How to Obtain Music Copyrights
According to current copyright law (as of 2011), which has been in effect since 1978, any musical composition is automatically protected by copyright at the moment of creation. The composer is not required to publish his music or register his copyright to gain protection under intellectual property law. However, registering your copyright is a good idea as it makes it easier for you to prove ownership of the work should a dispute arise at some future date. The process of registering a musical composition is a simple matter of filing a form with the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington, D.C., along with a copy of the composition and a registration fee.
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Instructions
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Go to the Electronic Copyright Office website (see Resources) to create a personal login profile. Approximately halfway down the page in column on the left there is a link asking if you want to register as a new user. Click this link. Fill in the online form with the requested information and click "Next." You will be redirected to a new screen. Click the link marked "Register a New Claim." Click "Start Registration."
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Fill out the online registration form. Select "Work of the Performing Arts" from the drop-down menu. Continue to the next screen and Click "New," then "Save" and "Continue." Follow this routine and answer all queries until you have completed the entire form.
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Pay the registration fee ($35 for online registration as of April 2011). There are two methods for making an online payment: pay with a credit or debit card at pay.gov or set-up a deposit account. To register a deposit account go to the Electronic Copyright Office Login page (see Resources) and click to register as a new user under the "Login" button on the left-hand side of the screen. Registered eCO users must create an organization account in eCO. To do this, login to the eCO site and click the "Organization/DA" link under "Copyright Services" in the navigation bar on the left-hand side of the "Welcome" screen. Once your organization account has been created, the eCO site will prompt you to add users to the organization account (optional) and to establish a deposit account.
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Mail one copy of your sheet music and one copy of the music recording on CD to the Copyright Office at 101 Independence Ave. S.E. Washington, D.C. 20559-6000.
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Tips & Warnings
Review the online copyright form for errors and completeness before submitting it.
