Transferring A Copyright

To transfer a copyright you must put your intent in writing. Since a copyright is a personal property right, it is governed by the laws of your state so you may want to consult with an attorney on how to do this officially. You can also transfer a copyright in your will. You are not required to record such a transfer with the Copyright Office, but doing so will help protect you if any disputes over the transfer should arise.

What It Costs To Register A Copyright

To register a work with the Copyright Office, you need to send an application form, a filing fee and two copies of the work being registered. As many as 600,000 or more applications for copyrights are submitted annually, so you will not receive any type of confirmation of your request. A copy of the accepted registration will be sent for your records when it is approved. (Or in the case your application is denied, a letter explaining why your request was denied.) The processing time for the reply can vary a great deal.

You can apply to register your copyright electronically for a fee of $35.

You can also submit a hard application to register a copyright for a fee of $45.

Your registered copyright goes into effect on the date the Copyright Office receives a complete application.

Registration Forms

You can fill in the Copyright application forms online right through the Copyright Office website. The Copyright Public Information Office also has staff members available during the week from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to answer questions over the phone at (202) 707-6737. Standard information about copyrights is also available 24 hours a day through a recorded line at that number.

To request application forms and information brochures, you can call the Forms and Publications Hotline at (202) 707-9100.

In addition, for people in the Washington, DC area, you can visit the Copyright Public Information Office, Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, D.C. 20559-6000.

You can also write to this address to request further information by mail.