You need to register your work right away to protect your rights. You are then able to defend your works by copyright and you can sue for infringement of those original works. Time is of the essence so REGISTER TODAY!
When you register your copyright with the copyright office you are establishing a time line that says you were the first to register your unique works and it is protected through the copyright office as your proof of registration. When someone uses your copyrighted works then it is an infringement on your copyrighted material or works. They have violated your copyrighted material. This may result in having the violator sued for damages, produce a cease & desist order, or induce a royalty payment for the use of your copyrights works. You have the legal right to pursue legal action against the violator because you have copyrighted material.
Note that there is now a lower filing fee for online registration of basic claims through the electronic Copyright Office. Fees in effect as of
May 1, 2014.
Basic Registrations
Registrations online
Single Application (single author, same claimant, one work, not for hire) Standard Application (all other filings)
|
$35
$55
|
Registrations on paper
Paper filing on Form TX, Form VA, Form PA, Form SE, and Form SR
|
$85 |
Renewal Registrations
For works published or registered before January 1, 1978
Form RE
|
$100 |
Addendum to Form RE (in addition to fee for claim) |
$100 |
Supplementary Registrations
Electronic or paper filing (to correct or amplify a completed registration) |
$130 |
Form DC (to correct a design registration) |
$100 |
Group Registrations
Group registration of unpublished works (electronic filing only) |
$55 |
Group registration of serials (per issue, with minimum 2 issues; electronic or paper filing) |
$25 |
Group registration of newsletter issues (electronic filing only) |
$80 |
Group registration of newspaper issues (electronic filing only) |
$80 |
Group registration of unpublished photographs (electronic filing only) |
$55 |
Group registration of published photographs (electronic filing only) |
$55 |
Group registration of database updates (paper application only) |
$85 |
Group registration for a database that predominantly consists of photographs and updates thereto (electronic filing) |
$55 |
Group registration for a database that predominantly consists of photographs and updates thereto (paper filing) |
$65 |
Group registration of contributions to periodicals (electronic filing only) |
$85 |
Preregistration
Preregistration of certain unpublished works |
$140 |
Other Registrations
Form D-VH (vessel designs) |
$400 |
Form GATT |
$85 |
Form MW (mask works) |
$120 |
Special Handling
To expedite processing of qualified claims
Special handling fee (per claim) Additional fee for each (non-special-handling) claim using the same deposit
|
$800 $50 |
Other fees associated with registration
Full-term retention of published copyright deposit Secure test examining fee (per staff member per hour) Handling extra copy for certification
|
$540 $250 $50 |
Requests for Reconsideration (Appeals)
For claims previously refused registration
First request
|
$250 |
Second request |
|
Recordation of Documents
Recordation of document, including notice of intention to enforce (containing no more than 1 title) |
$105 |
Additional titles without electronic title list (per group of 10 or fewer titles) |
$35 |
Additional titles provided in an electronic title list (flat fee) 1 to 50 additional titles 51 to 500 additional titles 501 to 1,000 additional titles 1,001 to 10,000 additional titles 10,001 or more additional titles |
$60 $225 $390 $555 $5,550 |
Additional Transfers (each) |
$105 |
Special handling of recordation of documents |
$550 |
Correction of online Public Catalog data due to erroneous electronic title submission (per title) |
$7 |
Searches of Records
Estimate of search fee (credited to search fee) |
$200 |
Search report (per hour, 2 hour minimum) |
$200 |
Expedited report (surcharge per hour for first two hours plus $200 per hour base fee) |
$300 |
Each additional hour in addition to the charge for the first two hours (three-hour search is $200 + $200 + $300 + $300 + $500) |
$500 |
Certification of search report (per hour) |
$200 |
Miscellaneous Fees
Receipt for deposit without registration (section 407 deposit) |
$30 |
Designation of agent under section 512(c)(2) to receive notification of claimed infringement or amendment or resubmission of agent |
$6 |
Alternative names, including websites (per group of 10 or fewer) |
$35 |
Notice to libraries and archives (each additional title $ 20) |
$50 |
Service charge for Federal Express mailing |
$45 |
Service charge for delivery of documents via fax (per page, 7 pages maximum) |
$1 |
Initial request to remove requested PII from online catalog, per registration record |
$130 |
Reconsideration of denied requests to remove PII, flat fee |
$60 |
Retrievals and Copies of Records
Retrieval of paper records (per hour, 1 hour minimum) |
$200 |
Retrieval of digital records (per hour, half hour minimum, quarter hour increments) |
$200 |
Additional certificate of registration |
$40 |
Certification of records, including search reports (per hour) |
$200 |
Surcharge for expedited retrievals, certification, and copying ($/hr) |
$305 |
Photocopy (black & white, 8 1/2 x 11) (per page, minimum: $12) |
$.50 |
Photocopy (black & white, 11 x 17) (per page, minimum: $12) |
$1 |
Photocopy (color, 8 1/2 x 11) (per page, minimum: $12) |
$2 |
Photocopy (color, 11 x 17) (per page, minimum: $12) |
$4 |
Audiocassette (first 30 minutes) Additional 15-minute increments |
$75 $20 |
Videocassette (first 30 minutes) Additional 15-minute increments |
$75 $20 |
CD or DVD |
$30 |
Flash drive |
$30 |
Unsupported formats and other copying of materials by outside providers, at cost of provider |
Variable |
Payment Processing Service Charges
Overdraft of deposit account |
$250 |
Dishonored replenishment check for deposit account |
$100 |
Uncollectible or nonnegotiable check |
$30 |