What Form Do I Fill Out to Register My Copyright?

Online registration through the electronic Copyright Office (eCO) is the preferred way to register basic claims.

Paper versions of Form TX (literary works); Form VA (visual arts works); Form PA (perform arts); Form SR (sound recordings) are available on the Copyright Office website. Staff will send them to you by postal mail upon COP request. Remember that online registration through eCO can be used for these types of applications.

How do I copyright my business name? Which form do I use?
Names, titles, short phrases, and slogans are not copyrightable. You may have protection under the federal trademark laws. Contact the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, 800-786-9199, for more information.

How do I register an automated database?
See Circular 65, Copyright Registration for Automated Databases, for information on registering a database.

How do I register a computer software application I am creating?
See Circular 61, Copyright Registration for Computer Programs for information on registering a computer software application.

I have several copyrights on file with the Copyright Office, and have moved since submitting those applications. Is there a form to submit to change the address on my applications?
Although there is no statutory requirement to notify the Copyright Office of a change of address, you may wish to have our records reflect such information. There are several ways to do this: 1) You may file a document listing all your registered works by title and registration number, along with your new address. Your current address will then be included in our records and be available to those who search the documents file. However, the original registration records are not changed. See Circular 12, Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents, for more information. 2) You may file a supplementary registration Form CA to amend a completed registration to indicate the new address. If you have multiple registrations, filing a Form CA only on the most recent registration will effectively get your new address on record. See Circular 8, Supplementary Copyright Registration, for more information. 3) Finally, filing a registration for a new work in the future will also effectively get your new address on record. For more information on fees, please refer to Circular 4.