U.S. Copyright Office, Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices (3d ed. 2014)
Effective Date of the Third Edition Compendium, Third Edition The was released and became effective on December 22, 2014C.o mpendium, Third Edition The is a living, electronic document accessible on the official website of the U.S. Copyright Office. The Office publishes regular revisions, as appropriate, to reflect changes in the law and/or practices, which customers may access, download, or print. The version posted on the Office’s website at any given time should be consulted as the current official version. The Office maintains an archive of all revisions so released, as well as prior versions.
Citing to the Compendium Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition Compendium The full title of this manual is the “ .” The full title may be abbreviated as the “ .” The manual may be cited as follows:
F• ull citation:
S• hort form citation:
What the Compendium Covers Compendium The documents and explains the many technical requirements, regulations, and legal interpretations of the U.S. Copyright Office with a primary focus on the registration of copyright claims, documentation of copyright ownership, and recordation of copyright documents, including assignments and licenses. It describes the wide range of services that the Office provides for searching, accessing, and retrieving information located in its extensive collection of copyright records and the Introduction : 1 12/22/2014 Compendium associated fees for these services. The provides guidance regarding the contents and scope of particular registrations and records. And it seeks to educate applicants about a number of common mistakes, such as providing incorrect, ambCigoumopuesn, odriu imnsufficient information, or making overbroad claims of authorship. The does not cover every principle of copyright law or detail every aspect of the Office’s administrative practices. The Office may, in exceptional circumstances, depart from its normal practices to ensure an outcome that is most appropriate. Standard of Deference for the Compendium Compendium Compendium The does not override any existing statute or regulation. The policies and practices set foCrotmh pinen tdhieu m do not in themselves have the force and effect of law and are not binding upon the Register of Copyrights or U.S. Copyright Office staff. However, the does explain the legal rationale and determinations of the U.S. Copyright Office, where applicable, including circumstances where there is no controlling judicial authority.
The Supreme Court recognized that courts may consiCdherri sttheen isnetne vr.p Hreatrartiiso Cnosu snetty f,orth in administrative manuals, policy statements, and similar materials “to the extent that those interpretations have ‘the power to persuade.’” 529 U.S. 576, 587 (2000) (internal citations omitted). “The weight of [the agency’s] judgment in a particular case will depend upon the thoroughnSeksids mevoirdee vn.t S iwn iiftts & c oCnos.ideration, the validity of its reasoning, its consistency with earlier and later pronouncements, and all those factors which give it power to persuade . . . .” , 323 U.S. 134, 140 (1944). Compendium See, e.g Alaska Stock, LLC v. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co.
Courts have Cciotmedp ethned ium in numerous copyright cases. ., Inhale, Inc. v. Starbuzz Tobacco, Inc, 747 F.3d 673, 684 (9th Cir. 2014) (finding the Compendium “persuasive” concerning the registration requirements for databases); Metropolitan Regional Informatio.n, 7 S3y9st Fem.3ds, 4In4c6. ,v 4. A49m (e9ritcha Cni rH. o2m01e 4R)e alty (Nfientwdionrgk ,t hInec “persuasive” on the issue of conceptual Compendium separability); Rogers v. Better Business Bureau of Me.,t r8o8p8o Fli.t aSnu pHpo. u2sdto 6n9, 1In, c706-07 (D. Md. 2012) (deferring to the concerning the registration requirements for collective works); ., 887 F. Supp. 2d 722, 732 (S.D. Tex. 2012) (“The Copyright Office’s ‘policy statements, agency manuals, and enforcement gMuicdLealrineens v’ .d o nChoitc coa’sr rFyA ‘Sth, Ien fcorce of law,’ but they are entitled to some deference given the ‘specialized experience and broader investigations and information’ of the agency.”); ., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 120185, at **9-10 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 9, 2010) (concluding that the Office’s interpretation of the unit of publication regulation “is particularly compelling”).
Compendium Chapters Compendium’s •T he chapter scheme addresses the following key areas: • Background on U.S. Copyright Office and general copyright law (Chapter 100). Overview of the registration process (Chapter 200).
Introduction : 2 12/22/2014 • What is copyrightable (Chapter 300).
When and how to register multiple works with one application, one filing fee, and • one set of deposit copies (Chapter 1100).
When and how to register mask works and vessel designs (Chapters 1200 • and 1300).
• Types of applications and filing fees (Chapter 1400). Identifying and filing proper deposit copies for registration and mandatory deposit • (Chapter 1500).
• Conditions for, benefits of, and processes for preregistration (Chapter 1600). • How to request reconsideration of a refusal of a registration (Chapter 1700). How to modify a registration record, such as correcting or amplifying the information in a certificate of registration, cancelling a copyright registration, or • asserting an adverse claim to copyright (Chapter 1800). Guidance on the meaning of publication and how to determine if a work is published • (Chapter 1900).
• Registering a foreign work (Chapter 2000).
Introduction : 3 12/22/2014 Recording documents related to copyright ownership, notices of termination, and • other documents that the Office records under Title 17 (Chapter 2300). Accessing and obtaining Office records and other Office services (Chapter 2400). First and Second Editions of the Compendium Compendium Compendium I The first edition of the (commonly referred to as “ ”)
governed the Office’s generaCl opmrapcetnicdeisu mfo rI registration, recordation, and other matters arising under the Copyright Act of 1909. LargSeeley an internal manual, it Iwnatrso ddiurcetcitoend to the Office’s examining staff. was made available to the public for the first time in 1967 and it was last revised in 1973. U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, to COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES (1st ed. 1973); Inspection and Copying of Records and Other DocuCmomenptesn, d3i2u mFed. Reg. 9314 (June 30, 1967C)o. m pendium II Compendium II The second edition of the (commonly referred to as “ ”) was also designed for internal use. Third rEedfilteicotns the Copyright Office’s general practices for registration, recordation, and other matters arising under the Copyright Act of 1976, prior to the adoption of the . It was first published in 1984 and revised in part in 1988 and 1998. In 1988 the Office revised Chapter 600 (Registration Procedures) and added SCehea gpetenre r1a9ll0y0 (Records, Indexes and Deposits). In 1998 the Office revised Chapter 1600 (Recordation of Transfers) and Chapter 1900 (Records, Indexes, and Deposits). Change in Procedure for Recording Certain Multiple Title Documents, 63 Fed. Reg. 23,475 (Apr. 29, 1998); Compendium of Copyright Office Practices, 53 Fed. Reg. 20,392 (June 3, 1988); Compendium of Copyright Office Practices, 49 Fed. Reg. 23,125 (June 4, 1984). Compendium II Compendium I Compendium II AlthoCuogmhp tehned Ciuompy Iright Act of 1909 was repealed effective January 1, 1978, did not supersede . The preface to expressly stated that P rceofnatcienued “to apply to Copyright Office actions, in situations . . . where the provisions oCf tohmep Ceonpdyiurmigh It Act of 1909, as amended, are dispositive.” U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, to COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES (2d ed. 1984). In other words, remained the governing administrative manual for all registrations, renewals, and recordations issued by the Office prior to January 1, 1978. It also set fio.erth the registration requirements for works published before January 1, 1978 where the applicant subsequently sought to register the work for the original copyright term ( ., the first twenty-eight years of the copyright), including issues iCnovmoplveinndgi ucompsy Iright InIotice and the manufacturing clause. and are available oSnee the Office’s website (copyright.gov/comp3/prior- editions.html). They are also available for inspection and copying in the Records, Research and Certification Section. 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b)(7). Relationship Between the First, Second, and Third Editions of the Compendium Third Edition Compendium Compendiums I II Third Edition To the extent there is a conflict between the and any prior version of the , including or or any prior version of the , the current official version shall control.
Introduction : 4 12/22/2014 Third Edition TheT hird Edition Cdoomesp neontd icuommsp IrehenIIsively cover all U.S. Copyright Office practices under the prior copyright law. To the extent that issues arise that are not addressed by the , and remain in effect and continue to be the governing adminiTshtriardti vEed imtiaonnuals for practices involving those issues. Compendium I In particular, the generally does not address practices under the Copyright Act of 1909. continues to be the controlling manual for registrations, renewals, and recordations issued by the Office prior to January 1, 1978, and for the registrTahtiiordn Eredqituioirnements for works published before January 1, 197C8o tmhpaet nwdeiurem n Iever registered for the original copyright term. For ease of reference, however, Chapter 2100 of the summarizes most of the relevant practices from concerning thTe hriergdi sEtdraittiioonn and renewal of such works. Simi,l Carolmy,p tehned ium II does not address all practices involving provisions of the Copyright Act of 1976 that have been amended or repealed since 1978. As a general rule continueTsh itrod b Eed tihtieo nrelevant administrative manual fCoorm pendium rIIe gistrations, renewals, and recordations issued by the Office between January 1, 1978 and the effective date of the . In particular, Chapter 1200 of continues to be the governing manual concerning the manufacturing clause, although that Chapter only applies to works published before June 30, 1986, which is the date that the manufacturing clause expired.
Using the Compendium Compendium The U.S. Copyright Office makes the available in PDF format. The complete manCuoaml mpeanyd biuem accessed or downloaded in itsC eonmtipreetnyd oiurm on a chapter-by-chapter basis. Each chapter can be accessed through the link set forth in the table of contents for the as a whole. Additionally, the includes a glossary of terms that are commonly used in registration and recordation practice. These terms are defined and linked throughout the chapters. Certain frequently used phrases are defined for convenience.
How to Search the Compendium Compendium The “find” feature allows users to search for specific words or phrases within the eSntetpir 1e : or within specific chapters. To conduct a search, follow these steps: Select Find from the Edit pull-down menu in the toolbar at the top of your screen. In the alternative, you may press Ctrl+ F to active the Find feature. A box labeled “Find” Stepw 2i:l l appear on the right side of your screen.
Introduction : 5 12/22/2014 Step 3:
How to Provide Comments on the Compendium Compendium The U.S. Copyright Office welcomes input on an ongoing basis regarding the . Comments may be emailed to the Office by using the form posted on the OCoffmicpee’sn wdieubmsite at copyright.gov/comp3/comments.html. In particular, the Office appreciates feedback on the readability, clarity, coverage, and usability of the . It also may consider well-developed observations regarding the Office’s practices themselves.
Introduction : 6 12/22/2014 Table of Contents Compendium Introduction Chapter 100 U.S. Copyright Office and the Copyright Law: General Background Chapter 200 Overview of the Registration Process Chapter 300 Copyrightable Authorship: What Can be Registered Chapter 400 Who May File an Application Chapter 500 Identifying the Work(s) Covered by a Registration Chapter 600 Examination Practices Chapter 700 Literary Works Chapter 800 Works of the Performing Arts Chapter 900 Visual Art Works Chapter 1000 Websites and Website Content Chapter 1100 Registration for Multiple Works Chapter 1200 Mask Works Chapter 1300 Vessel Designs Chapter 1400 Applications and Filing Fees Chapter 1500 Deposits Chapter 1600 Preregistration Chapter 1700 Administrative Appeals Chapter 1800 Post-Registration Procedures Chapter 1900 Publication Chapter 2000 Foreign Works: Eligibility and GATT Registration Chapter 2100 Renewal Registration Chapter 2200 Notice of Copyright Chapter 2300 Recordation Chapter 2400 U.S. Copyright Office Services Glossary Table of Authorities 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
101.1 History of the U.S. Copyright Office............................................................................................................................. 4 101.2 Organization of the U.S. Copyright Office ................................................................................................................. 6 101.2(A) Office of the Register ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 101.2(B) Office of the General Counsel ........................................................................................................................................ 7 101.2(C) Office of Policy and International Affairs ................................................................................................................. 7 101.2(D) Office of Registration Policy and Practice ................................................................................................................ 7 101.2(E) Office of Public Information and Education ............................................................................................................ 7 101.2(F) Office of Public Records and Repositories ............................................................................................................... 8 101.2(G) Office of the Chief Information Officer....................................................................................................................... 8 101.2(H) Office of the Chief of Operations .................................................................................................................................. 8 101.2(H)(1) Receipt Analysis and Control Division....................................................................................................................... 8 101.2(H)(2) Licensing Division.............................................................................................................................................................. 9 101.2(H)(3) Copyright Acquisitions Division................................................................................................................................... 9 101.3 Functions of the U.S. Copyright Office........................................................................................................................ 9 101.3(A) National Copyright Registration and Recordation System ................................................................................ 9 101.3(B) Regulatory Work ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 101.3(C) Advising Congress and Intergovernmental Work .............................................................................................. 11 101.3(D) Administering Statutory Licenses ............................................................................................................................ 12 101.4 U.S. Copyright Office Seal ............................................................................................................................................. 12 102 Sources of Law ................................................................................................................................................................. 12 102.1 Constitutional Basis for and Purpose of Copyright Law .................................................................................. 13 102.2 Statutes and Regulations ............................................................................................................................................. 13 102.2(A) Copyright Act of 1976 ................................................................................................................................................... 13 102.2(B) U.S. Copyright Office Regulations ............................................................................................................................. 14 102.3 Administrative Procedure Act ................................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 100 : 1 12/22/2014 102.4 Federal Court Decisions ............................................................................................................................................... 15 102.5 State Laws .......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 102.6 Territorial Scope of U.S. Copyright Law ................................................................................................................. 16 102.7 Timeline of Selected Historical Dates in U.S. Copyright Law ......................................................................... 16 Chapter 100 : 2 12/22/2014 Chapter 100 : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
101.1 History of the U.S. Copyright Office
In May 1790, when Congress enacted the first federal copyright law, the U.S. Copyright Office did not yet exist. Instead, authors and publishers recorded their claims with federal district courts and submitted copies of their works (in those days, book, maps, and charts) in support of their applications. These works, known as deposits, were stored in a variety of places, including in the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of the Interior. As of 1846, the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress shared them. This meant that records of copyright ownership were scattered among different government offices, and despite the federal scheme of protection, there was neither a consolidated tracking system nor centralized plan for preserving or using deposited works.
In 1870, Congress moved registration and deposit functions from the dispersed federal courts to the Library of Congress, which under Ainsworth Spofford advocated for and utilized the deposit copies as a foundation for the Library’s collection. This move helped transform the Library of Congress into a national institution. However, as copyright law evolved in both scope and complexity, the Nation and the Congress began grappling with a variety of policy issues that required leadership and expertise, including, for example, provisions that extended the public performance right to musical compositions and provided corresponding criminal penalties and injunctive relief, and amendmentSse e Cesotnadbiltiisohni nogf trheec iLpirborcairtyy owf iCtho nfogrreesigs:n H geoavreinrngms Beenftosr. eM tohree Joovinetr ,C tohme mvoitluteme eo no ft hcoe pLyibrirgahrty- related work required greater focus and segregation from general Library functions. , 54th Cong. (1897) (statement of Ainsworth Spofford) (“The fruit of [the Copyright Act] has been to enormouresplyr iennterdic hin the Library of Congress. On the other hand, it has at the same time enormously increased the difficulties of administration in such miserably narrow quarters.”), S. REP. NO. 54-1573, at 28 (1897).
In 1897, Congress established and funded the U.S. Copyright Office as a separate department within the Library and created the position of Register of Copyrights to head it. Since that act, the Register has been appointed by, and works under the general direction of, the Librarian of Congress. This appointment authority, however, required that the Librarian thereafter be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate. Thus, at the dawn of the twentieth century, Congress had not only created a formal foundation for copyright administration, but also created the Register as the central position of related expertise within the U.S. government, who in turn developed an expert staff.
Chapter 100 : 4 12/22/2014 As with other matteSrese of intellectual property law, Congressional Rules give the respective judiciary committees of both chambers legislative jurisdiction over all copyright matters. Senate Rule XXV; House Rule X. The Register is the principal advisor to Congress regarding domestic and international copyright issues, but also works closely and collaboratively with other federal departments and agencies on copyright matters.
The longstanding role of the U.S. Copyright Office in policy matters was codified in the Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. § 701. The work of the Office takes several forms. It provides expert subject matter assistance to Congress on copyright policy and interpretation of the copyright law; provides drafting support, including analysis and assistance for copyright legislation and legislative reports; undertakes studies and public roundtables for Congress; and offers advice on compliance with treaties and trade agreements. As a critical office within the U.S. government, the U.S. Copyright Office also works closely with executive branch offices, including most regularly the Department of Justice, the White House, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of Commerce and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and the Department of State. It provides policy analysis to these offices; participates in copyright-related litigation; provides support on trade and enforcement measures; participates on U.S. delegations to intergovernmental meetings and in other international events; hosts copyright training for copyright officials from foreign countries; and provides outreach and education on a routine basis.
The Register of Copyrights has an especially important relationship with the Undersecretary for Intellectual Property, who heads the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and advises the President on intellectual property matters. These officers frequently work together in the international arena and the Undersecretary must consult with the Register “on all copyright and related matters” that involve his Office. 35 U.S.C. § 2(c)(5). The U.S. Copyright Office also works closely with the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (the “IPEC”), based in the Executive Office of the President. The Register is a statutory member of the IPEC’s interagency intellectual property enforcement advisory committee. 15 U.S.C. § 8111(b)(3)(A)(ii). Finally, the U.S. Copyright Office’s unique position as the guardian of copyright registration documents deserves special mention. The Office maintains a wealth of information about the different types of works that have been registered in the United States throughout the years. This amounts to an unparalleled database of cultural heritage, as the Office has registered millions of copyright claims for authors, artists, publishers, producers, and distributors of creative works since 1897. The Office annually registers more than half a million copyright claims, records more than 10,000 documents relating to chain of title and other copyright-related matters in connection with hundreds of thousands of titles, and collects more than $300 million dollars in statutory licensing funds. Likewise, it has facilitated the acquisition of hundreds of thousands of copies of books, serial publications, sound recordings, motion pictures, photographs, maps, and prints for the Library’s collection. Chapter 100 : 5 12/22/2014 U.S. Copyright Office records also provide a glimpse into the evolution of U.S. registration practices and related rights. Examples of some important historic r•e gisFtirrastt ifoendse rinalc lruedgeis:t ration of a work The Philadelphia Spelling Book : John Barry’s book, • Regis,t rreagtiiosnte orfe dth we iSttha ttuhee oUf. SL.i bDeisrttryict Court for the District of Pennsylvania in 1790. : On August 31, 1876, Henry de Stuckle and Auguste F. Bartholdi secured registration number 9939-G for the “Statue of American Independence,” as the Statue of Liberty was first named. The copyright claim was filed in America’s centennial year, a decade before the statue was erected • iFnir Nste mwo Ytoiornk pHicatrubroer r. egistrations Edison Kinetoscopic Record of a Sneeze, January 7, 1894 : The Fred O, tstu’sb Smnietetzeed on January 9, 1894, is the earliest extant copyrighted motion picture in the Library of Congress’s collections. The short clip, known in film circles as , shows a mustachioed man sneezing. The motion picture was registered as a series of photographs because motion picturesB wlaecrke not covered bShye Ue.pS’.s cWopoyorlight law until 1912. The first work registered as a motion picture was the Republic Film Company’s September 12, 1912 registration for • First tel evisio.n show registration : “Unexpected Guest” by Hopalong Cassidy, • Freirgsits tceormedp uinte 1r 9p4ro7g. ram registration : John F. Banzhaf’s computer program to • Fcoirmstp suotuen adu rteocmorodbiinleg dreisgtiasntrcaetsi,o rnegistered in 1964. : Bob and Dorothy Roberts’s “Color Photo Processing Cassette, An Accurate Sound Signal and Oral Instruction System for Processing,” registered on February 15, 1972.
101.2 Organization of the U.S. Copyright Office
The Register of Copyrights is the Director of the U.S. Copyright Office and a recognized leader and lawyer within the U.S. government. By statute, the Register works under the general direction of the Librarian of Congress and carries out a variety of legal and policy functions that are enumerated throughout Title 17. The U.S. Copyright Office has seven main divisions, in addition to the Register’s Office, and several hundred staff. There are four Associate Registers of Copyrights and three additional division heads that report directly to the Register and help to carry out her statutory mandate. An organizational chart is available at www.copyright.gov/docs/c-711.pdf. 101.2(A) Office of the Register The Office of the Register of Copyrights has overall responsibility for the U.S. Copyright Office and its statutory mandate, specifically: for legal interpretation of the copyright law; administering the provisions of Title 17; promulgating copyright regulations; advising Congress and other government officials on domestic and international copyright policy and other intellectual property issues; determining personnel and Chapter 100 : 6 12/22/2014 other resource requirements for the Office; organizing strategic and annual program planning; and preparing budget estimates for inclusion in the budget of the Library of Congress and U.S. government.
101.2(B) Office of the General Counsel The Office of the General Counsel (“OGC”) is headed by the General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights, who is an expert copyright attorney and one of four legal advisors to the Register. This Office assists the Register in carrying out critical work of the U.S. Copyright Office regarding the legal interpretation of the copyright law. The General Counsel liaisons with the Department of Justice, other federal departments, and the legal community on a wide range of copyright matters, including litigation and the administration of Title 17. The General Counsel also has primary responsibility for the formulation and promulgation of regulations and the adoption of legal positions governing policy matters and the practices of the U.S. Copyright Office. 101.2(C) Office of Policy and International Affairs The Office of Policy and International Affairs (“PIA”) is headed by the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Policy and International Affairs, who is an expert copyright attorney and one of four legal advisors to the Register. This Office assists the Register with critical policy functions of the U.S. Copyright Office, including domestic and international policy analyses, legislative support, and trade negotiations. PIA represents the U.S. Copyright Office at meetings of government officials concerned with the international aspects of intellectual property protection, and provides regular support to Congress and its committees on statutory amendments and construction. 101.2(D) Office of Registration Policy and Practice The Office of Registration Policy and Practice is headed by the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice, who is an expert copyright attorney and one of four legal advisors to the Register. This Office administers the U.S. copyright registration system and advises the Register of Copyrights on questions of registration policy and related regulations and interpretations of copyright law. This Office has three divisions: Literary, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts, which are described in Chapters 700, 800C, oamndp e9n0d0i uomf t ohfi sC Copoymrpigehntd Oiuffmic,e r Persapcetcictievsely. It also has a number of specialized sections, for example, in the area of motion pictures. This Office executes major sections of the , particularly with respect to the examination of claims and related principles of law. 101.2(E) Office of Public Information and Education The Office of Public Information and Education (“PIE”) is headed by the Associate Register for Public Information and Education, who is an expert copyright attorney and one of four legal advisors to the Register. This Office informs and helps carry out the work of the Register and the U.S. Copyright Office in providing authoritative information about the copyright law to the public and establishing educational programs. The Office publishes the copyright law and other provisions of Title 17; maintains a robust and accurate public website; creates and distributes a variety of circulars, information sheets, and newsletters, including NewsNet; responds to public inquiries regarding Chapter 100 : 7 12/22/2014 provisions of the law, explains registration policies, procedures, and other copyright- related topics upon request; plans and executes a variety of educational activities; and engages in outreach with various copyright community stakeholders. 101.2(F) Office of Public Records and Repositories The Office of Public Records and Repositories is headed by the Director, who is an expert in public administration and one of the Register’s top business advisors. This Office is responsible for carrying out major provisions of Title 17, including establishing records policies; ensuring the storage and security of copyright deposits, both analog and digital; recording licenses and transfers of copyright ownership; preserving, maintaining, and servicing copyright-related records; researching and providing certified and uncertified reproductions of copyright deposits; and maintaining the official records of the U.S. Copyright Office. Additionally, the Office engages regularly in discussions with leaders in the private and public sectors regarding issues of metadata, interoperability, data management, and open government. 101.2(G) Office of the Chief Information Officer The Office of the Chief Information Officer is headed by the Chief Information Officer (“CIO”), who is the Register’s top advisor on the development and implementation of technology policy and infrastructure. The Office of the CIO provides strategic leadership and direction for necessary planning, design, development, and implementation of the U.S. Copyright Office’s automated initiatives. The Office of the CIO is a liaison to the central technology office of the Library of Congress, which administers the U.S. Copyright Office’s networks and communications. The CIO also supervises the Copyright Technology Office (“CTO”). CTO maintains the U.S. Copyright Office’s enterprise-wide information technology systems for registration, recordation, public records management and access, and related public services, as well as internal and external help desk functions.
101.2(H) Office of the Chief of Operations The Office of the Chief of Operations is headed by the Chief of Operations (“COO”), who advises the Register on core business functions and coordinates and directs the day-to- day operations of the U.S. Copyright Office. The Office of the COO supervises financial controls, budget, human capital, statutory royalty investments, mandatory deposits and acquisitions, contracts, and strategic planning functions. This Office interacts with every other senior management office that reports to the Register and frequently coordinates and assesses institutional projects. The COO chairs the U.S. Copyright Office’s operations committee.
The following divisions fall under the oversight of the Chief of Operations: 101.2(H)(1) Receipt Analysis and Control Division The Receipt Analysis and Control Division is responsible for sorting, analyzing, and scanning incoming mail; creating initial records; labeling materials; and searching, assembling, and dispatching electronic and hard copy materials and deposits to the appropriate service areas. The Division is responsible for operating the U.S. Copyright Chapter 100 : 8 12/22/2014 Office’s central print room, mail functions, and temporary storage. The Division also processes all incoming fees and maintains accounts, related records, and reports involving fees received.
101.2(H)(2) Licensing Division The Licensing Division administers certain statutory licenses set forth in the Copyright Act. The Division collects royalty payments and examines statements of account for the cable statutory license (17 U.S.C. § 111), the satellite statutory license for retransmission of distant television broadcast stations (17 U.S.C. § 119), and the statutory license for digital audio recording technology (17 U.S.C. chapter 10). The Division also accepts and records documents associated with the use of the mechanical statutory license (17 U.S.C. § 115).
101.2(H)(3) Copyright Acquisitions Division The Copyright Acquisitions Division (“CAD”) administers the mandatory deposit requirements of the Copyright Act, acting as a trusted intermediary between copyright owners of certain published works and the acquisitions staff in the Library of Congress. 17 U.S.C. § 407. This Office creates and updates records for the copies received by the U.S. Copyright Office; demands particular works or particular formats of works as necessary; administers deposit agreements between the Library and copyright owners; and assists the Office in public discussions and rulemakings regarding the submission requirements for digital works and the best edition requirements.
101.3 Functions of the U.S. Copyright Office
The functions of the U.S. Copyright Office are set forth in Title 1s7u io gf etnheer Uis.S. Code, which includes the provisions of the CopyrCigohmtp Aecntd oiuf m1976 as well chapters on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), vessel designs, and other protections and exemptions (referenced in this , as the case may require, as “Title 17,” the “DMCA,” or the “Copyright Act,” or with respect to the latter, the “1976 Act” or “Act”). The statute directs the Register of Copyrights, as Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, to carry out a variety of activities, which are described in Sections 101.3(A) through 101.3(D).
101.3(A) National Copyright Registration and Recordation System The Copyright Act establishes the U.S. Copyright Office’s statutory obligation to administer both a copyright registration and copyright recordation system on behalf of the Nation. Pursuant to its provisions, the Office undertakes the following duties, among o• theRres:g istration : The U.S. Copyright Office examines applications for registering claims to copyright and any accompanying deposit copy(ies) to determine whether they satisfy the statutory requirements for registrability, including copyrightability, and otherwise comply with the Office’s regulations. Based on its findings, the Office then either registers or refuses to register the claims. Many of the controlling provisions for registration are set forth in Chapter 4 of the Copyright Act. Section 408 of the Act authorizes the Register to promulgate regulations to allow identifying material in Chapter 100 : 9 12/22/2014 place of deposit copy(ies), permit the registration of groups of related works with one application, and provide for the correction and amplification of registrations. Section 410 of the Act sets forth the Register’s authority to examine and either register or refuse copyriCghomt cplaenimdisu. mSections 411 and 412 address registration as a prerequisite for civil infringement claims and certain remedies. Chapters 200 through 2200 of this discuss the Office’s policies and • Rpreaccotridcaesti orenlating to the examination of claims for copyright registration. : The statutory provisions governing recordation are set forth in Chapter 2 of the Copyright Act. Under Section 205, any transfer of copyright ownership or other document relating to copyright may be recorded in the U.S. Copyright Office, subject to certain conditions. The recordation of documents pertaining to transfers or other ownership matters is voluntary, but recommended because: (i) it provides constructive notice of the facts stated in the recorded document if certain conditions have been met; (ii) when a transfer of copyright is timely recorded (within one month of its execution in the United States or two months of its execution outside of the United States, or any time before a conflicting transfer is recorded), the recorded transfer prevails over a later executed transfer; and (iii) a complete public record may mitigate problems related to orphan works. Interested parties also record or consult documents pertaining to licenses, death of authCoorms, peexnpdiriautmion of term, wills, trusts, security interests, and mortgages, to name a few. For a discussion of some of these documents, see Chapter 2300 of • tTheirsm ination notic. es : The Copyright Act allows, under certain circumstances, authors or their heirs to terminate an agreement that previously granted one or more of the author’s exclusive rights to a third party. These termination provisions are set forth in Sections 203, 304(c), and 304(d) of the Act. To terminate an agreement, a notice of termination must be served on the grantee, and it must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office in a timely manner as a condition ofC eofmfepcetn. 1d7iu Um.S.C. §§ 203(a)(4), 304(c)(4), 304(d)(1). For a discussion of recordation of notices of • Pteurbmliicn raetcioonrd, ssee Chapter 2300, Section 2310 of this . : The U.S. Copyright Office maintains extensive public records of c•o pyright claims dating back to 1870 and in some instances earlier, including: prima facie Certificates of registration, which attest that registration has been made and may constitute evidence of the validity of the copyright and of the facts stated in the certificate (if registration is made before publication or within • five years of first publication). 17 U.S.C. § 410(c). The online public record, which provides the basic facts of registrations and recordations made after January 1, 1978. This information is available in a • searchable database on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/. The Copyright Card Catalog, which is a physical archive available for public use at the Copyright Office in searching for completed registrations and recorded documents made before January 1, 1978.
Chapter 100 : 10 12/22/2014 In some circumstances, the Office will issue certified copies of applications, correspondence, deposit copy(ies), documents, and other materials submitted to the Office in connection with copyright registrations and recorded documents. In addition, the Office has a reference search sCerovmicpee tnhdaiut mprovides search reports regarding the facts of registration and recordation contained in the Office’s files. For a discussion of these s•e rvMicaens,d saeteo rCyh daeppteors i2t400 of this . : The U.S. Copyright Office administers Section 407 of the Copyright Act, which requires copyright owners to deposit certain published works with the Library of Congress for its collections. In this role, the Office may facilitate, demand, negotiate, or exempt the provision of copies or phonorecords. Absent a special exemption, the law requires that one or two copies of the best edition of every copyrightable work published in the United States be sent to the Office within three months of publication, regardless Coof mwpheentdhieurm a claim in the work is registered. 17 U.S.C. § 407(a). For a detailed discussion of mandatory deposit, • sSeeerv Cichea pprtoerv i1d5er0 0d,i rSeeccttoiroyn 1511 of this . : The Office of Public Records and Repositories administers a directory of service provider agents to receive notifications of claims of • iMnafrsikn gweomrkesnt as provided under Section 512(c) of the Copyright Act. : The U.S. Copyright Office examines and registers claims to mask works fixed in semiconductor chip products filed undCeorm thpee nSdeimumiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984, title III of Pub. L. No. 98-620, 98 Stat. 3335, 3347 (codified as amended at 17 U.S.C. §§ 901-914). Chapter 1200 of this discusses the • eVxeassmeli ndaetsiiognn sof claims in mask works.
101.3(B) Regulatory Work The U.S. Copyright Office promulgates regulations regarding its policies and procedures pursuant to the provisions of Title 17, which authorizes the Register of Copyrights “to establish regulations not inconsistent with law for the administration of the functions and duties maSdeee tidh.e responsibility of the Register under this title.” 17 U.S.C. § 702. These regulations are subject to the approval of the Librarian of Congress, who is the agency head.
Congress expressly made the Register’s actions under Title 17 subject to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act of June 11, 1946, as amended. 17 U.S.C. § 701(e). 101.3(C) Advising Congress and Intergovernmental Work The Register advises Congress on national and international copyright issues. The U.S. Copyright Office also works closely with the federal departments and agencies discussed in Section 101.1 above. 17 U.S.C. § 701. Among other things, the Office provides expert Chapter 100 : 11 12/22/2014 assistance to Congress in the interpretation of Title 17 and compliance with international agreements, such as the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (the “Berne Convention”) and the WIPO Internet Treaties. The Office also conducts public discussions on law and policy; produces major legal studies, makes policy recommendations; participates in copyright-related litigation when the U.S. government has an interest; provides support on trade and enforcement measures; attends intergovernmental meetings and other international events; and hosts copyright training for copyright officials from foreign countries. 101.3(D) Administering Statutory Licenses As discussed in Section 101.2(H)(2), the U.S. Copyright Office’s Licensing Division administers the statutory licenses for cable and satellite retransmissions and the statutory license for digital audio recording technology. It also records certain documents associated with the mechanical statutory license. These statutory licenses allow third parties to make certain limited uses of copyrighted works without the copyright owners’ permission, provided that certain statutory requirements are met. The Division deducts its operating costs from these royalty fees and invests the balance in interest-bearing securities with the U.S. Treasury for later distribution to copyright owners.
101.4 U.S. Copyright Office Seal
The Register of Copyrights has adopted the following official seal pursuant to the authority of the Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. § 701 (c); Notice of New Copyright Office Seal, 68 Fed. Reg. 71,171 (Dec. 22, 2003). The U.S. Copyright Office uses this seal on certificates of registration, certified records, and in connection with other official documents, including reports to Congress.
102 Sources of Law U.S. copyright law is derived from several authoritative sources, including the U.S. Constitution, statutory provisions, court decisions, and regulations. These sources and their role in shaping copyright law in the United States are reviewed in Sections 102.1 through 102.7 below.
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102.1 Constitutional Basis for and Purpose of Copyright Law
U.S. courts have analyzed the purpose of the Copyright Clause in Sae neuem.gb.,e Gro olaf ncases. The Supreme Court has interpreted the Copyright Clause to mean that copyright laws should promote bothH tahrep ecrr e&a tRioown aPnudb ldisishseerms, iInnac.t ivo. nN oaft icorne aEtnivteer wproisrekss .e t a,. , 132 S.
Ct. at 88s8e-e8 9a.l sToh Guosl,a “n[t]he Framers intended copyright itself to be the engine of free expression.” l, 471 U.S. 539, 558 (1985); , 132 S. Ct. at 890 (“By establishing a marketable right to the use of one’s expression, copyright supplies the economic incentive to create and disseminate ideas.”).
102.2 Statutes and Regulations
Congress has exercised its authority to enact federal copyright laws on numerous occasions. The first Copyright Act, enacted in 1790, and subsequent laws are summarized in the historical timeline in Section 102.7 below. The current Copyright Act was enacted in 1976 and became effective on January 1, 1978. It has been amended numerous times since its enactment. The Copyright Act protects “original works of authorship” that are “fixed in any tangible medium of expression….” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). Section 106 of the Act provides copyright holders with a number of exclusive rights (including the right to reproduce works, prepare deriSveaetive works, distribute works, and in certain cases, to publicly perform and display works). It also provides certain exceptions and limitations to these exclusive rights. 17 U.S.C. §§ 107-122. Works that predate the effective dCaotem opfe tnhdei u1m976 Act are governed by statutory provisions of the 1909 Copyright Act; the most relevant of these provisions are discussed in Chapter 2100 of this .
102.2(A) Copyright Act of 1976 The 1976 Act replaced the 1909 Copyright Act and changed much of how copyright law operates, including as follows:
Chapter 100 : 13 12/22/2014 The 1976 Act implemented a new calculus for determining the duration of copyright (known as the “term of protection” or, more simply, the “term”). Previously, works were protected for a specific initial term and could be renewed for an additional renewal term. The 1976 Act does not require renewal. In most cases, the Act provides protection to works based on the time frame of the author’s life plus seventy years. 17 U.S.C. § 302(a). In the case of an anonymous work, a pseudonymous work, or a work made for hire, the copyright lasts for a term of ninety-five years from the year of its first publication, or a term of one hundred • twenty years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first. 17 U.S.C. § 302(c). Unlike prior U.S. copyright laws, copyright protection under the 1976 Act is not contingent on publication or registration. All copyrightable works are now protected from the moment of fixation in a tangible medium of expression, regardless of whether they are published, registered, or recorded at any time. 17 • U.S.C. § 102(a).
Congress has updated the 1976 Act several times. For more information concerning these amendments, see the historical timeline in Section 102.7 below. 102.2(B) U.S. Copyright Office Regulations Section 702 of the Copyright Act authorizes the Register of Copyrights, subject to the approval of the Librarian of Congress, to promulgate regulations relating to the Register’s duties, including the registration of copyrights. Pursuant to this authority, the U.S. Copyright Office has promulgated regulations pertaining to the examination and registration of copyrights and the recordation of transfers of copyright ownership, among other things. These regulations are embodied in Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations. They cover a variety of registration topics, such as how to submit applications, how to contest the Office’s refusal to issue a copyright registration, and specific deposit requirements. Ordinarily, when the Office decides to issseuee a al snoe w regulation, it publishes a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. 17 U.S.C. § 701(e); 5 U.S.C. § Chapter 100 : 14 12/22/2014 553. Typically, the Office also notifies the public through its NewsNet service. In most cases, the public is invited to provide comments on proposed regulations for the Office’s consideration.
102.3 Administrative Procedure Act
Congress expressly made the Register’s actions under the Copyright Act subject to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act of June 11, 1946, as amended. 17 U.S.C. § 701(e). Congress legislated only one express exception to this rule: Section 706(b) of the Copyright Act which provides for the U.S. Copyright Office to issue regulations specifying the conditions under which the Office may authorize or furnish copies or reproductions of deposited articles retained by the Office.
102.4 Federal Court Decisions
Federal courts have interpreted the 1976 Act on numerous occasions, resulting in a well-developed body of case law. Sometimes courts decide issues that are not squarely addressed by the 1976 Act and, in doing so, develop standards that are consistent with the Act and provide additional guidance. Thus, certain copyright law doctrines are derived largely from court decisions.
For example, the Copyright Act does not explain what level of creativity is necessary for a work to qualify as a “work of authorship” under the Act. Section 102(a) of the Act states — without further elaboration — that “[c]opyright protection subsists… in original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which they can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.” Numerous courts haveC aonmaplyezneddiu wmhat an original work of authorship is under the Act. For more information on the originality requirement, see Chapter 300, Section 308 of this .
The standards for comparing works and determining when a work protected by copyright is infringed by another work also come from judicial doctrine. For instance, courts have held that, to prevail in a copyright infringement case, a copyright owner must show (i) direct evidence that the defendant copied the copyright owner’s work, or (ii) that the defendant had access to the copyrighted work, and (iii) that the copyright owner’s and defendant’s works are substantially similar. Certain U.S. copyright law doctrines are entirely judicially-created and have never been directly codified in the Act, such as theories of contributory and vicarious liability for infringement. Others, such as principles of fair use (Section 107 of the Act), are codified at a high level in the 1976 Act, but are interpreted on a case-by-case basis by the courts. For these reasons, it is important to consult court opinions on copyright-related issues. When doing so, note that copyright law doctrines may differ among jurisdictions, as different circuits have followed different standards. For example, the infringement standard in the Ninth Circuit is somewhat different from that of the First and the Second Circuits. Additionally, some circuits allow a claim for copyright infringement to be brought upon submission of an application for registration to the U.S. Copyright Office under Section 411 of the Copyright Act, while others require a certificate of registration Chapter 100 : 15 12/22/2014 Compendium or refusal to register issued by the Office. For more information on this issue, see Chapter 600, Section 625.5 of this .
102.5 State Laws
U.S. copyright protection is governed by federal law. Section 301(a) of the 1976 Act preempts all similar protections provided by state law, other than with respect to sound recordings fixed before February 15,i .1e972, as provided under Section 301(c) of the Act. Preemption applies only when a state law provides protections that are equivalent to those set forth in the Copyright Act ( ., rights equivalent to any of the exclusive rights under Section 106 of the Act in fixed works of authorship that fall within the subject matter of copyright). There are a significant number of court decisions interpreting exactly when a state claim is close enough to an exclusive right provided by the Copyright Act to be preempted. This case law should be consulted for questions regarding preemption and may vary to some extent by jurisdiction. Sections 301(b) and (c) of the 1976 Act also specifically set forth some types of copyright-like protections that states may provide. These include: (i) works not fixed in a tangible medium of expression; (ii) pre-1972 sound recordings; (iii) state and local landmarks, historic preservation, zoning, or building codes relating to architectural works protected under Section 102(a)(8) of the Act; and (iv) causes of actions for acts that took place before January 1, 1978.
102.6 Territorial Scope of U.S. Copyright Law
102.7 Timeline of Selected Historical Dates in U.S. Copyright Law
The United States has a long and rich history of copyright law. Below is a timeline of some of the most interesting developments that have occurred since the colonial era. In addition to this timeline, the U.S. Copyright Office’s website includes a wealth of historical information, including additional notable dates, extensive information on past •co pyright laws, and prior publications (www.copyright.gov/history). August 18, 1787: James Madison submits to the framers of the Constitution a provision “to secure to literary authors their copyrights for a limited time.” Chapter 100 : 16 12/22/2014 June 23, 1789: First federal bill relating to copyrights (H.R.10) presented to the first • Congress.
• April 29, 1802: Congress adds prints to works protected by copyright law. February 3, 1831: First general revision of the copyright law. Music added to works protected against unauthorized printing and vending. First term of copyright extended to twenty-eight years with the option of renewal for another fourteen-year • term.
January 6, 1897: Congress enacts a law to protect music against unauthorized public performance.
Chapter 100 : 17 12/22/2014 February 19, 1897: The U.S. Copyright Office is established as a separate department • of the Library of Congress. Position of Register of Copyrights created. July 1, 1909: Effective date of third general revision of the copyright law. Certain classes of unpublished works now eligible for registration. Term of statutory protection for a work copyrighted in published form measured from the date of publication of the work. Renewal term extended from fourteen to twenty-eight • years.
July 10, 1974: United States becomes party to the 1971 revision of the Universal • Copyright Convention as revised at Paris, France.
October 19, 1976: Fourth general revision of the copyright law signed by President Gerald Ford. This extensive revision included numerous provisions that modernized • copyright law, as described in Section 102.2(A) above. • January 1, 1978: Effective date of principal provisions of the 1976 copyright law. December 12, 1980: Copyright law amended to address computer programs. Chapter 100 : 18 12/22/2014 May 24, 1982: Section 506(a) amended to provide that persons who infringe copyright willfully and for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial • gain shall be subject to criminal penalties.
October 4, 1984: Effective date of Record Rental Amendments of 1984, which granted the owner of copyright in a sound recording the right to authorize or prohibit the rental, lease, or lending of phonorecords for direct or indirect • commercial purposes.
November 8, 1984: Federal statutory protection for mask works became available under the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act, with the U.S. Copyright Office assuming administrative responsibility. The Office began registering claims in mask • works on January 7, 1985.
June 30, 1986: Expiration of the manufacturing clause of the Copyright Act of 1976, which required that certain tyCpoemsp oefn wdiourmks be typeset, printed, and bound in the United States. For more information about the manufacturing clause under the 1909 • Act, see Chapter 2100 of this .
March 1, 1989: The effective date of United States adherence to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, as revised in Paris, • France in 1971.
December 1, 1990: Copyright protection extended to architectural works. Section 106A added to copyright law by the Visual Artists Rights Act, which allows authors of certain types of visual works of art certain moral rights of attribution and • integrity.
December 1, 1990: Effective date of the Computer Software Rental Amendments Act. Grants the owner of copyright in computer programs the exclusive right to authorize or prohibit the rental, lease, or lending of a program for direct or indirect • commercial purposes.
June 26, 1992: Renewal registration becomes optional on a prospective basis. Any work in its twenty-eighth year of copyright protection no longer requires a renewal application with the U.S. Copyright Office in order for the copyright to extend into and through the renewal term. As such, all works initially copyrighted between January 1, 1964 and December 31, 1977 were renewed automatically, even if the party entitled to claim the renewal copyright failed to file a timely renewal with the • Office.
