Remember, it is important to register copyrights in the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office. Copyright law requires that a party claiming copyright infringement needs to have a copyright registration before pleading copyright infringement in federal court. Copyright applications are not sufficient. A party whose copyright is infringed before the registration is granted by the Library of Congress will not be entitled to attorneys’ fees or statutory damages. A party must register a copyright before infringement in order to be entitled to those damages.
Most people and companies will file a basic registration to register the copyrights of their works. However, the most recent update to the Library of Congress fees for the Copyright Office created a new fee structure that made some of the more obscure registration fees more complex and more expensive.
The Library of Congress does accept fees via credit card or debit card. When clients hire Verna Law, PC to represent them, all fees are paid by the firm.
The typing of filing is on the left of the chart and the filing fee is on the right of the chart.
Do you have any questions about registering your works that are protected by copyright? Contact Verna Law, PC at anthony@vernalaw.com or at 914-908-6757.
| Type of Filing | Fees as of 2024 |
| Registration, recordation, and related services: Basic registrations | |
| Registration of a claim in an original work of authorship: | |
| Electronic filing: | |
| Single author, same claimant, one work, not for hire | $45 |
| All other filings | $65 |
| Paper Filing (Forms PA, SR, TX, VA, SE) | $125 |
| | |
| Registration, recordation, and related services: Group Registrations | Current Fees |
| | |
| Registration of a claim in a group of unpublished works | $85 |
| | |
| Registration of a claim in a group of works published on an album of music | $65 |
| | |
| Registration of a claim in a group of published photographs or a claim in a group of unpublished photographs | $55 |
| Registration of a claim in a group of serials (per issue, minimum two issues) | $35 |
| Registration of a claim in a group of newspapers or a group of newsletters | $95 |
| | |
| Registration of a claim in a group of contributions to periodicals | |
| Electronic filing | $55 |
| Paper filing | $65 |
| | |
| Registration of a claim in a group of serials (per issue, minimum two issues) | $85 |
| Registration of a claim in a group of short online literary works | $65 |
| | |
| Registration of updates or revisions to a database that predominantly consists of non-photographic works | $500 |
| | |
| Registration for a database that predominantly consists of photographs and updates thereto: | |
| Electronic filing: | $250 |
| Paper filing: | $250 |
| Registration of a renewal claim (Form RE): | |
| Claim without addendum | $125 |
| Addendum (in addition to the fee for the claim) | $100 |
| Registration of a claim in a restored copyright (Form GATT – as in the GATT Treaty) | $100 |
| Preregistration of certain unpublished works | $200 |
| Registration of a correction or amplification to a claim | |
| Supplementary registration | |
| Electronic filing | $100 |
| Paper Filing for correction or amplification of renewal registrations, GATT registrations, and group registrations for non-photographic databases (Form CA) | $150 |
| Registration of a claim in a mask work (Form MW) | $150 |
| Registration of a claim in a vessel design (Form D/VH) | $500 |
| Correction of a design registration: Form DC | $100 |
| Recordation of a document, including a notice of termination and a notice of intention to enforce a restored copyright | |
| Base fee (includes 1 work identified by 1 title and/or registration number): | |
| Paper | $125 |
| Electronic | $95 |
| Additional transfer (per transfer) (for documents recorded under 17 U.S.C. 205) | $95 |
| Additional works and alternate identifiers: | |
| Paper (per group of 10 or fewer additional works and alternate identifiers) | $60 |
| Electronic: | |
| 1 to 50 additional works and alternate identifiers | $60 |
| 51 to 500 additional works and alternate identifiers | $225 |
| 501 to 1,000 additional works and alternate identifiers | $390 |
| 1,001 to 10,000 additional works and alternate identifiers | $555 |
| 10,001 or more additional works and alternate identifiers | $5,500 |
| Correction of online Public Catalog data due to erroneous electronic title submission (per title) | $7 |
Previously in 2020:
Despite the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 wreaking havoc across the world, the intellectual property system of the United States marches on. That includes the increase of new fees at the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office.
Remember, it is important to register copyrights in the Library of Congress’ Copyright Office. A party claiming copyright infringement needs to have a copyright registration before pleading copyright infringement in federal court. A party whose copyright is infringed before the registration is granted by the Library of Congress will not be entitled to attorneys’ fees or statutory damages. A party must register a copyright before infringement in order to be entitled to those damages.
Notice the huge uptick in fees in database entries.
| Type of Filing | Current Fees | New Fees |
| Registration, recordation, and related services: Basic registrations | ||
| Registration of a claim in an original work of authorship: | ||
| Electronic filing: | ||
| Single author, same claimant, one work, not for hire | $35 | $45 |
| All other filings | $55 | $65 |
| Paper Filing (Forms PA, SR, TX, VA, SE) | $85 | $125 |
| Registration, recordation, and related services: Group Registrations | Current Fees | New Fees |
| Registration of a claim in a group of contributions to periodicals | $85 | $85 |
| Registration of updates or revisions to a database that predominantly consists of non-photographic works | $85 | $500 |
| Registration of a claim in a group of published photographs or a claim in a group of unpublished photographs | $55 | $55 |
| Registration for a database that predominantly consists of photographs and updates and revisions thereto: | ||
| Electronic filing | $55 | $250 |
| Paper filing | $65 | $250 |
| Registration of a claim in a group of serials (per issue, minimum two issues) | ||
| Electronic filing | $25 | $35 |
| Paper filing | $25 | $70 |
| Registration of a claim in a group of newspapers or a group of newsletters | $80 | $95 |
| Registration of a claim in a group of unpublished works | $55 | $85 |
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