Copyright: Registering your work for copyright

Registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office is optional but recommended. The registration gives you the right to sue over copyright infringements and allows you to be awarded damages and attorney fees in an infringement action. It also provides some other benefits such as establishing a public record of your work and copyright. Registration is required before you can have these benefits.

• You can register your work yourself by filing for copyright directly through the Registration Portal of the U.S. Copyright Office. The standard filing fee for electronic registration is $55. If you register a single work, not made for hire, and you are the only author and claimant, the filing fee is $35.