How to Register a Copyright in Utah

Introduction

Copyright is the exclusive right to reproduce, publish, and distribute a particular work. It’s important to understand that registering your copyright isn’t mandatory. You automatically own all rights to whatever you create as soon as it’s been fixed in some tangible medium (say, for example, drawing on paper or typing into a computer).

Go to http://copyright.gov/register

There are a few different ways to register a copyright. One way is to go directly to http://copyright.gov/register and click on the “Register a Copyright” link. Once you’re there, look for the “Copyright Registration” tab and then click on the “Register Online” link. This will take you through the process of registering your work with UCCLA.

Choose the Type of Work you Wish to Register

You can only register a work that is original and fixed in a tangible medium. You must be the author of the work or own exclusive rights to it; typically this means having created or commissioned it or having obtained permission to use an existing work.

You may not register more than one literary, dramatic, musical, or choreographic composition at a time; however, if you intend to register multiple compositions in one application (for example, three songs), they must have different titles and authorship information in their respective sections.

Your registration will be effective as of the date it was filed with us unless we specify otherwise; however, for simplicity’s sake we recommend filing early enough so you don’t forget about sending your application in when needed. If your work has been published before registering it as copyrighted material here under UTAH law there are additional steps involved with registering copyrights because we require proof that the copyright has expired before we can issue our certificate certifying registration.

Pay the Required Fee

The first step is to complete the registration application form and pay the right fee. The form can be found on the U.S. Copyright Office website, and there are several different ways to submit it:

• Online: $35 fee
• Paper: $65 fee
• Electronic: $105 fee (requires a credit card) or automated system (requires an automated system) at no additional cost.

If you’re using a paper form, mail it to the address listed on their website with your payment enclosed. If you’re using one of their automated systems, follow instructions from that program when prompted by email after filling out your information online.

Submit a Copy of your Work

If you are registering a published or unpublished work, you must submit a copy of the work in addition to the fee. The copy may be submitted by mail or electronic means. However, it must meet one of the following criteria:

• Legible printed copy on paper.
• Legible photographic copy of the manuscript (i.e., typed or handwritten).
• A digital storage medium containing an image of the manuscript.

Make At Least Two Copies of your Work

Now that you’ve decided to copyright your work and have completed the necessary steps, it’s time to make the copies of your work that you will send to the U.S. Copyright Office. It is important that you have a copy of your work before sending it off to Washington, DC because this will be what they use in processing your application.

Before making any copies, make sure that you have proofread and edited all of them as thoroughly as possible so there are no typos or other errors anywhere on them (use spell check!). You may want to read through these copies one more time after making them just so there are no final changes needed before sending them off on their journey into the world!

Put one Copy in an Envelope and Seal it Securely

• You must put one copy of your work in an envelope and seal it securely.
• The envelope must be addressed to the US Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington DC 20559-6000 USA.
• The envelope must be postmarked within 5 days after submission, with no foreign postmarks accepted. If you are mailing a copy of an unpublished work (e.g., music score), please include your full name on the envelope as well as the title of your work.
• If you are sending more than one piece of material at once (for example: if you had two songs), please make sure they all have different titles so they can easily be identified by the Copyright Office’s mail processing system and retrieved later if need be.

Send the Sealed Copy to the U.S. Copyright Office

• Send the sealed copy to the U.S. Copyright Office at this address: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 101 Independence Avenue SE Washington, DC 20559-6000
• Use a traceable delivery method such as registered mail or FedEx, and keep a copy of your receipt as proof that you sent it in. If you’re sending multiple works at once, use a padded envelope with enough room for everything to fit comfortably without having to fold anything up tightly.

Takeaway

Registering a copyright provides additional protection in case your copyright is ever violated.

When you register your work with the United States Copyright Office, you’re giving yourself a little extra protection. In case someone infringes on your copyright, it’s easier to go after them in court if your work is registered. And if they break the law and use your work without permission or pay you for it, you may be able to sue them for damages if their actions infringe upon your registered copyright.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve registered your copyright, and you are now protected under federal law. If someone tries to use your work without permission, you can go straight to court and let them know that you have rights over it.