October 28, 1992: Effective date of the Audio Home Recording Act. The Act requires the placement of serial copy management systems in digital audio recorders and imposes royalties on the sale of digital audio recording devices and media that are • distributed to the copyright owners.
December 8, 1994: The Uruguay Round Agreements Act restores copyright to certain foreign works under protection in the source country but in the public domain in the United States. It also repeals the sunset of the Software Rental Amendments Act and creates legal measures to prohibit the unauthorized fixation • and trafficking in sound recordings of live musical performances and music videos. November 16, 1997: The No Electronic Theft (NET) Act defines “financial gain” in relation to copyright infringement and sets penalties for willfully infringing a copyright either for the purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain or by reproducing or distributing (including by electronic means) phonorecords of a • certain value.
October 27, 1998: The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act extends the term • of copyright for most works by twenty years.
October 28, 1998: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (“DMCA”) adds several major provisions to the Copyright Act. It provides for the implementation of the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) Copyright Treaty (“WCT”) and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (“WPPT”), by adding prohibitions against circumventing technological measures protecting copyrighted works and removing or altering copyright management information. It also creates the Section 512 safe harbors from liability for internet service providers; provides an exemption in Section 117 of the Act permitting the temporary reproduction of computer programs made in the course of maintenance or repair; clarifies the policy role of the U.S. Copyright Office; and creates a new form of protection for vessel • designs.
November 2, 2002: The Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (“TEACH”) Act provides for the use of copyrighted works by accredited nonprofit • educational institutions in distance education.
November 30, 2004: The Copyright Royalty and Distribution Reform Act phases out the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel system and replaces it with the Copyright • Royalty Board.
April 27, 2005: The Artists’ Rights and Theft Prevention Act (“ART Act”) allows • for preregistration of certain works being prepared for commercial distribution. October 13, 2008: The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008 (“PRO-IP Act”) is enacted. Among other things, the PRO-IP Act established the new government position of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, codified case law regarding the effect of inaccurate information knowingly included in an application for copyright registration, and prohibited the export and import of infringing copies of works that are or would be protected under the U.S. Copyright Act.
Chapter 100 : 20 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
202.1 Types of Registrations ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 202.2 Registration Distinguished from Preregistration .................................................................................................. 6 202.3 Registration Distinguished from Recordation ........................................................................................................ 7 203 Timing of Registration ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 204 Required Elements for Registration ........................................................................................................................... 7 204.1 Completed Application .................................................................................................................................................... 8 204.1(A) Online Application ............................................................................................................................................................. 8 204.1(B) Paper Applications ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 204.1(B)(1) By Mail ................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 204.1(B)(2) By Courier .......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 204.1(B)(3) By Hand Delivery ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 204.2 Filing Fee ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11 204.3 Deposit Copy(ies) ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 204.3(A) Deposit Copy(ies) Submitted in Electronic Format ........................................................................................... 12 204.3(B) Deposit Copy(ies) Submitted in Physical Format............................................................................................... 12 205 Privacy ................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 206 General Overview of the Examination Process ................................................................................................... 13 207 Special Handling .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 208 Withdrawing an Application ...................................................................................................................................... 14 209 The Certificate of Registration and the Effective Date of Registration ...................................................... 15 210 Registration Refused After Examination ............................................................................................................... 15 211 General Policies Regarding Inaccuracies and Misrepresentations .............................................................. 16 211.1 Material Misrepresentations ...................................................................................................................................... 16 211.2 Immaterial Inaccuracies in the Application.......................................................................................................... 16 211.3 Minor Substantive Errors Found Post-Registration .......................................................................................... 16 Chapter 200 : 1 12/22/2014 211.4 Major Substantive Errors Found Post-Registration .......................................................................................... 16 212 The Registration Process at a Glance ...................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 200 : 2 12/22/2014 Chapter 200 : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
For a detailed discussion of the U.S. Copyright Office’s registration practices, see the f•o llowing chapters:
• For the practices and procedures for examining copyright claims, see Chapter 600. For the practices and procedures for registering certain groups of works, see • Chapter 1100.
For a detailed discussion of the Office’s practices and procedures for specific types of w• orks, see the following chapters:
• For literary works, see Chapter 700.
• For works of the performing arts, see Chapter 800.
• For visual art works, see Chapter 900.
• For websites and website content, see Chapter 1000.
• For mask works, see Chapter 1200.
• For vessel designs, see Chapter 1300.
Chapter 200 : 4 12/22/2014 202 Purposes and Advantages of Registration Under the current copyright lawS, eae w ork of authorship is protected by copyright from the moment it is created, provided that the work is original and has been fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. §§ 102(a), 408(a). Although registration is not required for a work to be protected by copyright, it does provide several important bene•f its:
202.1 Types of Registrations
The U.S. Copyright Office registers claims to copyright in works of authorship. As a general rule, the Office will issue one registration for each work that is submitted for registration. The Office will not issue separate registrations for the constituent elements or individual components of a work of authorship. Likewise, the Office will not issue separate registrations to each author who contributed copyrightable expression to the work.
T• he BUa.Ss.i cC roepgyirstigrahtti Oonffsice currently offers the following types of registrations: . An application for a basic registration is used to register a copyright claim in a work created or first published on or after January 1, 1978, and covers the full term of the copyright. This type of registration may be obtained with a Standard Application or a Single Application (provided certain eligibility requirements have been met). For a discussion of the Standard Application and • SGirnogulpe rAepgpislitcraattiioonn,s see Chapter 1400, Sections 1402.4 and 1402.5. See . An application for a group registration is used to register a claim to copyright in a group of related works that qualify for a single registration. 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(2). For a detailed discussion of group registration, see Chapter • 1Su1p0p0l.e m entary registration . An application for a supplementary registration may be used to correct or amplify the information in a basic or renewal registration. 17 U.S.C. § 408(d). For a detailed discussion of supplementary registration, see Chapter • 1G8A0T0T, rSeegcitsitorna t1io8n02.
202.2 Registration Distinguished from Preregistration
Preregistration is a special service that is intended for specific types of works that are likely to be infringed before they are completed or before they are released for Chapter 200 : 6 12/22/2014 commercial distribution, such as feature films. A preregistration is not the same as registration and the vast majority of applicants would not benefit from this service. Applicants should reflect carefully on whether preregistration is necessary in a specific case. For more information on preregistration, see Chapter 1600.
202.3 Registration Distinguished from Recordation
Registration and recordation are two separate procedures: claims to copyright are registered, while documents related to copyright claims, such as agreements to transfer or grant a mortgage in copyrights, are recorded. As discussed in Section 204, an applicant must submit an application, deposit copy(ies), and a filing fee to register a claim to copyright, and together these items are the primary source of information for the claim. As a general rule, the applicant does not need to submit additional documents substantiating the information provided in these materials. Registering a claim Steoe c opyright is not a substitute for recording a document with the U.S. Copyright Office, and recording a document is not a substitute for registering a claim to copyright. 17 U.S.C. § 205. For a detailed discussion of the practices and procedures for recording a document with the Office, see Chapter 2300. 203 Timing of Registration See Registration may be made at any time before the copyright has entered the public dGoomlanai vn.. Hold1e7r U.S.C. §§ 302-305 and 408(a). Generally speaking, a copyrighted work enters the public domain in the United States when “its full copyright term has expired.” , 132 S. Ct. 873, 878 (2012).
Although registration may be made at any time before a copyright expires or any time before bringing an infringement action in federal court, the U.S. Copyright Office strongly encourages copyright owners to submit their works for registration in a timely manner. As discussed in Section 202, a registration is a prerequisite for seeking statutory damages and attorney’s fees in an infringement action. To pursue these remedies, an unpublished work Smeuest be registered before the infringement occurs, while a published work must be registered within three months after publication or pbreifmorae f tahceie infringement occurs. 17 U.S.C. § 412. Moreover, if the work is registered before or within five years after the work is first published, the registration constitutes evidence of the validity of the copyright and the facts stated in the certificate of registration.
204 Required Elements for Registration To register a claim to copyright, an applicant must submit the following items to the U.S. C• opyright Office:
• Completed application;
A general discussion of each of these elements is set forth in Sections 204.1 through 204.3 below. For detailed information on the practices and procedures for completing the application, see Chapter 600. For detailed information on the requirements for the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Section 1403. For detailed information on the requirements for deposit copy(ies), see Chapter 1500.
204.1 Completed Application
An applicant must use the official applications provided by the U.S. Copyright Office. Most claims may be submitted online by using the Office’s electronic registration system. Applicants must submit paper applications for some specific types of claims, and in most cases, applicants may submit paper applications as an alternative to using the electronic registration system. Each type of application is discussed in Sections 204.1(A) and 204.1(B) below.
204.1(A) Online Application The U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system may be accessed from the Office’s website, located at www.copyright.gov/eco/.
The Office strongly encourages applicants to use the online application whenever p• ossLibowlee. rT hfieli nbge nfeeefsit fso tro o fnilliinnge aanp polniclaintieo anpsplication include: : The filing fee for an online application is lower than the filing fee for a paper application. For a list of the current filing fees, • sFeaes ttehre p Oroffciecses’sin fgee schedule (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). : The Office typically processes electronic claims three to six months sooner than non-electronic claims. Current processing times are listed on • tMhuel Otipffliec eo’ps twioenbs sfiotre paat ywinwgw th.ceo fpilyirnigg hfete.gov/help/faq/faq-what.html#certificate. : An applicant may pay the filing fee for an online application by credit card, debit card, electronic check, or with a U.S. Copyright Office deposit account, while in most cases an applicant may pay the filing • fEeaes ifeorr sau pbampiessri oanp polfi ctahtei odnep oonsliyt cboyp cyh(eiecsk), money order, or deposit account. : For certain types of works, the applicant may upload deposit copy(ies) directly to the online system as an electronic file, instead of having to submit physical deposit copies through the mail. The Office lists the acceptable file types on its website at www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file- types.html. If the work is published in hard copy form, the applicant may be required to mail the best edition to the Office, but filing the application electronically will expedite processing.
Chapter 200 : 8 12/22/2014 • The ability to track the status of the application : After submission, the online system allows the applicant to log in and see whether the online application is still pending or whether it has been registered and closed.
For detailed information on completing an online application, see Chapter 600. For information on completing an online application for a group of serials, a group of published photographs, or a group of updates or revisions to a database predominantly consisting of photographs, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1109, 1116, and 1117. Once the online application has been submitted, the Office automatically issues an email confirming that the application has been received. If there are any issues regarding the claim, a registration specialist will communicate with the applicant via telephone, email, or mail to address those issues. For more information on communications between the Office and the applicant, see Chapter 600, Section 605. 204.1(B) Paper Applications At this time, applicants must use a paper application to apply for some types of r•e gistrations, namely:
• Renewal registrations.
• GATT registrations.
In such cases, the applicant must submit a paper application on the appropriate form by mail, courier, or hand delivery. For detailed information on these types of paper applications, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1402.4(B), 1402.6(B) through 1402.9. In all other cases, the Office strongly discourages applicants from using paper applications for the reasons discussed in Section 204.1(A). Applicants may download paper applications from the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/forms/, or by requesting the forms from the Public Information Office via email, fax, telephone, or in person. Once completed, the applicant may submit the paper application, along with the required deposit copy(ies) and filing fee, to the Office by mail, courier, or hand delivery.
For general information on how to complete a paper application, see the instructions provided with each form. For specific information on how to complete each space of a paper application, see Chapter 600. For information on how to submit a paper Chapter 200 : 9 12/22/2014 application by mail, courier, or hand delivery, see Sections 204.1(B)(1) through 204.1(B)(3) below.
204.1(B)(1) By Mail The address for submitting a paper application, filing fee, and deposit copy(ies) to the U.S. Copyright Office is set forth in space 9 of the paper application in the space marked “Mail To,” which may be found at the bottom of every paper application. Be advised that all packages that are submiit.ete.d to the Office by mail will be screened for the presence of anthrax and other deadly contaminants. This screening will delay examination of the registration materials ( , the application, filing fee, and depDoesliitv ery ocof pMya(iile tso) )t haen dC,o ipny sroigmhet Ocaffsicees , it could possibly damage the deposit copy(ies), which may cause additional delays. For more information on the screening procedure, see (www.copyright.gov/mail.html).
204.1(B)(2) By Courier To submit a paper application, filing fee, and deposit copy(ies) by courier, an applicant must include all of the required elements in a single package and deliver it to the Congressional Courier Acceptance Site (“CCAS”), which is located at 2nd and D Streets NE, Washington, DC. This location is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except for federal holidays.
Items delivered to this location typically are sent to the U.S. Copyright Office the next working day. Registration materials submitted through a courier service do not receive a dated receipt from the Office but instead will receive one dated by CCAS. The Office considers the CCAS date of receipt as the date of receipt in the Office. 204.1(B)(3) By Hand Delivery To submit a paper application, filing fee, and deposit copy(ies) in person, an applicant must deliver all of the required elements to the U.S. Copyright Office’s Public Information Office. This Office is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except federal holidays, and is located at the following address:
Chapter 200 : 10 12/22/2014 NOTE:
204.2 Filing Fee
The current filing fees for online and paper applications are set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule, which is posted on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html. All filing fees are subject to change. For information concerning the types of payments that the Office will accept, see Chapter 1400, Section 1403.4.
An application submitted with an insufficient filing fee will be delayed until the Office receives full payment, which affects the effective date of registration. If the Office does not receive the correct filing fee within the specified time frame, registration will be refused. For a discussion of the effective date of registration, see Section 209 below; for a discussion of the Office’s practices and procedures regarding insufficient filing fees, see Chapter 1400, Section 1403.7.
204.3 Deposit Copy(ies)
As a general rule, the applicant must submit a complete copy or copies of the work to register a claim to copyright. In certain cases, the U.S. Copyright Office may accept identifying material in lieu of a complete copy. (For a definition and discussion of identifying material, see Chapter 1500, Section 1506.) As discussed above, the deposit copy(ies) for a published work also may satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement for certain works that are published in the United States.
In specific instances, the deposit copy(ies) may be submitted in digital or physical format. The deposit copy(ies) must conform to certain requirements depending on the type of work, the deposit requirements, and whether the work is published or unpublished. As a general rule, the deposit copy(ies) should be clear and should contain all the authorship that the applicant intends to register. An application submitted with an incomplete or unclear deposit copy(ies) will be delayed until the Office receives a complete and/or clear copy. Delays due to incomplete and/or unclear deposit copy(ies) may affect the effective date of registration, which is discussed in Section 209 below. Once the Office receives the registration materials, a registration specialist will examine the deposit copy(ies) to determine if the work is eligible for registration. The Office will not return the deposit copy(ies) or the identifying material to the applicant. General information on the procedure for submitting the deposit copy(ies) in digital or physical format is set forth in Sections 204.3(A) and 204.3(B) below. For detailed information on the deposit requirements for registration and the mandatory deposit requirements, see Chapter 1500.
Chapter 200 : 11 12/22/2014 204.3(A) Deposit Copy(ies) Submitted in Electronic Format The applicant may submit deposit copy(ies) electronically through the online r•e gistration system if the work meets any of the following requirements: • The work is unpublished;
• The work has been published only in a digital format; or The work has been published and identifying material is the appropriate deposit for that type of work. (For a detailed discussion of identifying material, see Chapter 1500, Section 1506.)
An applicant must submit the deposit copy(ies) in an acceptable file format. Failure to submit the deposit copy(ies) in an acceptable file format may delay the examination of the claim, and the applicant may be required to submit an acceptable file type that the U.S. Copyright Office can access. The Office will not establish an effective date of registration until the Office receives a file type that can be opened and examined by a registration specialist. The currently acceptable file formats are listed on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file-types.html.
If an applicant submits an online application and the work does not meet the requirements listed above, the applicant must submit deposit copy(ies) in a physical format. Likewise, applicants who submit a paper application must submit the deposit copy(ies) in a physical format by mail, courier, or hand delivery (not electronically). For a discussion of the procedure for submitting the deposit copy(ies) in physical format, see Section 204.3(B) below.
204.3(B) Deposit Copy(ies) Submitted in Physical Format Physical deposit copies should be submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office by mail, courier, or hand delivery if (i) the work does not meet the requirements listed in Section 204.3(A), (ii) the applicant is submitting a paper application rather than an online application, or (iii) if the applicant prefers to submit the deposit copy(ies) in a physical format rather than a digital format.
When completing an online application, the applicant will be given an opportunity to print a deposit copy shipping slip that corresponds to the online application. The applicant must print the shipping slip, attach it to each deposit copy, and send all of these items in a single package to the address specified on the shipping slip. (For further information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 625.2(D) and Chapter 1500, Sections 1508.2 through 1508.5.) In such cases, the effective date of registration is based on the date the Office receives the deposit copy(ies) along with the corresponding shipping slip. If an applicant does not include the shipping slip with each mailed physical deposit the Office will not be able to connect the deposit to an application. When submitting a paper application, an applicant should send the completed application, proper filing fee, and complete and clear deposit copy(ies) in a single Chapter 200 : 12 12/22/2014 package to the address specified in space 9 marked “Mail To,” which may be found at the bottom of every paper application.
205 Privacy The applicant should not provide any private or confidential information in the application that is not required for registration. All of the information that the applicant provides in the application is a permanent part of the public record, and the U.S. Copyright Office generally cannot remove any information from the public record once a registration has been issued.
Section 70 5(a) of the Copyright Act requires the Register of Copyrights to prepare and maintain “records of deposits, registrations, recordations, and other actions” taken by the Office.17 U.S.C. § 705(a). Section 705(b) states that all records maintained by the Office in connection with a completed copyright registration “shall be open to public inspection.” 17 U.S.C. § 705(b).
The Office will make the information provided in the application available to the general public upon request, and much of this information will be available on the Internet through the Office’s online database. For an example of the type of information that is typically displayed in the Office’s online database, see www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-privacy.html.
Before submitting an application, an applicant should consider whether to include a birth date, nickname, alias, or other personal information that is not required for registration. For example, providing the name, address, telephone number, and email address of the person who should be contacted for permission to use the work is optional, and the Office will accept an application even if an applicant leaves the Rights and Permissions section blank. Although an applicant is encouraged to provide contact information for rights and permission purposes, it is important to understand that if the applicant completes this portion of the application, the Office will include this information in the online database.
If an applicant wants to provide contact information for persons who may be interested in using the work — but does not want to provide a home address or other personal information — the applicant should consider providing the name of a designated agent, a post office box, or a designated email address in the Rights and Permissions field of the application.
206 General Overview of the Examination Process Once the U.S. Copyright Office receives the application, deposit copy(ies), and filing fee, the application and deposit copy(ies) will be sent to the Registration Program, where together they will be assigned to a registration specialist. The specialist will examine these materials to determine whether the work constitutes copyrighCtoamblpee snudbiujemct o mf Ua.tSt.e r and if the applicant has met the other legal and formal requirements, including those set forth in the Copyright Act, the Copyright Office regulations, and the Chapter 200 : 13 12/22/2014 Copyright Office Practices See . 17 U.S.C. § 410(a). For detailed information on this process, see Chapter 600.
207 Special Handling See Special handling is a procedure for expediting the examination of an application to register a claim to copyright. There is an additional fee for this expedited service. www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html.
The U.S. Copyright Office offers this service in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for an expedited decision on a pending application. Special handling may be requested for an online application or a p• aper application in the following circumstances:
• Pending or prospective litigation;
• Customs matters; or Contract or publishing deadlines that necessitate the expedited issuance of a certificate of registration.
Once it has received and approved a request for special handling, the Office will make every attempt to process the application within five business days, although the Office cannot guarantee that it will process all special handling applications within that time frame, particularly if the claims present issues requiring correspondence. For detailed information on special handling, see Chapter 600, Section 623. 208 Withdrawing an Application An applicant may submit a request to withdraw a pending application at any time before the U.S. Copyright Office has issued a certificate of registration or has refused to register the claim. The request should be made in writing, it should explain why the applicant is seeking to withdraw the claim, and it should be sent to the following address: Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice Registration Program U.S. Copyright Office 101 Independence Avenue SE Washington, DC 20559 The Office will use its discretion to decide whether to approve or deny a timely withdrawal request. In making this decision, the Office will balance the interest of the applicant with the public interest in maintaining the integrity of the registration record. The Office does not routinely grant withdrawals, particularly where the request is made merely to avoid a refusal to register.
Chapter 200 : 14 12/22/2014 In the event that the Office approves a withdrawal request, the Office will not refund the filing fee and will not return the deposit copy(ies). The Office will not reinstate an application once it has been withdrawn. If the applicant wishes to resubmit the claim, the applicant must file a new application, new deposit copy(ies), and the correct filing fee. The effective date of registration for a new claim will be based on the date that the new submission is received by the Office.
209 The Certificate of Registration and the Effective Date of Registration If the applicant appears to meet the legal and formal requirements, the U.S. Copyright Office will register the claim. The Office will issue a certificate of registration which contains much of the information that the applSiceaen t provided in the application. In addition, the Office will create an online public record for the registration, which may be accessed through the Office’s online database. 17 U.S.C. § 410(a). Both the certificate and the online public record contain a registration number and an effective dSaetee of registration. The effective date of registration is the date on which the Office received an acceptable application, complete deposit copy(ies), and the proper filing fee. 17 U.S.C. § 410(d). For detailed information on this topic, see Chapter 600, Section 625.
210 Registration Refused After Examination The U.S. Copyright Office registers claims to copyright and issues certificates of registration only when an applicant appears to meet the legal and formal requirements. If the Office finds that an applicant has not met the legal requirements for copyright registration, the Office will refuse to register the claim and will specify the reasons for its decision. The Office will notify the applicant by sending a written communication to the address provided in the Correspondent field/space of the application. For examples of situations in which the Office will refuse to register a claim because of a failure to meet the legal and/or formal requirements, see Chapter 600, Section 608. An applicant may appeal a refusal to register a copyright claim. For more information on the appeals process, see Chapter 1700.
An applicant may institute a civil suit for copyright infringement even if the Office has refused to register a claim, provided that the applicant satisfies the requirements set forth in Section 411(a) of the Copyright Act. For information concerning this topic, see Chapter 1700, Section 1706.
Chapter 200 : 15 12/22/2014 211 General Policies Regarding Inaccuracies and Misrepresentations
211.1 Material Misrepresentations
Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application for copyright registration, or in any written statement filed in connection with the application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e).
211.2 Immaterial Inaccuracies in the Application
As a general rule, the registration specialist may ignore immaterial inaccuracies in the application that appear to be inadvertent and do not affect the registrability of the claim. For information concerning the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for dealing with inaccuracies in an application, see Chapter 600, Section 603.
211.3 Minor Substantive Errors Found Post-Registration
If the information set forth in the registration record is incorrect or incomplete, an applicant may be able to correct that error or omission by submitting an application for a supplementary registration, or under certain limited circumstances, by submitting a new application for a new basic registration. For a discussion of these procedures, see Chapter 1800, Sections 1802 and 1803.
If the U.S. Copyright Office discovers a minor substantive error in the registration record, it may attempt to correct that error through a procedure known as a referral. For a general discussion of this procedure, see Chapter 1800, Section 1804.
211.4 Major Substantive Errors Found Post-Registration
If the U.S. Copyright Office discovers a major substantive error in the registration record, it may contact the applicant to correct the error, or it may cancel the registration if warranted under the Office’s cancellation regulations. For a discussion of cancellation, see Chapter 1800, Section 1806.
212 The Registration Process at a Glance The following chart illustrates the registration process from start to finish: Chapter 200 : 16 12/22/2014 Chapter 200 : 17 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
Contents What Can Be Registered 301 What This Chapter Covers .............................................................................................................................................. 5 302 The Legal Framework ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 303 Copyrightability Is Determined Based on U.S. Copyright Law ......................................................................... 6 304 Eligibility ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6 305 The Fixation Requirement.............................................................................................................................................. 7 306 The Human Authorship Requirement ....................................................................................................................... 8 307 Copyrightable Subject Matter ....................................................................................................................................... 8 308 The Originality Requirement ........................................................................................................................................ 9 308.1 Independent Creation ................................................................................................................................................... 10 308.2 Creativity ............................................................................................................................................................................ 10 309 Examining a Work for Copyrightable Authorship .............................................................................................. 11 309.1 Prior Works and Prior Registrations ...................................................................................................................... 11 309.2 Facts Stated in the Application .................................................................................................................................. 11 309.3 No Precedential Value ................................................................................................................................................... 12 310 Factors That Will Not Be Considered in the Examination of Originality ................................................... 12 310.1 Novelty or Ingenuity ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 310.2 Aesthetic Value, Artistic Merit, and Intrinsic Quality........................................................................................ 13 310.3 Symbolic Meaning and Impression .......................................................................................................................... 13 310.4 Look and Feel ................................................................................................................................................................... 13 310.5 The Author’s Inspiration and Intent ........................................................................................................................ 14 310.6 The Author’s Skill and Experience ........................................................................................................................... 14 310.7 The Time, Effort, or Expense Required to Create the Work ........................................................................... 14 310.8 Design Alternatives ........................................................................................................................................................ 14 310.9 Material Composition of the Work ........................................................................................................................... 15 310.10 Commercial Appeal or Success .................................................................................................................................. 15 311 Derivative Works ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Chapter 300 : 1 12/22/2014 311.1 Copyrightable Subject Matter .................................................................................................................................... 15 311.2 The Originality Requirement for Derivative Works .......................................................................................... 16 312 Compilations and Collective Works ......................................................................................................................... 17 312.1 Copyrightable Subject Matter .................................................................................................................................... 17 312.2 The Originality Requirement for Compilations................................................................................................... 18 312.3 The Originality Requirement for Collective Works ........................................................................................... 21 313 Uncopyrightable Material ............................................................................................................................................ 21 313.1 Works That Have Not Been Fixed ............................................................................................................................. 21 313.2 Works That Lack Human Authorship ..................................................................................................................... 22 313.3 Works That Do Not Constitute Copyrightable Subject Matter ...................................................................... 23 313.3(A) Ideas, Procedures, Processes, Systems, Methods of Operation, Concepts, Principles, or Discoveries ........................................................................................................................ 23 313.3(B) Merger of Idea and Expression .................................................................................................................................. 24 313.3(C) Facts .................................................................................................................................................................................... 24 313.3(D) Typeface and Mere Variations of Typographic Ornamentation ................................................................... 25 313.3(E) Format and Layout ......................................................................................................................................................... 26 313.4 Works That Do Not Satisfy the Originality Requirement ................................................................................ 26 313.4(A) MDee rMei nCiompiise s....................................................................................................................................................................... 27 313.4(B) Authorship.................................................................................................................................................. 27 313.4(C) Words and Short Phrases ............................................................................................................................................ 29 313.4(D) Works Consisting Entirely of Information That Is Common Property....................................................... 30 313.4(E) Measuring and Computing Devices ......................................................................................................................... 30 313.4(F) Mere Listing of Ingredients or Contents ................................................................................................................ 30 313.4(G) Blank Forms ...................................................................................................................................................................... 31 313.4(H) CSchèanreasc tàe Frsa .i.r..e...................................................................................................................................................................... 32 313.4(I) .................................................................................................................................................................... 32 313.4(J) Familiar Symbols and Designs ................................................................................................................................... 33 313.4(K) Mere Variations of Coloring ........................................................................................................................................ 34 313.5 Specific Types of Works That May Contain Uncopyrightable Material ...................................................... 35 313.6 Other Types of Works That Cannot Be Registered with the U.S. Copyright Office ............................... 35 313.6(A) Foreign Works That Are Not Eligible for Copyright Protection in the United States .......................... 35 313.6(B) Unlawful Use of Preexisting Material in a Derivative Work, a Compilation, or a Collective Work 35 Chapter 300 : 2 12/22/2014 313.6(C) Government Works ........................................................................................................................................................ 36 313.6(C)(1) U.S. Government Works ............................................................................................................................................... 36 313.6(C)(2) Government Edicts ......................................................................................................................................................... 37 313.6(D) Works in the Public Domain ....................................................................................................................................... 38 314 Use of Protected Names, Characters, Slogans, Symbols, Seals, Emblems, and Insignia .................................................................................................................................................. 38 315 Obscenity ........................................................................................................................................................................... 39 316 Classified Material .......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Chapter 300 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 300 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
301 What This Chapter Covers What Can Be Registered This Chapter discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for evaluating copyrightable authorship. For guidance on practices and procedures relating t•o specific types of works, see the following Chapters: • For a general overview of the registration process, see Chapter 200. For guidance in determining who may file an application and who may be named as • the copyright claimant, see Chapter 400.
• For guidance in completing the application, see Chapter 600. • For a discussion of literary works, see Chapter 700.
• For a discussion of works of the performing arts, see Chapter 800. • For a discussion of visual art works, see Chapter 900. • For a discussion of websites and website content, see Chapter 1000. For a discussion of the options for registering certain groups of works, see • Chapter 1100.
Section 410(a) of the statute states that the Register of Copyrights shall register a claim to copyright and issue a certificate of registration if the U.S. Copyright Office determines that “the material deposited constitutes copyrightable subject matter and that the other legal and formal requirements have been met.” If the Office determines that “the material deposited does not constitute copyrightable subject matter or that the claim is invalid for any other reason, the Register shall refuse registration and shall notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for such refusal.” 17 U.S.C. § 410(b). Chapter 300 : 5 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition I•n determining whether a work is copyrightable, the Office analyzes questions such as: • Is the work eligible for copyright protection in the United States? • Has the work been fixed in a tangible medium of expression? • Was the work created by a human author? • Does the work constitute copyrightable subject matter? I•s the work sufficiently original? • Was the work independently created? Does the work possess at least some minimal degree of creativity? If the answer to all of these questions is “yes,” the work is copyrightable and the claim may be registered, as long as there are no other issues in the registration materials that raise questions concerning the claim and as long as the other legal and formal requirements have been met.
These questions are discussed in Sections 304 through 308 below. For information on how the Office interprets these questions when examining derivative works, compilations, and collective works, see Sections 311 and 312. For information on how the Office interprets these questions when examining specific types of literary works, works of the performing arts, and visual art works, see Chapters 700, 800, and 900.
303 Copyrightability Is Determined Based on U.S. Copyright Law The U.S. Copyright Act is the exclusive source of copyright protection in the United States. To register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office, all applicants — both foreign and domestic — must satisfy the requirements of U.S. copyright law. In determining whether a work is copyrightable, the Office applies U.S. copyright law pursuant to title 17 of the U.S. Code, even if the work was created in a foreign country, first published in a foreign country, or created by a citizen, domiciliary, or habitual resident of a foreign country. 304 Eligibility The U.S. Copyright Office may register a work of authorship if it is eligible for copyright protection in the United States. All U.S. works — both published and unpublished — created on or after January 1, 1978, are eligible fIodr. U.S. copyright protection. 17 U.S.C. § 104(a), (b). Additionally, all unpublished foreign works and most published foreign works are eligible for U.S. copyright protection. For more information on the eligibility requirements for published foreign works, see Chapter 2000, Section 2003. Chapter 300 : 6 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 305 The Fixation Requirement A work of authorship may be deemed copyrightable, provided that it has been “fixed in any tangible medium of expression, now known or later developed, from which [it] can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or indirectly with the aid of a machine or device.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). Specifically, the work must be fixed in a copy or phonorecord “by or under the authority of the author” and the work must be “sufficiently permanent or stable to permit it to be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated for a period of more than transitory duration.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “fixed”).
The terms “corpeyp”r ainntde d“ pinhonorecord” are very broad. They cover “all of the material objects in which copyrightable works are capable of being fixed,” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, •a t 53 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N 5659, 5666.
There are countless waryesp trhinatt ead w inork may be fixed in a copy or phonorecord and “it makes no difference what the form, manner, or medium of fixation may be.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 52 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5666. For example, a work may be expressed in “words, numbers, notes, sounds, pictures, or any other graphic oIrd . symbolic indicia” and the author’s expression may be fixed “in a physical object in written, printed, photographic, sculptural, punched, magnetic, or any other stable form.” Most works are fixed by their very nature, such as an article printed on paper, a song recorded in a digital audio file, a sculpture rendered in bronze, a screenplay saved in a The provisions of the House Report cited or quoted throughout this Chapter are identical to the corresponding provisions set forth in Senate Report No. 94-473 (1975). Chapter 300 : 7 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition data file, or an audiovisual work captured on film. Nevertheless, some works of authorship may not satisfy the fixation requirement, such as an improvisational speech, sketch, dance, or other performance that is not recorded in a tangible medium of expression. Other works may be temporarily embodied in a tangible form, but may not be sufficiently permanent or stable to warrant copyright protection, such as “purely evanescent or transient reproductions such as trheopsrein ptreodj eincted briefly on a screen, shown electronically on a television,… or captured momentarily in the memory of a computer.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 53 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5666 (internal quotations marks omitted).
The Office rarely encounters works that do not satisfy the fixation requirement because the Office requires applicants to submit copies or phonorecords that contain a visually or aurally perceptible copy of the work. However, the Office may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the work or the medium of expression only exists for a transitory period of time, if the work or the medium is constantly changing, or if the medium does not allow the specific elements of the work to be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated in a consistent and uniform manner. 306 The Human Authorship Requirement The U.S. Copyright Office will register an original work of authorship, provided that the work was created by a human being.
Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act states that the subject matter of copyright includes t•h e following categories of works:
• Literary works.
• Musical works, including any accompanying words.
• Dramatic works, including any accompanying music.
• Pantomimes and choreographic works.
• Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works.
Chapter 300 : 8 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition • Sound recordings.
The categories of works set forth in Section 1r0e2p(rai)n t“eddo innot necessarily exhaust the scope of ‘original works of authorship’ that the [Copyright Act] is intended to protect.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 53 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5666. The statute “setsI odut the general area of copyrightable subject matter” with “sufficient flexibility to free the courts from rigid or outmoded concepts of the scope of particular categories.” Id. The categories are also “overlapping in the sense that a work falling within one class may encompass works coming within some or all of the other categories.” .
Congress gave federal courts the flexibility to interpret the scope of the existing subject matter categories, but only Congress has the authority to create entirely new categories of authorship. “If the federal courts do not have the authority to establish new categories of subject matter, it necessarily follows that the Copyright Office also has no such authority in the absence of any clear delegation of authority to the Register of CopyrighWtsh.i”l e7 7th Fee cda. tRegeog.r aiets 3 l7is,t6e0d7 i.n Section 102(a) are “very broad . . . there are unquestionably other areas of existing subject matter that [the Copyright Act] does not propose to protect . . . .” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 52 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5665. If the Office determines that a work does not fall within the categories of copyrightable subject matter, rthepe rOinfftieced winill refuse to register the claim. For representative examples of works that do not satisfy this requirement, see Sections 313.3 and 313.6(C) below.
308 The Originality Requirement Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc Originality is “the bedrock principle of copyright” and “the very premise of copyright law.” ., 499 U.S. 340, 347 (1991)
(citation omitted).
“To qualify for copyright protection, a work must be oriIgdinal to the author,” which means that the work must be “independently created by the author” and it must possesses “at least some minimal degree of creativity.” . at 345 (citations omitted). Chapter 300 : 9 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition These requirements are discussed in Sections 308.1 and 308.2 below.
308.1 Independent Creation
308.2 Creativity
An author’s expression does not need to “be presented in an innovative or surprising way,” but it “cannot be so mechanical or routine as to require no Fcreeisattivity whatsoever.” A work that it is “entirely typical,” “garden-variety,” or “devoid of even the slightest traces of creativity” does not satisfy the originality requirement. , 499 U.S. at 362. “[T]here is nothing remIdotely creative” about a work that merely reflects “an age-old practice, firmly rooted in tradition and so commonplace that it has come to be expected as a matter of course.” Id. at 363. Likewise, a work “does not possess the minimal creative spark required by the Copyright Act” if the author’s expression is “obvious” or “practically inevitable.” . at 363. Id Although the creativity standard is low, it is not limitless. . at 362. “There remainsI da narrow category of works in which the creative spark is utterly lacking or so trivial as to be virtually nonexistent. Such works are incapable of sustaining a valid copyright.” . at 359 (citations omitted).
Chapter 300 : 10 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition If the Office determines that a work possesses sufficient creativity, it will register the claim and issue a certificate of registration. Conversely, if the Office determines that the work does not possess some minimal degree of creativity, it will refuse registration. For more information on works that do not satisfy the creativity requirement, see Section 313.4(B) through 313.4(K) below.
309 Examining a Work for Copyrightable Authorship As discussed in Section 302, the U.S. Copyright Office will examine a work of authorship to determine if “the material deposited constitutes copyrightable subject matter” and if “the other legal and formal requirements have been met.” 17 U.S.C. § 410(a). In determining whether a work is copyrightable, the registration specialist will consider (i) the application, (ii) the deposit copy(ies), (iii) whether the correct the filing fee was submitted, as well as (iv) any communications between the applicant and the Office relating to the registration of the claim or any other material that has been submitted to the Office. Together, these items are referred to as the “registration materials.” As discussed in Sections 304 through 308, a work may be copyrightable (i) if it is eligible for copyright protection in the United States, (ii) if the work has been fixed in a tangible medium of expression, (iii) if the work was created by a human author, (iv) if the work constitutes copyrightable subject matter, and (v) if the work contains at least a minimum amount of creative authorship that is original to the author. When examining a claim to copyright, the registration specialist will use objective criteria to determine whether the work satisfies these requirements by reviewing the information provided in the application and by examining the deposit copy(ies), including its individual elements as well as the work as a whole. The specific criteria that the specialist will consider when examining a derivative work, a compilation, or a collective work are discussed in Sections 311 and 312. The specific criteria that the specialist will consider when examining a literary work, a work of the performing arts, or a work of the visual arts are discussed in Chapters 700, 800, and 900.
309.1 Prior Works and Prior Registrations
As a general rule, the registration specialist will not search the U.S. Copyright Office’s records to determine if the work has been registered before, unless there is conflicting information in the registration materials or other sources of information that are known by the Office or the general public. The specialist will not compare the deposit copy(ies) with other works that have been previously registered with the Office. Likewise, the specialist generally will not compare the deposit copy(ies) with other works to determine whether the applicant is attempting to register a work that is substantially similar to another work of authorship, unless the applicant appears to be asserting a claim in a work that is unusually similar to another work of authorship that is known to the specialist.
309.2 Facts Stated in the Application
The U.S. Copyright Office generally will accept the facts stated in the application and other registration materials, unless they are implausible or conflict with information in Chapter 300 : 11 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition the registration materials, the Office’s records, or other sources of information that are known by the Office or the general public. Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application for copyright registration, or in any written statement filed in connection with an application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e).
Ordinarily, the Office will not conduct its own factual investigation to confirm the truth of the statements made in the application. However, the Office may take administrative notice of facts or matters that are known by the Office or the general public, and may communicate with the applicant if the application appears to contain inaccurate or erroneous information.
309.3 No Precedential Value
The determination of copyrightability will be made on a case-by-case basis. The fact that the U.S. Copyright Office registered a particular work does not necessarily mean that the Office will register similar types of works or works that fall within the same category. A decision to register a particular work has no precedential value and is not binding upon the Office when it examines any other application.
310 Factors That Will Not Be Considered in the Examination of Originality As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will not consider factors that have no bearing on whether the originality requirement has been met. Examples of such factors are discussed in Sections 310.1 through 310.10 below.
310.1 Novelty or Ingenuity
The U.S. Copyright Office will examine each work in isolaSteieon to determine whether it satisfiesr tehper ionrtiegdin inality requirement. The fact that a work may be novel, distinctive, innovative, or even unique is irrelevant to this analysis. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 51 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5664 (stating “the standard of originality established by the courts . . . does not include requirements of novelty [or] ingenuity” and that Congress did not intend “to enlarge the standard of copyright protection” to impose these requirements).
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310.2 Aesthetic Value, Artistic Merit, and Intrinsic Quality
In determining whether a work contains a sufficient amreopurnint toefd o irniginal authorship, the U.S. Copyright Office does not consider the aesthetic value, artistic merit, or intrinsic quality of a work. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 51 (1976) , 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5664. For example, the Office will not look for any particular style of creative expression. Likewise, the Office will not consider whether a work is visually appealing or written in elegant prose.
As the Supreme Court noted, “it would be a dangerous undertakiBnlge ifsotre ipne vr.s Donons atrldasinoend oLnitlhyo tgor athpeh ilnagw C too constitute themselves final judges of the worth of pictorial illustrations, outside of the narrowest and most obvious limits.” ., 188 U.S. 239, 251 (1903). The legislative history for the Copyright Act recognizes that “the standard of originality established by the courts . . . doSeese not include requirements of . . . estheticr meperriintt”e adn idn expressly states that Congress did not intend “to enlarge the standard of copyright protection” to impose this requirement. H.R. REP.
NO. 94-1476, at 51 (1976) , 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5664.
For the same reasons, the Office wilSl eneo Bt eclocnhseird ve.r T tahreb torxuth or falsity of the facts set forth in a work of authorship. Nor will the Office consider the soundness or the unsoundness of the views espoused in the work. , 486 F.2d 1087, 1088 (9th Cir. 1973) (“The gravity and immensity of the problems, theological, philosophical, economic and scientific, that would confront a court if this view were adopted are staggering to contemplate. It is surely not a task lightly to be assumed, and we decline the invitation to assume it.”) (footnote omitted).
310.3 Symbolic Meaning and Impression
When the U.S. FCeoipstyright Office examines a work of authorship, it determines whether the work “possess[es] the minimal creative spark required by the Copyright Act and the Constitution.” , 499 U.S. at 363. The symbolic meaning or impression of a work is irrelevant to this determination.
The Office will use objective criteria to determine whether a work constitutes copyrightable subject matter and satisfies the originality requirement. In making this determination, the Office will consider the expression that is fixed in the work itself and is perceptible in the deposit copy(ies). Specifically, the Office will focus only on the actual appearance or sound of the work that has been submitted for registration, but will not consider any meaning orS seiegnificance that the work may evoke. The fact that creative thought may take place in the mind of the person who encounters a work has no bearing on the issue of originality. 17 U.S.C. § 102.
310.4 Look and Feel
The U.S. Copyright Office will not conSesieder the so-called “look and feel” of a work. Invoking a work’s “feel” is not a viable substitute for an objective analysis of the work’s fixed and creative elements. 4 MELVILLE & DAVID NIMMER, NIMMER ON Copyright §13.03[A][1][c] (2013) (criticizing the use of “feel” as a “wholly amorphous referent” that “merely invites an abdication of analysis”).
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310.5 The Author’s Inspiration and Intent
When examining a work for original authorship, the U.S. Copyright Office will not consider the author’s inspiration for the work, creative intent, or intended meaning. Instead, the Office will focus solely on the appearance or sound of the work that has been submitted for registration to determine whether it is original and creative within the meaning of the statute and the relevant case law. The fact that creative thought may take place in the mind of the person who created a work (or a person viewing or listening to the work) has no bearing on the issue ofS oereiginality unless the work objectively demonstrates original authorship. Mental processes do not themselves provide an objective basis for evaluating creativity. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b).
310.6 The Author’s Skill and Experience
The U.S. Copyright Office will not consider the author’s creative skill and experience when evaluating a work for copyrightable authorship, because the author’s personal or professional history is irrelevant to the determination of copyrightability. InstSeeaed L, .t he BOafftilcien w& iSllo fnocus solely on the appearance or sound of the work that has been submitted for registration to determine whether it satisfies the originality requirement. , 536 F.2d at 491 (finding that “the requirement of originality [cannot] be satisfied simply by the demonstration of ‘physical skill’ or ‘special training’”).
310.7 The Time, Effort, or Expense Required to Create the Work
When examining a work for original authorship, the U.S. Copyright Office will focus on the appearance or sound of the work that the author created but will not consider the amount of time, effort, or expense reSqeue,i ree.gd. ,t Foe cisrteate the work. These issues have no bearing on whether a work possesses the minimum creative spark required by the Copyright Act and the Constitution. , 499 U.S. at 352-354, 364 (rejecting the so-called “sweat of the brow” doctrine that provided copyright protection solely as a “reward for the hard work” of creating a work). As JusticeI dO’Connor observed, “copyright rewards originality, not effort” and “[w]ithout a doubt, the ‘sweat of the brow’ doctrine flouted basic copyright principles.” . at 352, 354, 364.
