Even though the US law specifies that your work is protected from the moment you create it, formally registering a copyright is crucial if you expect you might someday need to take someone to court over a copyright infraction. If a copyright is registered within 3 months of publication, you may recover up to $150,000 in statutory damages per infringement plus attorney fees. Formal copyright registration with the US Copyright office enables you to;

• Establish legal record of ownership
• Enforce your copyright in the case of an infringement
• Recover up to $150,000 in statutory damages (if registered within 3 months)
• Protect your work for life plus 70 years

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR COPYRIGHT ONLINE

In addition to the online Copyright Registration service fee, the US Copyright Office charges a $65 filing fee per application.

Keep in mind that while filling out a registration form is a quick and easy process, it might take a bit of time –and patience– to get your certificate in the mail. Current processing times for registration claims submitted online can take up to 8 months, while paper form claims can take up to 13 months. You do have the option of requesting a rush delivery if you’re currently going through a legal battle or trying to meet a publishing deadline for an additional cost. There are other technicalities and special cases to be aware of, but overall the registration process will be pretty straightforward and you shouldn’t run into any difficulties.

IMPORTANT: In March 2019, the US Supreme Court ruled that copyrights must be registered to successfully file a complaint against someone.