To submit claims, request certified copies of certificates or copyright deposits, or request searches, visit our Public Information Office by making an appointment here. Copyright Office Reading Room services are available in the James Madison Memorial Building, room LM-463.

To get started registering your work, log in to the Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) Registration System at the link below or you may learn more about the different types of works typically registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.

Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression.

How is a copyright different from a patent or a trademark? Copyright protects original works of authorship, while a patent protects inventions or discoveries. Ideas and discoveries are not protected by the copyright law, although the way in which they are expressed may be.

The United States copyright law is contained in chapters 1 through 8 and 10 through 12 of Title 17 of the United States Code. The Copyright Act of 1976, which provides the basic framework for the current copyright law, was enacted on October 19, 1976, as Pub. L. No. 94-553, 90 Stat. 2541.

Welcome to the Copyright Public Records Portal. This is your starting point for finding copyright records held by the Copyright Office. Here, you can search our online records, learn about our searching and retrieval services, and view educational videos and materials.

To register a work, submit a completed application form, and a nonreturnable copy or copies of the work to be registered. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics , section “ Registration Procedures ., and Circular 4, Copyright Office Fees ”.

All the information you provide on your copyright registration is available to the public and will be available on the Internet. Basic Registration Literary Form TX

When the Copyright Office certifies a copy of a record, it attaches a statement under the seal of the Copyright Office attesting that the document is a true copy of the record in question. Certified copies are often requested as evidence of the authenticity of …

I plan to upload a digital copy of my works to the electronic registration system. Can I submit all the works in one electronic file? Do I need to submit a physical copy of my works?