Disclaimer: This resource is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. If you need legal advice, consult an attorney.
Why Should I Consider Registering My Copyright?
Copyright protection exists the moment a work is created. Registration is voluntary but it does confer certain benefits.
Registration Benefits:
Registration provides notice to others that your work is protected by copyright and that you are the copyright owner.
Registration enables you to enforce your copyright. Registration is required before you can file a lawsuit for copyright infringement in federal court.
Registration can help prove your copyright is valid if it is ever challenged. A registration made within 5 years of publication is considered prima facie evidence of the copyright’s validity.
Registration allows you to claim statutory damages and attorney’s fees if you have to sue an infringer. Statutory damages and attorney’s fees may be available if the work was registered before infringement or within three months of publication.