310.8 Design Alternatives
When examining a work for original authorship, the U.S. Copyright Office will focus on the appearance or sound of the work that has been submitted for registration, including its individual elements and the work as a whole, to determine whether it contains a sufficient amount of original and creative authorship.
As a general rule, the Office will not consider possible design alternatives that the author may have considered when he or she created the work. Likewise, the Office will not consider potential variations in the use of the work, such as the fact that a work could be presented in a different color, in a different size, or with a different orientation. The creative process often requires many choices involving the size, coloring, orientation, proportion, configuration, perspective, or other constituent elements of the work. These types of choices are present in every work of authorship. It is not the Chapter 300 : 14 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition variety of choices available to the author that must be evaluated, but the actual work that the author created.
310.9 Material Composition of the Work
As a general rule, the materials used to create a work have no bearing on the originality analysis. For example, the U.S. Copyright Office will not consider the fact that a jewelry design was constructed with precious metals or gemstones, or the fact that a silk screen was printed on a particular paper stock.
310.10 Commercial Appeal or Success
The U.S. Copyright Office will not consider the marketability or commercial success of the work, because these isPsauuel sM aorree ilrlir eDleesviagnnt, Itnoc t. hve. Toirfifgainnya &lit Cyo a.nalysis. “Works may experience commercial success even without originality and works with originality may enjoy none whatsoever.” , 200 F. Supp. 2d 482, 488 (E.D. Pa. 2002).
311 Derivative Works This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for evaluating the copyrightability of a derivative work.
For a definition and general discussion of derivative works, see Chapter 500, Section 507. For specific instructions on how to prepare an application to register this type of work, see Chapter 600, Sections 613.6, 617.5, 618.5, 620.7, and 621.
311.1 Copyrightable Subject Matter
A derivative work may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that it constitutes copyrightable subject matter.
As discussed in Section 307 above, derivative works are a subset of the subject matter categories, rather than a separate and distinct category of work. In other words, the new material that the aurtheporri ncotendt riinbuted to the derivative work must fall “within one or more of the categories listed in section 102 [of the Copyright Act].” H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 57 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670. If the new material does not fall within one or more of the congressionally established categories of authorship, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the authorship is questionable or may refuse registration. For example, the Office may register a drawing of a dress or a photograph of a garden, but it cannot register a “revised dCrefss design” or a “genetically modified plant,” because clothing and plants do not constitute copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act. . Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. 37,605, 37,606 (June 22, 2012). In addition, the preexisting work that has been recast, transformed, or adapterde, p“mrinutsetd icnome within the general subject matter of copyright set forth in section 102, regardless of whether it is or was ever copyrighted.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670. In other words, the preexisting work must qualify as a literary work; a musical work; a dramatic work; a pantomime or choreographic work; Chapter 300 : 15 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition a pictorial, graphic or sculptural work; a motion picture or audiovisual work; a sound recording; and/or an architectural work. For example, a ballet based on an epic poem would be considered a derivative work, because a poem is a type of literary work. By contrast, a photograph of a lake or a sculpture of a mountain would not be considered a derivative work, because lakes and mountains do not constitute copyrightable subject matter.
The fact that the author incorporated uncopyrightable elements of a preexisting work into his or her work does not necessarily mean that the author’s expression qualifies as a derivative work. For example, merely incorporating a word, letter, number, or common geometric shape from one or more preexisting works doeSs eneot constitute derivative authorshripe.p Irninstteeda din, the author of the derivative work must recast, transform, or adapt some of the copyrightable portions of a preexisting work. H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 57 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670 (explaining that a derivative work “requires a process of recasting, transforming, or adapting ‘one or more preexisting works’” and that “the ‘preexisting work’ must come within the general subject matter of copyright” whereas “[a] ‘compilation’ results from a process of selecting, bringing together, organizing and arranging previously existing material of all kinds, regardless of whether the individual items in the material have been or ever could have been subject to copyright.”).
311.2 The Originality Requirement for Derivative Works
The new authorship that the author contributed to the derivative work may be registered, provided thSaet eit W coanldtaminasn aP suubflfiischiienngt Caomropu. vn. tL oafn odroilgli, nInacl .e,xpression, meaning that the derivative work must be independently created and it must possess more than a modicum of creativity. 43 F.3d 775, 782 (2d Cir. 1994).
As discussed in Section 308.1, independent creation means that the author(s) named in Lth. eB aatplpinl i&ca Stioonn created the new or revised material that the applicant intends to register, “and this in turn means that the work must not consist of actual copying.” , 536 F.2d at 490 (citation omitted).
The amount of creativity required for a derivative work is the same as that required for a copyright in any other work. “All tAhlafrt eids nBeeelld &e dC oto. v s. aCtaistfayl dbao tFhin teh eA rCtos,n Isntcit.ution and the statute is that the ‘author’ conCtrhiabmutbeedr lsino mv.e Uthriisn Sga mleos rCeo trhpan a ‘merely trivial’ variation, something recognizably ‘his own.’” , 191 F.2d 99, 102-03 (2d Cir. 1951) (citing ., 150 F.2d 512, 513 (2d. Cir. Chapter 300 : 16 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 1945)). Thus, “the key inquSicrhyr iosc wk vh.e Ltehaerrn tihnegr eC uisr vseu Iffnitceiernnat tnioonnatrl,i vIniacl. expressive variation in the derivative work to make it distinguishable from the [preexisting] work in some meaningful way.” , 586 F.3d 513, 521 (7th Cir. 2009).
“While the quantumL o Bf aotrliigni n&a Sliotny that is required mDauyr bhea mm oInddeusst tirniedse, eIdnc,”. cvo. Tuortms yh Cavoerp ., recognized that derivative works “[l]acking even a modest degree of originality. . . are not copyrightable.” , 536 F.2d at 490;
630 F.2d 905, 911 (2d Cir. 1980). Miniscule variations do not satisfy this requiremSeeen Lt,. sBuacthli na s& m Soenrely changing the size of the preexisting work. Merely recasting a work from one medium to another alone does not support a claim in derIdivative authorship. , 536 F.2d at 491. “Nor can the requirement of originality be satisfied simply by the demonstration of ‘physical skill’ or ‘special training.’” . A registration for a derivative work only covers the new authorship that the author contributed to that work. It doerse nporitn ctoevde irn the authorship in the preexisting work(s) that has been recast, transformed, or adapted by the author of the derivative work. H.R.
REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670. Likewise, a registration for a derivative work does not cover any previously published material, pSreeeviously registered material, or public domain material that appears in the derivative work. Nor does it cover any material that is not owned by the copyright claimant. 17 U.S.C. § 103(b) (stating that the copyright in a derivative work is “independent of, and does not affect or enlarge the scope, duration, ownership, or subsistence of, any copyright protection in the preexisting material”). If a derivative work contains an appreciable amount of previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or third party material, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621. For additional information concerning the scope of the copyright in a derivative work, see Chapter 500, Section 507.2.
312 Compilations and Collective Works This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s general practices and procedures for evaluating the copyrightability of compilations and collective works. For a definition and general discussion of these types of works, see Chapter 500, Sections 508 and 509. For specific instructions on how to prepare an application to register a compilation, see Chapter 600, Sections 613.7, 617.5, 618.6, 620.7, and 621.8(C). For specific instructions on how to prepare an application to register a collective work, see Chapter 600, Sections 610.4, 613.8, 618.7, 620.8, and 621.8(D)
312.1 Copyrightable Subject Matter
A compilation or a collective work may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that it constitutes copyrightable subject matter. As discussed in Section 307, compilations aSneed collective works are a subset of the subject matter categories set forth in Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act, rather than separate and distinct categories of works. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Chapter 300 : 17 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Fed. Reg. 37,605, 37,606 (June 22, 2012). Thus, a compilation or a collective work must qualify as a literary work; a musical work; a dramatic work; a pantomimSeee id or choreographic work; a pictorial, graphic or sculptural work; a motion picturei. e or audiovisual work; a sound recording; and/or an architectural work. . If the authorship involved in creating the compilation or collective work as a whole ( ., the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement) does not fall within one or more of the congressionalIldy. established categories of authorship, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the authorship appears questionable or may refuse reEgxiasmtraptleiosn: .
312.2 The Originality Requirement for Compilations
•A coSmepleiclatitoionn may contain several distinct forms of authorship: authorship involved in choosing the material or data that will be included in the compilation;
Chapter 300 : 18 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition • Coordination authorship involved in classifying, categorizing, ordering, or grouping • tAhrer amnagteemrieanl tor data; and/or authorship involved in organizing or moving the order, position, or See Fpelaisctement of material or data within the compilation as a whole. , 499 U.S. at 348.
In determining whether a compilation satisfies the originality requirement, the registration specialist should focus on the manner in which the materials or data “have been sIedlected, coordinated, and arranged” and “the principal focus should be on whether the selection, coordination, and arrangement are sufficiently original to merit protection.” . at 358.
In determining whether the author’s compilation is sufficiently original, the U.S. •C opyright Office may consider the following factors:
• What type of material or data did the author compile? • How is the material or data presented? Was the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement made from a large or diverse • pool of material or data? Was the coordination or arrangement standard? Chapter 300 : 19 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition • e.g.
A compilation that contains an exhaustive selection of information where the information is presented in sequential order, such as a Chapter 300 : 20 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition genealogy containing a comprehensive selection of public records arranged in alphabetical or chronological order.
312.3 The Originality Requirement for Collective Works
A collective work “is are sppreinciteesd oinf ‘compilation’” that “by its nature, must involve the selection, assembly, and arrangement of ‘a number of contributions.’” H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 122 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5737 (discussing 17 U.S.C. § 101’s definitions of “compilation” and “collective work”).
Because a collective work is a type of compilation, the U.S. Copyright Office will apply the criteria set forth in Section 312.2 to determine whether the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement satisfies the originality requirement. When examining a particular contribution that appears within a collective work, the Office will apply the criteria set forth in Section 309.
313 Uncopyrightable Material The U.S. Copyright Office has no authority to register works that are not protected by copyright law. Some of the more common types of uncopyrightable material are discussed in Sections 313.1 through 313.6 below.
Although uncopyrightable material, by definition, is not eligible for copyright protection, the.eg .Office may register a work that contains uncopyrightable material, provided that the work as a whole contains other material that qualifies as an original work of authorship ( , a selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of uncopyrightable elements where the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship).
313.1 Works That Have Not Been Fixed
313.2 Works That Lack Human Authorship
58. Works that do not satisfy this requirement are not copyrightable. The Office will not register works produced by nature, animals, or plants. Likewise, the Office cannot register a work purportedly created by divine or supernatural beings, although the Office may register a work where the application or the deposit copy(ies) state thaEtx tahme pwleosr:k was inspired by a divine spirit. • A photograph taken by a monkey.
Similarly, the Office will not register works produced by a machine or mere mechanical process that operates randomly or automatically without any creative input or intervenEtixoanm fprolems: a human author.
Chapter 300 : 22 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition A claim based on a mechanical weaving process that randomly produces irregular shapes in the fabric without any discernible pattern.
313.3 Works That Do Not Constitute Copyrightable Subject Matter
As discussed in Section 307 above, a work of authorship may be registered, provided that it falls within one or more of the categories of works set forth in Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act. In other words, a work may be eligible for copyright protection if it qualifies as a literary work; a musical work; a dramatic work; a pantomime; a choreographic work; a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work; a motion picture or other audiovisual work; a sound recording; or an architeSceteural work. Works that do not fall within the existing categories of copyrightable subject matter are not copyrightable and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. 37,605, 37,607 (June 22, 2012) (“Congress did not delegate authority to the courts [or the Copyright Office] to create new categories of authorship. Congress reserved this option for itself.”).
313.3(A) Ideas, Procedures, Processes, Systems, Methods of Operation, Concepts, Principles, or Discoveries Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act expressly excludes copyright protection for “any idea, procedure, process, systemse, em aeltshood of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(b); 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(b). As such, any work or portion of a work that is an idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery does not constitute copyrightable subject matter and cannot bEex raemgpislteesr: ed.
• Business operations or procedures.
• Mathematical principles, formulas, algorithms, or equations. DNA sequences and other genetic, biological, or chemical substances or compounds, regardless of whether they are man-made or produced by nature.
Chapter 300 : 23 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition An extrapolation or application of an idea or system that always produces substantially the same result, such as a computation of interest based upon a particular rate.
The Office may register a literary, musical, graphic, or artistic description, explanation, or illustratioSne eof an idea, procedure, process, systemr,e mpreitnhtoedd ionf operation, concept, principle, or discovery, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 56 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5669. However, the registration would be limited to the copyrightable literary, musical, graphic, or artistic aspects of the work because copyright law does not give copyright owners any exclusive rights in the ideas, procedures, processes, systems, methods of operation, concepts, principles, or discoveries described in their works. As such, copyright owners do not have the right to preveSnete o Ftehiesrts from using the ideas, concepts, principles, or discoveries or from implementing the procedures, processes, systems, or methods of operation described in such wHoarrkpse.r & Row, P, u4b9l9is Uhe.Sr.s a, Itn 3c4. 4v.- N45a t(ieoxnp laining tEhnatte r“[ptr]ihsees m ost fundamental axiom of copyright law is that ‘no author may copyright his ideas or the facts he narrates.’” (quoting ,471 U.S. 539, 556 (1985)).
313.3(B) Merger of Idea and Expression In some cases, there may be only one way or only a limited number of ways to express a particular idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery. If the U.S. Copyright Office determines that extending copyright protection to the author’s expression would effectively accord protection to the idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery itself, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse to register the claim. For example, the Office cannot register a claim in the mere idea for a story tSheaet Nisi cbhaoslesd v . oUnn iav ecrosmalm Poicnt utrheesm Ceo,r spuch as “a quarrel between a Jewish father and an Irish father, the marriage of their children, the birth of grandchildren and a reconciliation.” ., 45 F.2d 119, 122 (2d CirS. e1e9, 3e0.g).., TSehgea O Effnitceer cparnisneos,t L rtedg. ivs.t er a cAlcaciomla bdaes, eIdnc s.olely on standard programming techniques that are commonly used to achieve a specific result in a computer program.
Although facts are not copyrightable, a work of authorship that contains factual information may be registered, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. For example, a newspaper may be registered, but the registration does not cover “[t]he news element – the informatipounb rleicsip jeucrtiisngI ncuterrrneantti oevneanl tNse ws Scoernvtiacien ve.d A isns othciea [tpedu bPlriecasst,ion],” because the news of athbero dgaayt e“dis onno ot tthheer c grreoautinodns obfy t Ehrei e Rwariiltreora, db uCto i. sv a. T roempoprkti nosf ,matter that ordinarily are .” 248 U.S. 215, 234 (1918)
313.3(D) Typeface and Mere Variations of Typographic Ornamentation The copyright law does not protect typeface or mere variations of typographic ornamentation or lettering. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a), (e).
A typeface is a set of letters, numbers, or other symbolic characters with repeating design elemreepnrtsin ttheadt i anre consistently applied in a notational system that is intended to be used in composing text or other combinations of characters. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 55 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5668. Typeface includes typefonts, letterforms, and the like. Registrability of Computer Programs that Generate Typefaces, 57 Fed. Reg. 6,201, 6,202 (Feb. 21, 1992).
The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register a claim to copyright in typeface or mere variations of typographic ornamentation or lettering, regardless of whether the typeface is commonly used or Etrlturlay Cuonripq.u ve. .R Liinkgeewr,ise, the Office cannot register a simple combination of a few typefonts, letterforms, or typeface designs with minor linear or spatial variations. In 579 F.2d 294 (4th Cir. 1978) the Office refused to register a typeface design under the 1909 Act. Both the District Court and the Court of Appeals affirmed the Office’s decision, noting that “typeface has never been considered entitled to copyright under the provisions of [the 1909 Act].” 579 F.2d at 298. The Fourth Circuit noted that many pIadrties have asked “Congress to amend the law in order to provide copyright protection to typeface” and “[j]ust as consistently Congress has refused to grant the protection.” . Congress addressed this issue when it drafted the 1976 Act and concluded that typeface is not copyrightable. The House Report expressly states: “The Committee does not regard the rdeepsriignnt eodf tinypeface, as thus defined, to be a copyrightable ‘pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work’ within the meaning of this bill. . . .” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 55 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5668-69. For the same reasons, the Office cannot register a claim that is based solely on calligraphy because calligraphy is a stylized form of handwriting that is a mere variation Chapter 300 : 25 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition of typographic ornamentation. Although calligraphy in itself is not copyrightable, a literary work, a pictorial work, or a graphic work that contains a sufficient amount of original authorship may be registered notwithstanding the fact that it is executed in calligraphic form.
313.3(E) Format and Layout As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office does not accept vague claims of “format” and/or “layout.” The general layout or format of a book, a page, a slide presentation, a website, a webpage, a poster, a form, or the like, is not copyrightable because it is a template of expression. These terms should be avoided and, if used, will be questioned by the registration specialist.
Copyright protection may be available for the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of specific content, such as a compilation of artwork or a compilation of text, provided that the content is arranged in a sufficiently creative manner. However, the claim would be limited to the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of that specific content, and it would not apply to the format and layout itself. A standard or common selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of specific content or simple variations thereof will not support a claim of compilation authorship and cannot be registered with the Office. If the content that appears in the work is copyrightablee,. gbut the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of that content is not, the claim should be limited to the copyrightable content that the author contributed to the work ( ., text, artwork, etc.) and the compilation authorship should not be included in the claim.
For a general discussion of format and layout, see Chapter 900, Section 906.5.
313.4 Works That Do Not Satisfy the Originality Requirement
Chapter 300 : 26 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 313.4(A) Mere Copies A work that is a mere copy of another work of authorshSipee i sL n. Boat tcloinp y&r Sigohntable. The Office cannot register a work that has been merely copied from another work of authorshiBp rwidigtheomuatn a Anyrt a Ldibdritairoyn, aLlt odr. ivg. iCnoarl ealu Ctohroprship. , 536 F.2d at 490 (“one who has slavishly or mechanically copied from others may not claim to be an author”); ., 36 F. Supp. 2d 191, 195 (S.D.N.Y.
1999) (“exact photographic copies of public domain works of art would not be copyrightable under United States law because they are not original”). As a general rule, the registration specialist will not search the Office’s records or conduct independent research to determine whether the work was created by the author(s) named in the application because the existence of similar or identical works will not preclude a claim in a work that was independently created. However, if the applicant asserts a claim in a work that is unusually similar to another work of authorship that is known to the specialist, he or she may communicate with the applicant. If the specialist determines that the author copied or incorporated another work of authorship, he or she may ask the applicant to exclude the preexisting work from the claim or may refuse registration if the author did not contribute a sufficient amount Eoxf aamddpilteiso:n al original authorship to the work. • Mona Lisa An exact reproduction of the that cannot be distinguished • from the original.
313.4(B) De Minimis Authorship de minimis de minimis non curat lex, The term “ ” comes from the legal principle “ ” which means “the ladwe mdoineism nisot take notice of very smaFlel iostr trifling matters.” As the Supreme Court stated, “copyrightd per motiencitms iosnly those constituent elements of a work that possess more than a quantum of creativity.” , 499 U.S. at 363. Works that contain no expression or only a amount of original expression are not copyrightable and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Chapter 300 : 27 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Examples:
• A synopsis consisting of a single sentence.
• A musical phrase consisting of three notes.
WorAks s oofu tnhde rVeicsuoardl iAnrgt sc:o nsisting of a single tone. Solitaire rings, simple diamond stud earrings, simple hoop earrings, and other jewelry designs that contain only a trivial amount of • authorship.
Touching-up an aged or damaged photograph in order to restore it to its original condition, without adding an appreciable amount of • authorship to the original image.
A public domain photograph of Winston Churchill combined with the • word “Commitment” and the quotation “Never, never, never give up.” An outline map of South Carolina with a blue heart in the center of the design featuring the white crescent moon and white palmetto tree from the state flag.
de minimis Specific categories of literary works, works of the performing arts, and works of the visual arts that contain a amount of authorship are discussed in Chapters 700, 800, and 900.
Chapter 300 : 28 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 313.4(C) Words and Short Phrases de minimis See Words and short phrases, such as names, titles, and slogans, are not copyrightable because they contain a amount of authorship. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a). The U.S. CopSyerei gKhittc Ohfefnicse o cf aSnanroa tL reeeg, iIsntce.r v i.n Ndiifvtyid Fuoaol dws oCrodrsp or brief combinations of words, even if the word or short phrase is novel or distinctive or lends itself to a play on words. ., 266 F.2d 541, 544 (2d Cir. 1959)
(concluding that the Office’s regulation barring the registration of short phrases is “a fair summarEyx oafm thpele lsa: w”).
• A domain name or URL ( ., www.copyright.gov).
• The title or subtitle of a work of authorship.
• The name of a character.
Catchwords, catchphrases, mottoes, slogans, or other short expressions.
For the same reasons, short musical phrases conSseiesting of only a few musical notes standing alone are not copyrightable and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, evEexna mif pthlees :p hrase is novel or distinctive. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a). • Clock chimes.
Similarly, indIdividual numbers, letters, sounds, and short phrases consisting of such elements are not copyrightable, because they do not contain sufficient creative authorship. .
The Office maintains various databases, indexes, catalogs, and other records that contain titles of works that have been registered with the Office. These titles are part of the public record, but the titles themselves are not subject to copyright protection. Chapter 300 : 29 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 313.4(D) Works Consisting Entirely of Information That Is Common Property The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register works consisting entirely of information that is common property because such works contain no original authorship. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(d). ExampleIsd of common property include, without limitation, standard calendars, schedules of sporting events, and lists or tables taken from public documents or other common sources. . For the same reasons, the Office cannot register a claim in common sayings, diatonic and chromatic musical scales, or common chord progressions that merely consist of standard harmonies or common musical phrases. 313.4(E) Measuring and Computing Devices See The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register devices and other useful articles that are designed for computing or measuring. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(d). Examples of such devices include, without limitation, height and weight charts, tape measures and rulers, calculators, and thermometers.
Although measuring and computing devices are not copyrightable, the Office may register pictorial, graphic, or sculptural features that have been applied to a device, but only if those features are physically or conceptually separable from its utilitarian function. For example, a drawing that appears on the surface of a height and weight chart or a fanciful graphic that appears on the surface of a thermometer may be registered if these pictorial or graphic features contain a sufficient amount of creative expression.
For a general discussion of useful articles, see Chapter 900, Section 924. 313.4(F) Mere Listing of Ingredients or Contents A mere listing of ingredients or contents is not copyrightable and cannot be registered with theE Ux.aSm. Cpolepsy: right Office. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a). • A list of ingredients for a recipe.
The Office may register a work that explains how to perform a particular activity, such as a cookbook or user manual, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of text, photogrSaepeh Psu, abrlitcwaotirokn, so Irn otethrnear tcioopnyarl ivg. hMtaebreled ietxhp Croersps.i,on. However, the registration does not extend to any list of ingredients or contents that may be included in the work. 88 F.3d 473, 480 (7th Cir.
Chapter 300 : 30 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition see also 1996) (“We do not view the functional listing of ingredients as original within the meaning of the Copyright Act.”); Policy Decision on Copyrightability of Digitized Typefaces, 53 Fed. Reg. 38,110, 38,112 (Sept. 29, 1988) (explaining that “the explanation and illustration of recipes is copyrightable even though the end result – the food product – is not”).
313.4(G) Blank Forms Blank forms that are designed for recording information and do not in themselves convey information are not copyrightable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(c). Likewise, the copyright law does not protect the ideaSse eo rB apkrienrc vi.p Sleesld beenhind a blank form, the systems or methods implemented by a form, or any functional layout, coloring, or design that facilitates the use of a form. , 101 U.S. 99 (1879).
Blank forms typically contain empty fields or lined spaces, as well as words or short phrases that identify the content that should be recorded in each field or space. Examples include, without limitation, time cards, graph paper, account books, diaries, bank checks, scorecards, address books, report forms, order forms, and the like. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(c).
As a general rule, the Office will register a work of authorship that contains an appreciable amount of written or artistic expression, even if it contains a blank form that is designed for recording information. For example, bank checks may be registered if they contain sufficient pictorial authorship that decorates the form. Likewise, contracts, insurance policies, and other textual documents with “fill-in” spaces may be registered if they contain a sufficient amount of expressive, literary authorship that is not standard or functional. However, the mere inclusion of a large numSebeer of terms on a blank form may not satisfy the originality requirement if those terms are part of a system for recording information, such as a medical diagnostic form. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b).
When examining these types of works, the Office applieSse “ea standard consistent with that applied to all works submitted for registration: does the work evidence an appreciable quantum of original, creative expression?” Registration of Claims to Copyright: Notice of Termination of Inquiry Regarding Blank Forms, 45 Fed. Reg. 63,297 (Sept. 24, 1980). In applying this standard, the Office focuses on the textual or pictorial expression that the author contributed to the work. In other words, does the form qualify as a literary work, a pictorial work, or a work that contains an original combination of literary and pictorial expression? If so, the Office will register the claim. In all cases, the registration covers only the original textual or pictorial expression that the author contributed to the work, but does not cover the blank form or other uncopyrightable elements that the form may contain.
A registration for a visual art work,p ae rli tseerary work, or a work of the performing arts that depicts or describes a character covers the expression set forth in the deposit copy(ies), but it does not cover the character . In other words, the copyright in the registered work protects the author’s expression of the character, but it does not protect the mere concept of the character. The copyright in the character itself is limited to the artistic rendition of the character in visual form or the literary delineation of the character’s specific attributes in textual form. If another party merely uses the character’s name or the general idea for the character there would be no infringement under the copyright law. By contrast, if another party copies the visual or textual expression set forth in the deposit copy(ies), the copyright owner of that work may have a cause of action. (The trademark law may provide additional protection for the character’s name or other attributes if the character is sufficiently distinctive and is used to identify the source of the trademark owner’s goods or services.)
For a further discussion of characters, see Chapter 800, Section 804.2(B) and Chapter 900, Section 911.
313.4(I) Scènes à Faire The copyright law does not protect stock characters, settings, or events that are common to a particular subject matter or medium because they are commonplace and lack originality. For example, the copyright for a work about the Hindenburg would not cover elements that are “indispenSseaeb Hleo, eohrl iantg least standard, in the treatment of” that topic, such as scenes that take place in a German beer hall or characters who utter common greetings of the period. , 618 F.2d at 979. The copyright for a work about a police station in an urban slum would not cover elements that necessarily result from the choice of that setting, such as scenes dSeepe iWctainlkge drr vu. nTkims, ep rLoifset iFtiulmtess,, Ivnecrmin, and derelict cars, or stock themes commonly linked to the genre of police fiction, such as foot chases or the “familiar figure of the Irish cop.” ., 784 F.2d 44, 50 (2d Cir. 1986). Likewise, the fact “[t]hat treasure might be hidden in a cave inhabited by snakes, that fire might be used to repel the snake, that birds might frighten an intruder in the jungle, and that a weary traveler might seek solace in a tavern . . . [are] Chapter 300 : 32 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition See Zambito v. Paramount Pictures Corp simply too general to be protectable.” ., 613 F.
Supp. 1sc1è0n7e,s 1 à1 1fa2i r(eE.D.N.Y 1985).
While cannot be registered by themselves, a work of authorship that contains standard expressions or stock characters, settings, or events may be registered provided that the work as a whole contains a sufficient amount of original expression. 313.4(J) Familiar Symbols and Designs Familiar symbols and designs are not copyrightable and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, either in two-dimensional or three-dimensional form. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a). Likewise, the Office cannot register a work consisting of a simple combination of a few familiar symbols or designs with minor linear or spatial variations, either in two-dimensional or three-dimensional form. Examples of familiar symbols and designs i•n clude, without limitation:
• Letters.
• Punctuation.
• Symbols typically found on a keyboard, such as asterisks, ampersands, and the like. • Abbreviations.
• Musical notes and symbols.
• Numbers.
• Mathematical symbols.
• Currency symbols.
• Arrows and other directional or navigational symbols. Common representational symbols, such as a spade, club, heart, diamond, star, yin • yang, fleur de lys, or the like.
While familiar symbols and designs cannot be registered by themselves, a work of authorship that incorporates one or more of these elements into a larger design may be registered if the work as a whole contains a sufficient amount of creative expression. For additional information concerning familiar symbols and designs, see Chapter 900, Section 906.2.
313.4(K) Mere Variations of Coloring Color is one of the basic building blocks for pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works. The U.S. CopyrighSet eOffice may register an original combination or arrangement of colors if it results in a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work that qualifies as an original work of authorship. Copyright Registration for Colorized Versions of Black and White Motion Pictures, 52 Fed. Reg. 23,443, 23,445 (June 22, 1987).
313.5 Specific Types of Works That May Contain Uncopyrightable Material
The U.S. Copyright Office has adopted policies regarding the copyrightability of specific types of literary works, works of the performing arts, and works of the visual arts. For information concerning literary works that may be or may contain uncopyrightable material, see Chapter 700, Sections 707.1 (Numbers), 707.2 (Research), and 707.3 (Book Design).
For information concerning works of the performing arts that may be or may contain •u ncopyrightable material, see Chapter 800:
• Common property musical scales and arpeggios (Section 802.5(A)). • Sound recordings fixed prior to February 15, 1972 (Section 803.5(D)). Social dances, simple routines, and other uncopyrightable movements (Sections 805.5(B) and 806.5(B)).
For information concerning works of the visual arts that may be or may contain u• ncopyrightable material, see Chapter 900:
• Geometric figures and shapes (Section 906.1).
• X-rays, MRI scans, and other medical imaging (Section 924.3(D)). Bridges, canals, dams, tents, mobile homes, and other uncopyrightable structures • (Section 923.2).
• Interior design and landscape design (Section 923.2). Useful articles (Section 924).
313.6 Other Types of Works That Cannot Be Registered with the
U.S. Copyright Office 313.6(A) Foreign Works That Are Not Eligible for Copyright Protection in the United States As discussed in Section 304, a work of authorship may be registered, provided that it is eligible for copyright protection in the United States under Sections 104(a) or 104(b) of the Copyright Act. Works that do not satisfy these requirements are not protected by U.S. copyright law and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. For more information concerning these requirements, see Chapter 2000, Section 2003. 313.6(B) Unlawful Use of Preexisting Material in a Derivative Work, a Compilation, or a Collective Work Some derivative works, compilations, and collective works cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Section 103(a) of the statute states that copyright protection for a Chapter 300 : 35 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition compilation or derivative work “employing preexisting material in which copyright subsists does not extend to any part of the work in which such material has been used unlawfully.” 17 U.S.C. § 103(a). This provision also applies to collective works because “the term ‘compilation’ includes collective works.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of compilation).
Section 1re0p3r(ian)t eisd iinntended to prevent “an infringer from benefiting, through copyright protection, from committing an unlawful act.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5671. At the same time, iItd allows the author of a derivative work, a compilation, or a collective work to claim copyright in “those parts of the work that do not [unlawfully] employ the preexisting work.” . Ordinarily, the Office will not examine the preexisting material that appears in a derivative work, a compilation, or a collective work to determine whether that material is protected by copyright or whether it has been used in a lawful manner. However, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the preexisting material has not been excluded from the claim and it is reasonably clear that the claimant may not own the copyright in that material, such as a mix tape containing a compilation of well-known sound recordings. The Office also may question derivative claims that appear to be unlawful and that are inseparable or intertwined with an underlying work, such as stage directions for a dramatic work. The Office may register a derivative work, a compilation, or a collective work that contains preexisting copyrightable material, provided that the author’s contribution to that work can be separated from the preexisting material. For example, an anthology of poetry may be registered as a collective work, even if the author accidentally included one poem that was unauthorized, because that poem could be severed from the anthology without affecting the lawful aspects of the collective work as a whole. By contrast, the Office may refuse registration if the preexisting material is inseparSaebely intertwined with the compilation orre tphrein dteerdi vinative work, such as an unauthorized translation of a novel or an unauthorized arrangement of a song. H.R.
REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57-58 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5671. 313.6(C) Government Works 313.6(C)(1) U.S. Government Works Copyright prsoetee catlisoon under the Copyright Act is not availraebplrei nfotre d“ ainny work of the United States Government,” regardless of whether it is published or unpublished. 17 U.S.C. § 105; H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 58 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5672. This includes legislation enacted by Congress, decisions issued by the federal judiciary, regulations issued by a federal agency, or any other work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. federal government while acting within the course of his or her official duties. It also includes works prepared by an officer or employee of the government of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the organized territories under the jurisdiction of the federal government. If an applicant states that the U.S. government or any of its agencies, officers, or employees created the work while acting within the scope of their employment, Chapter 300 : 36 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant and may refuse registration, even if the claimant is a nongovernmental entity. T• here are several exceptions to these rules:
313.6(C)(2) Government Edicts As a matter of longstanding public policy, the U.S. Copyright Office will not register a government edict that has been issued by any state, local, or territorial government, including legislative enactments, judicial decisions, administrative rulings, public ordinances, or similar types of official legal materials. Likewise, the Office will not registerS eae g Boavenrkns mv.e Mnat necdhicets tisesrued by any foreign government or any translation prepared by a government employee acting within the course Wof hheisa toorn h ve. rP oeftfeircsial duties. , 128 U.S. 244, 253 (1888) (“there has always been a judicial consensus, from the time of the decision in the case of , 8 Pet. 591, that Hnoow coelpl yvr. iMghiltl ecrould under the statutes passed by Congress, be secured in the products of the labor done by judicial officers in the discharge of their judicial duties”); , 91 F. 129, 137 (6th Cir. 1898) (Harlan, J.) (“no one can obtain the exclusive right to publish the laws of a state in a book prepared by him”). Chapter 300 : 37 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition There is a limited exception to this rule. Section 104(b)(5) of the Act states that works first publishedS beye the United Nations or any of its specialized agencies, or first published by the Organization of American States are eligible for copyright protection in the United States. 17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(5).
A work that does not constitute a government edict may be registered, even if it was prepared by an officer or employee of a state, local, territorial, or foreign government while acting within the course of his or her official duties. For example, the Office may register a tourist magazine written and published by Arizona’s department of tourism or a map created and published by the public transit authority for the city of Detroit. Likewise, the Office may register aSneneotations that summarize or comment upon legal materials issued by a federal, state, local, or foreign government, unless the annotations themselves have the force of law. Chapter 700, Section 717.1. 313.6(D) Works in the Public Domain Works that are in the public domain in the GUonliatend v S. Htaotledse crannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. A copyrighted work enters the public domain in the United States when “its full copyright term has expired.” , 132 S. Ct. 873, 878 (2012). Works that do not comply with certain statutory formalities may also be in the public domain, such as U.S. works published without a copyright notice on or before March 1, 1989, or U.S. works published or registered on or before December 31, 1963 that were not renewed in a timely manner. Likewise, dweo mrkins itmhiast are not copyrightable are in the public domain, such as works that have not been fixed in a tangible medium of expression or works that merely contain a amount of authorship. A derivative work, compilation, or collective work that contains public domain material may be registered, provided that the new work contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. The copyright in such works covers the compilation authorship or the new material that the author contributed to the derivative work, the compilation, or the collective work, but it “is independent of, and does not affect or enlarge the scope, duration, ownership, or subsistence of, any copyright protection in the [public domain] material.” 17 U.S.C. § 103(b).
314 Use of Protected Names, Characters, Slogans, Symbols, Seals, Emblems, and Insignia Occasionally, the U.S. Copyright Office receives works that contain names, characters, slogans, symbols, seals, emblems, or inSseieg, nei.ag that may be restricted by federal law, such as “Olympic,” “Smokey Bear,” “Woodsy Owl,” “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute,” the 4-H Club Emblem, or the sign of the Red Cross. ., 18 U.S.C. §§ 700-716; 36 U.S.C. § 220506. If the work contains a sufficient amount of original authorship and if the federally protected material has been excluded from the claim, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. By contrast, if the specialist is aware that the work contains federally protected material that has not been excluded from the claim, the specialist may notify the applicant that the material appears to be restricted and may ask the applicant whether that material has been used in a lawful manner.
Chapter 300 : 38 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 315 Obscenity Pornographic works may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship.
(concluding that the 1909 Act protects “all creative works, obscene or non-obscene, that otherwise meet the requirements of the [statute]” and that there is “no explicit or implicit bar to the copyrighting of obscene materials”). However, if a work contains material that appears to fall within the scope of the Child Protection Act, the specialist will refer the work to the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice. If the Associate Register determines that the work clearly falls within the scope of Title 18, sections 2251-2255, and if the Register of CoSpeyerights concurs, the application, deposit copy(ies), and any other materials that have been submitted to the Office will be referred to the U.S. Department of Justice. Operating Guidelines Regarding the Child Protection Act; Public Availability, 52 Fed. Reg. 10,177 (Mar. 30, 1987).
316 Classified Material If the U.S. Copyright Office is aware that the deposit copy(ies) contain information that has been classified by the U.S. government, the registration specialist will refer the work to the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice. The material should be held or disposed of in accordance with instructions from the Associate Register, and the examination or other processing of the material by the Office should be suspended until the matter has been resolved. Chapter 300 : 39 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
405.1 Joint Works........................................................................................................................................................................... 5 405.2 Minors .................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 405.3 Mental Incompetents........................................................................................................................................................ 5 405.4 Prisoners ............................................................................................................................................................................... 6 405.5 Deceased Authors .............................................................................................................................................................. 6 405.6 Foreign Authors ................................................................................................................................................................. 6 406 Applications Filed by or on Behalf of a Copyright Owner Who Owns All of the Exclusive Rights ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 407 Applications Filed by an Owner of One or More — But Less than All — of the Exclusive Rights ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 408 Exclusive Licensees and Nonexclusive Licensees ................................................................................................. 7 409 Authorized Agents ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 410 Who May File the Application: At a Glance .............................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 400 : 1 12/22/2014 Chapter 400 : 2 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
For information on who may file a claim for specific types of works, who may file a renewal application, and who may record a transfer of ownership, a notice of t•e rmination, or other documents pertaining to copyright, see the following chapters: • For mask works, see Chapter 1200, Section 1211.
• For vessel designs, see Chapter 1300, Section 1311.2. • For renewal applications, see Chapter 2100, Section 2115.5. For recording documents, see Chapter 2300, Sections 2309.4, 2310.6, 2311, 2312.1, 2313.5, and 2314.6.
402 Who Is the Applicant? The applicant is the party who signs the certification and submits the application to the U.S. Copyright Office. Any of the following parties may certify and submit an application •to register a copyright claim:
• The author of the work;
• The owner of all the exclusive rights in the work;
Chapter 400 : 3 12/22/2014 In most cases, the correspondent and the applicant are the same person, because the correspondent typically certifies and submits the application. In all cases, the c•o rrespondent must be:
• An author of the work;
• An owner who owns all of the exclusive rights in the work; An owner of one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights in the work; • or A duly authorized agent of one or more of the foregoing parties. As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will send all communications concerning an application or a registration to the correspondent at the address provided in the registration record.
For guidance in completing the Correspondent field/space of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 622.2. For information on who may certify an application, see Chapter 600, Section 624.
404 Who Is the Claimant? The only parties who are eligible to be the copyright claimant are (i) the author of the work, or (ii) a copyright owner who owns all of the exclusiveS reieghts in the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3). A person or entity who owns one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights in a work is not eligible to be a claimant. Part 202 - Registration of Claims to Copyright, 43 Fed. Reg. 965, 965 (Jan. 5, 1978); Registration of Copyright: Definition of Claimant, 77 Fed. Reg. 29,257, 29,258 (May 17, 2012). Although the author or the copyright owner who owns all of the rights are the only parties who are entitled to claim ownership of the copyright, an application to register that claim may be certified and submitted by any of the parties listed in Section 402. In some cases, the applicant and the claimant may be the same party, while in other cases they may be different.
405 Applications Filed by or on Behalf of the Author An author is either (i) the person or persons who created the work, or (ii) the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared, if the work was created during the course of employment or commissioned as a work made for hire. The author may be either a U.S. or a foreign citizen.
If the author owns all of the rights under the copyright on the date that the application is filed, the author must be named in the application as the copyright claimant. The author or the author’s duly authorized agent may certify and submit an application to register that claim. In the situation where the author certifies and submits the application, the author is considered both the applicant and the claimant. If the author’s duly authorized agent certifies and submits the application, the author is still the claimant but the author’s agent is considered the applicant.
Chapter 400 : 4 12/22/2014 The author also may be named as the copyright claimant even if the author has See gtreannesrfaelrlyred the copyright or one or more of the exclusive rights to another party, or even if the author does not own any of the rights at the time the application is filed. Registration of Copyright: Definition of Claimant, 77 Fed. Reg. 29,257, 29,258 (May 17, 2012); Registration of Claims to Copyright, 43 Fed. Reg. 965, 965 (Jan. 5, 1978). If the author transferred all of the rights in a work to another party, either the author or the transferee may be named as the copyright claimant, and the application may be submitted by the author, the transferee, or their respective agents. If the author transferred only some of his or her rights to another party, thei. eauthor must be named as the copyright claimant, and the application to register the copyright in the author’s name may be filed by any of the parties listed in Section 402 ( ., the author, an owner of one or more exclusive rights, or their respective agents).
405.1 Joint Works
The U.S. Copyright Office will accept an application filed by or on behalf of one or more authors of a joint work if the application is otherwise proper and complete. The application must identify all of the authors of the joint work. If a joint author transferred all of his or her rights to a third party, either the joint author or the transferee may be named as a copyright claimant, and the application may be filed by the joint author, the transferee, or their respective agents. If a joint owner transferred only some of his or her rights to a third party, the joint author must be named as the copyright claimant, although the application to register the copyright in the joint author’s name may be filed by the transferee or any of the other parties listed in Section 402.
405.2 Minors
Minors may claim copyright, and the U.S. Copyright Office will accept applications submitted either by or on behalf of a minor if the application is otherwise proper and complete.
Minors may appoint a duly authorized agent to file the application on their behalf, such as a parent, guardian, or other qualified agent. Because registration records are open to the public, the applicant should not provide any private or confidential information in the application that is not required for registration if the applicant does not wish to make that information public. Any information that is provided in the application may be made available to the general public through the Office’s online database. Once the Office issues a certificate of registration, in most cases it cannot remove any information from the registration record, including a minor’s name, address, or year of birth.
405.3 Mental Incompetents
Mental incompetents may claim copyright, and the U.S. Copyright Office will accept applications submitted either by or on behalf of a mentally incompetent person, provided the application is otherwise proper and complete. If a committee or guardian has been appointed for a person adjudged to be incompetent, such committee or Chapter 400 : 5 12/22/2014 guardian generally should submit the application as a duly authorized agent of the applicant.
405.4 Prisoners
An incarcerated person may claim copyright, and the U.S. Copyright Office will accept applications submitted either by or on behalf of an inmate of a prison or other penal institution if the application is otherwise proper and complete.
405.5 Deceased Authors
The U.S. Copyright Office will accept applications submitted by or on behalf of a claimant who owns all of the rights that initially belonged to a deceased author, such as the author’s estate, a devisee, or an heir. Likewise, the Office will accept applications that name a deceased author as the copyright claimant if the author is the only party who is eligible to be named as the copyright claimant. If the application names an individual as author and claimant and the Office discovers that the individual died before the application has been approved for registration, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant for the name of the current claimant.
405.6 Foreign Authors
The U.S. Copyright Office will register works created by a foreign author if the work is eligible for copyright protection in the United States. U.S. copyright law protects the unpublished works of all authors (domestic or foreign) as long as the work is not in the public domain. Published works of foreign authors may be eligible for protection in the United States if they satisfy the requirements described in Chapter 2000, Section 2003.
