How to Register a Copyright in Kansas

Introduction

You’ve created something amazing, and you deserve to protect it. Registering your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office can help ensure that you’ll be able to do just that. You may think that if you’re not selling your work or planning on using it commercially, registering for federal copyright isn’t necessary. But in reality, having a registered copyright is about more than just protecting yourself in case someone steals your work — it’s also an important way of protecting your reputation as an artist. People who see a registered work know there’s some legal backing behind its authenticity. So whether you’re interested in registering for personal reasons or because you plan on profiting from your art someday soon (and even if neither of those things applies), here’s what you need to know about how to register copyright in Kansas.

Gather the Work You Want to Register

You’ll need to gather the work you want to register. If you’re registering a song, for example, then you’ll need lyrics and melody—you can’t register just one part of a song by itself. If you’re registering an essay or article, it’s best if your work is in digital format so that we can easily search and index it—if not, please make sure that any physical copies are clearly labeled as such and include all relevant information (such as page numbers) on the front cover page.

Go to the U.S. Copyright Office Website

To register a copyright in Kansas, you must go to the U.S. Copyright Office website and navigate to its online registration system.

Once you’re on the site, you’ll see a link for “Registering your work” in the top right corner of your screen. Click on this link and click through until you reach an online form titled “Online Registration.” Fill out all of the information requested in this form, including your name, address, and email address. Provide identifying information about yourself as well as any other details relevant to your particular case (for example: if you are registering multiple works by different authors). Then select whether or not these works were created with assistance from others; if so, be sure to include each person’s name (as well as their relationship with each other). Once complete with all required fields — including payment options — hit submit!

Click on Register a New Claim

To register a new copyright in Kansas, you’ll need to do the following:

• Go to https://copyright.gov/eco/.
• Click on “Register a New Claim” in the top-right corner of your screen.
• Complete all required fields for your claim, including title and registration number if available.

Mail Your Registration Application

You also have the option to mail in your registration application, but that means you’ll need to print and fill it out by hand before sending it to the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington D.C.

If you’re not living in the United States, or if you don’t have a physical address, then this is a great option for you since registering online is only available to people who live within our borders—and even then it’s still a good idea if your mailing address isn’t domestic.

The downside of mailing in your application is that it costs more than doing so online ($65 vs $35).

Remember, though, that your copyright is technically protected by law the moment your work is created, so there’s nothing stopping you from holding off on the registration process if you don’t want it done right away.

Takeaway

If you want to register your work, though, the process is fairly straightforward. First, gather together all of your original pieces of copyrighted material—things like finished works and sketches—and keep them in a safe place. Then, fill out a copyright application online at the U.S. Copyright Office website or print it out and send it through the mail (again: not recommended). Next comes the fee payment: $35 for an individual who owns a single work or $55 if you have multiple items listed on one application form (you can save money by submitting all of your work at once). Once everything’s received and filed properly with the Copyright Office, which should take about six months from when you first submit everything online or mail in your materials, you’ll receive an official certificate of registration that confirms ownership over those particular works.

Conclusion

You’re all set! Now, you can rest easy knowing that your work is protected from copycats and thieves. If you have any questions about the process or need help with anything along the way, don’t hesitate to contact us.