Do I have to publish my photos before registering?
No. You can register your photos as soon as you take them. Whether or not they have been published online or elsewhere is immaterial to registration.
“Publication is no longer the key to obtaining federal copyright as it was under the Copyright Act of 1909.”
— U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 1
- Law
- Copyright
- Register
- Register Questions
- Can I register my copyright online?
- Can I pay by credit card?
- What file types are accepted?
- Can I upload a number of files?
- How should I package my photos?
- Who can register online?
- Do I need an email address to file online?
- What kinds of claims can be registered online?
- What are the process steps for registering a copyright online?
- What works may be registered with electronic deposits?
- Can I register a collection of works with a single application?
- Which browsers does eCO support?
- Do I need to configure my browser before registering online?
- Can I check the status of a copyright registered online?
- Is there a way to enter duplicate information?
- How do I upload an electronic copy of my photo?
- Is there a maximum file size that can be uploaded in one session?
- How do I upload multiple files?
- What if the files for a single case are too large to be uploaded in a single session?
- What does best edition mean?
- Are there special instructions for packaging copies of my work(s) for mail or courier delivery?
- Can foreigners register their works in the United States?
- Can a minor claim copyright?
- Do I have to renew my copyright?
- Who is an author?
- What is publication?
- How do I register online works that require hard copy deposits to satisfy Library of Congress deposit regulations?
- How do I copyright my work if I can’t pay?
- What payment options are available in eCO?
- What is Pay.gov?
- Do I have to create a user account with Pay.gov?
- What is a deposit account?
- How do I link an existing deposit account to my eCO account?
- What browser settings should I use for eCO?
- What is copyright registration?
- Do I have to register a copyright?
- Why should I register my copyright?
- Can I register a group of photos?
- Can I wait for an infringement before registering?
- When is copyright registration required?
- Do my photos have to be good to register them?
- After paying via Pay.gov all I received was a blank page, what do I do?
- Do I have to publish my photos before registering?
- Why is my copyright registration information now appearing on search engines such as Google?
- What do I get when I register my copyright?
- Can I remove information that I don’t want publicized?
- Will my registration records help provide contact information for someone interested in using my work?
- Do I have to wait for the copyright registration certificate before publishing?
- Can I see my copyright registration records?
- Can I get international copyright?
- What if my photo was published in a magazine or other copyrighted work?
- What is the registration date?
- Does online equal publication?
- What is the benefit of a certificate of copyright registration?
- What is a deposit?
- How do I register my copyright?
- Can I register many photos at once?
- Why should I register my work if copyright protection is automatic?
- Is copyright registration required?
- How can I prevent personal information from being placed on the Copyright Office’s website?
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