406 Applications Filed by or on Behalf of a Copyright Owner Who Owns All of the Exclusive Rights A transferee who owns all of the rights in the copyright may be named in the application as the copyright claimant. An application to register the copyright in the transferee’s name may be certified and submitted by the author of the work, by the transferee, or by their respective agents. In this situation, the transferee is considered to be the claimant, and—depending on who submitted the application—the author, the transferee, or the authorized agent of the author or the transferee is considered the applicant. 407 Applications Filed by an Owner of One or More — But Less than All — of the Exclusive Rights Any of the exclusive rights that make up a copyright or any subdivision of those rights can be transferred and owned sSeepearately. 17 U.S.C. § 201(d)(2). A party who owns one or more — but not all — of the rights that initially belonged to an author cannot be named as a copyright claimant. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3). However, an owner of one or more of the exclusive rights may submit an application to reSgeies tgeern tehrea lcloypyright in the author’s name. In this situation, the author is considered to be the claimant, and the owner of the exclusive right(s) is considered the applicant. Registration of Copyright: Definition of Claimant, 77 Fed. Reg. 29,257, 29,258-59 (May 17, 2012). Chapter 400 : 6 12/22/2014 408 Exclusive Licensees and Nonexclusive Licensees An exclusive licensee is a party who has been granted one or more of the exclusive rights set forth in Section 106 of the Copyright Act, or any subdivision of those rights. Exclusive licensees are considered owners of those right(s) during the term of the license. A nonexclusive licensee is a party who has the right to use a work or an exclusive right in the work, but does not have the right to prevent others from using the same work. Nonexclusive licensees are not owners of the right(s) or parts thereof, but rather, they are considered authorized users.
The Copyright Act states that only “the owner of copyright or of any exclusive right in the work may obtain registration of the copyright claim.” 17 U.S.C. §408(a). Although an exclusive licensee who owns one or more of the exclusive rights is entitled to submit an application, only an exclusive licensee who owns all of the exclusive rights in a work is entitled to be named as a copyright claimant. 37 C.F.R. §202.3(a)(3). An exclusive licensee with less than all rights may submit an application by naming the author as the claimant.
As a general rule, a nonexclusive licensee is not entitled to be named as a copyright claimant or to submit an aspeep laiclsaotion to register a copyright claim, because a nonexclusive licensee is neither the “owner of copyright or of any exclusive right in the work.” 17 U.S.C. §408(a); 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “transfer of copyright ownership,” which explicitly excludes nonexclusive licenses). A nonexclusive licensee may certify or submit an application to register the copyright only if the licensee is a duly authorized agent acting on behalf of the author or a person or entity that owns all of the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author. 409 Authorized Agents An author, a copyright owner who owns all of the rights in the work, or an owner of one or more of the exclusive right(s) may use a duly authorized agent to submit an application on their behalf. Examples of such agents include, but are not limited to, legal guardians, business managers, literary agents, and attorneys. In most cases, the correspondent is a duly authorized agent Soefe one or more of the parties listed above, and as a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will direct all communications concerning the application to that person. Section 403. The Office imposes no special qualifications or tests for authorized agents (including attorneys) before they may file applications or otherwise conduct business with the Office. Nor does the Office require applications to be prepared or submitted by an attorney. In certain special cases the Office may sSuegegest that the claimant consider seeking legal advice, but the Office does not furnish the names of copyright attorneys, publishers, agents, or other similar information. 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a)(2). As a general rule, the Office will accept the statement on the application certifying that the person who signs the application is an authorized agent of the author or an owner of the exclusive rights in the work. In some circumstances, the Office may ask an alleged agent to submit documentation showing that he or she is in fact authorized to act for one or more of those parties.
Chapter 400 : 7 12/22/2014 410 Who May File the Application: At a Glance The following chart is intended to assist potential applicants in determining who may file an application and who may be named as a claimant: Who owns the rights? Who may be named as Who may file the application? claimant? all The author of the work The author The author owns of the rights or An authorized agent of the author some not all The author of the work The author The author owns — but — or of the rights An owner of one or more of the exclusive rights or An authorized agent of one or more of the aforementioned parties none The author of the work The author The author owns of the rights and/or or all all The transferee who The transferee who owns of the owns of the rights rights or notall— An owner of one or more — but of the exclusive rights or An authorized agent of one or more of the aforementioned parties Chapter 400 : 8 12/22/2014 Who owns the rights? Who may be named as Who may file the application? claimant? all A transferee owns of the The author The author rights and/or or all all The transferee who The transferee who owns of the owns of the rights rights or An authorized agent of one or more of some the aforementioned parties not all A transferee owns — The author The author but — of the rights or An owner of one or more of the exclusive rights or An authorized agent of one or more of the aforementioned parties all An exclusive licensee The author The author owns of the rights and/or or all all The exclusive licensee who The exclusive licensee who owns of owns of the rights the rights or An authorized agent of one or more of the aforementioned parties some not all An exclusive licensee The author The author owns — but — or of the rights An owner of one or more of the exclusive rights or An authorized agent of one or more of the aforementioned parties Chapter 400 : 9 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
503.1 What Is the Work of Authorship? ................................................................................................................................ 6 503.1(A) Works of Authorship Distinguished from the Constituent Elements of the Work ................................... 6 503.1(BA) Copyrightable Subject Matter ....................................................................................................................................... 6 503.1(C) Compilations and Derivative Works .......................................................................................................................... 8 503.1(D) Work of Authorship Distinguished from the Medium of Expression ............................................................ 8 503.1(E) Copyrightable Authorship .............................................................................................................................................. 9 503.2 Who Is the Author of the Work? ............................................................................................................................... 10 503.3 What Type of Authorship Did the Author Create? ............................................................................................. 10 503.4 Who Owns the Copyright in the Authorship? ...................................................................................................... 11 503.5 Does the Work Contain Unclaimable Material? .................................................................................................. 12 503.5(A) Unclaimable Material: Previously Published Material ..................................................................................... 13 503.5(B) Unclaimable Material: Previously Registered Material ................................................................................... 13 503.5(C) Unclaimable Material: Public Domain Material .................................................................................................. 13 503.5(D) Unclaimable Material: Copyrightable Material That Is Owned by a Third Party ................................... 14 504 The Scope of the Registration for a Work of Original Authorship ............................................................... 14 504.1 Copyrightable Authorship vs. Uncopyrightable Material ................................................................................ 15 504.2 Authorship Contained in the Deposit Copy(ies) ................................................................................................. 15 504.3 Multiple Versions of the Same Work ....................................................................................................................... 16 505 Joint Works........................................................................................................................................................................ 16 505.1 What Is a Joint Work? .................................................................................................................................................... 16 505.2 Determining Whether the Work Is a Joint Work ................................................................................................ 17 505.3 The Scope of the Copyright in a Joint Work .......................................................................................................... 18 506 Works Made for Hire ..................................................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 500 : 1 12/22/2014 506.1 What Is a Work Made for Hire? ................................................................................................................................. 18 506.2 Works Created by an Employee Within the Scope of His or Her Employment....................................... 19 506.3 Works Specially Ordered or Commissioned as a Work Made for Hire ...................................................... 22 506.4 Determining whether the Work is a Work Made for Hire............................................................................... 23 506.4(A) Applicant Makes the Determination ........................................................................................................................ 23 506.4(B) Work Made for Hire Questionnaire ......................................................................................................................... 24 506.5 The Scope of the Copyright in a Work Made for Hire ....................................................................................... 25 507 Derivative Works ............................................................................................................................................................ 26 507.1 What Is a Derivative Work? ........................................................................................................................................ 26 507.2 The Scope of the Copyright in a Derivative Work .............................................................................................. 27 508 Compilations ..................................................................................................................................................................... 28 508.1 What Is a Compilation? ................................................................................................................................................. 28 508.2 The Scope of the Copyright in a Compilation ....................................................................................................... 29 509 Collective Works and Contributions to Collective Works ............................................................................... 30 509.1 What Is a Collective Work? ......................................................................................................................................... 30 509.2 The Scope of the Copyright in a Collective Work ............................................................................................... 31 510 One Registration Per Work ......................................................................................................................................... 32 510.1 Unpublished Works vs. Published Works ............................................................................................................. 32 510.2 Naming the Author as the Copyright Claimant ................................................................................................... 32 510.3 Adverse Claims ................................................................................................................................................................ 33 511 One Work Per Registration ......................................................................................................................................... 33 512 Multiple Versions of the Same Work ....................................................................................................................... 34 512.1 Unpublished Versions of the Same Work .............................................................................................................. 35 512.2 Published Versions of the Same Work .................................................................................................................... 35 512.2(A) Registering Multiple Versions of a Published Work: More Complete Version Published First ................................................................................................................................................ 36 512.2(B) Registering Multiple Versions of a Published Work: Less Complete Version Published First ................................................................................................................................................ 37 512.2(C) Registering Multiple Versions of a Published Work: Multiple Versions Published on the Same Date ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Chapter 500 : 2 12/22/2014 Chapter 500 : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
• For a general overview of the registration process, see Chapter 200. For guidance in determining who may file an application and who may be named as • the copyright claimant, see Chapter 400.
• For information on how to complete an application, see Chapter 600. For information regarding the options for registering multiple works with one • application, see Chapter 1100.
• For information concerning the deposit requirements, see Chapter 1500. For information concerning the Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for evaluating copyrightable authorship, see Chapter 300. For guidance concerning the practices and procedures relating to specific types of works, see the following • chapters:
Chapter 500 : 4 12/22/2014 • For a discussion of works of the performing arts, see Chapter 800. • For a discussion of visual art works, see Chapter 900. • For a discussion of websites and website content, see Chapter 1000. For a discussion of mask works and vessel designs, see Chapters 1200 and 1300. 502 A Copyright Registration Covers a Claim in a Work of Original Authorship See The U.S. Copyright Office does not issue copyrights, but instead simply registers claims to copyright. 17 U.S.C. § 408(a) (stating that “the owner of copyright or of any exclusive right in the work may obtain registration of the copyright claim” by submitting published an appropriate application, filing fee, and deposit to the Copyright Office). The copyright in a work of authorship created or first after January 1, 1978 is protected from the moment it is created, provided that the work is original and is fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. §§ 102(a), 408(a). In other words, the copyright in a work oSfe oer iginal authorship exists regardless of whether the work has been submitted for registration or whether the Office has issued a certificate of registration for that work. 17 U.S.C. § 408(a) (“registration is not a condition of copyright protection”). A copyright “claim” is an “assertion of copyright [ownership in] . . . the work.” Applications for Registration of Claim to Copyright Under Revised Copyright Act, 42 Fed. Reg. 48,944, 48,945 (Sept. 26, 1977). Thus, when an applicant files an application to register a work of authorship, the applicant is asserting a claim of ownership in the copyright in that work.
Although registration is optional, there are important benefits for registering a claim to copyright and for doing so in a timely manner. For a discussion of these benefits, see Chapter 200, Section 202.
503 Identifying the Original Authorship That the Applicant Intends to Register A copyright claim is a claim in the original authorship that an author or authors contributed to the work. The applicant — not the U.S. Copyright Office — must identify the original authorship that the applicant intends to register. In making this d• etermination, the applicant may find it helpful to consider the following questions: • What is the work of authorship? • Who is the author(s) of the work? • What type(s) of authorship did the author or co-authors create? • Who owns the copyright in that authorship? Does the work contain unclaimable material? Each of these topics is discussed in Sections 503.1 through 503.5 below. Chapter 500 : 5 12/22/2014
503.1 What Is the Work of Authorship?
503.1(A) Works of Authorship Distinguished from the Constituent Elements of the Work The U.S. Copyright Office registers claims to copyright in works of authorship. As a general rule, the Office will issue one registration for each work that is submitted for registration.
The Office may examine the constituent elements or individual components of a work to determine if the work contains a sufficient amount of creative expression to warrant registration. But as a general rule, the Office will not issue separate registrations for the constituent elements or individual components of a work of authorship. Likewise, the Office will not issue separate registrations to each author who contributed copyrightable expression to a work of authorship (except as contributions to a collective work or derivative works).
503.1(BA) Copyrightable Subject Matter A work may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that it falls within one or more of the categories of authorship set forth under Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act. Works that do not fall within one or more of these congressionally-established categories do not constitute copyrightable subject matter, and as such, cannot be registered. Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act states that works of authorship include the following c•a tegories of works:
• Literary works.
• Musical works, including any accompanying words.
• Dramatic works, including any accompanying music.
• Pantomimes and choreographic works.
• Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works.
• Motion pictures and other audiovisual works.
• Sound recordings.
The following chart provides representative examples of works that may be registered and the relevant category of authorship for each work.
Chapter 500 : 6 12/22/2014 Category of Authorship Types of Works e.g Literary Works Fiction, nonfictione, .pgoetry, serial publications ( ., newspapers, magazines, etc.), articles, advertising copy, written communications ( ., letters, email messages), reference works, deir.ge.c,tories, catalogs, compilations of information, computer programs, databases, ebooks, audiobooks, online textual works ( blogs, website text), and similar types of textual works. i.e Pictorial Works Paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, art reproductions, maps, technicael .dgrawings, diagrams, applied art ( ., two- dimensional pictorial artweo.grk applied to a useful article), artistic crafts ( ., textiles, table service patterns, wall plaques), online or digital artwork ( ., computer-aided artwork, digital imaging, pixel art), and similar types of pictorial works. i.e Graphic Works Drawings, prints, art reproductions, mapse, t.gechnical drawings, diagrams, applied art ( ., two-dimensional graphic artwoer.kg applied to a useful article), artistic crafts ( ., textiles, table service patterns, wall plaques), online or digital artwork ( ., computer-aided artwork, digital imaging, pixel art), and similar types of graphic works.
Musical Works Songs, song lyrics, symphonies, concertos, advertising jingles, and similar types of musical works.
Dramatic Works Plays, musicals, operas, scripts, screenplays, and similar types of dramatic works.
Choreographic Works Ballet, modern dance, and similar types of complex dances. Motion Pictures Films, television shows, videogames, videos, online videos, motion picture soundtracks, and similar types of audiovisual works.
Chapter 500 : 7 12/22/2014 Category of Authorship Types of Works Sound Recordings A recored.ging of a song, a recording of a vocal performance, a recording of a musical performance, a recording of a literary work ( ., an audiobook), a digital file of a performance, and similar types of recordings.
Architectural Works Buildings, architectural plans, and architectural drawings. 503.1(C) Compilations and Derivative Works The Copyright Act states that “[t]he subject matter of copyright as specified by section 102 includes compilations and derivative works.” 17 U.S.C. § 103(a). Compilations and de.egr.ivative works constitute copyrightable subject matter, provided that the work falls within one or more of the categories of authorship set forth in Section 102(a) of the Act ( , literary works, sound recordings, pictorial works, etc.). In other words, a compilation or derivative work may be copyrightable provided that it qualifies as a literary work, a musical work, a dramatic work, or one of the other congressionally- established categories of authorship. A compilation or derivative work that does not fall within one or more of the Section 102(a) categories is not registrable, such as a compilation of exercises or a new version of a useful article. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. 37,605, 37,606 (June 22, 2012). For a definition and discussion of compilations and derivative works, see Sections 507 and 508.
503.1(D) Work of Authorship Distinguished from the Medium of Expression A copyrightS reeegistration covers the copyrightable aruetphroirnstheidp i tnhat the author contributed to the work, but it does not cover the medium in which the work has been fixed. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 53 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5666; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 52 (1975) (recognizing that there is “a fundamental distinction between the ‘original work’ which is the product of ‘authorship’ and the multitude of material objects in which it can be embodied.”). Thus, when completing an application, the applicant should describe the copyrightable authorship that the author contributed to the work, rather than the medium that the author used to create that work. The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register a claim based solely on the method that the author used to create his or her expression or the medium in which the expression has been fixed.
The following chart provides representative examples of various types of works and the authorship they typically contain, as distinguished from the medium in which the authorship may be fixed. In these examples, the Office may register a claim to copyright in “2-D artwork,” “music and lyrics,” “sound recording,” or other forms of original Chapter 500 : 8 12/22/2014 authorship, but not in the “canvas,” “compact disc,” “digital music file,” or other medium that the author used to create the work.
Type of Work Medium of Expression Original Authorship Short story Paper, digital file, etc. Text that qualifies as a literary work Acrylic painting Canvas 2-D Artwork Song containing music Sheet music, compact disc, digital Music and lyrics and lyrics music file, etc.
Recording of a song Compact disc, digital music file, etc. Sound recording Home video DVD, digital video file, etc. Motion picture 503.1(E) Copyrightable Authorship When completing an application, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the author contributed to the work, but should not assert a claim in any aspect of the work that is not protected by copyright. For more information on what constitutes uncopyrightable authorship, see Chapter 300, Section 313. The following chart provides representative examples of various types of works and the copyrightable authorship they typically contain, as distinguished from the uncopyrightable material that may appear in the work. In these examples, the Office may register a claim to copyright in the “text,” “photographs,” “artwork,” or other forms of copyrightable authorship that the author contributed to the work, but not the “facts,” “listing of ingredients,” “process,” “method,” “name,” “typeface,” “typographic ornamentation,” or other uncopyrightable material.
Type of Work Copyrightable Authorship Uncopyrightable Material Newspaper Text, photographs, illustrations Facts Cookbook Text, artwork, photographs Listings of ingredients; ideas, procedures, processes, or methods for cooking Computer Source code, screen displays of Ideas, procedures, processes, systems, program pictorial or audiovisual authorship methods of operation, concepts, principles, or discoveries Chapter 500 : 9 12/22/2014 Type of Work Copyrightable Authorship Uncopyrightable Material Product logo Artwork Name of the product; typeface or typographic ornamentation Comic book Artwork, text Name of characters; idea for characters Website Text, artwork, photographs, Format and layout; domain name audiovisual material
503.2 Who Is the Author of the Work?
The applicant should identify the author or co-authors who created the work that the applicant intends to register.
If the work qualifies as a joint work, the applicant should identify each author who contributed copyrightable authorship to that work. For a definition and discussion of joint works, see Section 505.
If the work was created as a work made for hire, the employer for hire should be identified as the author. For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Section 506.
The author or co-authors listed in the application are presumed to be the sole authors or joint authors of the expression claimed therein. Although the U.S. Copyright Office does not investigate the truth of the claims asserted in the application, it does verify that the asserted authorship facts are consistent with the facts contained in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials.
For guidance in identifying the author of a work, see Chapter 600, Sections 613.1 through 613.8. For guidance in completing the name of author field/space of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 613.9.
503.3 What Type of Authorship Did the Author Create?
The applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the author or co- authors contributed to the work.
The U.S. Copyrightp Orifmfiace f aocniely examines the authorship that is explicitly claimed in the application. It does not examine any authorship that is not claimed in the application, and therefore, no presumption should apply to unclaimed authorship that appears in the work.
A copyrightable work may contain one or more types of authorship, but as discussed in Section 503.4, a registration only covers the authorship that is owned by the claimant or co-claimants who are named in the application. In some cases, the applicant may intend and may be entitled to register all of the authorship that appears in the work, while in Chapter 500 : 10 12/22/2014 other cases the applicant may intend or may be entitled to register only certain aspects of the work.
The following chart provides a representative example of a work that contains multiple types of authorship.
Work of Authorship Authorship Created Authorship Created by Author A by Author B Song Music Lyrics In this example, the song contains two types of authorship created by two different authors. If the claimant only owns the copyright in the music, the applicant should assert a claim in “music” and should name Author A in the application (but not Author B). If the claimant only owns the copyright in the lyrics, the applicant should assert a claim in “lyrics” and should name Author B in the application (but not Author A). By contrast, if the claimant owns the copyright in the music and lyrics, the applicant should assert a claim in both elements and should name Authors A and B in the application.
503.4 Who Owns the Copyright in the Authorship?
The applicant should identify the person or organization that owns the copyrightable authorship that the author or co-authors contributed to the work. For purposes of copyright registration, this person or organization is known as the “copyright claimant.” The copyright in a work of authorship initially belongs to the author or co-authors of that work, unless and until the author assigns the copyright to another party in a signed, written agreement or by operation of law. 17 U.S.C. §§ 201(a), 204(a). If the author no longer owns the copyright in the work, the applicant must provide a brief statement that explains “how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright.” 17 U.S.C. § 409(5). For guidance in completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 619 and 620.
As discussed in Section 503.3, works of authorship often contain different forms of expression. In some cases, the copyright claimant may own all of the authorship that appears in the work, while in other cases the claimant may own or may be entitled to register only certain aspects of the work. In all cases, the applicant should assert a claim only in the authorship that is owned by the claimant or co-claimants named in the application.
The following chart provides a representative example of a work that contains multiple types of authorship that is owned by multiple claimants. Chapter 500 : 11 12/22/2014 Work of Authorship Authorship Owned by Authorship Owned by Authorship Owned Author A Author B by Other Parties Children’s Book Text Illustrations Text, artwork, and photographs on the cover If the claimant owns the copyright in the text of the book (but does not own the illustrations or any of the content that appears on the cover), the applicant should identify the author(s) of the text, the applicant should assert a claim in “text,” and the applicant should name A as the copyright claimant.
If the claimant owns the copyright in the illustrations (but does not own the text of the book or any of the content that appears on the cover), the applicant should identify the author(s) of those illustrations, the applicant should assert a claim in “2-D artwork,” and the applicant should name B as the copyright claimant.
503.5 Does the Work Contain Unclaimable Material?
A copyright registration covers the new expression that the author created and contributed to the work, but it does not cover any unclaimable material that the work m• ay contain. For purposes of registration, unclaimable material includes the following: • Previously published material.
• Material that is in the public domain. i.e.
If the work submitted for registration contains unclaimable material, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim by providing a brief description in the Material Excluded field in the online application or in space 6(a) of the paper application. However, the applicant does not need to complete this portion of the application if the work mdee mreilnyi mcoinstains material that is uncopyrightable, such as words, letters, numbers, common symbols and shapes, and the like. Similarly, brief quotes, short phrases, and other uses of prior works do not need to be excluded from the claim. Chapter 500 : 12 12/22/2014 For representative examples of works that contain unclaimable material, see Sections 503.5(A) through 503.5(D) below. For guidance in completing the Material Excluded field and space 6(a) of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(B). 503.5(A) Unclaimable Material: Previously Published Material The following chart provides a representative example of a work that contains previously published material.
Work of Authorship Excluded Material New Authorship Textbook Text, artwork, and photographs New text that the author created (second edition) published in the first edition of this for the second edition of this textbook textbook In this example, the applicant may register the new text that the author contributed to the second edition of this textbook. The applicant should exclude the text, artwork, and other material that was published in the first edition of this work using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
503.5(B) Unclaimable Material: Previously Registered Material The following chart provides a representative example of a work that contains previously registered material.
Work of Authorship Excluded Material New Authorship Feature film based on an Unpublished screenplay Motion picture unpublished screenplay (Reg. No. PAu 9-999-999)
In this example, the unpublished screenplay has been previously registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, but the feature film has not. The applicant may register the new authorship that the author contributed to the motion picture. The previously registered screenplay should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F).
503.5(C) Unclaimable Material: Public Domain Material The following chart provides a representative example of a work that contains public domain material.
Chapter 500 : 13 12/22/2014 Work of Authorship Excluded Material New Authorship The Confidence Man The Confidence Man Musical based on by Music, lyrics, script by Herman Melville Herman Melville The Confidence Man In this example, the musical is based on Herman Melville’s novel , which is in the public domain. The applicant may register the music, lyrics, and script that the author contributed to the musical. The applicant should exclude the story, characters, and other expression that the author borrowed from the novel using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
503.5(D) Unclaimable Material: Copyrightable Material That Is Owned by a Third Party The following chart provides a representative example of a work that contains copyrightable material that is owned by a third party. Work of Authorship Excluded Material New Authorship Coffee Table Book Photographs owned by Text owned by Company X Photographer A, B, & C In this example, Company X owns the copyright in the text of the coffee table book, while Photographers A, B, and C own the copyright in the photographs that appear in the book. Company X may register the text that the author contributed to the book. The photographs should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
504 The Scope of the Registration for a Work of Original Authorship As a general rule, a registration for a work of authorship covers the entire copyrightable content of the authorship that (i) is claimed in the application, (ii) is owned by the claimant, and (iii) is contained in the deposit copy(ies). The applicant should assert a claim in this authorship in the online application by completing the Author Created field, and if appropriate, the New Material Included field. In the paper application, the applicant should assert a claim in this authorship by completing the Nature of Authorship space, and if appropriate, the Material Added to This Work space. Together, these fields and spaces provide important information about the scope of the claim of authorship in a work. Applicants are encouraged to be specific Chapter 500 : 14 12/22/2014 when completing these portions of the application. A clear description of the copyrightable expression that the applicant intends to register creates an accurate record of authorship and ownership for the benefit of the copyright owner, the courts, and the general public.
The fact that a work was submitted for registration and was registered by the U.S. Copyright Office does not necessarily mean that the registration covers all the authorship that appears in the work as a whole. As discussed in Section 503.3, the Office examines and registers only the copyrightable authorship that is expressly claimed in the application and that is included in the deposit copy(ies). The Office does not examine any authorship that is not claimed in the application, and it cannot examine any authorship that does not appear in the deposit copy(ies).
504.1 Copyrightable Authorship vs. Uncopyrightable Material
A registration covers the copyrightable authorship that the author or co-authors contributed to the work, but it does not cover any uncopyrightable material that appears in the work.
If the applicant expressly asserts a claim in uncopyrightable material, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. In the alternative, the spSeeceialist may remove the uncopyrightable term from the application and register the claim with an annotation indicating that the registration does not cover that material. Chapter 600, Section 604. The annotation is intended to put the copyright owner, the courts, and the general public on notice concerning the extent of the claim. That said, a registration does not extend to uncopyrightable material that appears in a work of authorship, even if the registration does not contain an annotation or even if it contains ambiguous language that may refer to uncopyrightable material.
504.2 Authorship Contained in the Deposit Copy(ies)
Ordinarily, a registration for a work of authorship only covers the material that is included in the deposit copy(ies). It does not cover authorship that does not appear in the deposit copy(ies), even if the applicant expressly claims that authorship in the application.
T• here are two limited exceptions to this rule:
A work of authorship that is registered with identifying material or based on a grant of special relief may cover the entire copyrightable content of the work, notwithstanding the fact that the applicant did not submit a copy of the entire work. For a discussion of Chapter 500 : 15 12/22/2014 special relief and examples of other works that may be registered with identifying material, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1506 and 1508.8.
504.3 Multiple Versions of the Same Work
A registration only covers the specific version of the work that is submitted for registration. The U.S. Copyright Office does not offer so-called “blanket registrations” that cover prior versions or derivative versions of the same work. For example, a registration for a published website covers the text, photographs, or other copyrightable content that appeared on that website on the date(s) claimed in the application and specified in the deposit copy(ies), but it does not cover any future version of that website. Similarly, a registration for version 1.30 of a computer program does not cover version 1.20 or any previously published or previously registered content that appears in the later version of that program. For tpheer s saeme reason, a registration for a comic book that depicts or describes a particular character covers the expression set forth in that issue, but it does not cover the character or any other issue or other work that features the same character.
For additional guidance in registering multiple versions of the same work, see Section 512.
505 Joint Works This Section provides the definition and a general discussion concerning joint works. For specific guidance in preparing an application to register a joint work, see Chapter 600, Sections 613.5 and 620.5.
505.1 What Is a Joint Work?
The Copyright Act defines a joint work as a work “prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contributions be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. A work of authorship is considered a joint work “if the authors collaborated with each other, or if each of the authors prepared his or her contribution with the knowledge and intenrteiopnri tnhtaedt iitn would be merged with the contributions of other authors as ‘inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole.’” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 120, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5736; S. REP. NO.94-473, atr 1e0p3ri-n0t4e.d T ihne key requirement “is the intention, at the time the writing is done, that the parts be absorbed or combined into an integrated unit.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 120, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5736.
A contribution to a joint work is considered “inseparable” if the work contains a single form of authorship, such asI da. novel or painting, and it is considered “interdependent” if the work contains multiple forms of authorship, such as motion picture, opera, or the music and lyrics of a song. ; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 103-04. Chapter 500 : 16 12/22/2014
505.2 Determining Whether the Work Is a Joint Work
The applicant — not the U.S. Copyright Office — must determine whetSheeer a work qualifies as a joinrte wproirnkte, adn ind as the legislative history explains, this determination should be based on the facts that existed when the work was created. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 120, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5736; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 103. When examining a joint work, the Office applies U.S. copyright law, even if the work was created in a foreign country, created by a citizen, domiciliary, or habitual resident of a foreign country, or first published in a foreign country. The U.S. Copyright Act is the exclusive source of copyright protection in the United States, and all applicants — both foreign and domestic — must demonstrate that a work satisfies the requirements of U.S. copyright law in order to register a work with the Office. Upon request, the Office will provide the applicant with general information about the provisions of the Copyright Act, including the statutory definition for a joint work, and will explain the relevant practices and procedures for registering this type of work. However, the Office cannot provide specific legal advice on the rights of persons, issues involving a particular use of a copyrighted work, cases of alleged foreign or domestic copyright infringement, contracts between authors and publishers, or other matters of a similar nature. 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a)(3).
When completing the application, the applicant should provide the name of each joint author who contributed copyrightable authorship to the joint work. The Office takes the position that each joint author must contribute a sufficient amount of original authorship to the work. An author who satisfies this requirement may be considered a joint author, edvee nm iifn himisi so r her contribution to the work is smaller or less signifi. cant than tSheee contributions made by another author. By contrast, a collaborator who merely contributes a amount of expression is not considered a joint author Chapter 300, Section 313.4(B).
As a general rule, the registration specialist will accept the applicant’s representation that a work of authorship is a joint work, unless it is contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or in the Office’s records, or by information that is known to the specialist. If the claim appears implausible, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration. Examples of factors that may indicate that a work does not qualify as a joint work include the f•o llowing:
Chapter 500 : 17 12/22/2014 A work containing a major contribution from one author combined with a minor contribution by another author, such as a book containing hundreds of pages of text by one author and an introduction or a few illustrations by another author.
505.3 The Scope of the Copyright in a Joint Work
Determining whether a work of authorship is a joint work has important implications for the ownership of the copyright and the term of the copyright. The authors of a joint work jointly own the copyright in each other’s contributions and each author owns an undivided interest in the copyright for the work as a whole. 17 U.S.C. § 201(a). In other words, all the authors are “treated generally as tenants in common, with each croe-porwinnteedr hinaving an independent right to use or license the use of a work, subject to a duty of accounting to the other co-owners for any profits.” H.R. REP.
NO. 94-1476, at 121, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5736; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 104. If the work of authorship was created by two or more individuals, the copyright in the joint work expires seventy years after the death of the last surviving author. 17 U.S.C. § 302(b). If the joint work was created by two or more authors as a work made for hire, publication an anonymous work, or a pseudonymous work, the copyright expires ninety-five years from the year of or 120 years from the year of creation (whichever is shorter). 17 U.S.C. § 302(c). The term “for an anonymous or pseudonymous work can be converted to the ordinary life-plus-[serevpernitnyt]e tde irnm if ‘the identity of one or more of the [joint] authors . . . is revealed’ in . . . records maintained for this purpose in the Copyright Office.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 137, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5753; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 120. In this situation, the term of the copyright is “based on the life of the author or co-authors whose identity has been revealed.” 17 U.S.C. § 302(c). 506 Works Made for Hire This Section provides the definition and a general discussion concerning works made for hire. For guidance in preparing an application to register a work made for hire, see Chapter 600, Sections 613.4, 614.1, 616.1(A), and 617.3.
506.1 What Is a Work Made for Hire?
The term “work made for hire” is defined in Section 101 of the Copyright Act. This definition applies to works created on or after January 1, 1978. For works created prior to 1978, see Chapter 2100.
The statute defines a work made for hire as:
1. A work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment; or 2. A work that is specially ordered or commissioned, provided that the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a “work made for hire,” and provided that the work is specially ordered or commissioned for use as:
Chapter 500 : 18 12/22/2014 • A contribution to a collective work;
• Answer material for a test;
• An atlas;
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work made for hire”).
506.2 Works Created by an Employee Within the Scope of His or Her Employment
The Copyright Act does not define the terms “employee,” “employer,” or “scope of employment.” The Supreme Court has held that Congress intended these terms “to be understood inC loigmhmt oufn aitgye fnocry C lraewa”t iavne dN tohna-tV tiohlee ncoceu rvt. sR sehidould rely “on the general common law of agency, rather than on the law of any particular State, to give meaning to these terms.” , 490 U.S. 730, 740 (1989).
Examples of factors that may be relevant to this inquiry include the following (although n• one of these factors is determinative):
• The skill required to create the work.
• The location where the work was created.
• The source of the instrumentalities and tools used to create the work. • The duration of the relationship between the parties. Whether the hiring party has the right to assign additional projects to the hired • party.
Chapter 500 : 19 12/22/2014 • The extent of the hired party’s discretion over when and how long to work. • The hired party’s role in hiring and paying assistants. • Whether the hiring party is in business.
• Whether the work is part of the regular business of the hiring party. • Whether the hiring party provided employee benefits to the hired party. • The tax treatment of the hired party.
• Whether the work is the type of work the hired party was authorized to perform. Whether the work occurs substantially within the authorized work hours and space • limits of the hired party.
See iWd.hether the work is actuated, at least in part, by a purpose to serve theU h.Sir. iAnug tpoa rty. Parts Network, Inc. v. Parts Geek, LLC at 751-52 (citing Restatement (Second) of Agency § 220(2) (1958)); , 692 F. 3d 1009, 1015 (9th Cir. 2012).
The following examples illustrate some of the factors that may indicate whether a work dWooersk o crr edaoteesd n boyt aqnu aelmifpyl aosy eae work made for hire. Dave Muller is a full time chemist for Continental Chemicals. Dave created a computer program that evaluates the company’s products. By eliminating the need to perform mathematical calculations by hand, the program improved the efficiency of the company’s operations. Continental subsequently asked Dave to develop similar programs for its other products. Dave wrote and tested these programs at home using his personal computer. He did not receive overtime or any additional pay for creating these programs. Each program is considered a work made for hire. Although Dave was not hired as a computer programmer, he was employed by Continental when he wrote these programs and he wrote the programs, at least in part, to further the company’s interests. Developing these programs was incidental to his responsibilities because they improved the quality control of the company’s operations. Dave specifically created the programs for the company’s products and it is unlikely that he would do this type of work on his own. In the application to register the program, Continental Chemicals should be named as the author and the Worwk ocrreka mteadd bey f oarn heimrep lbooyxe es haocutilndg b we icthhienc ktheed s“cyoepse.” o f his or her employment • Georgetown Gazette Lois Lang has worked part time for the for five years. She is expected to write at least five articles per weekG aanzde stthee does most of her work at the paper’s office. She is paid on a monthly basis and income taxes, social security, and medicare are withheld from her paycheck. The reimburses Lois for her Chapter 500 : 20 12/22/2014 driving expenses, but she receives nGoeo drigreetcot wemn Gpalozyeettee benefits. Lois’s contributions to the paper are considered works made for hire. In the application to register Lois’s contributions, the publisher of the should be named as the • author and the work made for hire box should be checked “yes.” Kir Royale Records is in the business of producing classical music recordings. Stefan Brooks is a sound engineer who works for Kir Royale from time to time. Stefan performs all of his work at the company’s studio using the company’s sound mixing equipment. His supervisor closely monitors his job performance and evaluates the quality of his work. Stefan is paid an hourly wage and he receives no employee benefits. The recordings that he produces for Kir Royale Records are considered works made for hire. In the application to register these sound recordings, Kir Royale Records should be named as the author of the recordings and the work made • for hire box should be checked “yes.”
506.3 Works Specially Ordered or Commissioned as a Work Made for Hire
A specially ordered or commissioned work is considered a work made for hire if it •sa tisfies the following criteria:
If a work fails to satisfy of these requirements, it does not qualify as a work made for hire.
The following examples illustrate some of the factors that may indicate whether a work does or does not qualify as a work made for hire under the second part of the statutory dWeofirnkist isopne.c ially ordered or commissioned pursuant to a written agreement specifying that the work will be created as a work made for hire Lighthouse Books Inc. is the author of a textbook. The company hired Nous Traduisons Inc. to translate this work from English into French. Before Nous Traduisons began working on this project, the parties signed a written agreement stating that Nous Traduisons would translate the textbook for Lighthouse Books as a work made for hire. The work satisfies the second part of the statutory definition, because a translation is one of the nine categories of works that may be specially Chapter 500 : 22 12/22/2014 ordered or commissioned and because the parties signed a written agreement specifying that the work would be created for Lighthouse Books as a work made for hire. In the application to register this work, Lighthouse Books, Inc. should be named as the author of the translation and the work made for hire box should be No wcrhiettcekne da g“ryeeesm.” ent between the parties specifying that the work will be created as a work made for hire Judy Smith works for a car dealership. During her lunch break, she created an atlas that depicts the cities and territories in an imaginary country. She hopes to sell her work to a company that publishes fantasy books. Judy’s atlas fails the first part of the statutory definition because she did not create this work for her employer while acting within the scope of her employment. Although an atlas is one of the nine categories of works that may be created as a work made for hire, Judy’s atlas does not satisfy the second part of the statutory definition because she has not signed a written agreement specifying that she would create this atlas for another party as a work made for hire. In the application to register this atlas, Judy should be named as Wortkh deo aeust nhootr faanlld w tihteh iwn othrke nminaed ec afoterg hoirriee sb oofx w shoorkusl dli sbtee dc hine ctkhee ds t“antou.t”o ry definition that may be specially ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire Monkey Business Inc. hired Heath Liszewski to create the design for a new line of wallpaper. The work does not satisfy the first part of the statutory definition because Heath is an independent contractor and he was paid a flat fee for his work on this assignment. Therefore, he is not an employee of Monkey Business. Although the parties signed a written agreement specifying that Heath would create this work for Monkey Business, it does not satisfy the second part of the definition because two-dimensional artwork is not one of the nine categories of works that may be specially ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire. In the application to register this work, Heath should be named as the author and the work made for hire box should be checked “no.”
506.4 Determining whether the Work is a Work Made for Hire
506.4(A) Applicant Makes the Determination The applicant—not the U.S. Copyright Office—must determine whether the work is a work is made for hire, and this determination should be based on the facts that exist at the time when the work was created.
When examining a work made for hire the Office applies U.S. copyright law, even if the work was created in a foreign country, created by a citizen, domiciliary, or habitual resident of a foreign country, or first published in a foreign country. The U.S. Copyright Act is the exclusive source of copyright protection in the United States, and all applicants—both foreign and domestic—must demonstrate that a work satisfies the requirements of U.S. copyright law in order to register a work with the Office. Chapter 500 : 23 12/22/2014 As a general rule, the registration specialist will accept the applicant’s representation that a work is a work made for hire, unless it is contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or in the Office’s records or by information that is known to the specialist. If the claim appears unusual or implausible, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration. 506.4(B) Work Made for Hire Questionnaire Upon request, the U.S. Copyright Office will provide the applicant with general information about the provisions of the Copyright Act, including the statutory definition of a work made for hire, and will explain the relevant practices and procedures for registering the work.
The Office cannot provide specific legal advice on the rights of persons, issues involving a particular use of a copyrighted work, cases of alleged foreign or domestic copyright infringement, contracts between authors and publishers, or other matters of a similar nature. 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a)(3). However, the Office has developed a questionnaire that may be useful to applicants in determining whether a particular work fits within the statutory definition of a work made for hire. NOTE:
If the answer to Question 1 is “yes,” proceed to Question 2. If the answer is “no,” Quesptrioonce 2e:d to Question 3.
QuesItf itohne 3 a:n swer is “no,” proceed to Question 3. Is there a written agreement between the party that ordered or commissioned the work and the party who created the work? If the answer is “no,” the work is not a work made for hire. If the answer is “yes,” proceed to Question 4.
Chapter 500 : 24 12/22/2014 Question 4:
• A translation.
• As part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work. • A compilation.
• A contribution to a collective work.
• A supplementary work.
If the answer is “no,” the work is not a work made for hire. If the answer is “yes,” the work is a work made for hire. For guidance in completing an application to register a work made for hire, see Chapter 600, Section 614.1.
506.5 The Scope of the Copyright in a Work Made for Hire
Determining whether a work is a work madeS feoer Choirme mhausn iitmy pfoorr tCarneta itmivpe lNicoanti-oVniosl efonrc eth ve. Rteerimd of the copyright, the ownership of the copyright, and the ability to terminate a transfer or license involving the copyright.
507.1 What Is a Derivative Work?
The Copyright Act defines a derivative work as “a work based upon one or more preexisting works, such as a translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgement, condensation, or any other form in which a work may be recast, transformed, or adapted.” The statute also states that “[a] work consisting of editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications, which, as a whole, represent an original work of authorship, is a ‘derivative work.’” 17 U.S.C. § 101. reprinted in Creating a derivative work requires “a process of recasting, transforming, or adapting ‘one or more preexisting works.’” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476 at 57, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5670; S. REP. NO. 94-473 at 55. Thus, derivative works contain two d• istinct forms of authorship:
Chapter 500 : 26 12/22/2014 The new authorship that the author contributed to the derivative work may be registered, provided that it contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. As the legislative history explains, derivative works include “every copyrightable work that employs preexisting material . . .r oepf rainnyte kdi nind,” regardless of whether the preexisting material is protected by copyright or whether the copyright in that material has expired. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476 at 57, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670; S. REP. NO. 94-473 at 55. Typically, a derivative work is a new version of a preexisting work or a work thaEtx iasm bpalseesd: on or derived from a preexisting work. • A motion picture based on a novel or a play.
A drama based on the letters and sermons of Cotton Mather. A new edition of a preexisting work may also qualify as a derivative work, provided that the revisions or other modifications, taken as a whole, constitute a new work of authorshEixpa. mples:
• A revision of a previously published book.
• A revision of the artwork and text on a website.
• A new version of an existing computer program.
A new version of a doll or stuffed animal.
507.2 The Scope of the Copyright in a Derivative Work
The copyright for a deriSveaet ive work only coversr ethperi nnteewd minaterial that the author contributed to that work. It does not cover any of the preexisting material that appears in the derivative work. H.R. 94-1476, at 57, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670; S.
REP. NO.94-473, at 55(“[C]opyright in a ‘new version’ covers only the material added by the later author, and has no effect one way or the other on the copyright or public domain status of the preexisting material.”). Likewise, a registration for a derivative work does not cover any previously published material, previously registered material, Chapter 500 : 27 12/22/2014 public domain material, or third party material that appears in the work. In other words, the copyright in a derivative work is “independent of, and does not affect or enlarge the 17 U.S.C. § 103(b)
scope, duration, ownership, or subsistence of, any copyright protection in the preexisting material.” .
Derivative works often contain previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or material owned by a third party because by definition they are based upon one or more preexisting works. If a derivative work claim contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant generally should limit the to the new material that the author contributed to the work, and the Chapter 600 unclaimable material should be excluded from the claim. For guidance on this procedure, see , Section 621.8. By contrast, there is generally no need to limit the claim if the derivative work is solely based on or derived from unpublished material, unregistered material, or copyrightable material that is owned by the claimant named in the application.
The author of a derivative work may claim copyright in a work that recasts, transforms, or adapts a preexisting work, provided that the preexisting material has been used in a lawful manner. Section 103(a) of the Copyright Act states that the copyright in a derivative work “does not extend to any part of the work” that “unlawfully” uses preexisting material. 17 U.S.C. § 103(a). As discussed in Chapter 300, Sectiorne p3r1in3t.6ed(B in), this provision is intended to prevent “an infringer from benefiting, through copyright .
protection, from committing an unlawful act.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5671 The unlawful use of preexisting material may also infringe the right of reproduction and/or the right to prepare derivative works based upon that material.
508 Compilations This Section provides the definition and a general discussion concerning compilations. For information concerning the Office’s practices and procedures for evaluating the copyrightability of compilations, see Chapter 300, Section 312. For guidance in preparing an application to register a compilation see Chapter 600, Sections 613.7, 617.5, 618.6, 620.7, and 621.8(C).
