How to Get My Product Copyrighted

Get your product copyrighted.

As soon as your creative work has been reproduced in permanent form --- for example, published in a journal --- it is copyrighted. You are not required to formally copyright your creation. These guidelines apply to creative pieces --- from visual art to a written document, piece of music, dramatic or theatrical work, photograph, or architectural work. However, it is possible to copyright your work officially for added protection.

Instructions

1. Publish your work. According to the 1976 Copyright Act, publication involves distributing copies of your work to the public or collectors by sale or lending.

2. Offer to distribute copies of your work for sale or lending. You can do this by submitting your work or photographs of your work for publication. If you have created a piece of visual art or architectural work that cannot be reproduced, offer prints or photographs for reproduction for sale or donation. If you are a musician, offer to distribute audio recordings of your work; if you are a director or a theatrical composer or performer, offer to distribute video recordings.

3. Register and copyright your work officially. This is a extra measure of security, as a work is automatically copyright protected when it is distributed or published. If you anticipate that you will need to attend court to demonstrate your ownership of a piece, you will find it helpful to have an officially registered copyright.

4. Visit the copyright website (copyright.gov/forms). File the copyright online. Alternatively, you may wish to download the copyright form, print and mail the appropriate forms.

5. Fill out the copyright application form that you had obtained online. Pay a registration fee and submit a copy of the work with the other forms. You will receive neither reimbursement nor will you regain possession of this copy. Mail these items to: Library of Congress Copyright Office, 101 Independence Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20559-6000. You can also submit the application form online. These files will remain as government records and will be used if there is a conflict of ownership.

Tips & Warnings

• Although a copyright notice is not legally required to protect your work, it is a good idea to include the copyright symbol (© ) to remind others that the work is protected, along with the year of publication and the name of the owner or creator.

• Copyright begins when the work is published or distributed and expires 70 years after the death of the creator.

References

• Copyright: FAQ -- Registering a Work
• Guffey Law: Overview of the U.S. Copyright Registration Process
• How to Copyright It: Copyright Basics

Resources

• "The Copyright Handbook"; Stephen Fishman; 2009