Securing a copyright registration with the United States Copyright Office is easier--and far more affordable--than one may think. Many creators of intellectual property--be it manuscripts, illustrations, recordings, etc.,--turn to attorneys or legal services like the well-reputed LegalZoom because they mistakenly believe or assume the registration process is a complex legal matter beyond their comprehension. Consequently, they pay anywhere from $150 to many hundreds of dollars to register a work when, in most cases, the cost should be no more than $45 and up to a few dollars for postage to mail the application, fee, and a copy or two of the work for which a copyright registration is being sought.
Follow these quick and simple steps to save significant amounts of money on registering intellectual property for U.S. copyright protection:
- Visit the United States Copyright Office online
- At the top of the right-hand column, under the section titled, "How to Register a Work," click on the category that best fits the description of the work to be copyrighted
- Next, locate the appropriate copyright application
- Fill out the application online, print it, and mail it along with a non-refundable filing fee of $45 to the United States Library of Congress (address listed on the copyright application). Include one copy of the work to be registered if it is previously unpublished or two copies if it has already been published.
Generally, copyright applications are no longer than two pages in length, and all include easy-to-follow instructions. A copy of the approved application will arrive by mail within approximately six months, depending on backlog. If the U.S. Copyright Office deems that the wrong application was sent, the applicant should receive a letter in the mail that informs the applicant of this, along with the name of the appropriate application to be filed. Submitting a second fee with the correct application is not required.
Additionally, the U.S. Copyright Office Web site provides information on pending legislation, updates on services and fees, licensing issues, and current law and policy related to copyright and other intellectual property matters, among other items.
In closing, registering intellectual property for U.S. copyright protection is a fast, easy, and extremely affordable process. Having an attorney or legal service file an application for U.S. copyright registration is unnecessary, and doing so can cost the applicant anywhere from $150 to many hundreds of dollars.
If for some reason the U.S. Copyright Office deems that the wrong application was filed, the applicant will receive written notice along with the name of the correct form, with no additional fee required. The U.S. Copyright Office Web site, in addition to hosting the various copyright application forms, also provides for a great clearinghouse of timely and relevant information and resources regarding copyright and other intellectual property issues.
Aaron Scott Robertson - Journalist, author, public servant, and president of Intrepid Innovations Inc.