508.1 What Is a Compilation?
The Copyright Act defines a compilation as “a work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
As the legislative history explains, “[a] ‘compilation’ results from a process of selecting, bringing together, organizing, and arranging previouslyr eexpirsitnintegd m inaterial of all kinds, regardless of whether the individual items in the material have been or ever could have been subject to copyright.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 55.
Chapter 500 : 28 12/22/2014 Examples:
The statute states that “[t]he term ‘compilation’ includes collective works,” which are discussed in more detail in Section 509 below. 17 U.S.C. § 101. Creating a collective work also “rienpvroinlvtee[ds ]in the selection, assembly, and arrangement of ‘a number of contributions,” because this type of work “is a species of ‘compilation.’” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 122, Examples 1: 976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5737; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 105. • A book of news photos.
508.2 The Scope of the Copyright in a Compilation
The fact that a compilation has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office does not necessarily mean that every element of the work is protected by copyright. A claim to copyright in a compilation “extends only to the material contributed by the author of such work” and does not “imply any exclusive right in the pSreeee xFiesitsint gP umbalitceartiiaoln.”s 1, I7n cU. .vS.. C. §R u1r0a3l (Tbe)l.e Tphheo ndea tSae,r fvaicctes C, oor other uncopyrightable material that appears in a compilation is not protected by the copyright in that work. ., 499 U.S. 340, 360 (1991) (stating that “the copyright in a compilation does not extend to the facts it contains”). A registration for a compilation does not cover any of the preexisting material or data that appears in the compilation unless that material or data is expressly claimed in the registration. Likewise, a registration for a compilation does not cover any previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or third party material that appears in the compilation. “This inevitably means that the copyright in a factual compilation is thin. Notwithstanding a valid copyright, a subsequent compiler remains free to use the fIadcts contained in another’s publication to aid in preparing a competing work, so long as the competing work does not feature the same selection and arrangement.” . 499 U.S. at 349.
When registering a compilation, the applicant should identify the preexisting material or data that the author selected, coordinated, and/or arranged. If the compilation contains an appreciable amount of previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or material owned by a third party, the applicant generally should limit the claim to the new material that the author contributed to the work and the unclaimable material should be excluded from the claim. For guidance on this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(E).
Chapter 500 : 29 12/22/2014 The author of a compilation may claim copyright in an original selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of preexisting material, provided that the material has been used in a lawful manner. Section 103(a) of the Copyright Act states that the copyright in a compilation “does not extend to any part of the work” that “unlawfully” uses preexisting material. As discussed in Chapter 300, Sectrioepnr 3in1t3e.d6 (inB), this provision is intended to prevent “an infringer from benefiting, through copyright protection, from committing an unlawful act.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5671. 509 Collective Works and Contributions to Collective Works This Section provides the definition and a general discussion of collective works and contributions to collective works. For information concerning the Office’s practices and procedures for evaluating the copyrightability of collective works, see Chapter 300, Section 312. For guidance in preparing an application to register a collective work or a contribution to a collective work, see Chapter 600, Sections 610.4, 613.8, 618.7, 620.8, and 621.8(D).
509.1 What Is a Collective Work?
A collective work is a type of compilation. The Copyright Act defines a collective work as “a work, such as a periodical issue, anthology, or encyclopedia, in which a number of contributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, are assembled into a collective whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. The statute also states that “[t]he term ‘compilation’ includes collective works.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “compilation”). Thus, collective works are subject to the statutory requirements for compilations.
Both forms of authorship may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship and provided that the claimant owns the copyright in that material.
By definition, a collective work must contain “a number of contributions.” A work that contains “relatively few separate elements” does not satisfy this requirement, such as a work containing a single contribution, a composition that merely consists of words and music, a publirceaptrioinnt ethda itn merely combines a single work with illustrations or front matter, or a publication that merely contains three one-act plays. H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 122, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5737; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 105. Chapter 500 : 30 12/22/2014 H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 122 reprinted in As a general rule, a contribution that is “incorporated in a ‘collective work’ must itself
be an original work of authorship that is eligible for copyright protection under of the Copyright Act, regardless of whether that contribution is currently protected or whether the copyright in that contribution has expired.
509.2 The Scope of the Copyright in a Collective Work
The “[c]opyright in each separate contribution to a collective work is distinct from copyright in the collective work as a whole.”
The “[c]opyright in the separate contribution ‘vests initially in the author of the § 201(c)
contribution.’” 533 U.S. 483, 494 (2001) (quoting ). The “[c]opyright in the cIodllective work vest s in U t .
l N em O.
e n t - s o f , c o at m p i lation and editing that went into [creating] the collective work as a whole.” , 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5738; . In addition, it extends to “the contributions that were H w .R ri .
t t R e E n P f .
o N r O h .
i re 4 - b y 4 7 e m , p at l o y e esr eopf rtihnete odw inner of the collective work, and those copyrighted contributions that have been transferred in S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 106 writing to the owner by their authors.” . 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5738; .
An applicant may register a collective work together with the contributions contained therein (i) if the contributions and the collective work were created by the same author, or (ii) if the copyright in the contributions and the collective work are owned by the same claimant, (iii) provided that the contributions and the collective work have not been previously published or previously registered, and provided that they are not in the public domain. If the owner of the collective work does not own all rights in the copyright for a particular contribution, that party cannot register a claim to copyright in that coSneter iMbuortiroisn v. .I nBsutseiande,s st hCeo cnocneptrtisb, uIntcion must be registered individually by or on behalf of the author of the contribution or the party that owns the copyright in that work. ., 259 F.3d 65, 71 (2d Cir. 200a1b)r (o“gUanteleds os nt hoet her cgoropuynridgsh bt yo Rweneedr E olfs eav cieorll, eIcntci.v ve. wMourckh nailcsko owns all the rights in a constituent part, a collective work registration will not extend to the constituent part.”), , 559 U.S. 154, 160 (2010).
Collective works often contain previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or material owned by a third party. If a collective work contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant generally should limit the claim to the new material that the author contributed to the work and the unclaimable material should be excluded from the claim. For guidance on this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(D).
The author of a collective work may claim copyright in an original selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of preexisting material, provided that the material has been used in a lawful manner. Section 103(a) of the Copyright Act states that the Chapter 500 : 31 12/22/2014 copyright in a compilation “does not extend to any part of the work” that “unlawfully” uses preexisting material, and as discussed above, the term “compilation” includes collective works. As discussed in Chapter 300, Section 313r.e6p(rBi)n,t tehdi si nprovision is intended to prevent “an infringer from benefiting, through copyright protection, from committing an unlawful act.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5671.
510 One Registration Per Work reprinted in As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will issue only one basic registration for each work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11); H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 155, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5771; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 138 (recognizing that there is a “general rule against allowing more than one registration (i.e., basic registration) for the same work”). Allowing multiple registrations for the same work confuses the public record. Therefore, the Office will not knowingly issue multipSleee registrations for the same version of a particular work, and the Office generally will decline to issue additional registrations once a basic registration has been made. Part 202-Registration of Claims to Copyright, 43 Fed. Reg. 965, 965-66 (Jan. 5, 1978); Applications for Registration of Claim to Copyright Under Revised Copyright Act, 42 Fed. Reg. 48,944, 48,945 (Sept. 26, 1977). There are three limited exceptions to this rule, which are discussed in Sections 510.1 through 510.3.
510.1 Unpublished Works vs. Published Works
If the U.S. Copyright Office issued a registration for an unpublished work and if that work was published sometime thereafter, the Office will accept another application to register the first published edition of the work (even if the unpublished version and the published version are substantially the same). 17 U.S.C. § 408(e); 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(i).
When completing the application for the first published edition, the applicant should provide the registration number of the unpublished version using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F). If the application for the first published edition is approved, the registration for that edition will exist alongside the registration for the unpublished version.
510.2 Naming the Author as the Copyright Claimant
An author may seek a registration namingS heeimself or herself as thecopyright claimant, even if the Office previously issued a registration that named a different individual or legal entity as the claimant for that work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(ii). LikeSweies eid, .a joint author may seek a registration naming himself or herself as the claimant, even if the joint work was previously registered by or on behalf of the other authors. n.4. When completing the application, the applicant should provide the registration number for the previous registration using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F).
Chapter 500 : 32 12/22/2014 In some cases, the author of a collective work may register that work without identifying the authors of the component works contained therein. The author of a component work may register that work in his or her own name in this situation, even if the Office previously registered the component work together with the collective work as a whole.
Allowing an author to register a work in his or her own name is consistent “with the fundamental thrust of the [Copyright Act of 1976] in identifying copyright, and the origin of all rights comprised in a copyright, with the author.” Applications for Registration of Claim to Copyright Under Revised Copyright Act, 42 Fed. Reg. 48,944, 48,946 (Sept. 26, 1977). This may be useful where the author retains a reversionary interest in a contribution to a collecIdti.v e work and wants “to reflect his or her retained or continued legal or beneficial ownership of certain rights” in the copyright after it has been transferred to another party. at 48,945.
This exception does not apply in cases where a third party previously registered the work and named the author as the copyright claimant.
This exception does not apply in cases involving a work made for hire. If the Office issued a registration that named the employer or other hiring party as the copyright claimant, the individual who actually created the work cannot obtain another registration in his or her own name unless the applicant is asserting an adverse claim. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(ii) n.4. For information concerning adverse claims, see Section 510.3.
Likewise, this exception does not apply if the work was registered before January 1, 1978. If the work was registered before that date and if another party was named as the copyright claimant, the Office will not issue another registration naming the author as the claimant. For more information on this issue, see Chapter 2100, Section 2130, 2131, and 2134.
510.3 Adverse Claims
If the Office issued a registration for a work of authorship and another applicant subsequently alleges that the registration is unauthorized or legally invalid, the applicant may seek another registration for that same work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(iii). In this situation, the applicant should prepare a new application using the procedure described in Chapter 1800, Section 1807.
511 One Work Per Registration As a general rule, an applicant should prepare a separate application, filing fee, and deposit for each work that is submitted for registration. However, there are several exceptions to this rule. In the following cases, it may be possible to register multiple •w orks with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copy(ies): Registering a number of unpublished works using the unpublished collection option, which is discussed in Chapter 1100, Section 1106.
Chapter 500 : 33 12/22/2014 Registering a number of published works using the unit of publication option, which • is discussed in Chapter 1100, Section 1107.
The copyright law protects each version of a work from the moment it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord, provided that the author contributed a sufficient amount of original expression to that version. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). For example, copyright protects each draft of a literary work from the moment it is written on paper, saved in a data file, or inscribed in any other medium of expression. Likewise, it protects each take of a motion picture from the moment it is captured on film, videotape, or any other audiovisual medium.
Although the copyright law generally protects each version of a work, it may not be necessary to register each version with the U.S. Copyright Office, depending on whether the work is published or unpublished. These issues are discussed in Sections 512.1 and
512.2 below.
Chapter 500 : 34 12/22/2014
512.1 Unpublished Versions of the Same Work
If the wo1rk is unpublished, there is generally no need to register each version of that work. In most cases, the applicant may submit the most recent or the most complete version.
For example, if the author prepared multiple drafts for an unpublished screenplay, a registration for the most recent version will cover all of the copyrightable material that appears in the deposit copy, including any unpublished expression that has been incorporated from prior versions of the same work. Likewise, if the applicant intends to register an unpublished website that has been updated, modified, or revised from time to time, the registration will cover all of the copyrightable material that is submitted for registration, including any unpublished text, photographs, or other content that has been incorporated from prior iterations of the same website. If the deposit copy contains copyrightable material that appeared in previous versions of the same work there is generally no need to exclude that preexisting material from the application unless that material has been previously published or previously registered or unless that material is in the public domain or is owned by a third party.
512.2 Published Versions of the Same Work
If the versions have been published, the applicant generally should submit a separate application, a separate filing fee, and a separate set of deposit copies for each version. For example, if the author published multiple editions of a textbook, the applicant should submit a separate application for each edition. In each case, the registration will cover the new material that the author contributed to each edition, including any copyrightable changes, revisions, additions, or other modifications that appear in the deposit copies for that edition. Likewise, if the applicant intends to register a published website that has been updated, modified, or revised from time to time, the applicant should prepare a separate application for each version of that site. In each In the alternative, the applicant may be able to register all of the versions with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copy(ies) by using the unpublished collection option. For information concerning this option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106. In some cases, it may be possible to register separately published versions of the same work using a group registration option, such as the option for published photographs or contributions to periodicals. For information concerning these options, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1115 and 1116. Chapter 500 : 35 12/22/2014 case, the registration will cover the text, photographs, or other copyrightable content that appeared on the website on the date specified in the application and the deposit copies.
The Office will register multiple versions of a published work, provided that each version contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable authorship that does not appear in the other versions. When submitting multiple versions of a published work for registration, the applicant should notify the Office by providing the title for each version, and if possible, the case number / service request number that has been assigned to each claim. In addition, the applicant should confirm in writing that the version specified in the application contains copyrightable authorship that does not appear in other versions. When filing an online application this information should be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. When filing a paper application this information should be provided in a cover letter. This improves the efficiency of the examination process and produces more consistent registration decisions.
The applicant—not the U.S. Copyright Office—should identify the specific version or versions that the applicant intends to register. In making this determination, it may be •h elpful to consider the following questions:
Chapter 500 : 36 12/22/2014 512.2(B) Registering Multiple Versions of a Published Work: Less Complete Version Published First If one version contains some—but not all—of the copyrightable material that appears in other versions of the same work and if that version was published first, the applicant may register any or all of those versions. When completing the application for the more complete version(s) the applicant should exclude any material that appeared in the previously published versions of the same work using the procedure described in Chapt eErx 6am00p,l Se:e ction 621.8.
512.2(C) Registering Multiple Versions of a Published Work: Multiple Versions Published on the Same Date If one version contains all the copyrightable material that appears in other versions of the same work and if all the versions were published on the same date, the applicant should sEuxbammitp tleh:e most complete version.
Chapter 500 : 38 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
602.1 Completion of the Application ................................................................................................................................... 17 602.2 Statutorily Required Information in the Application........................................................................................ 17 602.3 Requirements for Registration of a Basic Claim ................................................................................................. 17 602.4 General Standards for Examination of an Application ..................................................................................... 18 602.4(A) The Examination Process ............................................................................................................................................ 18 602.4(B) Scope of the Examination ............................................................................................................................................ 18 602.4(C) No Searches or Comparison of Works .................................................................................................................... 19 602.4(D) Factual Determinations and Administrative Notice .......................................................................................... 19 602.5 General Practices for Processing Information Provided in a Paper Application ................................... 19 602.6 General Policy Regarding Location of Information ........................................................................................... 19 602.7 General Practices Regarding Missing Information ............................................................................................ 20 602.8 General Policy Regarding Extraneous Information ........................................................................................... 21 602.9 General Policy Regarding Social Security Numbers, Driver’s License Numbers, Credit Card Numbers, and Bank Account Numbers .......................................................................................... 21 602.10 General Practices Regarding Cataloging Information ...................................................................................... 22 603 Variances ............................................................................................................................................................................ 22 603.1 Immaterial Variances .................................................................................................................................................... 22 603.2 Material Variances Resolvable on Review of the Registration Materials as a Whole ........................... 23 603.2(A) Material Variances That May Be Resolved by Amending the Registration Record without Annotating or Communicating with the Applicant ........................................................... 23 603.2(B) Material Variances That May Be Resolved by Amending and Annotating the Registration Record without Communicating with the Applicant............................................................... 24 603.2(C) Material Variances Requiring Communication with the Applicant ............................................................. 24 604 Annotations ....................................................................................................................................................................... 25 604.1 Addressing Variances in the Registration Materials ......................................................................................... 25 604.2 Adding Comments to the Registration Record .................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 600 : 1 12/22/2014 604.3 Adding Missing Information to the Registration Record................................................................................. 26 604.4 Documenting Communications with the Applicant........................................................................................... 26 604.5 Placement of the Annotation ...................................................................................................................................... 27 604.6 Annotations Are Part of the Registration Record ............................................................................................... 27 605 Communications Between the Applicant and the Registration Specialist ................................................ 27 605.1 General Policies ............................................................................................................................................................... 27 605.2 Communicating with the U.S. Copyright Office ................................................................................................... 28 605.2(A) Note to Copyright Office ............................................................................................................................................... 28 605.2(B) Cover Letters .................................................................................................................................................................... 28 605.2(C) Calling or Emailing the U.S. Copyright Office ....................................................................................................... 29 605.3 Communications from the U.S. Copyright Office ................................................................................................ 29 605.3(A) When the U.S. Copyright Office Will Communicate with the Applicant ..................................................... 30 605.3(B) Records Concerning U.S. Copyright Office Communications ......................................................................... 30 605.3(C) Communication from the U.S. Copyright Office May Address Multiple Issues........................................ 30 605.3(D) Oral Communications.................................................................................................................................................... 31 605.3(E) Written Communications ............................................................................................................................................ 31
605.4 Case Numbers, Service Request Numbers, THREAD-ID Numbers, and
Correspondence Identification Numbers .............................................................................................................. 32 605.5 Applicant’s Internal Tracking Number ................................................................................................................... 32 605.6 Deadlines for Responding to Communications from the U.S. Copyright Office ...................................... 33 605.6(A) Oral Communications.................................................................................................................................................... 33 605.6(B) Email .................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 605.6(C) Email Requests for Deposit Copy(ies) .................................................................................................................... 33 605.6(D) Letters ................................................................................................................................................................................. 34 605.7 Application Closed Following a Failure to Respond to the U.S. Copyright Office................................... 34 605.8 Procedure for Reopening a Closed Application .................................................................................................. 34 606 Warnings ............................................................................................................................................................................ 35 607 Registration Made Under the Rule of Doubt ........................................................................................................ 35 608 Refusal to Register ......................................................................................................................................................... 36 609 Identifying the Work That the Applicant Intends to Register ...................................................................... 37 609.1 Registration Process Overview ................................................................................................................................. 37 609.1(A) Question 1: Are You Registering One Work?........................................................................................................ 38 Chapter 600 : 2 12/22/2014 609.1(B) Question 2: Are You the Only Author and Owner of the Work? ................................................................... 40 609.1(C) Question 3: Does the Work You Are Sending Contain Material Created Only by This Author? ..................................................................................................................................................... 42 609.2 Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 43 609.2(A) Online Application .......................................................................................................................................................... 43 609.2(B) Paper Applications ......................................................................................................................................................... 44 609.2(C) Works Containing Multiple Forms of Authorship .............................................................................................. 45 610 Title of the Work ............................................................................................................................................................. 46 610.1 Title Types ......................................................................................................................................................................... 46 610.2 Title of Work Being Registered / Title of this Work.......................................................................................... 47 610.3 Previous or Alternative Title ...................................................................................................................................... 48
610.4 Works Containing Separate and Independent Works: Unpublished Collections,
Units of Publication, Collective Works, and Contributions to Collective Works .................................... 49 610.4(A) Contents Title: Titles of Separate and Independent Works Included in a Larger Work ............................................................................................................................................................. 49 610.4(B) Title of Larger Work ...................................................................................................................................................... 51 610.5 Series Title ......................................................................................................................................................................... 52 610.6 Examination Guidelines: Title of Work .................................................................................................................. 53 610.6(A) Untitled Works ................................................................................................................................................................. 53 610.6(B) Descriptive Titles That Appear to Be Incorrect .................................................................................................. 54 610.6(C) Titles Consisting of Roman Letters and Arabic Numerals .............................................................................. 54 610.6(D) Title of the Work: Variances ....................................................................................................................................... 55 610.6(D)(1) Variances between the Title Provided in the Application and the Title That Appears on the Deposit Copy(ies) ....................................................................................................... 55 610.6(D)(2) Title That Appears on the Deposit Copy(ies) is More Complete Than the Title Provided in the Application ...................................................................................................................... 56 610.6(D)(3) Edition Number, Version Number, or Other Identifying Information Not Provided ............................ 56 610.6(D)(4) Substantial Variances Between the Title Provided in the Application and the Title That Appears on the Deposit Copy(ies) ............................................................................................... 56 611 Year of Completion / Year in Which Creation of This Work Was Completed ......................................... 57
611.1 Completing the Application: Year of Completion / Year in Which
Creation of this Work Was Completed ................................................................................................................... 57 611.2 Year of Completion for an Unpublished Work Created Over a Period of Time ...................................... 57 611.3 Year of Completion for Multiple Versions of the Same Work ........................................................................ 57 Chapter 600 : 3 12/22/2014 611.4 Year of Completion Apparently Incorrect ............................................................................................................. 58 611.5 Year of Completion Omitted ....................................................................................................................................... 59 611.6 Year of Completion Unknown .................................................................................................................................... 59 612 Date of Publication ......................................................................................................................................................... 60 612.1 General Policy .................................................................................................................................................................. 60 612.2 What Constitutes Publication? .................................................................................................................................. 60 612.3 Determining whether the Work Is Published or Unpublished...................................................................... 60 612.4 What Is the Date of First Publication? .................................................................................................................... 61 612.5 What Is the Nation of First Publication? ................................................................................................................ 61 612.6 Completing the Application: Date and Nation of First Publication .............................................................. 61 612.6(A) Date of First Publication............................................................................................................................................... 61 612.6(B) Nation of First Publication .......................................................................................................................................... 62 612.6(C) ISBN, ISRC, and ISSN Numbers .................................................................................................................................. 62 612.7 Examination Guidelines: Date and Nation of First Publication ..................................................................... 62 612.7(A) Claim in a Published Work Contradicted by Information Provided Elsewhere in the Registration Materials................................................................................................................ 63 612.7(B) Claim in an Unpublished Work Contradicted by Information Provided Elsewhere in the Registration Materials................................................................................................................ 63 612.7(C) Nation of Publication Given in a Paper Application without a Date of Publication .............................. 64 612.7(D) Extraneous Statements Concerning Publication ................................................................................................ 64 612.7(E) Month, Day, and Year Required for the Date of First Publication ................................................................ 65 612.7(F) Exact Date of Publication Unknown ........................................................................................................................ 65 612.7(G) Multiple Dates of Publication ..................................................................................................................................... 66 612.7(H) Future Date of Publication .......................................................................................................................................... 66 612.7(I) Impossible or Impractical Date of Publication .................................................................................................... 66 612.7(J) Nation of First Publication: Works Published in Multiple Countries.......................................................... 66 612.7(K) Nation of First Publication Unclear.......................................................................................................................... 67 612.7(L) Nation of First Publication Unknown...................................................................................................................... 67 613 Name of Author(s) .......................................................................................................................................................... 68 613.1 Who Is the Author? ........................................................................................................................................................ 68 613.2 When Authorship Is Determined .............................................................................................................................. 69 613.3 Identifying the Authors Who Should Be Named in the Application ............................................................ 69 Chapter 600 : 4 12/22/2014 613.4 Identifying the Authors of a Work Made for Hire............................................................................................... 69 613.5 Identifying the Authors of a Joint Work ................................................................................................................. 70 613.6 Identifying the Author of a Derivative Work ....................................................................................................... 71 613.7 Identifying the Author of a Compilation ................................................................................................................ 72 613.8 Identifying the Author of a Collective Work or a Contribution to a Collective Work ........................... 73 613.9 Completing the Application: Name of Author ...................................................................................................... 75 613.10 Examination Guidelines: Name of Author ............................................................................................................. 76 613.10(A) Name of Author Unclear ............................................................................................................................................... 76 613.10(B) Name of Author: Variances ......................................................................................................................................... 76 613.10(B)(1) Variances Between the Name Provided in the Application and the Name Provided in the Deposit Copy(ies) ....................................................................................................... 77 613.10(B)(1)(a) Minor Variances .............................................................................................................................................................. 77 613.10(B)(1)(b) Significant Variances ..................................................................................................................................................... 77 613.10(B)(2) Variance Between the Number of Authors Named in the Application and the Number of Authors Named in the Deposit Copy(ies)................................................................................ 79 613.10(C) Name of Author Not Required ................................................................................................................................... 81 613.10(D) Name of Author Unknown ........................................................................................................................................... 82 613.10(E) Name of the Author Omitted: Works Created by a Single Author................................................................ 82 613.10(F) Name of an Author Omitted: Works Created by Large Numbers of Authors .......................................... 83 614 Works Made for Hire ..................................................................................................................................................... 84 614.1 Completing the Application: Works Made for Hire ........................................................................................... 84 614.1(A) Year of Completion and Date of Publication......................................................................................................... 84 614.1(B) Identifying the Author of a Work Made for Hire................................................................................................. 84 614.1(C) Identifying the Citizenship and / or Domicile of the Author ......................................................................... 85 614.1(D) Year of Birth and Death Not Required for Works Made for Hire ................................................................. 85 614.1(E) Registering a Work Made for Hire as an Anonymous or Pseudonymous Work ..................................... 86 614.1(F) Identifying the Claimant for a Work Made for Hire ........................................................................................... 87 614.2 Examination Guidelines: Works Made for Hire ................................................................................................... 87 614.2(A) Identifying the Work as a Work Made for Hire ................................................................................................... 87 614.2(B) Identifying the Author of a Work Made for Hire................................................................................................. 88 614.2(B)(1) Was the Work Created by an Employee Acting within the Scope of His or Her Duties? ..................... 88 614.2(B)(2) Was the Work Specially Ordered or Commissioned as a Work Made for Hire? ..................................... 88 Chapter 600 : 5 12/22/2014 614.2(B)(3) Naming the Employee or the Individual Who Actually Created the Work as the Author of a Work Made for Hire .................................................................................................................. 89 614.2(B)(4) Volunteer Created Work Made for Hire ................................................................................................................. 90 614.2(B)(5) Organization Named as the Author of a Work Made for Hire........................................................................ 91 614.2(B)(6) Individual Named as Author of a Work Made for Hire ..................................................................................... 92 614.2(B)(7) Individual and Incorporated Organization Named Together as the Authors of a Work Made for Hire ............................................................................................................................. 93 614.2(B)(8) Individual and Unincorporated Organization Named Together as the Authors of a Work Made for Hire ............................................................................................................................. 95 615 Anonymous and Pseudonymous Works ................................................................................................................ 96 615.1 Anonymous Works ......................................................................................................................................................... 96 615.1(A) What Is an Anonymous Work? .................................................................................................................................. 96 615.1(B) Completing the Application: Anonymous Works ............................................................................................... 96 615.2 Pseudonymous Works .................................................................................................................................................. 97 615.2(A) What Is a Pseudonymous Work? .............................................................................................................................. 97 615.2(B) Completing the Application: Pseudonymous Works......................................................................................... 98 615.2(C) Name of the Author Omitted .................................................................................................................................... 100 615.3 Privacy Concerns .......................................................................................................................................................... 100 616 Year of Author’s Birth and Death ............................................................................................................................ 100 616.1 The Author’s Year of Birth......................................................................................................................................... 100 616.1(A) Year of Birth Not Required for Works Made for Hire ..................................................................................... 101 616.1(B) Privacy Concerns .......................................................................................................................................................... 101 616.2 The Author’s Year of Death ....................................................................................................................................... 101 616.3 Completing the Application: Author’s Year of Birth and Death .................................................................. 102 617 Citizenship and Domicile of the Author ............................................................................................................... 103 617.1 What Is the Author’s Citizenship and Domicile?............................................................................................... 103 617.2 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for a Published Work .............................................. 103 617.3 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for a Work Made for Hire ...................................... 103
617.4 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for Anonymous and
Pseudonymous Works ................................................................................................................................................ 104
617.5 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for Compilations and
Derivative Works .......................................................................................................................................................... 104 617.6 Completing the Application: Citizenship and Domicile .................................................................................. 104 Chapter 600 : 6 12/22/2014 617.7 Examination Guidelines: Citizenship and Domicile ......................................................................................... 105 617.7(A) Citizenship and Domicile Unclear .......................................................................................................................... 105 617.7(B) Citizenship and Domicile in Multiple Countries ............................................................................................... 106 617.7(C) Stateless Persons .......................................................................................................................................................... 106 617.7(D) Citizenship and Domicile Unknown ...................................................................................................................... 106 618 Author Created / Nature of Authorship ............................................................................................................... 107 618.1 Asserting a Claim to Copyright ................................................................................................................................ 107 618.2 Limiting the Claim to Copyright .............................................................................................................................. 108
618.3 The Relationship Between the Author Created / Limitation of Claim Fields
in the Online Application and the Relationship between Spaces 2, 5, 6(a), and 6(b) in the Paper Application ......................................................................................................................... 109 618.4 Completing the Application: Author Created / Nature of Authorship ..................................................... 109 618.4(A) The Online Application: Author Created Field .................................................................................................. 109 618.4(B) Paper Applications: Nature of Authorship Space ............................................................................................ 112 618.4(C) Recommended Terminology for Asserting a Claim to Copyright .............................................................. 114 618.4(D) Examples for Completing the Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space ..................................................................................................................................................... 118 618.5 Derivative Works .......................................................................................................................................................... 120 618.6 Compilations ................................................................................................................................................................... 120 618.7 Collective Works ........................................................................................................................................................... 124 618.7(A) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Collective Work ...................................................................................... 124 618.7(B) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Contribution to a Collective Work ................................................... 125 618.7(B)(1) Registering a Contribution without Registering the Collective Work as a Whole ............................... 125 618.7(B)(2) Registering a Collective Work and a Contribution to a Collective Work ................................................. 126 618.7(C) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Serial Publication ................................................................................... 127 618.7(D) Examples for Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Collective Work and / or a Contribution to a Collective Work ...................................................................................................................... 128 618.8 Examination Guidelines: Author Created / Nature of Authorship ............................................................ 130 618.8(A) Authorship Unclear ...................................................................................................................................................... 130 618.8(A)(1) Design ................................................................................................................................................................................ 130 618.8(A)(2) Game .................................................................................................................................................................................. 132 618.8(A)(3) Packaging ......................................................................................................................................................................... 134 618.8(A)(4) Author, Artist, Writer, Songwriter, and Other Professional Designations .............................................. 135 Chapter 600 : 7 12/22/2014 618.8(A)(5) Story, Story Idea, Story Concept, Story Line ....................................................................................................... 135 618.8(A)(6) Conceived, Conception ................................................................................................................................................ 137 618.8(A)(7) Plot ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 138 618.8(A)(8) Character(s) .................................................................................................................................................................... 140 618.8(A)(9) Research ........................................................................................................................................................................... 141 618.8(A)(10) Unclear Terms for Musical Works and Sound Recordings ........................................................................... 142 618.8(A)(11) Entire Work and Other Unspecific Terms ........................................................................................................... 142 618.8(B) Percentage of Authorship .......................................................................................................................................... 144 618.8(C) Uncopyrightable Material Claimed in the Author Created Field or the Nature of Authorship Space .............................................................................................................................. 145 618.8(C)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) Containing Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material .......................................................................................................................................... 145 618.8(C)(2) Claim in Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material .......................................................... 145 618.8(C)(3) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Deposit Copy(ies) Contain Copyrightable Authorship ......................................................................................................................................... 146 618.8(C)(4) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Acceptable Authorship Statement Used to Describe Uncopyrightable Material....................................................................................................... 147 618.8(C)(5) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors ..................................... 147 618.8(C)(6) CDlea iMmin inim Uisncopyrightable Material: Registration Refused ........................................................................... 148 618.8(D) Material Claimed in the Author Created Field or the Nature of Authorship Space .......................................................D...e.. .M....i.n...i.m....i.s........................................................... 149 618.8(D)(1) Deposit Copies Contain Copyrightable ADueth Morinsihmipis and Material ....................................... 149 618.8(D)(2) Claim in CDoep Myirnigimhtiasble Authorship and Material ..................................................................... 149 618.8(D)(3) Claim in De Minimis Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors................................................. 150 618.8(D)(4) Claim in Material: Registration Refused ....................................................................................... 151 618.8(E) Variances Between the Information Provided in the Application and Elsewhere in the Registration Materials.............................................................................................................. 151 618.8(F) Material Claimed in the Author Created Field or Nature of Authorship Space Not Found in the Deposit Copy(ies).......................................................................................................... 152 618.8(G) Copyrightable Material in the Deposit Copy(ies) That Has Not Been Claimed in the Application ........................................................................................................................................ 154 618.8(H) Nature of Authorship Statement Omitted from a Paper Application ....................................................... 154 618.8(I) Nature of This Work .................................................................................................................................................... 155 619 Name of Claimant.......................................................................................................................................................... 155 Chapter 600 : 8 12/22/2014 619.1 Who Is Eligible to Be a Copyright Claimant? ...................................................................................................... 155 619.2 The Claimant Must Be an Individual or a Legal Entity ................................................................................... 156 619.3 When Is an Individual or Legal Entity Eligible to Be a Copyright Claimant? ......................................... 156 619.4 Claimants Distinguished from the Owner of a Copy or Phonorecord of the Work ............................. 156 619.5 Claimants Distinguished from the Applicant and the Correspondent ..................................................... 156 619.6 Naming the Author as Claimant .............................................................................................................................. 157
619.7 The Author May Be Named as Claimant Even if the Author Has Transferred
the Copyright to Another Party ............................................................................................................................... 157 619.8 Naming a Transferee as Claimant........................................................................................................................... 158
619.9 A Party That Owns One or More — but Less than All — of the Exclusive
Rights May File an Application to Register a Copyright Claim, but Cannot Be Named as the Copyright Claimant.................................................................................................................... 158 619.10 A Nonexclusive Licensee Cannot Be a Claimant................................................................................................ 158 619.11 One Registration Per Work ....................................................................................................................................... 159 619.12 Completing the Application: Name of Claimant ................................................................................................ 159 619.13 Examination Guidelines: Name of Claimant ....................................................................................................... 160 619.13(A) Nicknames and Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................. 160 619.13(B) Initials ............................................................................................................................................................................... 161 619.13(C) Identifying the Author of a Pseudonymous Work as the Copyright Claimant ...................................... 161 619.13(D) Identifying the Author of an Anonymous Work as the Copyright Claimant .......................................... 162 619.13(E) Two or More Names Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space .................................................... 163 619.13(E)(1) Applications Submitted on Behalf of the Copyright Claimant ..................................................................... 163 619.13(E)(2) Two or More Names Separated by Conjunctions or Punctuations Marks in a Paper Application ................................................................................................................................................. 163 619.13(E)(3) Individual Name Listed Above or Below the Name of a Legal Entity in a Paper Application ................................................................................................................................................. 165 619.13(F) Group of Individuals Provided in the Name of Claimant Field/Space ...................................................... 166 619.13(G) Individual and Unincorporated Business Organization Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space .................................................................................................................. 167 619.13(H) Individual and Incorporated Organization Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space ................................................................................................................................................ 168 619.13(I) Partnership Named as Claimant ............................................................................................................................. 169 619.13(J) Trust or Estate Named as Claimant ....................................................................................................................... 169 Chapter 600 : 9 12/22/2014 619.13(K) Variances Between the Name Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space and Elsewhere in the Registration Materials.......................................................................... 171 619.13(L) Variance Between the Name Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space and the Copyright Notice ................................................................................................................ 171 619.13(M) Statements Concerning the Extent of the Claim in the Name of Claimant Field / Space ................................................................................................................................................ 172 619.13(N) Percentage of Copyright Ownership in the Name of Claimant Field / Space ........................................ 172 619.13(O) Owner of Copyright for a Limited Term............................................................................................................... 172 619.13(P) Future and Contingent Interests ............................................................................................................................. 172 619.13(Q) Deceased Individual or Defunct Entity Named as a Claimant ..................................................................... 173 619.13(R) Identifying the Claimant by Referring to Other Records ............................................................................... 173 619.13(S) Name of Claimant Unknown ..................................................................................................................................... 173 619.13(T) Name of Claimant Omitted ........................................................................................................................................ 174 620 Transfer Statement ...................................................................................................................................................... 175 620.1 What Is a Transfer of Copyright Ownership?..................................................................................................... 175 620.2 What Is a Transfer Statement? ................................................................................................................................ 175
620.3 Transfer Statement Distinguished from an Instrument or Conveyance That
Transfers the Copyright from One Party to Another ...................................................................................... 175 620.4 When Is a Transfer Statement Required? ........................................................................................................... 176 620.4(A) The Author and the Copyright Claimant Are the Same .................................................................................. 176 620.4(B) The Author and the Copyright Claimant Are Different .................................................................................. 176 620.5 Joint Works...................................................................................................................................................................... 177
620.6 Works by Two or More Authors That Do Not Meet the Statutory
Definition of a Joint Work .......................................................................................................................................... 178 620.7 Derivative Works and Compilations ..................................................................................................................... 178 620.8 Collective Works ........................................................................................................................................................... 179 620.9 Completing the Application: Transfer Statement ............................................................................................. 179 620.9(A) Minimum Requirements for a Transfer Statement ......................................................................................... 179 620.9(B) Acceptable Transfer Statements ............................................................................................................................. 180 620.9(B)(1) Transfer by Written Agreement .............................................................................................................................. 180 620.9(B)(2) Transfer by Written Instrument from a Third Party ...................................................................................... 182 620.9(B)(3) Transfer by Inheritance.............................................................................................................................................. 182 620.9(B)(4) Transfer by Operation of Law .................................................................................................................................. 183 Chapter 600 : 10 12/22/2014 620.10 Examination Guidelines: Transfer Statement .................................................................................................... 183 620.10(A) Transfer of Copyright Ownership or Other Documents Pertaining to Copyright Submitted with the Application ......................................................................................................... 183 620.10(B) Chain of Title................................................................................................................................................................... 184 620.10(C) Unacceptable Transfer Statements ........................................................................................................................ 185 620.10(C)(1) Transfer by Oral Agreement ..................................................................................................................................... 185 620.10(C)(2) Transfer of One or More—but Less than All—of the Rights under Copyright ...................................... 185 620.10(C)(3) Transfer Statements That Merely Describe the Relationship between the Author and the Copyright Claimant ............................................................................................................... 187 620.10(C)(4) Transfer or Possession of Material Object .......................................................................................................... 188 620.10(D) No Transfer Statement Given ................................................................................................................................... 188 620.10(D)(1) Copyright Transferred by Inheritance or by Operation of Law .................................................................. 188 620.10(D)(1)(a) Inheritance ...................................................................................................................................................................... 188 620.10(D)(1)(b) Partnerships ................................................................................................................................................................... 189 620.10(D)(1)(c) Community Property States ..................................................................................................................................... 189 620.10(D)(2) Same Person Is Named as Author and Claimant ............................................................................................... 190 620.10(D)(2)(a) Anonymous and Pseudonymous Works .............................................................................................................. 190 620.10(D)(2)(b) Individual Named as Author and Unincorporated Organization Named as Claimant....................................................................................................................................................... 191 620.10(D)(2)(c) Extraneous Information Provided in the Transfer Statement Field / Space ......................................... 192 621 Limitation of Claim ....................................................................................................................................................... 192 621.1 What Is Unclaimable Material? ................................................................................................................................ 193 621.2 Unclaimable Material That Need Not Be Excluded from the Application ............................................... 195 621.3 The Relationship Between the Author Created / Limitation of Claim Fields in the Online Application and the Relationship between Spaces 2, 6(a), and 6(b) of the Paper Application ............................................................................................................................................. 195 621.4 Previously Published Material ................................................................................................................................. 196 621.5 Previously Registered Material ............................................................................................................................... 197 621.6 Public Domain Material .............................................................................................................................................. 198
621.7 Copyrightable Material That Is Owned by an Individual or Entity Other
Than the Claimant ........................................................................................................................................................ 199 621.8 Completing the Application: Limitation of Claim ............................................................................................. 200 621.8(A) Identifying the Material That the Author Created ........................................................................................... 200 621.8(B) Identifying Unclaimable Material That Should Be Excluded from the Claim ........................................ 201 Chapter 600 : 11 12/22/2014 621.8(C) Identifying the New Material That the Applicant Intends to Register ..................................................... 202 621.8(C)(1) The Online Application: New Material Included Field ................................................................................... 203 621.8(C)(2) Paper Applications: Space 6(b) ............................................................................................................................... 206 621.8(D) Completing an Application to Register a Compilation or a Collective Work ......................................... 208 621.8(E) Examples for Identifying Unclaimable Material and the New Material That the Applicant Intends to Register ................................................................................................................ 209 621.8(F) Identifying Previously Registered Material That Should Be Excluded from the Claim ............................................................................................................................................................... 212 621.8(G) Identifying Preregistered Material ........................................................................................................................ 213 621.9 Examination Guidelines: Limitation of Claim .................................................................................................... 213 621.9(A) Limitation of Claim Not Required ........................................................................................................................... 213 621.9(A)(1) Works Containing Uncopyrightable Material or a Minimal Amount of Unclaimable Material .................................................................................................................................................. 213 621.9(A)(2) Applicant Has Not Asserted a Claim in Unclaimable Material ..................................................................... 214 621.9(A)(3) Unclaimable Material Described in the Application but Not Included in the Deposit Copy(ies) ............................................................................................................................................. 215 621.9(B) Identifying the Author of a Work That Contains an Appreciable Amount of Unclaimable Material ............................................................................................................................................. 215 621.9(C) Authorship Unclear ...................................................................................................................................................... 215 621.9(D) Claim Clarified by Information Provided Elsewhere in the Registration Materials ................................................................................................................................................ 216 621.9(D)(1) Claim Clearly Defined by the Title of the Work ................................................................................................. 216 621.9(D)(2) Claim Clarified by Information Provided in the Author Created Field or Nature of Authorship Space ................................................................................................................................ 217 621.9(D)(3) Claim Clarified by Information Provided in the Limitation of Claim Screen or Spaces 6(a) and / or 6(b) of the Paper Application ................................................................................... 218 621.9(D)(4) Claim Clarified by Information Provided in Space 5 of the Paper Application ..................................... 218 621.9(D)(5) Claim Clarified by Information Provided in the Deposit Copy(ies) ........................................................... 218 621.9(E) Uncopyrightable Material Claimed in the New Material Included Field or Space 6(b) ....................................................................................................................................................... 219 621.9(E)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) That Contain Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material .......................................................................................................................................... 220 621.9(E)(2) Claim in Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material .......................................................... 220 621.9(E)(3) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Deposit Copy(ies) Contain Copyrightable Authorship ......................................................................................................................................... 220 Chapter 600 : 12 12/22/2014 621.9(E)(4) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Acceptable Authorship Statement Used to Describe Uncopyrightable Material .................................................................................................................. 220 621.9(E)(5) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors ..................................... 221 621.9(E)(6) CDlea iMmin inim Uisncopyrightable Material: Registration Refused ........................................................................... 221 621.9(F) Material Claimed in the New Material IncludedD Fei eMldin oimr Sispace 6(b) ................................. 221 621.9(F)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) Contain CopyrightablDe eA Mutihnoimrsihsip and Material ................................. 221 621.9(F)(2) Claim in CDoep Myirnigimhtiasble Authorship and Material ..................................................................... 221 621.9(F)(3) Claim in De Minimis Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors................................................. 221 621.9(F)(4) Claim in Authorship: Registration Refused ................................................................................. 222 621.9(G) Discrepancies Involving the Copyright Notice .................................................................................................. 222 621.9(G)(1) Published Works ........................................................................................................................................................... 222 621.9(G)(2) Unpublished Works ..................................................................................................................................................... 222 621.9(H) Discrepancies Involving the Registration Number or Year of Registration in a Paper Application ................................................................................................................................................. 222 621.9(I) Reference to Previous Registration Clearly Erroneous ................................................................................. 223 621.9(J) Reference to a Preregistration in the Previous Registration Field/Space .............................................. 224 622 Rights and Permissions Information / Correspondent / Mail Certificate .............................................. 224 622.1 Rights and Permissions Information..................................................................................................................... 224 622.2 Correspondent ............................................................................................................................................................... 224 622.3 Applicant’s Internal Tracking Number ................................................................................................................. 225 622.4 Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration ......................................................................................... 225 622.5 Privacy Concerns .......................................................................................................................................................... 226 623 Special Handling ............................................................................................................................................................ 226 623.1 What Is Special Handling? ......................................................................................................................................... 226 623.2 Justification for Special Handling ........................................................................................................................... 227 623.3 Examination Guidelines: Special Handling ......................................................................................................... 228 623.4 Timeline for Special Handling Requests .............................................................................................................. 228 623.5 Procedure for Requesting Special Handling ....................................................................................................... 229 623.5(A) Online Requests for an Expedited Certificate of Registration ..................................................................... 229 623.5(B) In Person Requests....................................................................................................................................................... 229 623.5(C) Requests Delivered by Courier or by Mail .......................................................................................................... 230 623.5(D) Procedure for Requesting Special Handling for a Pending Application or a Pending Recordation ................................................................................................................................................ 231 Chapter 600 : 13 12/22/2014 623.6 Special Handling Fee ................................................................................................................................................... 232 623.7 Special Handling for Multiple Applications That Share the Same Deposit Copy .................................. 233 624 Certification .................................................................................................................................................................... 234 624.1 The Significance of the Certification ...................................................................................................................... 234 624.2 Who May Certify the Application? .......................................................................................................................... 234 624.2(A) Application Certified by the Author or the Author’s Duly Authorized Agent ........................................ 234 624.2(B) Application Certified by a Party That Owns All the Rights under Copyright That Initially Belonged to the Author or That Party’s Duly Authorized Agent ..................................... 235 624.2(C) Application Certified by an Owner of One or More — but Less than All — of the Exclusive Rights or That Party’s Duly Authorized Agent ....................................................................... 235 624.3 Completing the Application: Certification ........................................................................................................... 235 624.3(A) Online Applications ...................................................................................................................................................... 235 624.3(B) Paper Applications ....................................................................................................................................................... 236 624.4 Examination Guidelines: Certification .................................................................................................................. 237 624.4(A) Signature Requirements ............................................................................................................................................ 237 624.4(B) Date of Certification in a Paper Application ....................................................................................................... 238 625 Effective Date of Registration .................................................................................................................................. 239 625.1 Minimum Requirements for an Acceptable Application ............................................................................... 239 625.2 Minimum Requirements for Acceptable Deposit Copy(ies) ......................................................................... 240 625.2(A) Acceptable File Formats for the Deposit Copy(ies) Accompanying an Online Application .................................................................................................................................................. 241 625.2(B) Unacceptable File Formats for the Deposit Copy(ies) Accompanying an Online Application .................................................................................................................................................. 241 625.2(C) Corrupted Deposit Copy(ies) Files Accompanying an Online Application ............................................. 241 625.2(D) Shipping Slips for Mailing Physical Deposit Copy(ies) to Accompany an Online Application ........................................................................................................................................................ 242 625.3 Minimum Requirements for an Acceptable Filing Fee ................................................................................... 242 625.3(A) Forms of Payments ...................................................................................................................................................... 242 625.3(B) Insufficient Funds ......................................................................................................................................................... 243 625.3(C) Special Handling Fee ................................................................................................................................................... 243
625.4 Minimum Requirements for Establishing an Effective Date of Registration
Distinguished from the Requirements for Issuing a Certificate of Registration .................................. 244 625.5 Differences Between an Application and a Certificate of Registration .................................................... 244 Chapter 600 : 14 12/22/2014 Chapter 600 : 15 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
(ii) renewal registrations; (iii) supplementary registrations; (iv) GATT registration for certain foreign works; or (v) preregistrations.
