Copyright Registration: Do You Need It

Copyright protection exists automatically the moment you create an original work, so many people assume registration is unnecessary. That assumption costs them real legal power.

Registration is what unlocks the ability to sue for infringement and claim statutory damages, turning a basic right into an enforceable one.

What registration gives you

• The right to file an infringement lawsuit
• Eligibility for statutory damages and fees
• A public record of your ownership
• A presumption of validity in court

When it matters most

• Before any licensing or publishing deal
• When a work has real commercial value
• Before you need to enforce your rights
• For works easily copied online

Register the works that actually earn money, and you convert an automatic right into one you can actually enforce when it matters.

Registering before it matters

Registration before an infringement gives you statutory damages and fees, so file before trouble, not after.

• Register valuable works early
• Keep registration certificates
• Re-register derivative works