatic proof of your copyright ownership if someone else copies or makes unauthorized use of your work. A court will presume that your copyright is valid and require the infringer to prove otherwise, rather than requiring you to collect and submit other evidence to prove your copyright ownership.
• Statutory Damages – If you have registered your copyrighted work before any infringement occurs, you may be entitled to recover statutory damages (i.e., a predetermined amount of money fixed by statute) against an infringer. Currently, United States law provides for up to $30,000 as a basic level for statutory damages, and up to $150,000 if the copyright owner can show that the infringement was willful. The alternative – recovery of your actual damages – requires more effort to prove and often leads to a much lower monetary award.
• Attorneys’ Fees and Costs – If you have registered your copyrighted work before any infringement occurs, you may also be able to recover your attorneys’ fees and costs from an infringer.