For examining practices specific to the following types of works or registrations, see the f•o llowing chapters:
• For literary works, see Chapter 700.
• For works of the performing arts, see Chapter 800.
• For visual arts works, see Chapter 900.
• For websites and website content, see Chapter 1000.
• For the group registration options for certain related works, see Chapter 1100. • For mask works and vessel designs, see Chapter 1200 and Chapter 1300. For supplementary registrations, adverse claims, and other post-registration • procedures, see Chapter 1800.
602 General U.S. Copyright Office Examination Practices When the U.S. Copyright Office determines that the material deposited constitutes copyrightable subject matter and that the other legal and formal requirements of U.S. copyright law have been met, it will register the claim and send the applicant a certificate of registration under the seal of the U.S. Copyright Office. 17 U.S.C. § 410(a). The Office has certain general policies it employs when an application is unclear on its face, when there are ambiguities in the application, and/or contradictions between the statements provided in the application and the information contained in the deposit copy(ies), when required information is missing, or when the deposit copy(ies) are incomplete or otherwise fail to meet the applicable requirements. Each of these topics is discussed below.
Chapter 600 : 16 12/22/2014
602.1 Completion of the Application
Applicants are encouraged to complete applications accurately and completely. Establishing a full, accurate record has a number of benefits: it serves the public interest by creating a more useful public record, it provides potential licensees with more accurate information, and it decreases the cost of copyright litigation by minimizing potential disputes about the work(s) that the registration covers. Where an applicant seeks assistance from the U.S. Copyright Office in preparing an application, the Office will instruct the applicant to complete the application in a clear and accurate manner.
602.2 Statutorily Required Information in the Application
Section 409 of the Copyright Act sets forth the required information for an application for copyright registration:
1. The name and address of the copyright claimant.
2. In the case of a work other than an anonymous or pseudonymous work, the name and nationality or domicile of the author or authors, and, if one or more of the authors is dead, the dates of their deaths.
3. If the work is anonymous or pseudonymous, the nationality or domicile of the author or authors. i.e 4. In the case of a work made for hire, a statement to this effect ( ., a “work made for hire statement”).
5. If the copyright claimant is not the author, a brief statement of how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright ( ., a “transfer statement”).
6. The title of the work, together with any previous or alternative titles under which the work can be identified.
7. The year in which creation of the work was completed.
8. If the work has been published, the date and nation of its first publication.
9. In the case of a compilation, or derivative work, an identification of any preexisting work or works that it is based on or incorporates, and a brief, general statement of the additional material covered by the copyright claim being registered. 17 U.S.C. § 409.
602.3 Requirements for Registration of a Basic Claim
The essential issues that should be resolved before the U.S. Copyright Office may complete a registration include the following:
Chapter 600 : 17 12/22/2014 • i.e Is the subject matter of the work protected by copyright, ., does it fall under one or more of the categories of authorship set forth in Section 102(a) of the Copyright • Act? Is the work original, and is the authorship being claimed sufficiently creative to • be copyrightable? i.e Is the work eligible for copyright protection in the United States, ., does it satisfy • one or more of the requirements set forth in Chapter 2000, Section 2003. • Has the correct author been named (assuming the work is not anonymous)? • Does the claimant appear to have the right to claim copyright in the work? • Have the relevant deposit requirements been met? • Has the required filing fee been paid? In the case of a work published prior to March 1, 1989, have the notice • requirements been met? • Is the extent of the claim clear? • Has the basic information required by Section 409 of the law been provided? Has the application been certified? The Office will issue a registration if all of these questions are answered in the affirmative, if there are no other issues in the registration materials that might raise questions concerning the claim, and if all of the other legal and formal requirements have been met.
602.4 General Standards for Examination of an Application
602.4(A) The Examination Process The examination process involves the examination of the application, the deposit copy(ies), the filing fee, all other material that has been submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office, and all communications between the applicant and the Office relating to the registration of the claim. Together, these materials are collectively known as the “registration materials.”
602.4(B) Scope of the Examination T• he U.S. Copyright Office examines the registration materials to determine: Whether the work constitutes copyrightable subject matter; and Chapter 600 : 18 12/22/2014 WheCtohmerp tehned ioutmhe orf lUeg.Sa. lC aonpdy rfoigrhmt aOl frfiecqeu Pirreamcteicnetss, Thhaivred bEedeinti omnet, including those set forth in the Copyright Act, the U.S. Copyright Office’s regulations, and the .
As a general rule, the Office will register a claim to copyright where the work contains copyrightable subject matter, where the application is acceptable on its face, and where the facts stated therein are not contradicted by each other or by information in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. 602.4(C) No Searches or Comparison of Works When examining a claim to copyright, the U.S. Copyright Office generally does not compare deposit copy(ies) to determine whether the work for which registration is sought is substantially similar to another work. Likewise, the Office generally does not conduct searches to determine whether the work has been previously registered. 602.4(D) Factual Determinations and Administrative Notice As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office accepts the facts stated in the registration materials, unless they are contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or in the Office’s records. Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application for copyright registration, or in any written statement filed in connection with an application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e).
Ordinarily, the Office does not conduct investigations or make findings of fact to confirm the truth of any statement made in an application, such as whether a work has been published or not. However, the Office may take administrative notice of facts or matters that are known by the Office or the general public, and may use that knowledge to question an application that appears to contain or be based upon inaccurate or erroneous information.
602.5 General Practices for Processing Information Provided in a Paper Application The information provided in a paper application will be scanned and uploaded into the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system. To the extent possible, the Office will include this information in the registration record. In some cases, it may not be possible or practical to enter all of the information into the registration record. In all cases, the Office will retain an electronic copy of the scanned paper form.
602.6 General Policy Regarding Location of Information
The information that the applicant provides to the U.S. Copyright Office should be provided in the appropriate field of the online application or space of the paper application.
If the applicant provides the required information in the application, but the information does not appear in the correct field or space, the registration specialist may register the claim, provided that the claim is clear. In the alternative, the specialist may Chapter 600 : 19 12/22/2014 correct the application by placing the information in the appropriate field or space, provided it is clear what information belongs in what field or space. As a general rule, the specialist will not annotate the registration record if information appears in the wrong field or space of the application, but may do so if the required information appears elsewhere in the registration materials (i.e., in the deposit copy(ies) but not in the application). For a discussion regarding annotations, see Section 604 beloEwxa. mples:
602.7 General Practices Regarding Missing Information
Where any required information is missing from the application but is clearly provided in other registration materials, including the deposit copy(ies), an email, cover letter, Note to Copyright Office, a continuation sheet, in an application for a related work which was submitted at the same time, or in other written or oral communications with the applicant, the registration specialist may include that information in the appropriate field or space of the registration record and may annotate the registration record to indicate the source of the added information. (For a discussion of annotations, see Section 604.) If the required information is not clearly provided elsewhere in the registratEioxanm mpaletes:r i als, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. Laura Langley submits a paper application for a short story, but does not provide a Year of Completion. In a cover letter Laura explains that she has been working on the story for 15 years and that she finished it in 2011. The registration specialist will add 2011 to the Year of Completion field and register the claim with an Chapter 600 : 20 12/22/2014 annotation, such as: “Regarding year of completion: added by C.O. • from cover letter provided by applicant.”
602.8 General Policy Regarding Extraneous Information
If the information provided in a field or space is clearly extraneous and in no way affects the claim, the registration specialist may remove that information or may allow it to remain in the registration record. Ordinarily, the specialist will not make an annotation in the registration record when extraneous information has been removed.
602.9 General Policy Regarding Social Security Numbers, Driver’s License
Numbers, Credit Card Numbers, and Bank Account Numbers The applicant should not provide any private or confidential information in the application that is not required for registration. The information that is provided in the application may be included in the certificate of registration and the online public record, and except in extraordinary circumstances the U.S. Copyright Office will not remove any information from the public record once a registration has been issued. When submitting an online application through the electronic registration system, the applicant may pay the filing fee by providing a credit card number or bank account number on the Online Payment screen. The applicant should not provide this type of information in any other portion of the application.
If the registration specialist discovers a social security number, driver’s license number, credit card number, or bank account number in the application, he or she will remove that information from the record. If the number is not discovered during the examination process and subsequently appears in the certificate of registration or the online public record, the author, the claimant, or one of the other parties listed in Chapter 400, Section 402, may contact the Public Information Office in writing to request removal of this information using the form provided on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/help/general-form.html). The Office will remove a social security number, driver’s license number, credit card number, or bank account number from the registration record upon written request, although the Office will not remove any other information that the applicant provides in response to a query that appears in the application.
For a general discussion of privacy issues, see Chapter 200, Section 205. Chapter 600 : 21 12/22/2014
602.10 General Practices Regarding Cataloging Information
If information is missing from the application but is clearly provided elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist may add that information to the online public record if it is likely that a person searching the U.S. Copyright Office’s records may useE txhaamt ipnlfeo: rmation to locate the work.
603 Variances The U.S. Copyright Office uses the term “variance” to refer to any instance where conflicting information is present in or among the registration materials submitted by the applicant. The Office has certain practices for addressing variances, depending on the nature of the conflicting information. There are three general categories of variances: (i) immaterial; (ii) material but resolvable on review of the registration materials as a whole; and (iii) material and requiring communication with the applicant. These categories are described in Sections 603.1 and 603.2 below. If the registration specialist discovers a variance in the registration materials, the actions that he or she may take include: (i) adding a note to the online public record; (ii) adding an annotation to the certificate of registration and the online public record to identify a correction made by the specialist or to clarify information provided elsewhere in the registration materials; (iii) corresponding with the applicant to obtain the correct information; or (iv) disregarding the variance if it is immaterial. These actions and the circumstances when they may be taken are discussed in Sections 603.1 and 603.2 below. For a discussion of the Office’s general policies regarding annotations, see Section 604.
603.1 Immaterial Variances
An immaterial variance is a variance that does not affect the required information that should be included in an application, or any of the essential issues that should be resolved before the U.S. Copyright Office may complete a registration, or where an ordinary person would be able to discern the correct information from the application and would recognize the variance as a mere discrepancy, such as a misspelling or typographical error. As a general rule, the registration specialist will disregard immaterial variances and will register the claim without annotating or communicating with the applicant, but may note the variance in the online public record. Chapter 600 : 22 12/22/2014 Examples:
603.2 Material Variances Resolvable on Review of the Registration
Materials as a Whole A material variance is a variance that substantially affects the required information that should be included in the application, or any of the essential issues that should be resolved before the U.S. Copyright Office may complete a registration. In some cases, the inconsistency may be clearly and readily resolved by the registration specialist without communicating with the applicant based on the specialist’s review of the registration materials as a whole. If so, the specialist may correct a material variance by amending the registration record and/or by adding an annotation to the registration record. 603.2(A) Material Variances That May Be Resolved by Amending the Registration Record without Annotating or Communicating with the Applicant If a material variance may be clearly resolved by reviewing the registration materials as a whole or by reviewing other U.S. Copyright Office records, the registration specialist may amend the information in the registration record without communicating with the applicant. As a general rule, if all of the required information appears in the application itself (as opposed to elsewhere in the registration materials, including the deposit copy(ies), a cover letter, or the Note to Copyright Office field), the specialist will not Eanxanmotpaltees :t he registration record to indicate that the application was revised. The Office receives applications to register ten fabric designs. The application for “Design No. 8” names Chelsea’s Fabric Hose as the author and claimant. The name Chelsea’s Fabric House appears in Chapter 600 : 23 12/22/2014 all the other applications, in the cover letter, and the address where the certificates of registration should be sent. The registration specialist may correct the typographical error in the name given in • the application for Design No. 8 without giving an annotation. Eric Kressler and Carla McCloud submit an application to register a song titled “Friday Afternoon Blues,” naming themselves as co- authors of the work. The deposit copy states that the song was written by “Erica Kessler and Carl MacCloud.” In a cover letter Eric and Carla explain that their names were misprinted on the copy and that the names given on the application are correct. The registration specialist will register the claim without annotation, but a note will be added to the certificate of registration and the online public record indicating the presence of correspondence in the file. 603.2(B) Material Variances That May Be Resolved by Amending and Annotating the Registration Record without Communicating with the Applicant If a material variance may be clearly resolved by reviewing the registration materials as a whole or by reviewing other U.S. Copyright Office records, the registration specialist may amend the information in the registration record without communicating with the applicant. As a general rule, if the required information does not appear in the application itself, and it is necessary to refer to information found elsewhere in the registration materials, such as the deposit copy(ies), a cover letter, the Note to Copyright Office field, or in other Office records, the registration specialist will annotate the registration record to indicate that the record was amended and will identify the source of the inEfoxrammaptlieo:n .
604.1 Addressing Variances in the Registration Materials
As discussed in Section 603, the registration specialist may annotate the registration record toE xaadmdrpeles:s certain variances in the application. • High Heels and a Pickup Truck Leslie Steward writes a screenplay titled , which is based on her previousHlyig phu Hbleieslhse adn ndo av ePli cokfu tph eT rsuacmke, name. In the Note to Copyright Office field Leslie states: “This screenplay is adapted from my novel published in 2009,” but the Limitation of Claim screen has been left blank. The specialist will insert this statement in the relevant fields on the Limitation of Claim screen, and will add an annotation to the Chapter 600 : 25 12/22/2014 registration record, such as: “Regarding limitation of claim: statement added from Note to Copyright Office.”
604.2 Adding Comments to the Registration Record
An annotation may be used to add comments to the registration record. For example, the registration specialist may use an annotation to note the presence of an antedated copyright notice, to note overlapping claims, to note references to previous registrations, to note references to cover letters or other communications from the applicant, to note grants of special relief, to clarify the nature of the deposit copy(ies), or to identify uncopyrightable elements specifically claimed in the applicatiEoxna. mple:
604.3 Adding Missing Information to the Registration Record
As discussed in Section 603.2(B), an annotation may be used to explain that required information was missing from the application and that the registration specialist obtained that information from elsewhere in the registration materials, such as a cover letter orE txhaem dpelpeo: s it copy(ies).
604.4 Documenting Communications with the Applicant
In certain appropriate circumstances, the registration specialist may use an annotation to document that the applicant authorized the specialist to amend the registration record or to clarify the facts in the record. Chapter 600 : 26 12/22/2014 Example:
604.5 Placement of the Annotation
Annotations should be accurate, they should clearly identify information that was provided by the U.S. Copyright Office, they should cite the authority for aen.gy amendments or deletions that have been made, and they should identify the general topic or the specific field or space of the registration record that has been annotated ( ., “Regarding Author Information,” “Regarding Limitation of Claim,” “Regarding Deposit,” etc.). Annotations appear on the certificate of registration, generally under the heading “Copyright Office Notes.” They appear in the online public record under the heading “CO Annotation.”
604.6 Annotations Are Part of the Registration Record
An annotation is part of the registration record and a correct annotation generally will not be removed from the registration record once a registration has been made. The U.S. Copyright Office will retain supporting documentation for an annotation (or amendment), such as an email, cover letter, fax, or note regarding a phone call. Both the certificate of registration and the online public record will indicate that correspondence relating to the claim is on file with the Office. 605 Communications Between the Applicant and the Registration Specialist Communication between the U.S. Copyright Office and the applicant regarding an application may take many different forms. This Section describes the ways in which an applicant may communicate with the Office and the means by which the Office communicates with the applicant in the course of examining an application.
605.1 General Policies
Legal advice not provided . Communications involving the examination of an application should be limited to issues concerning registration and related matters. The U.S. Copyright Office’s staff will not offer legal opinions or advice on other matters, such as the rights of persons in connection with contracts, infringement disputes, or matters of a similar nature. 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a)(3). Likewise, the Office’s staff will not offer or undertake to resolve disputes concerning conflicting claims to copyright. If there is a dispute between two or more parties involving a claim to copyright, it is the responsibility of each party to pursue their claims in an appropriate forum. Chapter 600 : 27 12/22/2014 Communications to be clear, concise, and polite . All communications from the Office should be clear in meaning, concise in statement, and polite in tone. As a general rule, the Office will consider all oral or written communications from the applicant, but will not consider or respond to any abusive, offensive, or scurrilous communications directed to the Office or any of its staff. Similarly, the Office’s staff will terminate any conversation or interview, if the applicant makes abusive or scurrilous statements or eBnugsiangeesss icno nthdruecatteedn iinn gth bee Ehnagvliiosrh. 3la7n gCu.Fa.Rge. § 201.2(c)(4). . Written communications to the Office should be in English. Communications from the Office are written in English, and as a general rule, oral communications with the Office are conducted in English. In limited circumstances and on special request, the Office may be able to examine applications or respond to communications that are written in languages other than English. The Office may provide this service as a courtesy, but it is under no obligation to do so and may ask the applicant to submit an English translation of statements that appear in the registration mCoamtemriuanlsic oart iinng a w ciotmh pmeursnoicnas twiointh f rdoismab tihliet iaepsplicant before it takes any action. . The Office will make accommodations for persons with disabilities upon request.
605.2 Communicating with the U.S. Copyright Office
An applicant may communicate with the U.S. Copyright Office by any of the means described in Sections 605.2(A) through 605.2(C).
605.2(A) Note to Copyright Office When an applicant prepares an online application, the applicant may provide additional information that is relevant to the examination process, such as explaining apparent discrepancies in the application or requesting special relief. This information may be provided in the online application in the field marked Note to Copyright Office, which appears on the Certification screen.
The statements provided in the Note to Copyright Office field will not appear on the certificate of registration or the online public record. The U.S. Copyright Office will maintain a copy of the note in the registration record. If the note contains material information, the specialist may add that information to the registration record with an annotation, or may add a note to the certificate of registration and the online public record indicating that there is correspondence on file with the Office. 605.2(B) Cover Letters An applicant may submit a cover letter with an application or with the deposit copy(ies). A cover letter may provide additional information that is relevant to the examination process, such as explaining apparent discrepancies in the application or justifying the applicant’s request for special handling. A cover letter may be submitted with an online application when the deposit copy(ies) are uploaded, provided that the letter and the deposits are submitted as separate files. To submit a cover letter with a paper application, the applicant may attach it to the application. Chapter 600 : 28 12/22/2014 A cover letter will not be returned to the applicant or attached as an exhibit to the certificate of registration. However, the U.S. Copyright Office will retain a copy of the letter in the registration record. If the cover letter contains material information, the specialist may add that information to the registration record with an annotation, or may add a note to the certificate of registration and the online public record indicating that there is correspondence on file with the Office.
605.2(C) Calling or Emailing the U.S. Copyright Office Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition Applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to the , and to the circulars and other materials provided on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website for information regarding an application. If the applicant still has questions regarding the processes and procedures for preparing or filing an application, the applicant may contact the Public Information Office by phone or by email using the form provided on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/help/general-form.html). For more information on contacting the Records, Research and Certification section, see Chapter 2400, Section 2403.
605.3 Communications from the U.S. Copyright Office
The registration specialist assigned to an application may communicate with the applicant by phone, by email (if an email address is provided in the application), by fax, or by letter if he or she has questions regarding the registration materials. The specialist will provide appropriate contact information for responding to the communication. The U.S. Copyright Office will maintain a copy of any written correspondence in the registration record.
When communicating with an applicant by email, the Office will use one of the following e• manilo ardedplrye@ssleosc:. gov : When an applicant successfully submits an application and filing fee through the electronic registration system, the system will generate an automated message confirming that the application and filing fee were received. If the Office does not receive the deposit copy(ies) within ninety days thereafter (either uploaded through the electronic registration system or sent to the Office by mail), the system will generate an automated message notifying the applicant that the deposit has not been received. As the term “noreply” suggests, the applicant should not reply to these automated messages. The Office will not read or respond • tcoo ta-nrcy@ emloca.igl othvat is sent to this address. : When an applicant successfully uploads a deposit copy(ies) through the electronic registration system, the system will generate an automated message confirming that the deposit was received. The applicant should not reply to this automated message. The Office will not read or respond to any email that is sent to • tchoips- aadd@drleoscs.g. ov : When a registration specialist communicates with an applicant by email, the message will be sent from this address. In all cases, the applicant should respond to the specialist’s message by opening the message and selecting the “reply” or “reply all” option. As discussed in Section 605.4, the reply message should Chapter 600 : 29 12/22/2014 include the THREAD ID and case number/service request number that appears in the specialist’s message. Doing so will ensure that the response is connected with the appropriate registration record.
605.3(A) When the U.S. Copyright Office Will Communicate with the Applicant Whenever possible the registration specialist will examine an application without communicating with the applicant. As a general rule, the specialist will communicate with the applicant if he or she discovers that the applicant failed to provide sufficient information in a particular field or space of the application or elsewhere in the registration materials, or if the applicant otherwise failed to meet the registration requirements. For example, the specialist will communicate with the applicant if the application is ambiguous, substantially incomplete, in conflict with other information in the registration materials or the U.S. Copyright Office’s records, in conflict with other information that is known to the Office, or indicates that the applicant misunderstands the registration requirements. By contrast, the specialist generally will not communicate with the applicant if he or she determines that the required information is clearly presented elsewhere in the registration materials.
605.3(B) Records Concerning U.S. Copyright Office Communications If the registration specialist communicates with the applicant, either orally or in writing, the U.S. Copyright Office will retain a copy of the written communication or the specialist’s written notes concerning his or her conversation with the applicant. The registration record will indicate that there is correspondence in the file concerning the registration.
When the specialist adds information to or amends information within the registration record based on a communication with the applicant, the specialist will add a note containing the full name of the person who supplied the information, the organization or individual(s) that the person represents (if any), and the date the information was supplied. If the relationship between the person and the organization is clear from the information provided in the application, the name of the organization may be omitted from the note.
605.3(C) Communication from the U.S. Copyright Office May Address Multiple Issues As a general rule, when the registration specialist communicates with the applicant, he or she may identify all of the issues involving the application or the other registration materials, even if those issues standing alone would not normally prompt a communication from the U.S. Copyright Office. In some cases, multiple communications from the specialist may be required. The fact that the specialist did not mention a particular issue in his or her initial communication does not prevent that specialist or another specialist from raising that issue or other issues in a subsequent communication. In some cases, the applicant’s response may resolve the issue(s) and no further communication is needed, or conversely the applicant’s response may raise other issues that may require additional communication from the specialist. Chapter 600 : 30 12/22/2014 If the registration specialist discovers similar issues in multiple applications, he or she may discuss those applications in a single communication, instead of issuing a separate communication for each one.
605.3(D) Oral Communications If the registration specialist has questions concerning the registration materials, he or she may attempt to resolve the issue by telephone. If so, the specialist will attempt to contact the person specified in the Correspondent field/space of the application at the telephone number provided.
Before speaking with an individual who is not listed in the application, the specialist will confirm that the individual has been authorized to discuss the claim by the correspondent and/or the copyright claimant.
In all cases, the specialist will document the conversation by adding a note to the registration record identifying the name of the individual that he or she spoke with and the date of the conversation. If the specialist adds information to or amends information within the registration record based on an oral communication, the note should contain a brief summary of what was discussed and a brief explanation for any changes reflected in the registration record. The note should identify the date that the information was provided and the name of the party that the individual represents (if any). If the relationship between the individual and the party is clear from the information provided in the application, the name of the party may be omitted from the note. A note should document any amendments made to the registration record, and is imperative when the amendment appears to be questionable on its face, but is clearly justified by the information provided in the telephone conversation. The U.S. Copyright Office will retain any such note in the registration record, and the record will indicate that there is correspondence for the claim.
In some situations the specialist may ask for written confirmation authorizing the Office to make a change to the registration record, either by email, fax, or letter. The Office will retain this written confirmation, and the registration record will show that there is correspondence on file with the Office.
If the specialist leaves a message on the applicant’s voicemail or answering machine, but does not receive a response within a reasonable amount of time, the specialist will call again or will follow up with a written communication.
605.3(E) Written Communications The registration specialist may communicate with an applicant in writing, particularly if the issue is not appropriate for resolution in a telephone conversation. This communication will be sent to the person specified in the Correspondent section of the application, and may be sent by email, fax, or letter.
Chapter 600 : 31 12/22/2014 Example:
605.4 Case Numbers, Service Request Numbers, THREAD-ID Numbers, and
Correspondence Identification Numbers The U.S. Copyright Office assigns a specific number to each application that it receives, such as “1-929700001.” This number is known as a case number/service request number. The Office uses these numbers to keep track of the claim in the electronic registration system.
When a registration specialist sends an email concerning an application, the Office will assign a THREAD ID to that communication, such as “THREAD ID: 1-CKF1YO.” When a specialist sends a letter concerning an application, the Office will assign a correspondence identification number to that communication, such as “Correspondence ID: 1-GHKVFR.” This number will appear on the reply sheet that is attached to the letter. The Office uses these numbers to keep track of written correspondence.
If the specialist communicates with the applicant by email, the applicant should respond by opening the specialist’s message and selecting the “reply” or “reply all” option. In addition, the applicant should include the case number/service request number and the THREAD ID in the reply message. Doing so will ensure that the response is filed with the appropriate registration record.
If the specialist communicates with the applicant by letter, the applicant may respond by phone, email, fax, or letter. If the applicant responds by email, the applicant should include the case number/service request number and correspondence identification number in the response. If the applicant responds by letter or by fax, the applicant should include the case number/service request number, correspondence identification number, and a copy of the reply sheet in the response.
605.5 Applicant’s Internal Tracking Number
The applicant may assign an internal tracking number to an online application by completing the field marked Applicant’s Internal Tracking Number on the Certification screen. Providing a tracking number is optional and this feature is intended solely for the applicant’s convenience. The U.S. Copyright Office does not use these numbers to keep track of pending applications or in its communications with applicants. Chapter 600 : 32 12/22/2014
605.6 Deadlines for Responding to Communications from the U.S. Copyright Office
605.6(A) Oral Communications If the registration specialist asks the applicant to provide additional information in a telephone conversation, but does not receive a response during the conversation or within a reasonable amount of time thereafter, he or she will send an email, fax, or letter specifying that a phone call was held on a specific date and briefly summarizing the substance of the conversation. If the specialist does not receive a response to his or her written communication, the file will be closed within the time periods discussed in Sections 605.6(B) through 605.6(D).
605.6(B) Email As a general rule, the deadline for responding to an email from a registration specialist is twenty calendar days. This deadline is calculated from the date the email was sent to the person specified in the Correspondent section of the application (or other designated party, if any).
For a discussion of the deadline for responding to an email requesting the deposit copy(ies), see Section 605.6(C).
605.6(C) Email Requests for Deposit Copy(ies)
When an applicant successfully submits an application and filing fee through the electronic registration system, the system will generate an automated message confirming that the application and filing fee were received. If the U.S. Copyright Office does not receive the deposit copy(ies) within ninety calendar days, the system will generate an automated message notifying the applicant that the deposit copy has not been received. (For more information on Communications from the U.S. Copyright Office, see Section 605.3.) The applicant should submit the copy(ies) by uploading them through the electronic registration system (provided the copies are not subject to best edition requirements), or by sending the copy(ies) to the Office by mail together with the shipping slip. For information concerning these procedures, see Chapter 200, Section 204.3 and Chapter 1500, Section 1508. The deadline for submitting the deposit copy(ies) is forty-five calendar days. This deadline is calculated from the date that the automated message was sent to the person specified in the Correspondent section of the application. If a registration specialist communicates with the applicant by email and asks the applicant to submit the deposit copy(ies), the deadline for responding to that communication is forty-five calendar days. This deadline is calculated from the date the email is sent to the person specified in the Correspondent section of the application. Chapter 600 : 33 12/22/2014 605.6(D) Letters The deadline for responding to a letter from a registration specialist is forty-five calendar days. This deadline is calculated from the date set forth in the reply sheet that is enclosed with the letter.
605.7 Application Closed Following a Failure to Respond to the
U.S. Copyright Office When a registration specialist communicates with an applicant concerning an issue with the registration materials, the applicant must respond before the deadlines specified in Section 605.6, depending upon the nature of the communication from the U.S. Copyright Office. In most cases the Office will close the file if a response is not received by the deadline. In special cases, the Office will consider a reasonable request for an extension of time if the request is received prior to the original deadline. If the applicant wishes to proceed with an application after the file has been closed, the applicant must reapply for registration by submitting a new application, filing fee, and deposit copy(ies). The effective date of registration will be based on the date that the new submission is received by the Office.
When a file has been closed for a failure to respond to a written communication from the Office in a timely manner, the filing fee will not be refunded and, the deposit copy(ies) will not be returned to the applicant.
If the applicant uploaded an electronic copy or phonorecord of a work through the electronic registration system, the deposit copy(ies) will remain in the registration record. If the applicant submitted a physical copy or phonorecord of a published work, the Library of Congress may select the copy(ies) for its collections. If the Library does not select the work for use in its collection, the deposit copy(ies) may be offered to another agency, library, or nonprofit institution, or they may be retained by the Office for a scheduled period of time.
NOTE : The practices set forth in Sections 605.6 and 605.7 supersede the practice announced November 3, 1980, concerning the deadline for responding to communications from the Office (www.copyright.gov/history/mls/ML-245.pdf).
605.8 Procedure for Reopening a Closed Application
If the failure to respond to a written communication from the U.S. Copyright Office in a timely manner was caused by extraordinary circumstances, the Office may, in appropriate cases, grant a request to reopen the file, provided that (i) the request is made in writing and within a reasonable amount of time after the original deadline; (ii) a showing of good cause is made; and (iii) the Office has the deposit copy(ies) in its possession or replacement deposit copy(ies) are submitted with a written declaration confirming that the replacement is identical to the deposit copy(ies) that were submitted with the application, including the copyright notice (if appropriate). Such requests should be submitted to the Public Information Office using the form provided on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/help/general-form.html). An appropriate Chapter 600 : 34 12/22/2014 official from the Registration Program will determine whether the Office will reopen the file and will notify the applicant in writing of the Office’s decision. 606 Warnings If the U.S. Copyright Office determines that the deposit copy(ies) for a registrable work contain material that consists of uncopyrightable subject matter or that other legal or formal requirements have not been met, the Office may register the claim without corresponding with the applicant. However, the Office may send the applicant a written communication warning that the registration does not extend to the uncopyrightable subject matter or warning that some of the other legal or formal requirements have not been satisfied. Communications will be sent to the person specified in the Correspondent section of the application (or other designated party, if any). The registration specialist will place a copy of the communication in the registration record, and the certificate of registration and the online public record will indicate the presenceE xoaf mcoprlrees:s pondence in the file.
607 Registration Made Under the Rule of Doubt prima facie The U.S. Copyright Office has the exclusive authority to issue certificates of registration establishing the validity of the facts stated in the certificate. 17 U.S.C. § 410(a), (c). On occasion, the Office may register a claim to copyright, even though the Office has reasonable doubt as to whether the material submitted for registration constitutes copyrightable subject matter or whether the other legal and formal requirements of the statute have been met. This practice is known as the Rule of Doubt. The Rule of Doubt notifies the claimant, the courts, and the general public that the Office is unwilling to grant a presumption of validity to certain aspects of the claim. As a general rule, the Office will apply the Rule of Doubt only in the following situations. The Office may register a claim under the Rule of Doubt if the registration specialist is unable to examine the deposit copy(ies) to determine if the work contains copyrightable Chapter 600 : 35 12/22/2014 authorship. For example, the Office will apply the Rule of Doubt if the applicant submits an application to register a computer program with a deposit copy consisting solely of object code, rather than source code. Likewise, the Office may apply the Rule of Doubt at its discretion if the applicant submits a redacted deposit copy under a grant of special relief in order to protect trade secret material that appears in the work. (For a discussion of the procedure for requesting special relief or the practices and procedures for registering a computer program with a deposit copy consisting solely of object code, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1508.8 and 1509.1(C)(6).)
In exceptional cases, the Office may apply the Rule of Doubt if the Office has not taken a position on a legal issue that is directly relevant to whether the work constitutes copyrightable subject matter or whether the other legal and formal requirements of the statute have been met. The Office will not register a claim under the Rule of Doubt simply because there is some uncertainty as to how that issue may be decided by a particular court.
In all cases, the Office will add an annotation to the certificate of registration and the online public record indicating that the work was registered under the Rule of Doubt. The Office also may send a letter to the applicant stating the reasons for its decision and a copy of the letter will be placed in the registration record. Both the certificate of registration and the online public record will indicate that correspondence relating to the claim is on file with the Office.
608 Refusal to Register In the event the U.S. Copyright Office determines that the claim does not meet certain requirements for registration based on the registration materials submitted, the registration specialist will refuse to register the work. A refusal to register the entire work will be made by a written communication and will be sent to the address provided in the Correspondent section of the application. Examples of situations where the Office •w ill refuse to register a claim include: e.g.
• The work is not fixed in a tangible medium of expression. • The work lacks human authorship.
• The work was not independently created.
Chapter 600 : 36 12/22/2014 • i.e., The work is a U.S. sound recording that was fixed before February 15, 1972 ( the • date U.S. sound recordings became eligible for federal copyright proteic.etion). The work is an architectural work created before December 1, 1990 ( ., the date architectural works became eligible for federal copyrigShet eprotection) or the application to register the architectural work does not otherwise meet the • requirements set forth in Copyright Office regulations. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11. The work is not eligible for copyright protection in the United States based on the author’s citizenship or domicile, based on the nation of first publication, or any • other factor set forth in Section 104 of the Copyright Act. • The applicant is not authorized to register a claim in the work. • The claimant named in the application is not a proper copyright claimant. The work unlawfully employs preexisting material that is under copyright protection. 17 U.S.C. § 103(a).
If the applicant disagrees with the Office’s determination, the applicant may appeal that decision within the Office. This is an administrative procedure known as a request for reconsideration. For information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 1700. 609 Identifying the Work That the Applicant Intends to Register
609.1 Registration Process Overview
When completing an online application, the applicant must provide a “yes” or “no” answer to three questions concerning the work(s) that the applicant intends to register. The •q uestions include:
The Single Application may only be used to register a work that satisfies the criteria listed in the questions above. If the applicant answers “no” in response to any of these questions or if the applicant responds to the Important Message by clicking the button marked “Cancel,” the electronic registration will direct the applicant to complete the Office’s Standard Application. The Standard Application may be used to register any work that may be submitted through the electronic registration system. For general information concerning the standard application, see Chapter 1400, Section 1402.4. When completing a Single Application, the following phrase will appear at the top of each screen: “Application Format: Single.” When completing a Standard Application, this portion of the application will read: “Application Format: Standard.” If the applicant attempts to use the Single Application to register a work that does not satisfy the criteria listed above, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, which may delay the examination of the application. In addition, the applicant may be required to pay an additional filing fee, and the Office may assign a later effective Sdeaete g oenf ereraglilsytration to the submission.
• One painting.
One sculpture.
Chapter 600 : 38 12/22/2014 • One song containing music.
• One screenplay.
• One stage play.
One video game.
not If the applicant intends to register more than one work, the applicant should check the box marked “no.” The following are representative examples of works that do qualify a•s a single work:
• Two poems.
• Two photographs.
• Two or more pieces of jewelry.
• Two or more songs.
• A song and liner notes.
• A song and cover artwork.
• Two or more sound recordings.
• Different versions of a sound recording.
• More than one version of a script or treatment.
• More than one version of a motion picture.
A collective work, such as a periodical, newspaper, magazine, newsletter, journal, anthology, book of poems or short stories, or any other work that contains a number of separate and independent • works.
An unpublished collection. (For a definition and discussion of unpublished collections, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106.) Chapter 600 : 39 12/22/2014 Two or more works physically bundled together by the claimant for distribution to the public as a single, integrated unit and first published in that integrated unit, such as a board game, a box of greeting cards, a book published with a CD-ROM, a box set of music CDs, or the like. (For a definition and discussion of the unit of • publication option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1107.)
Two or more works that may be registered using a group registration option. (For a discussion of the procedure for obtaining • a group registration, see Chapter 1100.)
• A multi-part work, such as a series of books or photographs. A website.
Likewise, the applicant should check the box marked “no” if the applicant intends to register •t he following type of work:
609.1(B) Question 2: Are You the Only Author and Owner of the Work? If the work was created by one individual and if that individual is the sole owner of the copyright in that work, the applicant should check the box marked “yes” that appears next to the question, “Are you the only author and owner of the work?” The follo•w ing are representative examples of works created and owned by one person: • One essay written and solely owned by Simone Stucker. • One photograph taken and solely owned by Douglas Brewer. One song containing music and lyrics written and solely owned by • Edward Boxer.
If the work was created by two or more individuals or if the work was created as a joint work, the applicant should check the box marked “no.” (For a definition and discussion of joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505.) The following are representative examples of works created by more than one author:
Chapter 600 : 40 12/22/2014 • One screenplay co-written by two individuals.
Likewise, the applicant should check the “no” box if the work was created by or on behalf of a company, an organization, or any other legal entity or if the work was created as a work made for hire. (For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.)
The following are representative examples of works that do not qualify as a work created •b y an individual author:
The applicant should check the box marked “no” if the copyright or any of the exclusive rights in the work are owned or co-owned by two or more individuals. The applicant should check “no” if the copyright is owned by a company, an organization, or other legal entity. Likewise, the applicant should check “no” if the author transferred the copyright or any of the exclusive rights to a third party, either by written agreement or by operation of law. (For a discussion of copyright ownership and transfers, see Sections 619 and 620.)
The following are representative examples of works owned or co-owned by more than one part•y or works that are not solely owned by the author: One song containing music written by one individual and lyrics • written by another individual.
Chapter 600 : 41 12/22/2014 One article written by a freelance writer who assigned the copyright • to her closely held company.
The follo•w ing are representative examples of works created solely by one individual: One travel book containing text, illustrations, and photographs • created by Christopher Wren.
If the work contains material created by two or more authors, the applicant should check the box marked “no,” even if the applicant does not intend to name the other authors in the application and does not intend to claim their contributions in the application.
The following are representative examples of works containing material created by two or more• a uthors:
Chapter 600 : 42 12/22/2014 An album containing music, lyrics, liner notes, and cover artwork • created by three different individuals.
609.2 Type of Work
The U.S. Copyright Office has specified various administrative classes of works for registration and deposit purposes as authorized pursuant to Section 408(c)(1) of the •C opyright Act. These classes are:
• Literary Works.
• Works of the Visual Arts.
• Works of the Performing Arts.
• Sound Recordings.
• Motion Picture/Audiovisual Works.
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b). These classes or types of work are merely an administrative classification and do not affect the subject matter of copyright or the exclusive rights in a work. Nevertheless, the applicant should exercise judgment and care when selecting the Type of Work in the online application or selecting the appropriate form for a paper application, because the initial selection may dictate the options for describing the authorship that the applicant intends to register. It will also affect the registration number that the Office ultimately issues. If the applicant chooses the wrong Type of Work or uses the wrong form for certain types of works, the registration specialist may change the Type of Work to the appropriate classification without communicating with the applicant.
For works that contain multiple types of authorship, see Section 609.2(C) below. 609.2(A) Online Application When completing an online application the applicant should select the class of work that is most appropriate for the work that the applicant intends to register and the authorship that appears in the work. These classes are listed under a drop down menu marked Type of Work. As discussed in Sections 618 and 621, the type of work selected Chapter 600 : 43 12/22/2014 will determine the options for describing the authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Author Created and Limitation of Claim screens. Once a selection has been made, the Type of Work field cannot be changed without starting a new a• pplicationL. i terary Work Select if the work is a nondramatic literary work, such as fiction, nonfiction, poetry, an individual article, a textbook, a reference work, a directory, a catalog, advertising copy, a compilation of information, a computer program, a • textualW woorrkk o mf tahdee V aisvuaailla Abrlets online, or a database. Select if the work is a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, including a two-dimensional or a three-dimensional work of fine, graphic, or applied art, a photograph, a print, an art reproduction, a map, a technical drawing, or • an archWitoerckt uorfa tlh we oPrekr.f o rming Arts Select if the work is a musical work (either with or without lyrics), a dramatic work (such as a screenplay, play, or other script), • a pantoSmouinmdein, ogr R ae cchorodrienoggraphic work. and Select if the work contains sound recording authorship if the applicant intends to register that element of the work (even if thne owtork also contains other types of authorship, such as music or lyrics). If the applicant does not intend to register sound recording authorship, the applicant should select this option (even if the work happens to contain one or more sound recordings). Likewise, the applicant should not select this option if the applicant intends to • registeMr othtieo nso Puinctdusr ae/ccAoumdipoavnisyuianlg W a omrkotion picture or other audiovisual work. Select if the work is a feature film, documentary film, animated film, television show, video, videogame, or other audiovisual work, such as a slide presentation. Likewise, this option is appropriate if the applicant intends to register the sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual • work. Single Serial Issue e.g Select if the applicant intends to register a single issue of a serial publication ( ., a single issue of a magazine, a single volume of a journal, etc.). If the applicant intends to register an individual article, photograph, or other contribution to a serial publication, the applicant should select the appropriate form of authorship for that work. For example, if the contribution is an article, the application should select Literary Work, and if the contribution is a photograph, the applicant should select Work of the Visual Arts.
