Things You'll Need:
- Computer with Internet access
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Step 1
Tell the copyright office about your work in Section 1 of Form CO. Is yours a literary work, a sound recording, a motion picture or another type of work? Check the applicable box. You must give the name of your work or of the series (if you're registering a body of work) and indicate the year it was completed. If your work is published, you're required to indicate the publication year and provide an ISBN. The copyright office also wants to know if your work went by any other name in a past incarnation.
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Step 2
Tell the copyright office about yourself or the person claiming your copyright. Section 2 is where you provide your personal information --- name, mailing address, e-mail address, phone number and your country of citizenship. There's also a section for "Claimant Information." If you intend to be the copyright holder, this will include your personal information; however, if you're transferring your rights to another party through a written agreement or if they have received rights through inheritance, their name and information are included in Section 3. Certain portions of your work can be excluded from transfer of copyright, as indicated in Section 4.
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Step 3
Identify a rights and permissions contact. If you want people to contact you for the right to use your work, your information would be entered in Section 5 of Form CO. However, if you're a published author or musician, perhaps you have legal representation or a personal manager who handles your business affairs. If this is your situation, that party's name and contact information would be included in Section 5. This does not transfer copyrights to anyone else, it merely provides a means of contacting you through another party should someone wish to use your work.
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Step 4
Enter your correspondence contact in Section 6. Again, this might be you or it could be an attorney or other agent. This gives the copyright office a way to contact you if it has questions or concerns. Section 7 specifies the mailing address to which your copyright certification will be sent.
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Step 5
Sign the Form CO. The copyright office advises filling out Form CO online and then printing it out. Or you can use the office's Electronic Copyright Office to fill out Form CO and give your digital signature (see the link below). If you register online, the cost of processing your application is $35; if you print your Form CO and mail it, the cost is $45.
