Copyright registration forms.

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      In most instances, copyright registration is a simple matter. It involves filling out an application form and mailing it, along with the $45.00 fee and copies of the material to be registered, to

Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, DC 20559-6000

Although registration is not necessary to "obtain" a copyright -- the right exists whether you register or not -- the benefits achieved by registration of your copyright are certainly worth the small fee and the time it takes to apply.

      You can obtain application forms by writing to the Copyright Office at the address above, or by calling the Copyright Office at 202-707-9100 (24 hours). You can also download forms and instructions for applying from the Copyright Office Web site. The forms are in the .pdf file format, which you can display and print with Acrobat Reader software, which is free from Adobe Systems. If you have Acrobat Exchange or the "fill-in" plug-in for Acrobat Reader, you can use that software to fill in the forms before printing. The Copyright Office site has information and guidance about which application form you should use and about what form the deposit copies should be in.

There are number of specialized application forms, but the most common ones are:

• Form TX for textual works, including such things as fiction, nonfiction, poetry, textbooks, reference works, directories, catalogs, advertising copy, compilations of information, and computer programs.
  
• Form VA for works of visual art, including such things as drawings, paintings, sculptures and photographs; and
  
• Form PA for works in the performing arts, including such things as musical and dramatic works;
  
• Form SR sound recordings;
  
• Form SE for individual issues of serial works, including such things as magazines, newsletters, and other periodic publications.
  
  

The forms are available with instructions. In addition, the Copyright Office offers a number of informational publications to help answer questions.

      Although copyright registration is a simple matter in many cases, it may still be a good idea to seek the advice of competent counsel who is experienced in intellectual property matters. This is especially true, for example, for companies claiming copyright ownership, for works of joint authorship, for previously published works, for derivative and collective works, and for certian types of works, such as computer programs, serial publications, Web sites, multimedia works, and whenever there is a question about authorship, ownership, and registrability.

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