Use if the work is a musical work (either with or without lyrics), a dramatic work (such as a screenplay, play or other script), a pantomime, a choreographic work, or an audiovisual work (such as a feature film, documentary film, animated • film,F toerlemv iSsRion show, video, or videogame).
Use if the applicant intends to register sound recording authorship (even if the work contains additional types of authorship, such as music or lyrics). If the applicant does not intend to register a sound recording, Form SR should not be used (even if the work contains one or more sound recordings). Likewise, Form SR is inappropriate if the applicant intends to register the sounds accompanying a motion • pictuFroer mor SoEther audiovisual work.
Use if the applicant intends to register a single issue of a serial publication ( , a magazine, journal, etc.). If the applicant intends to register an individual article, illustration, or other contribution to a serial publication, the applicant should use the appropriate form for that type of work. For example, if the contribution is an article, the application should use Form TX, and if the contribution is an illustration, the applicant should use Form VA.
NOTE:
The title of the work will appear in the certificate of registration under the heading Title of Work, and it will appear in the online public record under the heading Application Title. The title that appears on the deposit copy(ies) will appear in the online public record under the heading Title. If there is no title on the deposit copy(ies), the title given in the application will appear in the online public record in both the Title field and the Application Title field.
610.1 Title Types
When completing an online application, the applicant generally may provide five types of titles. These title types are listed on the Title screen under the drop down menu m• arked Title Type. The options include:
• Title of work being registered.
• Previous or alternative title.
• Title of larger work.
• Contents title(s).
NOTE : When completing a Single Application the applicant may provide two types of titles. Specifically, the applicant may provide the title of the work being registered, and if that work was published in a larger work, the applicant also may provide the title of the larger work.
When completing a paper application, the applicant may provide five types of titles. T• hese title types are listed in space 1 of the application. The options include: • Title of this work (Forms TX, VA, PA, SR, SE).
Chapter 600 : 46 12/22/2014 • Previous or alternative title (Forms TX, VA, PA, SR, SE). • Publication as a contribution/title of collective work (Forms TX and VA only). Contents title(s) (Form SR only).
Each of these title types is discussed in Sections 610.2 through 610.5 below.
610.2 Title of Work Being Registered / Title of this Work
When completing an online application, the applicant should begin by selecting Title of Work Being Registered and entering the primary title by which the work is known in that field (including any subtitles). If the applicant fails to provide this information, the application will not be accepted by the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system.
NOTE : When completing a Single Application the applicant should provide the title of the work in the field marked Title of this work.
If the work contains a number of separate and independent works, such as an anthology, periodical, serial, or the like, and if the applicant intends to register the entire collective work, the title for that collective work should be provided as the Title of Work Being Registered.
If the applicant instead intends to register a contribution that has been included in a collective work, such as an article, a photograph, or the like, but does not intend to register the larger work as a whole (for instance, because the claimant does not own the copyright in the collective work), the title for the contribution should be provided as the Title of Work Being Registered. In all cases, the applicant should only provide titles for a contribution if the copyright claimant owns all of the rights in that contribution. If the applicant intends to register a number of works with the unit of publication option, the applicant should provide a title for the unit as a whole, as well as the title for Chapter 1100 each component work that will be submitted for registration. For a discussion of the unit of publication option, see , Section 1107.
If the applicant intends to register a collection of unpublished works, the applicant should provide a title for the collection as a whole, as well as a title for each work that is included in the collection. For a discussion of the procedure for registering an unpublished collection, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106. When completing a paper application, the applicant should enter the title of the work in space 1 of the application under the heading Title of This Work. As the name suggests, the Title of This Work is the primary title of the work that the applicant intends to register (including any subtitles). If the applicant fails to provide this information, the application may be questioned, which may delay the examination of the application. Form SE also directs the applicant to provide the Title of This Serial. This space does not appear in the online application or other paper applications. As the name suggests, the Title of This Serial is the primary title of the serial that the applicant Chapter 600 : 47 12/22/2014 intends to register (including any subtitles). Aded.gitionally, the applicant should provide the volume and number for the specific issue that will be submitted for registration, the issue date that appears on the deposit copies ( ., January 15, 2010; Spring 2012, etc.), and the Efrxeaqmuepnlecsy: of publication for the specific serial. • The Sun Also Sets The applicant intends to register a novel titled . The applicant should provide that title as the Title of Work Being • Registered.
610.3 Previous or Alternative Title
When completing an online application, the applicant should complete the field marked P• revious or Alternative Title if the work:
• Was previously published under a different title.
• Is known by a different title or by a title that is written in a different language. Is likely to be searched in the U.S. Copyright Office’s records under a different title. When completing a paper application, the applicant should enter these types of titles on space 1 under the heading Previous or Alternative Titles. As a general rule, a subtitle is not considered a Previous or Alternative Title. Chapter 600 : 48 12/22/2014 Examples:
610.4 Works Containing Separate and Independent Works: Unpublished Collections,
Units of Publication, Collective Works, and Contributions to Collective Works In the case of an unpublished collection, a unit of publication, a collective work that contains a number of separate and independent works (such as an anthology that contains a number of poems or a periodical that contains a number of articles and photographs), or a contribution to a collective work, the applicant should complete the field marked Title of Work Being Registered, which is discussed in Section 610.2 above. In addition, the applicant should complete the Contents Title field and/or the Title of Larger Work field. These fields are discussed in Sections 610.4(A) and 610.4(B) below. 610.4(A) Contents Title: Titles of Separate and Independent Works Included in a Larger Work If the applicant intends to register any of the separate and independent works that appear in a collective work, unit of publication, or unpublished collection the applicant should enter the titles of each contribution in the if.ieeld marked Contents Title. These titles will appear in the online public record and certificate of registration under the heading Contents Title. Listing the content titles ( ., the titles of separate and independent works that are owned by the copyright claimant) is beneficial for various reasons: (i) it provides a clear record of what the larger work contains; (ii) it clearly describes what the registration covers; and (iii) it makes these titles accessible as searchable terms in the online public record.
The total number of characters that may be provided in the Title of Work Being Registered field and the number of characters that may be provided in each Contents Title field is limited. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide one title in the relevant field, then click the Save button, and then repeat this process in order to prevent loss of data due to space limitations.
Chapter 600 : 49 12/22/2014 The registration specialist generally will not communicate with the applicant if the titles given in the Title of Work Being Registered field and the Contents Title field are the same, unless it is unclear whether the applicant intends to register the larger work or one of thEex saemppalreast:e and independent works that appears within the larger work. Britney Shields: The Debut Album The applicant intends to register an album published under the title, , as well as the musical works “Young At Last,” “Serenade,” “Dance All Night,” and “Love At First Sight,” which were released on this album. BritnBeryi tcnreeya tSehdie eldacs:h T ohfe Dtheebsuet sAolnbgusm and she produced the album as a whole. To register the album as a whole, the applicant should provide in the Title of Work Being Registered field. To register the songs that appear on this album, the applicant should provide the title of each song in the application. Because the author of the album and the author of the songs are the same, the applicant is strongly encouraged to provide the titles “Young At Last,” “Serenade,” “Dance All Night,” and “Love At First Sight” in the • Contents Title field. Trackplans and Benchwork Railroad Publishers is the author of a work titled, , which contains a Tdroazceknp alarntisc laensd b Bye Jnacchkw Aorrmkstrong. Jack assigned the copyright in these articles to the publisher, and the publisher intends to regisTterra ckplans and Benchwork and all of the articles that it contains. To register the work as a whole, the applicant should provide in the Title of Work Being Registered field. In addition, the applicant is strongly encouraged to provide the title of each article in the Contents Title • field. Practical Physics The applicant intends to register a textbook titled .
NOTE : The only paper application that specifically requests contents titles is Form SR. Space 1 of this application should be used to list the titles of any separate and independent sound recordings contained in the larger work or unpublished collection that the applicant intends to register. In the alternative, the applicant may use one or more continuation sheets submitted on Form CON to list the titles of any separate and independent works included in the larger work or unpublished collection. As is true for the online application, the applicant should only provide the titles of the individual sound recordings or other works that are owned by the copyright claimant. Chapter 600 : 50 12/22/2014 610.4(B) Title of Larger Work If the applicant wishes to register a contribution to a larger work, such as an article that has been published in a newspaper, or a recording of a song that has been released on an album, the applicant should use the Title of Larger Work field to identify the larger work in which the contribution appears. When completing an online application the applicant should provide any volume number, issue date, or similar designation that may be used to identify the larger work, and, if applicable, the page number(s) within the larger work where the contribution appears.
When completing a Single Application the applicant should select “yes” in response to the question “Does this work appear in a larger work?” and should provide the title of the larger work in the field marked Larger Work. In addition, the applicant should identify the volume, number, and issue of the larger work (if any), and the page(s) where the work appears.
If it appears that the applicant intends to register a separate and independent work that has been included in another work, and if the applicant fails to provide the title of the larger work, the registration specialist may add the missing title if it appears in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. If the title of the larger work is not specified in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. Generally, the registration specialist will communicate when it is unclear whether the applicant intends to register the larger work as a whole, or a separate and independent work that appears Ewxiatmhipnl eths:e larger work.
Chapter 600 : 51 12/22/2014 Katmandu Comics Nikhil Shah is the author of the story “Living on Top of the World,” which appeared on pages 10-20 of (Vol. 32, No.
NOTE : Space 1 of paper Forms TX and VA state that “If this work was published as a contribution to a periodical, serial, or collection, give the information about the collective work in which the contribution appeared.” This space does not appear in the online application or other paper applications. If the applicant wishes to register a contribution to a larger work (but does not intend to register the larger work as a whole), the applicant should enter the title of that contribution in the space marked Title of this work. The title of the periodical, serial, or other collective work where the applicant’s contribution appeared should be entered in the space marked Title of Collective Work.
610.5 Series Title
If the applicant intends to register an episode or installment from a series of works, the applicant should provide the title of that episode or installment along with the title of the series. The Series Title is the main title by which the series is known. Specifically, the applicant should list the title of thee. gepisode or installment as the Title of Work Being Registered, along with any number or other alphanumeric designation that has been assigned to that episode or installment ( ., “Episode 217,” “Fourth Installment,” etc.). The applicant should enter the title of the series as the Series Title. A registration for a particular episode or installment from a series of works covers the specific episode or installment that has been submitted for registration. The U.S. Copyright Office does not offer “blanket registrations” that cover future episodes or installments in the same series.
As a general rule, it is not possible to register an entire series with one application, because the individual episodes and installments in a series are typically published on different dates. Consequently, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the applicant provides the title for the entire series as the Title of Work Being Registered, or if it appears that the applicant is attempting to register separately publisheEdx eapmipsoledse: s or installments from a series of works with one application. The Mike O’Leary Show The applicant intends to register one of the episodes from his podcast. The podcast is known as . The episode in question is titled “Enjoy the Boat.” It is the 687th episode of this podcast. The applicant should provide “Enjoy the Boat Chapter 600 : 52 12/22/2014 The Mike O’Leary Show (Episode 687)” as the Title of Work Being Registered, and • as the Series Title.
610.6 Examination Guidelines: Title of Work
As a general rule, the title that is specified in the application will be accepted without question. The registration specialist may change or correct any apparent spelling, capitalization, or punctuation mistakes in the title, but only if the misspelling or incorrect use of capital letters or punctuation appears to be unintentional. The specialist will use his or her judgment to determine whether an error was intentional or a typograpEhxiacmalp mleiss: t ake.
610.6(A) Untitled Works The applicant should not provide “Untitled,” “No Title,” “Working Title,” “No title yet,” or the like as the title of the work. It may be extremely difficult to find a work that has been registered under a generic title.
If the work is unpublished and if the author has not selected a title for the work as of the date that the application is submitted, the applicant should provide a descriptive title Chapter 600 : 53 12/22/2014 that identifies the author of the work, the general subject matter of the work, the type of work submitted for registration, or any other relevant information that a person searching the U.S. Copyright Office’s records is likely to include in his or her search request.E xamples:
If the author decides to change the title after the work has been registered, the applicant may file an application on Form CA to reflect the new title in the online public record. For guidance on completing Form CA, see Chapter 1800, Section 1802.8. If a previously registered, unpublished work is later published with a new title, the applicant may choose to reflect the new title by filing an application for a new basic registration for the first published edition of the work. (This is permissible even if the published edition is exactly the same as the previously registered, unpublished edition.) For information concerning this practice, see Chapter 500, Section 510.1. 610.6(B) Descriptive Titles That Appear to Be Incorrect If the applicant provides a descriptive title that does not appear to describe the work that has been submitted for registration (such as “Print No. 1” or “Study in Red” for a painting that is black and white), the registration specialist generally will accept the title specified in the application. However, the specialist may communicate with the applicant if there is a substantial variance between the title provided in the application and the title that appears on the deposit copy(ies). For examples of a substantial variance, see Section 610.6(D)(4).
610.6(C) Titles Consisting of Roman Letters and Arabic Numerals The U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system only accepts titles consisting of Roman letters and/or Arabic numerals. It does not accept titles consisting of other types of letters, numerals, or characters, such as Cyrillic or Mandarin. Nor does it accept diacritical marks used in Spanish, French, German, or other foreign languages, such as ç, à, ñ, or ü.
The system will accept titles written in a foreign language, provided that the title consists of Roman letters and/or Arabic numerals. The title will appear on both the certificate of registration and the online public record, but without any diacritical marks.
Chapter 600 : 54 12/22/2014 The Office will accept a title consisting solely of numbers and/or letters, such as “L-1011,” “24601,” or “MX.”
610.6(D) Title of the Work: Variances 610.6(D)(1) Variances between the Title Provided in the Application and the Title That Appears on the Deposit Copy(ies)
If there is a significant variance between the title given in the application and the deposit copy(ies), and it is clear that the application and the deposit copy(ies) refer to the same work, the registration specialist may add the title that appears on the deposit copy(ies) to the title field of the online public record and/or the specialist may add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding title: title on the deposit copy is __________.”
The title may be taken from the cover, title page, spine, or any other place where a title may be found. If the deposit copy(ies) are submitted in electronic form, the title may be taken from the file name for the document (excluding extensions indicating the format of the doEcxuammepnlet,s s: uch as .doc, .pdf, .mp3, etc.). • The Quest for Rest Among Insomniacs The Quest for TRheset title on the deposit copy(ies) reads:
Chapter 600 : 55 12/22/2014 610.6(D)(2) Title That Appears on the Deposit Copy(ies) is More Complete Than the Title Provided in the Application Where the title provided in the application is a generic title, such as “story,” “symphony,” “picture,” or the like, and the title on the deposit copy(ies) substantially adds to the identity of the work, the registration specialist may add the additional information to the onlinEex apmubplliec: record.
If there is a substantial variance between the title given in the application and the deposit copy(ies) and if the registration specialist is unable to determine whether the application and deposit copy(ies) refer to the same work, the specialist will communEixcaatmep wleist:h the applicant.
611 Year of Completion / Year in Which Creation of This Work Was Completed To register a work of authorship with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant must identify the year that the work was created. 17 U.S.C. § 409(7). A work is considered created when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time. If the work was prepared over a period of time, the portion or portions of the work that existed in a fixed form on a particular date constitute the work that has been created as of that date. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “created”); 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(ii). The year of creation is particularly important in the case of a work made for hire, an anonymous work, or a pseudonymous work, because this date may be used to calculate the term of the copyright. 17 U.S.C. § 302(c).
611.1 Completing the Application: Year of Completion / Year in Which
Creation of this Work Was Completed When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the year that the work was completed on the Publication/Completion screen in the field marked Year of Completion (Year of Creation). The year of completion must be provided in four numeric digits.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should identify the year that the author completed the work on space 3(a) under the heading Year in Which Creation of This Work was Completed. The specific month and day that the author completed the work need not be provided.
611.2 Year of Completion for an Unpublished Work Created Over a Period of Time
If the work is unpublished and if the author created the work over an extended period of tiem.ge.,, the applicant should provide the year of completion for the most recent iteration of the work. If the applicant provides a year of completion for each iteration of the work ( a cover letter explaining that the author completed the first draft in 2006, the second draft in 2007, and the final draft in 2008), the registration specialist will replace that information with the year of completion for the most recent iteration, and will add an annotation to the registration record specifying the source of that information, such as: “Regarding year of completion: corrected by C.O. from cover letter.”
611.3 Year of Completion for Multiple Versions of the Same Work
If the author created multiple versions of the same work, each version is considered a separate work. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “created”). As a general rule, if each version has been published, the applicant must submit a separate application and filing fee for each of those versions. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11). In this situation, the applicant should provide the year of completion for the specific version that is being registered. Chapter 600 : 57 12/22/2014 Example:
In some cases it may be possible to register multiple versions of the same work with one application, provided that all of the versions are unpublished and the applicant complies with the requirements for registering those versions using the option for unpublished collections. In this situation, the applicant should provide the year of completion for the most recEexnatm vperlessi:o n that is being registered. Raul Hernandez submits an application to register three versions of his unpublished screenplay, which were created in 2009, 2011, and 2012. The applicant provides 2012 as the year of completion. The • application will be accepted.
For a general discussion of unpublished collections, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106.
611.4 Year of Completion Apparently Incorrect
The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the year of completion is inconsistent with or contradicted by other dates that appear in the registration materials.
For instance, the year of completion cannot be later than the date of publication specified in the application. If the date of publication predates the year of completion in an online application, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. If the date of publication precedes the year of completion in a paper application, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine the correct completion and publication dates.
Moreover, the year of completion cannot be later than the date that the application is certified or the date that the application is received in the U.S. Copyright Office. The electronic registration system will not accept an online application if the date of submission precedes the year of completion. If the date of certification or the date of Chapter 600 : 58 12/22/2014 submission precedes the year of completion in a paper application, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine the correct completion date. If the year of completion specified in the deposit copy(ies) is later than the year of completion specified in the application, the specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine the correct date. If the year of completion is clearly provided in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials, the specialist may amend the date provided in the application, and may add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding year of completion: corrected by C.O. from statemenEtx aomn pcolepsy: .”
611.5 Year of Completion Omitted
If the applicant fails to provide a year of completion in an online application, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. As a general rule, if the applicant fails to provide a year of creation in a paper application, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. If the year of creation is provided elsewhere in the registration materials, the specialist will add the missing information and provide an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding year of creation: added by C.O. from cover letter.”
611.6 Year of Completion Unknown
If the applicant cannot determine the exact year of completion, the applicant may provide a qualifying statement, such as “approximately,” “on or about,” “on or before,” or the like. In the case of an online application, this statement may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. On a paper application, this statement may be provided on the application itself or in a cover letter. In both cases, the registration specialist will add a note to the registration record indicating that there is correspondence in the file. Chapter 600 : 59 12/22/2014 612 Date of Publication This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures regarding the date and nation of first publication for a work of authorship (if any). For a general discussion of publication, see Chapter 1900.
612.1 General Policy
If the work described in the application has been published, the applicant must specify the date of publication and nation of first publication for that work. 17 U.S.C. § 409(8).
612.2 What Constitutes Publication?
For purposes of U.S. copyright law, “[p]ublication is the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”). For instance, a book is published when copies of the work are distributed online or in bookset.ogres. A newspaper is distributed when copies are sold at newsstands or delivered to subscribers’ doorsteps. A song is distributed when print copies or phonorecords are sold ( ., on sheet music or in mp3 format). Software is distributed when copies are distributed by purchase or license, whether in CD-ROM format or online (provided that the copies are actually downloaded and not merely accessed online). On the other hand, a draft dissertation or other manuscript that is sent to a dozen people for peer review with a note stating that the copy should not be shared with other parties is not considered publication.
Likewise, “offIedring to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display, constitutes publication.” . For example, when a motion picture distribution company offers copies of a motion picture to movie theaters for public showing in the theater, the movie is published. Id.
“A public performance or display of a work does not of itself constitute publication.” For a general discussion of publication and for specific guidance on determining whether a particular work has been published, see Chapter 1900.
612.3 Determining whether the Work Is Published or Unpublished
The applicant — not the U.S. Copyright Office — must determine whether the work is published or unpublished. This determination should be based on the facts that exist at the time the application is filed with the Office, and it should be based on the definition of publication under U.S. copyright law, even if the work was created or published in another country.
As a general rule, the Office will accept the applicant’s representation that the work is published or unpublished, unless that statement is implausible or is contradicted by Chapter 600 : 60 12/22/2014 information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or in the Office’s records or by information that is known to the registration specialist. Upon request, the registration specialist will provide the applicant with general information about the provisions of the Copyright Act, including the statutory definition of publication, and will explain the relevant practices and procedures for registering a work with the Office. However, the Office will not give specific legal advice on whether a particular work has or has not been published.
612.4 What Is the Date of First Publication?
The date of first publication is the date that copies or phonorecords of the work were first published with the authorization of the copyright owner.
612.5 What Is the Nation of First Publication?
The nation of first publication is the country where copies or phonorecords of the work were first published with the authorization of the copyright owner. The U.S. Copyright Office may use this information to determine whether the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law.
For information concerning the eligibility requirements, see Chapter 2000, Section 2003. For information concerning works published in more than one country either simultaneously or within thirty days of each other, see Section 612.7(J).
612.6 Completing the Application: Date and Nation of First Publication
612.6(A) Date of First Publication When completing an online application, the applicant should indicate whether the work is published or unpublished. The applicant will be asked to provide this information on the Publication / Completion screen by selecting “yes” or “no” in the drop down menu marked “Has this work been published?”
If the work has been published, the applicant should provide the specific month, day, and year that copies or phonorecords of the work were distributed for the first time or were offered to a group of persons for further distribution, public performance, or public display for the first time. This information should be provided in the field marked Date of First Publication.
If the applicant indicates that the work has been published, but fails to provide the specific month, day, and year that publication occurred, the application will be not be accepted by the Office’s electronic registration system. When completing a paper application, the applicant should enter the month, day, and year of first publication on space 3(b) under the heading Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work. If the work has not been published, space 3(b) should be left blank.
Chapter 600 : 61 12/22/2014 612.6(B) Nation of First Publication When completing an online application the applicant should identify the country in which the work was first published by selecting one of the countries listed in the drop down menu marked Nation of first publication. If the applicant indicates that the work has been published, but fails to provide a nation of first publication, the application will be not be accepted by the electronic registration system. For a paper application, the nation of first publication should be listed on space 3(b) in the space marked Nation. If the work has not been published, space 3(b) should be left blank.
612.6(C) ISBN, ISRC, and ISSN Numbers If the work has been published and if an International Standard Book Number (“ISBN”), International Standard Recording Code (“ISRC”), or International Standard Serial Number (“ISSN”) has been assigned to that work, the applicant is strongly encouraged to include that information on the Publication / Completion screen of the online application. Specifically, the applicant should select ISBN, ISRC, or ISSN from the drop down menu marked International Standard Number Type and provide the relevant ISBN, ISRC, or ISSN in the field marked International Standard Number. (Forms TX, PA, VA, SR, and SE do not contain a specific space for providing an ISBN, ISSN, or ISRC, but this information may be provided in space 1.)
This information will assist in the identification of a work and may facilitate licensing. However, providing an ISBN, ISRC, or ISSN is optional and an application will be accepted even if this portion of the application is left blank. If the applicant provides an ISBN, ISRC, or ISSN in the application, the U.S. Copyright Office will not review the number to determine if it is correct. The number will appear on the certificate of registration and in the online public record.
The Office does not assign these numbers to published works. In the United States, ISSNs are administered by the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov/issn), ISBNs are administered by R.R. Bowker LLC (www.bowker.com), and ISRCs are administered by the Recording Industry Association of America (www.usisrc.org).
612.7 Examination Guidelines: Date and Nation of First Publication
This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for examining the Date and Nation of first publication field/space in an online application or a paper application.
As a general rule, if the applicant fails to complete the Date and Nation of first publication space in a paper application, the work will be registered as an unpublished work. The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if information provided elsewhere in the registration materials clearly suggests that publication has occurred or if the specialist knows that the work has been published, such as a well- known novel or film.
Chapter 600 : 62 12/22/2014 612.7(A) Claim in a Published Work Contradicted by Information Provided Elsewhere in the Registration Materials As a general rule, if the applicant asserts that the work has been published, the work will be registered as a published work, unless the registration specialist discovers evidence to the contrary elsewhere in the registration materials. The specialist may communicate with the applicant if the deposit copy(ies) or other information in the registration materials suggests that the work is unpublished or if it appears that the applicant provided a date and nation of first publication by mistake. For instance, the specialist may question whether publication has in fact occurred in cases s•u ch as the following:
The cover for a compact disc states that the works are “from the album ________” and the registration specialist is aware that the album has been advertised in a trade • publication.
The applicant submits an application for a novel and the registration specialist is • aware that the work has appeared on a best seller list. The applicant submits multiple applications for similar types of works, and provides a date of publication on all but one of the applications. 612.7(C) Nation of Publication Given in a Paper Application without a Date of Publication If the applicant provides a nation of first publication on a paper application, but fails to provide a date of first publication, the registration specialist may remove the country name from the registration record and register the work as unpublished (provided that the work appears to be unpublished). In addition, the specialist may add an annotation to the reEgxisatmraptlieo:n record to document this change. The U.S. Copyright Office receives a paper application, along with one copy or phonorecord of the work. The applicant states that the work was published in the United States, but fails to provide a date of publication. The deposit copy is handwritten or homemade (such as a CDR deposited for a claim in music and sound recording). The registration specialist will register the claim without communicating with the applicant. In this situation, the specialist will remove the nation of first publication from the application, and may add an annotation, such as: “Regarding publication: no publication date given; registered as unpublished.”
612.7(D) Extraneous Statements Concerning Publication As a general rule, there is no need to explain the basis for the applicant’s statement that the work is published or unpublished. The registration specialist will not communicate with the applicant if such extraneous statements are provided, unless they are contradicted by information found in the deposit copy(ies), elsewhere in the registratEioxanm mpaletes:r ials, or other materials.
612.7(E) Month, Day, and Year Required for the Date of First Publication The applicant should provide the month, day, and year that the work was published for the first time. The application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system if the applicant selects “yes” in response to the question “has this work been published,” but does not provide the month, day, and year of publication. If the applicant fails to provide the month, day, and year of publication on a paper application, or states that the date of first publication is “unknown,” the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, unless this information is provided elsewhere in the registration materialEsx. amples:
612.7(F) Exact Date of Publication Unknown Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a specific date of first publication. If the applicant cannot determine the exact date of first publication, the date may be qualified by “approximately,” “thereabouts,” “on or about,” “on or before,” “not later than,” or similar statements. In the case of an online application, a qualifying statement regarding the date of publication may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. In the case of a paper application, this statement may be provided on the application itself or in a cover letter. In such cases, the registration specialist will add an annotation to the certificate of registration and the online public record, such as: “Regarding publication: applicant states ‘On or about May 15, 1981.’” Chapter 600 : 65 12/22/2014 612.7(G) Multiple Dates of Publication As a general rule, the applicant should provide only one date of publication, namely, the date that the work was published for the first time. If the applicant provides multiple publication dates, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine the date of first publication for the work described in the application. By contrast, the applicant may be asked to provide a range of dates when completing an application for a group registration, such as a group of published photographs. For a discussion of group registration options, see Chapter 1100. 612.7(H) Future Date of Publication As a general rule, the date of first publication cannot be later than the date that an online application is certified or the date that the application is received by the U.S. Copyright Office. The electronic registration system will not accept an online application where the submission date precedes the date of publication. If the applicant provides a future date of publication in a paper application, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether the work has been published, and if so, whether publicatEioxna mocpcluer: red on the date specified in the application. On January 1st, the applicant submits a paper application and states that the work will be published on February 1st. The registration specialist examines the application on June 1st. The specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if the work was, in fact, published on the date specified in the application. 612.7(I) Impossible or Impractical Date of Publication If the applicant provides a date of publication that does not exist, or a date that is impossible or impractical based on information provided elsewhere in the registration materialEsx, athmep rleegs:i stration specialist will ask the applicant to explain the discrepancy. The date of first publication given on the application is September • 31, 2010.
612.7(J) Nation of First Publication: Works Published in Multiple Countries If the work was first published in the United States and another country on the same date, the applicant should provide United States as the nation of first publication. Chapter 600 : 66 12/22/2014 Likewise, the applicant should provide United States as the nation of first publication if the work was first published in a foreign country that has entered into a copyright treaty with the United States and if the work was subsequently published in the United States within thirty days thereafter. 17 U.S.C. § 104(b). If the work was first published in two or more countries on the same date or within thirty days of each other, the applicant may provide the name of each country where the work was published. In the case of an online application, the applicant may provide the name of one country on the Publication/Completion screen in the field marked Nation of First Publication. The names of the other countries may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. In the case of a paper application the name of each country may be provided on the application itself, on a continuation sheet, or in a cover letter. The names of the additional countries may be added to the registration record with an annotation, such as: “Regarding publication: applicant states simultaneously published in Nigeria and Ghana.”
If the applicant lists two or more countries in the application, the registration specialist will assume that the work was published in each country on the same day or within thirty days of each other, absent conflicting information in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials.
612.7(K) Nation of First Publication Unclear If the applicant provides the name of a city, state, and country in the Nation of First Publication field/space, the registration specialist may include the name of the state and/or country, but will remove the name of the city from the registration record. If the applicant provides the name of a state, territory, city, or other political subdivision, rather than the name of a country, the application will be accepted if the nation of first publication is obvious or if there is another basis for establishing that the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law. For example, the specialist will accept an application if the applicant states that the work was first published in “Quebec” or “Wales,” although “Canada” or the “United Kingdom” would be preferable.
As a general rule, statements made on a paper application, such as “published on the internet” or “published online” are not acceptable. If the applicant identifies the nation of first publication as the “internet,” “online,” the “world wide web,” or the like, the specialist may ask the applicant to provide the name of a specific country from which the work is uploaded. If the work is eligible for copyright protection in the United States based on the information provided in the application, such as the author’s citizenship or domicile, the specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. In this situation, the specialist will add an annotation, such as: “Regarding publication: application states ‘internet.’”
612.7(L) Nation of First Publication Unknown If the nation of first publication is unknown, the applicant may select “not known” from the drop down menu of the online application. When completing a paper application, the applicant may leave space 3(b) blank or may state “not known.” Chapter 600 : 67 12/22/2014 If the applicant fails to identify the nation of first publication, the application may be accepted if that information is provided elsewhere in the registration materials or if the registration specialist determines that the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law based on the author’s citizenship or domicile.17 U.S.C. § 104(b). If there appears to be no other basis for establishing eligibility for copyright protection, the specialist will communicate with the applicant. If the nation of first publication is the only basis for establishing that the work is eligible for copyright protection, registration may be rEexfaumsepdl.e s:
613 Name of Author(s)
This Section describes the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for identifying the author of a work.
613.1 Who Is the Author?
To register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant must identify the author or authors of the work submitted for registration, unless the work is anoSneyem, eo.gu.,s oCro mpsmeuundiotny yfomro Curse.a 1t7iv Ue .NSo.Cn. -§V 4io0le9n(2ce) . vG. eRneeidr,ally, the author is the person (or persons) who actually created the material that the applicant intends to register. 490 U.S. 730, 737 (1989) (“As a general rule, the authoBru irsr tohwe- pGailretsy L withhoo garcatpuhalilcy C cor.e va. tSeasr tohney work, that is, the person who translates an idea into a fixed, tangible expression entitled to copyright protection.”); , 111 U.S. 53, 58 (1884) (describing the author as the person “to whom anything owes its origin; originator; maker; one who completes a work of science or literature.”). There is an exception to this rule if the work is a work mCaodme mfour nhiitrye f.o Trh Cer aeauttihvoer N oofn a- Vwioolrekn mceade for hire is nots tehee a ilnsod iUv.iSd. uAaul two hPoa rts actually created the work, but “the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared.” , 490 U.S. at 737;
Chapter 600 : 68 12/22/2014 Network, Inc. v. Parts Geek LLC, th 692 F. 3d 1009, 1015 (9 Cir. 2012). For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
613.2 When Authorship Is Determined
A work is protected by copyright from the moment that it has been fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. §102(a). As soon as a work is written down on paper, captured on film, recorded in an audio file, saved onto an electronic storage device, or set in any other tangible medium of expression, the copyright immediately becomes the property of the author or authors who created the work (or in the case of a work made for hire, the employer of the person who created the work or the party that commissioned the work). 17 U.S.C. § 201(a), (b). Thus, the author of a work is determinEexdam wphleens: the work is created.
613.3 Identifying the Authors Who Should Be Named in the Application
When completing an application, the applicant should only provide the name(s) of the author(s) who created the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register. Likewise, the applicant should only identify the author(s) who created the copyrightable material that is owned by the individual or entity who is named in the application as the copyright claimant.
The applicant should not provide the name of any person(s) who created material that is not owned by the copydrei gmhitn cimlaiismant or material that will not be submitted for registration. Likewise, there is no need to provide the name of any person(s) who created material that is or uncopyrightable.
613.4 Identifying the Authors of a Work Made for Hire
A work of authorship is considered a work made for hire (i) if the work was “prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment,” or (ii) if the work was “specially ordered or commissioned.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work made for hire”). Chapter 600 : 69 12/22/2014 For guidance in identifying the author of a work made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
613.5 Identifying the Authors of a Joint Work
A joint work is a work “prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contributions be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. If the work submitted for registration is a joint work the applicant should provide the name of each author who contributed copyrightable authorship to the work that the applicant intends to register. If the applicant fails to name all the joint authors who are named in the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialisEtx wamillp cloems: m unicate with the applicant. An application is submitted for a children’s book containing equal amounts of text and artwork on each page. The applicant names John Kinnadee as the author of “text” and George Sand as the author of “2-dimensional artwork.” A statement on the deposit copies reads “Text by John Kinnadee; Illustrations by George Sands” and the copyright notice reads “© Kinnadee and Sands.” The copyright notice and the content of the work indicate that this may be a joint • work. The registration specialist will register the claim. An application for a scientific article names Dr. Pankaj Patel, Dr. Shilpa Shah, and Dr. Aziz Haniff as co-authors of the “text.” A statement on the deposit copy reads “By Drs. Patel, Shah, and Haniff,” which suggests that this may be a joint work. The • registration specialist will register the claim.
For a general discussion of joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505. Chapter 600 : 70 12/22/2014
613.6 Identifying the Author of a Derivative Work
A derivative work is a work that is “based upon one or more preexisting works.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Typically, a derivative work is a new version of a preexisting work or an entirely new work that combines material from a preexisting work with an appreciable amount of new material.
If the applicant intends to register a derivative work, the applicant should provide the name of the author or authors who created the new or revised material submitted for registration.
As a general rule, the applicant should not provide the name of the author(s) who created any preexisting material that appears in the derivative work. If the author of the preexisting material is named in the application, the registration specialist may register the claim if this information is provided in the Material Excluded field (in the case of an online apEpxalimcaptlieosn: ) or the Preexisting Material space (in the case of a paper application). An online application for a sound recording names Molly Moe as the author of the work. The recording contains Molly’s performance of a song which was written by Samuel Brackett. The applicant excludes the music from the claim by completing the Limitation of Claim screen, but does not provide Samuel’s name in the Name of Author • field. The registration specialist will register the claim. Macbeth An online application is submitted for a short story that contains extensive quoteMsa fcrboemth William Shakespeare’s . April Pearly is named as the sole author of the work. The applicant excludes the passages from from the claim by completing the Limitation of Claim screen, but does not provide Shakespeare’s name in the Name of Author field. The registration specialist will register the • claim.
613.7 Identifying the Author of a Compilation
A compilation “is a work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated, or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. A •co mpilation may contain several forms of authorship:
An applicant may register a compilation together with the material contained therein, provided that (i) the material is copyrightable and (ii) the compilation and the material therein were created by the same author, and/or (iii) the copyright in the compilation and the material therein is owned by the copyright claimant. If so, the applicant should provide the name(s) of the author(s) who created the material that is included in the claimE.x amples:
Chapter 600 : 72 12/22/2014 • The Final Word, Finite Financial publishes which is a database that contains the closing price for securities that are traded on various exchanges. Finite selects the securities that are included within the database, organizes them into various categories, and arranges the closing price for each security in manner that facilitates searching and sorting of the information. Finite should be named as the author of the selection and coordination of the securities, as well Tahse t hFein al aWuothrdor of the arrangement of the closing prices. Finite should not be named as the author of the actual prices that are listed in , because they are mere facts that are not eligible for copyright protection.
613.8 Identifying the Author of a Collective Work or a Contribution to a
Collective Work The Copyright Act defines a collective work as “a work, such as a periodical issue, anthology, or encyclopedia, in which a number of coIdntributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, are assembled into a collective whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Collective works are a subset of compilations. . (definition of “compilation”). Therefore, for the collective whole to be registrable, the separIdate and independent works must be selected, coordinated, and/or arranged in such a way that “the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” . A contribution to a collective work is a separate and independent work that has been included within a collective work, such as an article that has been included within a periodical or an essay that has been included within an anthology. A collective work •co ntains two different types of authorship:
An applicant may register a collective work together with the separate and independent works contained therein if the collective work and the contributions were created by the same author and/or if the copyright in the collective work and the contributions are owned by the copyright claimant.
If the applicant intends to register the copyright in the collective work as a whole, the applicant should identify (i) the individual(s) or entity that selected, coordinated, and/or arranged the contributions and assembled them into a collective whole, and/or (ii) the individual(s) or entity that edited, annotated, and/or revised the contributions and/or the collective work as a whole.
If the applicant intends to register a collective work together with the contributions that appear in that work and if the contributions were created by a person(s) who Chapter 600 : 73 12/22/2014 transferred his or her copyright to the claimant, the applicant should provide the name(s) of those author(s) in the Name of Author field/space. If the applicant intends to register a contribution that appeared in the collective work, but does not intend to register the collective work as a whole, the applicant should identify the author of the contribution in the Name of Author field/space. In all cases, the applicant should provide the name(s) of the author(s) who created the material that is owned by the copyright claimant and for which registration is sought. The applicant should not include the name(s) of author(s) who created any material that is not owned by the copyright claimant or any material that the applicant does not intend toE xraemgisptleers:.
For a discussion of the procedure for asserting a claim to copyright in a collective work and/or a contribution to a collective work, see Section 618.7. For a general discussion of collective works and contributions to collective works, see Chapter 500, Section 509.
613.9 Completing the Application: Name of Author
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the full name of each author who created the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register. If the copyrightable material was created by an individual, the applicant should provide the author’s first and last name on the Authors screen in the field marked Individual. If the copyrightable material was created by or on behalf of a corporation, company, organization, or other legal entity, the applicant should provide the name of the entity in the field marked Organization.
When completing a Single Application the applicant should provide the author’s name on the screen marked Author.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should enter the author’s full name on space 2(a) of the application in the space marked Name of Author. If the work was created by two or more authors, the applicant may provide the names of up to three authors on spaces 2(a), 2(b), and 2(c) of the application (or the names of up to two authors in the case of an application submitted on Form VA). The applicant may add the names of additional authors by completing and submitting as many continuation sheets as necessary.
As a general rule, the applicant should provide the name of the actual individual or entity that created the material that the applicant intends to register. However, there a• re three exceptions to this rule:
613.10 Examination Guidelines: Name of Author
This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for examining the Name of Author field/space.
For a discussion of the Office’s practices and procedures for examining the Name of Author field/space in an application to register a work made for hire, an anonymous work, or a pseudonymous work, see Sections 614.2, 615.1, and 615.2. 613.10(A) Name of Author Unclear The author(s) of the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register should be clearly identified in the application. As a general rule, the registration specialist will accept the information contained in the application unless it is contradicted by the information found elsewhere in the registration materials or information that is known to the U.S. Copyright Office.
The specialist will communicate with the applicant if it is unclear whether the person named in the application is the author of the work that has been submitted for registration. For example, the specialist may communicate if the applicant indicates that the work was created by a project manager, project coordinator, project head, financier, underwriter, researcher, reviewer, commentator, printer, artistic consultant, or any other term that suggests that the person named in the application may not be the actual author of the work. For the same reason, the specialist may communicate if the applicant indicates that the person named in the application merely reviewed, or transcribed the work, or merely suggested revisions or edits without contributing copyrightable authorship.
613.10(B) Name of Author: Variances As a general rule, the person(s) named in the application as the author(s) of the work should be consistent with the information that appears on the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. Ordinarily, the registration specialist will give greater weight to the information that appears in the application. If appropriate, the registration specialist may add an annotation to the registration record, or a note to the online public record to clarify the information given in the application, or to add information that appears in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the information provided in the application is substantially inconsistent with the information that appears on the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials.
Chapter 600 : 76 12/22/2014 613.10(B)(1) Variances Between the Name Provided in the Application and the Name Provided in the Deposit Copy(ies)
613.10(B)(1)(a) Minor Variances If there is a minor variance between the name listed in the application and the name found on the deposit copy(ies), and if both names clearly refer to the same person, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant and without annotating the certificate of registration. The name that appears on the deposit copy(ies) may be added to the online public record if it is likely that a person searching the U.S. Copyright Office’s records may use that name to locate the workE.x amples:
613.10(B)(1)(b) Significant Variances If there is a significant variance between the name given in the application and the name given on the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist may register the claim if it is clear that both names refer to the same person. The name that appears on the deposit copy(ies) may be added to the online public record, and it may be added to the registration record with an annotation.
Chapter 600 : 77 12/22/2014 Examples:
If there is a significant variance between the name listed in the application and the name given on the deposit copy(ies), and if it is unclear whether the names given in the application and the deposit copy(ies) refer to the same person, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. If the applicant confirms that the name in the application is incorrect, the specialist will add the correct name to the registration record. If the applicant states that the name given in the application is correct, the specialist will register the claim. In addition, the specialist will add the name that appears on the deposit copy(ies) to the online public record, and will place a note in the registratEioxanm repcleosr:d indicating that there is correspondence on file. The Office receives an online application for an instrumental track titled “Zippy Beat.” The application names Jason Herbert and Cynthia Schmidt as the authors of the work. The file name for the deposit copy reads, “Zippybeat2012byJasonandDavid.mp3.” The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, because there is a significant variance between the names entered in the application and the names from the deposit copy.
Chapter 600 : 78 12/22/2014 An application for a musical work names Randy Potemkin as the author, but the deposit copy states “music by Mary Jones.” The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. The applicant confirms that the work was created by Mary (rather than Randy). The specialist will replace the name given in the application • with the name given on the deposit.
613.10(B)(2) Variance Between the Number of Authors Named in the Application and the Number of Authors Named in the Deposit Copy(ies)
If the authors named in the application are more numerous than the authors named in the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist may register the claim if the information specified on the deposit copy(ies) appears to be incomplete, provided that the application has been certified by or on behalf of one of the authors who is named in both the application and the deposit copy(ies). If the application has been certified by an author who is named in the application but not the deposit copy(ies), the specialist will communEixcaatme pwleist:h the applicant.
An application is submitted for a CD naming Cathy Gardner as the author of music, lyrics, and artwork. However, the deposit copy names Cathy as the author of the music and lyrics and James Holmes as the author of the artwork. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if James should be added to the application as the author of the artwork.
Chapter 600 : 80 12/22/2014 613.10(C) Name of Author Not Required As discussed in Section 613.3 the applicant should not provide the name of any person who created material that is not owned by the copdey rmigihnitm cliasimant or material that the applicant does not intend to register. Likewise, the applicant should not provide the name of any person who created material that is or uncopyrightable. As a general rule, if the applicant fails to mention an author who is named in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist will not communicate with the applicant if it is clear that the claimant does not own the copyright in that author’s contribution or if it is clear that the applicant does not intend to register that contribution. In making this determination, the specialist may consider the title of the work, the copyright notice, or any other information given in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. If appropriate, the registration specialist may add an annotation to the registration record to clarify the information given in the application or to add information that appears in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewheErex ainm tphlees r: egistration materials.
