Services of the Copyright Office
Are you the only place I can go to register a copyright?
Yes. Although copyright application forms may be available in public libraries
and some reference books, the U.S. Copyright Office is the only office
that can accept applications and issue registrations.
Can you provide me with copies of my application and my work?
Contact the Records Research and Certifications Section of the Copyright Office
at (202)707-6787 or see Circular 6, Access
to and Copies of Copyright Records and Deposit, for details.
I lost my certificate. Can I get a new one?
Yes, we can produce an additional certificate for a fee of $35. See Circular
6, Access to and Copies of Copyright Records and Deposits, for
details on how to make a request.
Can you tell me who owns a copyright?
We can provide you with the information available in our records. A search
of registrations, renewals, and recorded transfers of ownership made before
1978 requires a manual search of our files. Upon request, our staff will search our records at the statutory rate of $165 for each hour (2 hour minimum). There is no fee if you conduct a search in person at the Copyright Office. Copyright
registrations made and documents recorded from 1978 to date are available
for searching online. For further information, see Circular 22, How
to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work, and Circular 23, Copyright
Card Catalog and the Online File.
Is the Copyright Office open to the public?
Yes. Hours of service are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through
Friday, except federal holidays. Activities available in person include
speaking with a Copyright Office staff member, requesting various services,
and searching our card catalog.
Does the Copyright Office give legal advice?
No. The Copyright Office does not give legal opinions concerning the rights
of persons in cases of alleged infringement, contracts, or the copyright
status of any particular work other than the information shown in the records
of the Office.
How do I get my work published?
Publication occurs at the discretion and initiative of the copyright owner.
The Copyright Office has no role in the publication process.
How do I collect royalties?
The collection of royalties is usually a matter of private arrangements
between an author and publisher or other users of the author's work. The
Copyright Office plays no role in the execution of contractual terms or
business practices. There are copyright licensing organizations and publications
rights clearinghouses that distribute royalties for their members.
How do I get my work into the Library of Congress?
Copies of works deposited for copyright registration or in fulfillment
of the mandatory deposit requirement are available to the Library of Congress
for its collections. The Library reserves the right to select or reject
any published work for its permanent collections based on the research
needs of Congress, the nation's scholars, and of the nation's libraries.
If you would like further information on the Library's selection policies,
you may contact: Library of Congress, Collections
Policy Office, 101 Independence Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20540.
Note: The Copyright Office offers
introductory answers to frequently asked questions about copyright,
registration, and services of the Office. Links throughout the
answers will guide you to further information on our website
or from other sources. For any other questions, please visit
our Contact Us page. |
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