How to Copyright a Book
Follow these steps to register your book, manuscript, online work, poetry, or other text. Be aware that under international copyright law you automatically own the copyright in any literary or creative work you make yourself. Registering your copyright makes it slightly easier to enforce, but also harder to sell.
Steps
- Make sure your work is a literary work. Literary works may be published or unpublished and include nondramatic textual works with or without illustrations. Computer programs and databases also are considered literary works
- Send email requesting the correct Copyright Form to the Library of Congress. The form will be available to you for printing it out on your own printer
- Fill out application Form TX or Short Form TX (choose which form to use).
- Make out a check for $45.00 payment to "Register of Copyrights" for the material to be registered.
- Make sure you sign the check and forms.
- Send the book with the completed form and $45 payment made out to "Register of Copyrights" to:
Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington D.C. 20559-6000 - Your registration becomes effective on the day that the Copyright Office receives your application, payment, and copy(ies) in acceptable form. If your submission is in order, you will receive a certificate of registration in 4 to 5 months.
Tips
- Re-check form prior to mailing, to make sure you have signed and dated it, and attached the check
Warnings
- Make a copy of the forms for safe keeping in case the original gets lost in the mail.
