A published or unpublished book or manuscript may be submitted for registration in the Copyright Office. Nondramatic literary works including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, contributions to collective works, compilations, directories, catalogs, dissertations, theses, reports, speeches, bound or loose-leaf volumes, pamphlets, brochures, and single pages containing text may be registered.

There is no specific requirement as to the printing, binding, format, or paper size and quality of unpublished manuscript material. Typewritten, photocopied, and legibly handwritten manuscripts, preferably in ink, are all acceptable for deposit if you do not submit your deposit online. However, since deposit material represents the entire copyrightable content of a work submitted for registration, hard copies deposited in a format that would facilitate handling and long-term storage (e.g., stapled, bound, clipped, etc.) would be greatly appreciated by the Copyright Office.

To register a book or manuscript, you must submit a nonreturnable deposit of the work. The deposit requirements depend on whether the work has been published at the time of registration:

• If the work is unpublished, one complete copy or phonorecord
• If the work was first published in the United States on or after January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonorecords of the best edition
• If the work was first published in the United States before January 1, 1978, two complete copies or phonorecords as first published
• If the work was first published outside the United States, one complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first published
• If the work is a contribution to a collective work, and published after January 1, 1978, one complete copy or phonorecord of the best edition of the collective work or a photocopy of the contribution itself as it was published in the collective work

Copyright protects an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form. Copyright protection does not extend to any idea, system, method, device, name, or title.

For further information on registration, see SL-35. For further information on copyright, deposit requirements, and registration procedures, see Circular 1, Copyright Basics.

*NOTE: Copyright Office fees are subject to change. For current fees, please check the Copyright Office website, write the Copyright Office, or call (202) 707-3000.

FL-109, Revised June 2008