Copyright Register Questions
About Registration
- What is copyright registration?
- Do I have to register a copyright?
- Why should I register my copyright?
- Can I wait for an infringement before registering?
- When is copyright registration required?
- How do I register my copyright?
- Why should I register my work if copyright protection is automatic?
Registering your copyright
- Do my photos have to be good to register them?
- Do I have to publish my photos before registering?
- What do I get when I register my copyright?
- Do I have to wait for the copyright registration certificate before publishing?
- 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”?
- Can I register many photos at once?
- Can I register my copyright online?
- Can I register a group of photos?
- Can I wait for an infringement before registering?
- How do I copyright my work if I can’t pay?
Registering online
- 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 claim 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 claim registered online?
- Is there a way to enter duplicate information?
Uploading electronic files
- How do I upload an electronic copy of my photo?
- What file types are accepted?
- Is there a maximum file size that can be uploaded in one session?
- What if the files for a single case are too large to be uploaded in a single session?
- How do I upload multiple files?
Submitting hard copies of works
- What does “best edition” mean?
- Are there special instructions for packaging copies of my work(s) for mail/courier delivery?
Paying Fees
- 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?
Privacy
- Can I see my copyright registration records?
- Will my registration records help provide contact information for someone interested in using my work?
- Can I remove information that I don’t want publicized?
- How can I prevent personal information from being placed on the Copyright Office’s website?
- Why is my copyright registration information now appearing on search engines such as Google?
Troubleshooting
- What browser settings should I use in eCO?
- After paying via Pay.gov all I received was a blank page, what do I do?