How to List Copyright Information

Copyright protection will last for the lifetime of the author, plus 70 years after death. According to the Library of Congress, which oversees copyright laws and registrations, a copyright is automatically secured when a work is created by the author and fixed into a copy. A copyright must be displayed in a certain manner to be considered a legal copyright.

Instructions

1. Insert the copyright symbol (the letter C in a circle), the word "Copyright" or the abbreviation "Copr."

2. Place the year the work was first published or compiled next.

3. Follow the year of publication with the name of the author or owner of the copyright. The finished copyright notice should look like this: "Copyright 1979 Joe Smith."

Resources

• US Copyright Office