copyright checklist

Copyrights
Eligibility for the "Single" Application

There are two possible applications – Single (author and work), and Standard. Your responses to the first three questions asked will determine which application you will file.*

*PLEASE NOTE THAT USING THE SINGLE (author and work) APPLICATION WHEN A WORK DOES NOT MEET ALL OF THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WILL RESULT IN PROCESSING DELAYS, AN ADDITIONAL FEE, AND A LATER EFFECTIVE DATE OF REGISTRATION.

What Can Be Included on a Single (author and work) Application?
One work by a single author (not made for hire) who is also the sole owner of all rights in the work (i.e. no rights may have been transferred to another person or entity). See exceptions below.

What CANNOT Be Registered with a Single (author and work) Application?
Multiple works, works by multiple authors (e.g. performers, writers, artists and photographers) and certain other types of works listed below are not eligible for this registration option because they create a more complex application that requires additional time to process.

Eligibility requirements for a Single (author and work) Application:

Electronic registration only using the eCO system
One work
All of the authorship contained in the work and in the deposit is by the same author (e.g. one performer, writer, artist, actor)
Single (one) author (excludes joint works and works made for hire)
Author must also be the sole claimant/owner
Application must be submitted by the author/claimant OR an authorized third party who lists itself as the correspondent.

Questions

Check NO – Standard Application

Check Yes – Single
(author and work) Application

Are you registering one work (one song, one poem, one illustration, etc.)?

Multiple Works (e.g. Unpublished And Published Collections)
Multiple Versions Of A Work (e.g. multiple versions of a logo, illustration, or object with different color schemes)
Collective Works (e.g. Serial Publications, Anthologies)
Units Of Publication
Group Registration Options
Databases
Websites
Choreography
Translations
Cookbooks

See More Specific Examples Below

One Poem
One Short Story
One Screenplay
One Script
One Motion Picture
One Audiovisual Work
One Photograph
One Version of a Drawing or
Illustration
One Piece Of Jewelry

Are you the only author and owner of the work (or the agent of the individual author who is also the only owner)?

Two or more authors have authored the material contained in the work being deposited.
The work is owned by someone other than the author
The work is owned by two or more individuals or entities
The individual is deceased.
The work is “made for hire”.
The work is a “joint work”.

If Registering WORDS TO A SONG, MUSIC, OR SOUND RECORDING: Even if you are only claiming in the underlying song (music and/or lyrics) and excluding the sound recording (the performance and/or production), you MUST ANSWER NO IF THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERFORMERS ON THE SOUND RECORDING.

Only one individual has authored all of the material contained in the work being deposited and is the sole owner
The individual is not deceased.
The work is not “made for hire”.
The work is not a “joint work”.
The work is solely owned by the author

Does the work you are sending contain material created only by this author?

The work contains material by other individuals
The work contains multiple performers, authors, actors, or illustrators (artists)
The book contains a foreward, introduction, photograph or any other material authored by another individual

Only one individual has authored all of the material contained in the work being deposited and is the sole owner of the work
Only the author performed the music in the sound recording.

What types of works are not eligible for the Single (author and work) Application and must be filed on a Standard Application? (Check NO)

Multiple works (e.g. unpublished and
published collections)
Multiple versions of a work
Works by more than one author
Works with more than one performer, writer, artist, photographer, actor
Works containing elements by more than one author (e.g. comic book with text and illustrations by two authors)
Works with more than one owner
Joint works

Collective works (e.g. serial publications, anthologies)
Units of publication
Group registration options
Databases
Websites
Choreography
Multiple works (e.g. unpublished and published collections)
Multiple versions of a work
Works made for hire

Examples of works which are not considered “one work” and are not eligible for a Single (author and work) Application: (Check NO)

Literary Work	Performing Arts Work*	Sound Recording Work*	NOT Eligible Check “NO”
Two or more poems Two or more stories Two or more articles Collective work Database Dictionary Directory Encyclopedia Serial Website Cookbook Translation	More than one version of a song Two or more songs Two or more scripts Two or more treatments Different versions of a song Song and liner notes Song and cover artwork More than one version of a script More than one version of a treatment Script AND accompanying illustrations Musical play including script and songs Choreography	Two or more sound recordings Different versions of a sound recording Sound recording track(s) AND liner notes or artwork If Registering WORDS TO A SONG, MUSIC, OR SOUND RECORDING: Even if you are only claiming in the underlying song (music and/or lyrics) and excluding the sound recording (the performance and/or production), you MUST ANSWER NO IF THERE ARE MULTIPLE PERFORMERS ON THE SOUND RECORDING*.
Motion Picture Work	Visual Arts Work
Two or more motion pictures Two or more audiovisual works More than one version of a motion picture More than one version of an audiovisual work Choreography	Two or more pieces of jewelry Two or more photographs Two or more drawings Architectural work Database

Examples of “one work” that MAY be eligible for a Single (author and work) Application: *

Literary Work	Performing Arts Work*	Visual Arts Work*	May Be Eligible Check “YES”
One article One non-fiction monograph One essay One novel One poem One short story	One song with music and/or lyrics by one performer One instrumental composition One screenplay One script One treatment	One carpet design One drawing One fabric design One logo One photograph One map One technical drawing of one object One piece of jewelry One poster One sculpture One wall paper design
Motion Picture Work	Sound Recording Work	*Final decisions on eligibility will be made upon examination of the work by USCO personnel based on accepted Copyright Office Practices.
One motion picture One audiovisual work One video game	One sound recording One song and sound recording
PLEASE NOTE THAT USING THE SINGLE (author and work) APPLICATION TO FILE A CLAIM THAT DOES NOT MEET ESTABLISHED CRITERIA WILL RESULT IN PROCESSING DELAYS and COLLECTION OF ADDITIONAL APPLICATION FEES and DELAY OF EFFECTIVE DATE OF REGISTRATION *For More Information: SL4s "Have a Question About the Single Application?"*

Make Payment

You can easily make payments online via Pay.gov system using either credit card or electronic check (debit card). This is a secure online payment system backed by the U.S. Treasury. If you have established a deposit account with the Copyright Office, you can charge the fee to your account.

Submit Your Work

For most published works, you are required to send hard deposits to satisfy Library of Congress “Best edition” requirements. After submitting the online application and payment, you must print out the shipping slip and attach it to the copy(ies). Deposit copies will not be connected to the appropriate case if the shipping slip is not attached properly, which may result in processing delays, later effective date of registration and the submission of additional copy(ies)

For unpublished works and the published works listed below, you may upload a copy of your work in specified electronic file types. Refer to the FAQs information related to uploading files.

Works published only electronically;
Published works for which the deposit requirement is ID material
Published works for which there are special agreements requiring the hard copy deposits to be sent separately to the Library of Congress.