Chapter 600 : 81 12/22/2014 If the applicant fails to mention an author who is named in thdee dmeipnoimsitis copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist will not communicate with the applicant if the author’s contribution appears to be or uncopyrEigxhatmabpllee.s :
613.10(D) Name of Author Unknown The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the applicant states that the author of the work is “unknown,” “not known,” or the like, because this type of statement suggests that the applicant and/or the claimant may not be entitled to register the work.
613.10(E) Name of the Author Omitted: Works Created by a Single Author If the work was created by a single author, the applicant should identify the author of that work (unless the applicant has checked the box indicating that the work is an anonymous or pseudonymous work). For guidance in identifying the author of the work and completing the fields for an anonymous or pseudonymous work, see Sections 613.9, 615.1(B), and 615.2(B).
If the applicant fails to identify the author in an online application, the application will not be accepted by the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system. If the applicant fails to identify the author in a paper application, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. If the author’s name is provided elsewhere in the registration materials, the specialist may add that name to the registration record with an annotation.
Chapter 600 : 82 12/22/2014 Examples:
613.10(F) Name of an Author Omitted: Works Created by Large Numbers of Authors If the work was created by a large number of authors, the applicant is encouraged to provide the name of each author in the application where it is feasible. Likewise, if the work contains or consists of separate and independent works created by a large number of authors and if the claimant owns the copyright in each of those contributions, the applicant is encouraged to identify the author of each contribution. Chapter 600 : 83 12/22/2014 e.g.
The Office will accept an application that provides representative names and identifies the number of additional authors included in the claim ( , “John Jones, Will Smith, Fred Johnson, and thirty-five other contributors”). However, the registration specialist will not add missing names to the application, even if the authors’ contributions are clearly specified in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. NOTE : One district court has concludSeede t Mhaute inf cthh eP hapotpolgicraanpth dyo, Iensc n. vo.t H idoeungthiftyo ne aMcihff lin aHuatrhcooru rint Pthueb laisphpilnicga Ctioon, the registration does not cover any portioanb roofg tahtee dw oonr ko tthheart wgraosu cnrdesa bteyd R beeyd a Enl usenvniearm, Iendc .a vu. tMhourc.h nick ., 712 F. Supp. 2d 84, 94-95 (S.D.N.Y. 2010), , 559 U.S. 154, 157 (2010);
The Fourth and Ninth Circuits have reached the opposite conclusion,S heoe lAdliansgk tah Satto ac k, LreLgCi svt.r Hatoiuognh ftoorn a M cioffllleinc tHivaer cwoourrkt Pmuabyli schoivnegr Ctho.e constituent elements of that work Beveeann ivf. tPheea arsuotnh oErdsu ocfa tthioons,e I necle.ments are not specified in the registration. Bean v. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publis, h7i4n7g FC.o3d 673, 685 (9th Cir. 2014); , 2M01et4r oUp.So.l iAtapnp .R LeEgXioISn a1l9 I8n6fo9r,m ata t*i2o n(9 Styhs tCeimr. sO Icntc. .1 v0. ,A merican H20o1m4e) ;R ealty Network, LLC ., 2014 U.S. ACprapi.g LsEliXstI SIn 1c9. v8.5 38T, aapt s I*n2c (.9th Cir. Oct. 10, 2014);
614.1 Completing the Application: Works Made for Hire
This Section provides guidance on completing an application to register a work made for hire. For a definition of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506. For guidance in determining whether a particular work qualifies as a work made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.4.
A work made for hire may be registered with an online application or with a paper application submitted on Forms TX, VA, PA, SR, or SE.
The Single Application may not be used to register a work made for hire. For a discussion of the Single Application, see Chapter 1400, Section 1402.5. 614.1(A) Year of Completion and Date of Publication The term for a work made for hire is based on the year that the work was created or the date that the work was published. Therefore, the applicant must provide this information when completing an online application or a paper application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Sections 611 and 612. 614.1(B) Identifying the Author of a Work Made for Hire When completing an application the employer or the party that ordered or commissioned the work should be named as the author (rather than the individual who actually created the work). In other words, if the work was created by an employee acting within the scope of his or her employment, the employer should be identified as the author (not the employee). If the work was specially ordered or commissioned as Chapter 600 : 84 12/22/2014 a work Smeeade for hire, the person or organization that ordered or commissioned the work should be listed as the author (rather than the individual who actually created the work). 17 U.S.C. § 201(b).
If the employer or the party who ordered or commissioned the work is an individual, the applicant should enter that individual’s first and last name in the field marked Individual Author. If the employer or the party that ordered or commissioned the work is an organization, the applicant should provide the full name of that organization in the field marked Organization Name. In both cases, the applicant should choose “yes” in response to the question “Is this author’s contribution a work made for hire?” NOTE : If an organization is named as the author of the work, the box marked “Is this author’s contribution a work made for hire?” must be checked “yes.” If the applicant provides the name of an organization and checks the “no” box, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should list the name of the employer or the party that ordered or commissioned the work on line 2(a) of the application in the space marked Name of Author. Additionally, the applicant should choose “yes” in response to the question “Is this author’s contribution a work made for hire?” 614.1(C) Identifying the Citizenship and / or Domicile of the Author If the work was created by an employee acting within the scope of his or her employment and if the employer is an individual, the applicant should identify the employer’s country of citizenship and domicile (rather than the employee’s citizenship or domicile). Likewise, if the work was specially ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire and if the hiring party is an individual, the applicant should provide citizenship and domicile information for the party that ordered or commissioned the work (rather than the individual who actually created the work). By contrast, if the work was created for a company, organization, or other legal entity, the applicant should identify the country where the entity is domiciled, but need not provide a country of citizenship for that entity.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information by selecting one of the countries listed in the drop down menus that appear under the headings Citizenship and/or Domicile. When completing a paper application the applicant should insert this information on space 2. If the employer or the party that ordered or commissioned the work is a citizen of or domiciled in more than one country, the applicant may specify any of the countries that establish that the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law. For additional guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Section 617.
614.1(D) Year of Birth and Death Not Required for Works Made for Hire When completing an online or paper application, the applicant will be asked to identify the year that the author was born and the year that the author died. If the work is a work made for hire, this portion of the application should be left blank, even if the author is an individual, rather than a company or organization. The year of the author’s birth and death is not required in this situation, because the term of copyright for a Chapter 600 : 85 12/22/2014 work made for hire is based on the year the work was created or the year the work was published, rather than the author’s year of death. 17 U.S.C. § 302(c). 614.1(E) Registering a Work Made for Hire as an Anonymous or Pseudonymous Work A work is considered an “anonymous work” if “no natural person is identified as author” on the copies or phonorecords of the work. 17 U.S.C. § 101. A work is considered a “pseudonymous work” if “the author is identified under a fictitious name” on the copies or phonorecords of the work. 17 U.S.C. § 101. If the author’s name appears on the copies or phonorecords, the work is not an anonymous or pseudonymous work, even if the author does not wish to reveal his or her identity in the registration record. Compare The statute implies that anonywmitohus works and pseudonymous works are limited to works created by natural persons. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definitions of “anonymous” and “pseudonymous” works) 17 U.S.C. § 302(c) (indicating that the term for anonymous and pseudonymous works may be based on the life of the author if his or her identity is revealed before the copyright expires). If the applicant checks the box indicating that the work is a work made for hire and checks the box marked Anonymous or Pseudonymous and/or leaves the Name of Author field/space blank, the registration specialist will communicates with the applicant. The specialist will explain that a work made for hire cannot be registered as an anonymous or pseudonymous work and that the authEoxra’sm fupllle ns:a me should be provided in the registration record. An application is submitted for a “tell all” book about a famous celebrity. Both the application and the deposit copies state that the author of this work is “Anonymous.” The Tattletale Press, LLC is named as the copyright claimant. The work made for hire box is checked “yes” and no transfer statement has been provided. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. The specialist will explain that if the work is actually a work made for hire it cannot be registered as an anonymous work. In this case, the specialist will ask authorization to give the author’s full name in the registration record and answer “no” to the ai.ne.onymous question. By contrast, if the work made for hire question was answered “yes” by mistake and the work truly is anonymous ( , not a work made for hire and no natural person is named on the deposit copies), then the specialist will request authorization to answer “no” to the work made for hire question, and to add a transfer statement to the • registration record.
For a general discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Section 615. 614.1(F) Identifying the Claimant for a Work Made for Hire When completing an online application or paper application, the applicant will be asi.kee.d to identify the full name and address of the claimant. For purposes of copyright registration, the claimant for a work made for hire is either the author of the work ( , employer or the party that ordered or commissioned the work) or a person or organization that obtained ownership of all the exclusive rights under copyright act by legal or written transfer. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3). If the person(s) or organization(s) named in the application as the author and copyright claimant are not the same, the applicant should provide a brief statement explaining how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright. 17 U.S.C. § 409(5). For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Sections 619 and 620.
614.2 Examination Guidelines: Works Made for Hire
This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for examining the work made for hire field/space in an online application or paper application. NOTE : The work made for hire field does not appear in the Single Application. 614.2(A) Identifying the Work as a Work Made for Hire If the work described in the application is a work made for hire, the box marked “Is this author’s contribution a work made for hire?” should be checked “yes.” If the applicant indicates that the work is a work made for hire, and it appears the statutory definition has been met, the registration specialist generally will accept the applicant’s assertion.
If the applicant checks the box marked “yes,” but the application, deposit copy(ies), or other registration materials indicate that the work does not meet the statutory definition for a work made for hire, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. Likewise, if the work appears to be a work made for hire the specialist may communicate with the applicant if the applicant checks the box marked “no” or fails to complete this portion of the application.
Chapter 600 : 87 12/22/2014 614.2(B) Identifying the Author of a Work Made for Hire 614.2(B)(1) Was the Work Created by an Employee Acting within the Scope of His or Her Duties? As discussed in Chapter 500, Section 506.4, the applicant—not the U.S. Copyright Office—must determine whether a work meets the statutory definition of a work made for hire. The registration specialist generally will accept the applicant’s assertion regarding whether the work is a work made for hire, unless there is evidence to the contrary in the registration materials. As a general rule, the registration specialist will not ask the applicant to confirm that the work was created by an employee acting within the scopEex oafm hpisle osr: her employment.
614.2(B)(2) Was the Work Specially Ordered or Commissioned as a Work Made for Hire? If the applicant checks the work made for hire box or affirmatively states that the work was specially ordered or commissioned, the registration specialist will accept that assertion, unless there is evidence to the contrary in the registration materials. Ordinarily, the specialist will not ask the applicant to verify that there is a signed written agreement between the parties designating the work as a work made for hire or to submit a copy of that agreement. However, the application may be questioned if the work does not appear to fall within one or more of the nine categories of works listed in the statuEtxoarmy dpleefsin: ition of works made for hire. An application for a travel guide names Mary Rimbaud as the author of the text and the work made for hire question is answered “no.” Chapter 600 : 88 12/22/2014 Jason Berta is listed as author of the illustrations and the work made for hire question is answered “yes.” The copyright notice reads “Text and Illustrations © 2011 Mary Rimbaud.” The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. The copyright notice indicates that this may not be a joint work and that Mary may have hired or commissioned Jason to create the illustrations. If so, Mary should be named as the author of both the text and illustrations, • rather than Jason.
The U.S. Copyright Office will accept an application that provides the name of the individual who actually created a work made for hire, provided that the employer or the party that ordered or commissioned the work is identified as the author and the relationship between the employer and the employee, or the relationship between the person or organization that ordered or commissioned the work and the individual who actually Ecxreaamtepdle t: he work, is clearly indicated. Lawrence Jeffries is a staff copywriter for Freemont Enterprises, Inc. Lawrence prepared a brochure that describes the company’s newest product. The brochure is a work made for hire, because Jeffries prepared this work within the scope of his employment. Freemont Enterprises, Inc. should be named as the author of the work and the work made for hire box should be checked “yes.” Although there is no need to provide Lawrence’s name, the application will be accepted if it identifies the author as “Freemont Enterprises, Inc. employer of Lawrence Jeffries.”
614.2(B)(4) Volunteer Created Work Made for Hire A work created by an individual volunteer(s) may or may not be considered a work made for hire, depending on the facts and circumstances of the case. If an application for registration names an organization or company as author and the work made for hire question has been answered “yes,” the U.S. Copyright Office will not communicate with the applicant if it appears that the work was created by a volunteer. Chapter 600 : 90 12/22/2014 Example:
614.2(B)(5) Organization Named as the Author of a Work Made for Hire If a legal entity, such as a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, foundation, university, or trust is named as the author of the work, the registration specialist will assume that the work is a work made for hire. This is due to the fact that an organization may be named as an author only if the work was created by the employees of that organization or if the organization specially ordered or commissioned the work as a work made for hire. In this situation the box marked “Is this author’s contribution a work made for hire?” should be checked “yes.” The appElixcaatmiopnle ws:i All pbpel iqcuateisotnio ancecde pift athbele b ox is checked “no.” An online application names Legal Beagle Publishing, Inc. as author of “revisions and additional text.” The work made for hire question • is answered “yes.” The application will be accepted.
614.2(B)(6) Individual Named as Author of a Work Made for Hire When an applicant names an individual as the author (rather than a legal entity) and answers the work made for hire question “yes,” the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if, based on the Office’s experience and based on the information set forth in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials, it appears unlikely that the work is a work made for hire. If the information in the registration materials suggests that the individual is the employer of another person, the specialist will assume that the work was created by the individual’s employee(s) while acting within the scope of their employment. If it appears that the individual may have commissioned the work, the specialist will assume that the work was specially ordered or commissioned by that individual, provided that the work falls within one or more of the nine categories of works listed in the statutory definition of worksE mxaamdpe lfeosr: Ahpirpel.i cation acceptable An application for a travel book containing text and illustrations names Roland Fingers as the author of the “text” and the work made for hire question is not answered. The application also names Roland as author of “illustrations” with the work made for hire question answered “yes.” Roland Fingers is listed in the deposit copy as the author of the text, but Jason Foote is named as the author of the illustrations. The registration specialist will register the claim without communicating with the applicant. The illustrations are considered a supplementary work, which is one of the nine categories of works that may be specially ordered or commissioned. Therefore, the specialist will assume that Roland and Jason signed a written agreement specifically stating that Jason • would create the illustrations for Roland as a work made for hire. An application is submitted on Form SR along with a compact disc. The applicant names the performing artist Tammy Conklin as the author of the sound recording that appears on the CD. The applicant also names Tammy as the author of the photograph that appears in the cover art with the work made for hire box is checked “yes.” The photograph appears to be a photo of the performing artist, and a statement on the CD identifies Donald Blake as the author of the photograph. The registration specialist will register the claim without communicating with the applicant. The photograph is considered a contribution to a collective work, which is one of the nine categories of works that may be specially ordered or commissioned. Therefore, the specialist will assume that Tammy and Donald signed a written Chapter 600 : 92 12/22/2014 agreement specifically stating that Donald would create the • photograph for the CD as a work made for hire.
For more information on works made for hire see Chapter 500, Section 506.1. 614.2(B)(7) Individual and Incorporated Organization Named Together as the Authors of a Work Made for Hire e.g If an individual and an incorporated entity ( ., a corporation, a professional corporation, a limited liability company, etc.) are named together as the authors of the work, the registration specialist will conclude that the organization is a separate legal entity, rather than an assumed name or trade name for the individual (regardless of how the work made for hire question is answered).
Chapter 600 : 93 12/22/2014 As a general rule, the specialist will communicate with the applicant when both an individual and an incorporated entity are named together in the Name of Author field/space, because the identity of the author is unclear. Likewise, the specialist generally will communicate if the application indicates that an individual is “doing business as” or “trading as” a corporation. Ordinarily, the specialist will not communicate if it is clear from the registration materials as a whole that the incorporated entity is the author and that the relationship between the individual and the entitEyx iasm mpelree: lAyp dpelisccartiipotniv aec. c eptable An application names the author as “Faux-Mink, Inc., employer for hire of Abner Hess.” The work made for hire question is not answered. The registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. The work appears to be a work made for hire, Faux-Mink, Inc. appears to be the author, and the Examrepfleerse: nAcpep tloic aAtbionne rq Hueesstsio isn emde rely descriptive. An application for a computer program names “Han Sung (dba GoferBroke, LLC)” as the author. The work made for hire box is not checked. The deposit copy contains redacted source code and the Note to Copyright Office states that the code contains trade secrets belonging to GoferBroke LLC. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether Han Sung prepared this work for GoferBroke as a work made for hire. If so, GoferBroke should be listed as the author of the work and the work • made for hire box should be checked “yes.”
Chapter 600 : 94 12/22/2014 614.2(B)(8) Individual and Unincorporated Organization Named Together as the Authors of a Work Made for Hire e.g In some cases, an individual author uses an unincorporated organization to conduct his or her business ( ., “Jackson Charles doing business as Charles Photography,” “Sophia Tomasco d/b/a Tomasco Studios,” “Lucas Fleming trading as Fleming Designs”). In such cases, the Office considers the individual and the organization to be the same legal entity. If the individual author created the work on behalf of his or her own unincorporated organization, the individual should be named as the author of the work and the Ewxoarmk pmlea:d e for hire box should be checked “no.” Pamela Bethel is a songwriter who does business under the name “Patti Bell Music.” She submits an application naming Pamela Bethel as the author of “music” and she responds to the work made for hire question by checking the box marked “no.” The registration specialist will register the claim.
As a general rule, the name of the author’s d.b.a. should not be provided in the Name of Author field/space. If the applicant wishes to include this information in the registration record, the d.b.a. should be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. The registration specialist will add the name of the author’s d.b.a. to the certificate of registration and the online public record. In addition, the d.b.a. may be added as an index teErmxa imf ipt lies: likely that users may use that term to search for the author’s works. Iskandar Hussain submits an application for a documentary. Iskandar names himself as the author with the work made for hire question answered “no.” In the Note to Copyright Office field he states: “Iskandar Hussain, d/b/a I Can Do It Productions.” Iskandar appears to be the author and the organization named in the Note to Copyright Office field appears to be his unincorporated business. The registration specialist will add the name “I Can Do It Productions” to the registration record along with an annotation, such as: “Regarding author information: dba added from Note to C.O.” In addition, the specialist will add a note to the registration record indicating there is correspondence in the file.
If an individual and an unincorporated organization are named together in the Name of Author field, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant unless the application clearly states that the individual is “doing business as” (dba) or “trading as” the organization or that the unincorporated organization is “solely owned by” the individuEaxl.a mples:
615 Anonymous and Pseudonymous Works
615.1 Anonymous Works
615.1(A) What Is an Anonymous Work? A work is considered an anonymous work if “no natural person is identified as author” on the copies or phonorecords of the work. 17 U.S.C. § 101. If the author’s name appears on the copies or phonorecords, the work is not an anonymous work, even if the author does not wish to reveal his or her identity in the registration record. Likewise, a work does not qualify as an anonymous work based solely on the fact that the applicant cannot identify the person or persons who created the work. Compare The statute implies that anonymous works are limited to works created by nwaittuhral persons. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (defining an “anonymous work” as “a work on the copies or phonorecords of which no natural person is identified as author”) 17 U.S.C. § 302(c) (indicating that the term for an anonymous work may be based on the life of the author if his or her identity is revealed before the copyright expires). Therefore, the applicant should complete the Anonymous box only if the author is a human being. If the author is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other legal entity, the author’s full name should be provided in the Name of Author field/space. If the applicant checks the Anonymous box or asserts that the author wishes to remain anonymous, the application may be questioned if the author appears to be a legal entity.
615.1(B) Completing the Application: Anonymous Works Applicants are encouraged to provide the author’s name in the application, even if the author’s name does not appear on the copies or phonorecords of the work. Providing the author’s name creates a clear record of authorship and ownership of the copyright, and it may extend or reduce the term of the copyright, depending on the circumstances. Ordinarily, the copyright for an anonymous work endures for a term of 95 years from the year of publication or 120 years from the year of creation, whichever expires first. 17 U.S.C. § 302(c). If the author’s identity is revealed in records maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office, the copyright will endure until 70 years after the author’s Chapter 600 : 96 12/22/2014 Id.; see also reprinted in death. H.R. Rep. No. 94-1476, at 137 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5753.
If the work satisfies the statutory definition of an anonymous work, the applicant is not required to provide the author’s name in the application. Instead, the applicant may leave the Name of the Author field/space blank and check the box marked Anonymous. (If the applicant fails to provide the author’s name and fails to check the Anonymous box in an online application, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system.)
If the applicant does not provide the author’s name, the applicant should identify the year that the work was created, and if the work has been published, the applicant should provide the date of publication. In addition, the applicant should provide the author’s nation of citizenship and/or nation of domicile, even if the author’s name has not been disclosed. The Office may use this information to determine if the work is eligible for copyright protection in the United States. If the applicant fails to provide this information, the application may be questioned.
If the author and the copyright claimant are the same individual and if that individual does not wish to provide his or her real name anywhere in the application, the applicant may state “Anonymous” in the Name of Author field/space, and may provide a pseudonym in the field/spaces for the Name of Claimant, Rights and Permissions, Correspondent, and Certification.
As described in Section 615.3 below, the information provided on the application becomes part of the public record. Therefore, if the work satisfies the statutory definition of an anonymous work and if the applicant does not wish to disclose the author’s real name, the applicant should check the Anonymous box instead of providing the authEoxra’sm repalel :n ame in the application.
615.2 Pseudonymous Works
615.2(A) What Is a Pseudonymous Work? A work is considered a pseudonymous work if “the author is identified under a fictitious name” on the copies or phonorecords of the work. 17 U.S.C. § 101. Chapter 600 : 97 12/22/2014 Compare with The statute implies that pseudonymous works are limited to works created by an individual. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “pseudonymous work”) 17 U.S.C. § 302(c) (indicating that the term for a pseudonymous work may be based on the life of the author if his or her identity is revealed before the copyright expires). Therefore, the applicant should complete the Pseudonymous box only if the author is a human being. If the author is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or other legal entity, the author’s full name should be provided in the Name of Author field/space. If the applicant checks the Pseudonymous box, the application may be questioned if the author appears to be a legal entity.
A pseudonym must be a name. The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept a number or symbol as a pseudonym.
The name of a performing group is not a pseudonym and should not be provided in the Name of Author field/space. Instead, applicants should provide the names of the individuals who created or performed the work described in the application, even if the copies or phonorecords of the work indicate that the work was created or performed by a performing group as a whole. Providing the names of the individual members of the performing group creates a clear record of authorship, given that the members of the performing group may change over time. For additional information concerning this issue, see Chapter 800, Section 802.8(D) and 803.8(C).
Similarly, the name of the author’s d.b.a. (“doing business as”) designation is not a pseudonym and should not be provided in the Name of Author field/space. If the applicant would like to include the name of a performing group or the name of the author’s d.b.a. in the registration record, that name should be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field or in a cover letter. The registration specialist will add the name to the certificate of registration and the online public record. In addition, the name of the performing group or the d.b.a. may be added as an index term if it is likely that the public mEaxya umspel eth: at term to search for the author’s works. An application is submitted to register a sound recording. The authors are named on the application as Jerobi Manor, Brett Chargon, and Alaina Kraft. The pseudonymous question is answered “no.” In the Note to Copyright Office field the applicant states: “Jerobi, Brett, and Alaina perform under the group name Three Times the Charm.” The registration specialist will add the name “Three Times the Charm” to the registration record and will add an annotation, such as: “Regarding author information: dba added from Note to C.O.” The specialist also will add a note to the registration record to indicate there is correspondence. 615.2(B) Completing the Application: Pseudonymous Works If the author’s real name appears anywhere on the copies or phonorecords (including the copyright notice) the work is not a pseudonymous work, even if the author does not Chapter 600 : 98 12/22/2014 wish to reveal his or her identity in the registration record and even if the author is generally known by his or her pseudonym. Likewise, a work does not qualify as a pseudonymous work based solely on the fact that the applicant cannot identify the person or persons who created the work. In both cases, the applicant should provide the author’s real name in the application and the Pseudonymous box should not be checked. If the work meets the statutory definition for a pseudonymous work, the applicant is not required to provide the author’s real name in the application. Instead, the applicant may provide the author’s pseudonym in the field marked Pseudonym (in the case of an online application) or in the Name of the Author field/space (in the case of an online or paper application). In the alternative, the applicant may provide the author’s full name and the author’s pseudonym, provided that the application clearly indicates which is the real name and which is the pseudonym (e.g., “Samuel Clemens, whose pseudonym is Mark Twain”). In both cases, the applicant should check the box marked Pseudonymous to indicate that the applicant intends to register a pseudonymous work. (If the applicant fails to provide the author’s name and fails to check the Pseudonymous box in an online application, the application may not be accepted by the electronic registration system.) If the author does not wish to provide his or her real name anywhere in the application, the author may put his or her pseudonym in the fields/spaces for the Name of Author, Name of Claimant, Rights and Permissions, Correspondent, and/or Certification. Applicants are encouraged to provide the author’s real name in the application, even if the author’s name does not appear on the copies or phonorecords of the work. Providing the author’s real name creates a clear record of authorship and ownership of the copyright, and it may extend or reduce the term of the copyright, depending on the circumstances. Ordinarily, the copyright for pseudonymous work endures for a term of 95 years from the year of publication or 120 years from the year of creation, whichever expires first. 17 U.S.C. § 302(c). However, if the author of the work is a nIadt.ursaeel paelsroson and if the identity of the author isr erpervienatleedd i nin records maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office, the copyright will endure until 70 years after the author’s death. ; , H.R.
REP. NO. 94-1476, at 137 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5753. As described in Section 615.3 below, the information provided on the application will become part of the public record. Therefore, if the work satisfies the statutory definition of a pseudonymous work and if the applicant does not wish to disclose the author’s real name, the applicant should provide the author’s pseudonym in the application instead of providinEgx tahme paluetsh: or’s real name.
615.2(C) Name of the Author Omitted As a general rule, if the applicant checks the Pseudonymous box but fails to provide the author’s pseudonym or the author’s real name in the Name of Author field/space, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. In the alternative, the specialist may add the name that appears on the deposit copy(ies) if that name is clearly identified as the author’s pseudonym.
615.3 Privacy Concerns
Because registration records are open to the public, an applicant should not disclose the author’s real name or address in an application for an anonymous or pseudonymous work if the author does not wish to make that information public. If the applicant discloses the author’s identity or the author’s address on the application, that information will appear on the certificate of registration. In addition, this information will appear in the online public record for the work, which may be accessed by anyone who searches for the work on the Office’s website. The Office will not remove the author’s name from the registration record once a certificate of registration has been issued.
For a general discussion of privacy issues, see Chapter 200, Section 205. 616 Year of Author’s Birth and Death
616.1 The Author’s Year of Birth
When completing an application to register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant will be asked to identify the year that the author was born. This information may be useful in identifying the author of the work. Providing the author’s year of birth is optional and an application will be accepted even if this portion of the application is left blank.
Chapter 600 : 100 12/22/2014 616.1(A) Year of Birth Not Required for Works Made for Hire As discussed in Section 614.1(D), the author’s year of birth should not be provided if the work was created as a work made for hire.
616.1(B) Privacy Concerns Because registration records are open to the public, an applicant should not disclose the author’s year of birth on the application if the author does not wish to make that information public. If the applicant discloses the author’s date of birth on the application, the year of birth will appear on the certificate of registration, which will be made available to the public upon request. In addition, the author’s year of birth will appear in the online public record for the work, which may be accessed by anyone who searches for the work on the Office’s website. The Office will not remove the author’s year of birth from the registration record once a certificate of registration has been issued.
For a general discussion of privacy issues, see Chapter 200, Section 205.
616.2 The Author’s Year of Death
When completing an application to register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant will be asked if the author of the work is deceased. The applicant should provide a year of death if the work was created by a natural person who is deceased as of the date that the application is filed. If the work was created by two or more authors, the applicant should provide a year of death for each individual who is deceased. 17 U.S.C. § 409(2). The author’s year of death is required because the term of copyright for certain unpublished works created before 1978 and for all works created after 1978 is based on the year that the author died (unless the work is a work made for hire, an anonymous work, or a pseudonymous work). 17 U.S.C. §§ 302(a), (b); 303(a). e.g As a general rule, the registration specialist will not question a year of death unless it is obviously wrong ( ., a year of death occurring before the year that the work was created).
If the applicant fails to provide a year of death in the application and if the information in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials indicate that the author may be deceased, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if that inEfoxrammaptlieosn: could be used to determine the term of copyright. An application is submitted for a photograph. Jane Freeman is named as the author and The Estate of Jane Freeman is named as the copyright claimant. Because the author appears to be deceased, the registration specialist will ask the applicant to provide the • author’s year of death. Out of Australia An application for an autobiography titled names Georgette Firth as the author and states that the work Chapter 600 : 101 12/22/2014 was published in 2013. A statement on the deposit copies indicates that the author died in 2009. The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to request the author’s year of • death.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide the author’s year of death if the work was created by a human being and if the work is being registered as an anonymous or pseudonymous work. The Office will accept an application if the applicant fails to provide this information, because the term of copyright for an anonymous or pseudonymous work may be calculated based on the year the work was created or the year the work was published. 17 U.S.C. § 302(c) Providing the author’s year of death is useful, because if the author’s real name Iids. ;r seevee aallesod in records maintained by the Office, the termr eopf rcionpteydr iignht will be calculated based on the year of the author’s death, rather than the year of creation or publication. , H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 137 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5753.
By contrast, the applicant should not provide the author’s year of death if the work is being registered as a work made for hire. The year of death is not required in this situation, because the term of copyright for a work made for hire is based on the year the work was created or the year the work was published. For a definition and discussion of anonymous works and pseudonymous works, see Sections 615.1 and 615.2. For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
616.3 Completing the Application: Author’s Year of Birth and Death
If the applicant chooses to provide the author’s year of birth in an online application, the applicant should provide only the author’s birth year. The online system will not accept an entry that contains the month, day, and year that the author was born. Likewise, if the author is deceased, the applicant should list only the year the author died, rather than the month, day, and year of the author’s death.
If the applicant chooses to provide the author’s year of birth in a paper application, the applicant should enter only the author’s birth year in the space marked Year Born. If the applicant gives the month, day, and year of birth, the certificate of registration and online record will reflect only the year of birth. If the author is deceased, the applicant should list only the author’s year of death in the space marked Year Died. If the applicant gives the month, day, and year of death, the certificate of registration and online record will reflect only the year of death.
Chapter 600 : 102 12/22/2014 If the applicant cannot determine the exact year of birth and/or death, the applicant may provide a good faith estimate qualified by the phrase “on or about,” “approximately,” or the like. When completing an online application, this statement may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. In a paper application this statement may be provided on the application itself or in a cover letter. In both cases, the registration specialist will add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding author information: applicant states author’s year of birth is ‘approximately 1952.’” 617 Citizenship and Domicile of the Author
617.1 What Is the Author’s Citizenship and Domicile?
The application should identify the citizenship and/or domicile of the author, regardless of whether the work described in the application is an anonymous work or a pseudonymous work, or whether the work was created by a natural person or a corporation, a limited liability company, a limited partnership, or a similar legal entity. 17 U.S.C. § 409(2), (3). This information may be used to determine whether the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law. Unpublished works are eligible for copyright protection in the United States, but published works may not be eligible if they are first published in, or by authors of, countries that have not entered into a copyright treaty with the United States. 17 U.S.C. § 104(a), (b). For information concerning these eligibility requirements, see Chapter 2000, Section 2003.
The terms “citizenship” and “nationality” mean the same thing. Specifically, they mean that the author is a citizen of a particular country, or that the author owes permanent allegiance to a particular country, even though he or she is not a citizen of that nation. The author’s domicile is the country where the author has a fixed and permanent residence, where the author intends to maintain his or her residence for an unlimited time, and whenever absent, where the author intends to return. Mere residence is not the equivalent of domicile and does not provide a basis for establishing eligibility.
617.2 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for a Published Work
If the work has been published, the applicant should provide the author’s citizenship and domicile as of the date that the work was first published. The fact that the author’s citizenship and/or domicile may have changed after the work was first published is irrelevant. For example, if the author was a Tunisian citizen when the work was first published and subsequently became a French citizen, the applicant should identify the author’s country of citizenship as “Tunisia” rather than “France.”
617.3 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for a Work Made for Hire
If the work is a work made for hire the applicant should indicate the citizenship and/or domicile of the employer or the person or entity that ordered or commissioned the work. For example, if the work was created by an employee acting within the scope of his or her employment and the employer is a legal entity, the applicant should identify Chapter 600 : 103 12/22/2014 the nation in which the employer entity is incorporated or is domiciled (rather than the employee’s country of citizenship or domicile). If the work was specially ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire, the applicant should provide citizenship or domicile information for the party that ordered or commissioned the work (rather than the individual who actually created the work).
For questions regarding nationality of a legal entity, see Chapter 2000, Section 2005.5. For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
617.4 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for Anonymous and
Pseudonymous Works The applicant should provide the author’s citizenship or domicile, even if the author’s real name is not provided in the application and does not appear on copies or phonorecords of the work.
If the applicant fails to provide this information in an online application, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. If the applicant fails to provide this information on a paper application, the application will be questioned if there is no other basis for establishing that the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law.
For a discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Sections 615.1 and 615.2.
617.5 Determining the Author’s Citizenship or Domicile for Compilations and
Derivative Works If the work described in the application is a derivative work, the applicant should provide the citizenship and/or domicile of the author or authors who created the new material and/or revised material that appears in the derivative work. If the work described in the application is a compilation, the applicant should list the citizenship and/or domicile of the author or authors who selected, coordinated, and/or arranged the preexisting material or data that appears in the compilation. As a general rule, the applicant need not provide citizenship or domicile information for the author or authors who created any preexisting material or data that may appear in a derivative work or a compilation.
For a general discussion of derivative works and compilations, see Chapter 500, Sections 507 and 508.
617.6 Completing the Application: Citizenship and Domicile
When completing the Authors screen in the online application the applicant should identify the nation of citizenship and domicile for each author named in the application. Specifically, the applicant should select one of the countries listed in the drop down menu under the headings Citizenship and Domicile. If the applicant fails to complete this portion of the application, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system.
Chapter 600 : 104 12/22/2014 When completing a Single Application the applicant should provide this information on the screen marked Author.
When completing a paper application, the citizenship and domicile for each author named in the application should be entered in space 2 in the spaces marked “Citizen of _______” and “Domiciled in __________.”
If the author is a citizen of or domiciled in more than one country, the applicant may provide the name of each country where the author is a citizen or is domiciled. In the case of an online application, the applicant may provide the name of one country on the Author screen and the names of the other countries may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. In the case of a paper application, the name of each country may be provided on the application itself, on a continuation sheet, or in a cover letter. In the alternative, the applicant may provide the name of any country that establishes that the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law. If the author is a stateless person, the applicant may select “no place” from the drop down menu in the online application or state “no place” or “stateless” in the paper application.
If the citizenship and domicile for the author is unknown, the applicant may select “not known” from the drop down menu in the online application. When completing a paper application, the applicant may leave this portion of the application blank or may state “not known.”
617.7 Examination Guidelines: Citizenship and Domicile
This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for examining the Citizenship and Domicile field/space in an online application or a paper application.
617.7(A) Citizenship and Domicile Unclear As a general rule, the registration specialist will accept a statement concerning the author’s citizenship or domicile, unless it is clearly inconsistent with the facts set forth in the reEgxisatmraptlieosn: materials or other information known to the U.S. Copyright Office. The application states that the author John Germaine is a U.S. citizen and that the work has been published, but fails to provide a nation of first publication. In the Note to Copyright Office field the applicant explains that the author has applied for citizenship, but has not been naturalized. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if there is a basis for establishing that the • work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. law. An application for a work by a prominent European politician states that the author is domiciled in the United States. The application also states that the work has been published, but fails to identify the Chapter 600 : 105 12/22/2014 nation of first publication. Because the author does not appear to be domiciled in the United States, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if there is a basis for establishing that the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. law.
If the applicant provides the name of a city, state, and country in the Citizenship or Domicile field/space, the registration specialist may include the name of the state and/or country but will remove the name of the city from the registration record. If the applicant provides the name of a city, state, territory, or other political subdivision rather than the name of a country, the application will be accepted if the author’s nation of citizenship or domicile is obvious or if there is another basis for establishing that the work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyright law. For example, if the applicant states that the author is a citizen of “Puerto Rico” or “Scotland,” the specialist will accept the application, although “United States” or the “United Kingdom” would be preferable.
617.7(B) Citizenship and Domicile in Multiple Countries If the application indicates that the author is a citizen of or domiciled in multiple countries, the names of the additional countries may be added to the registration record with an annotation, such as: “Regarding citizenship/domicile: application states Trinidad and the United States.”
617.7(C) Stateless Persons If the application states “no place” in the Citizenship or Domicile field/space, the registration specialist will register the claim without communicating with the applicant on the assumption that the author is a stateless person. 17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(1).
617.7(D) Citizenship and Domicile Unknown If the applicant states that the author’s citizenship or domicile is “not known” or fails to complete this portion of the application, the application may be accepted if that information is provided elsewhere in the registration materials or if the registration specialist determines that the work is otherwise eligible for copyright protection under U.S. copyErxiagmhtp llaews:.
If there appears to be no basis for establishing eligibility, the specialist will communicate with the applicant. If the applicant is unable to identify the author’s citizenship and domicile, registration may be refused if that is the only basis for establishEixnagm thpalets t:h e work is eligible for copyright protection under U.S. law. The applicant fails to identify the author’s citizenship or domicile, but states that the work was first published in Afghanistan. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, because a work first published in that country may be ineligible for • copyright protection in the United States.
618 Author Created / Nature of Authorship This Section discusses the procedure for asserting a claim to copyright in a work of authorship.
618.1 Asserting a Claim to Copyright
To register a work of authorship the applicant must file an application that clearly identifies the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant must assert a claim to copyright in that authorship. The information provided in the application defines the claim that is being registered, rather than the information provided in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Authors screen in the field marked Author Created. (When completing the Single Application the applicant should provide this information on the Author screen in the field marked Author Created.) When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on Chapter 600 : 107 12/22/2014 space 2 of the application under the heading Nature of Authorship. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Section 618.4. The U.S. Copyright Office registers claims to copyright in works of authorship. As a general rule, the Office will issue one registration for each work that is submitted for registration. The registration specialist may examine the individual elements or components of a work to determine if the work as a whole contains a sufficient amount of creative expression to warrant registration. However, the Office will not issue separate registrations for the constituent elements or components of a work of authorship. Likewise, the Office will not issue separate registrations to each author who contributed copyrightable expression to a work of authorship (except as contributions to a collective work or derivative works).
As a general rule, the specialist will register a claim to copyright if the claim is clearly supported by the information provided in the application and the deposit copy(ies), and if the other formal and legal requirements have been met. If the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space is completed incorrectly, the registration specialist may register the claim with an annotation if the specialist determines that the claim is clear from the registration materials as a whole. If the claim is unclear, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
The information provided in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space will appear on the certificate of registration in a space marked Author Created and in the online public record in the field marked Authorship (regardless of whether the aSpeeplicant submits an online application or a paper application). Corrections and Amplifications of Copyright Registrations; Applications for Supplementary Registration, 63 Fed. Reg. 59,235, 59,235 (Nov. 3, 1998) (“The Copyright Office follows the general policy of requiring all authors and copyright claimants to supply information, consistent with 17 U.S.C. § 409, concerning the authorship being claimed in the application for registration.”).
618.2 Limiting the Claim to Copyright
A registration only covers the new material that the author contributed to the work. As explained in Section 621, a registration does not extend to any unclaimable material that m• ay appear in the work, namely:
• Previously published material.
• Material that is in the public domain. i.e Copyrightable material that is owned by another party ( ., an individual or entity other than the copyright claimant).
Chapter 600 : 108 12/22/2014 If the work contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant must exclude that material from the claim and limit the application to the new copyrightable material that the author contributed to the work. When completing an online application the applicant should provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen; when completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in spaces 5 and/or 6(a) and 6(b) of the application. For a discussion of the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for limiting a claim to copyright, see Section 621.
618.3 The Relationship Between the Author Created / Limitation of Claim Fields
in the Online Application and the Relationship between Spaces 2, 5, 6(a), and 6(b) in the Paper Application As a general rule, a claim to copyright is defined by the information provided in the Author Created field (in the case of an online application) or in the Nature of Authorship space (in the case of a paper application). Therefore, all of the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register should be identified in these fields/spaces. When an applicant excludes material from the claim and limits the application to the new copyrightable material that the author contributed to the work, the claim to copyright is defined by the information provided in the New Material Included field of the online application or the information provided in space 6(b) of the paper application as modified by the material excluded field/space. Therefore, all of the new copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register should be described in the New Material Included field or in space 6(b), as applicable.
618.4 Completing the Application: Author Created / Nature of Authorship
This Section provides guidance on completing the Author Created field in the online application and the Nature of Authorship space in the paper application. For guidance on completing an application to register a derivative work, a compilation, or a collective work, see Sections 618.5, 618.6, and 618.7. For guidance on completing an application to register specific types of literary works, works of the performing arts, and visual art works, see Chapters 700, 800, and 900.
618.4(A) The Online Application: Author Created Field When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Authors screen by checking one or more of the boxes in the Author Created field that accurately describe the authorship that is owned by the copyright claimant. (When completing a Single Application the applicant should provide this information on the Author screen in the Author Created field.) TLihteer oaprtyi oWnosr fkosr each type of work are listed below: • Text Photograph(s)
• Sculpture • Jewelry design • Map Architectural Work WorTkes cohf nthicea Pl Derrfaowrminingg Arts • Music • Lyrics Text SounMdu Rseiccaolr dAirnrgasn gement • Sound Recording • Music • Performance Lyrics MotiPorno Pdiuccttuiroens and Audiovisual Works • Entire motion picture • Cinematography • Production • Editing Direction SingSlec rIispsut/eS ocfr aee Sneprilaayl Publication • e.g., Compilation Contribution(s) to a Collective Work ( an article)
For a definition and discussion of these terms, see Section 618.4(C). For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the Author Created field, see Section 618.4(D).
As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will accept any of these terms or any combination of these terms, provided that they accurately describe the copyrightable authorship being claimed. If the information provided in the Author Created field is contradicted by the information provided elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. Chapter 600 : 110 12/22/2014 The applicant should check the boxes that describe the authorship created by the author(s) named in the application that is owned by the individual(s) or entity(ies) who are named in the application as the copyright claimant(s). The applicant should not assert a claim in material created by authors who are not named in the application, material that is not owned by the copyright claimant, material that wdeil lm nionti mbeis submitted for registration, or material that does not appear in thdee w moirnkim. Liiskewise, the applicant should not assert a claim in any material that is uncopyrightable or . For information concerning claims in uncopyrightable or material, see Sections 618.8(C)E axnamd p6l1e8: .8(D).
The applicant should check the boxes that identify the specific type of authorship that the applicant intends to register. For example, if the applicant intends to register a screenplay or a computer program, the applicant should check the boxes marked “script/screenplay” or “computer program,” rather than the boxes marked “editing” or “text.” Likewise, if the applicant intends to register an atlas or a necklace, the applicant should check the boxes marked “map” or “jewelry design,” rather than the boxes marked “sculpture” or “2-D artwork.”
If the terms provided in the checkboxes do not fully describe the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register, the applicant should provide a more specific Edxeascmrippletiso: n in the “Other” field.
The applicant intends to register a comedy sketch. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this authorship by checking the box marked “script/screenplay” or by stating “comedy sketch” in • the Author Created / Other field.
The applicant intends to register a ballet. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this authorship by stating “choreographic work” in the Author Created / Other field.
Currently, the total amount of text that may be provided in the Author Created / Other field is limited to 100 characters. If more space is required, the applicant should provide the additional information in the Note to Copyright Office field. 618.4(B) Paper Applications: Nature of Authorship Space When completing a paper application, the applicant should identify the authorship that is owned by the copyright claimant that the applicant intends to register. The applicant should not assert a claim in material that is not owned by the copyright claimant, material that was not created by the author(s) named in the application, material that wildl en moti nbiem siusbmitted for registration, or material that does not appear ind et hmei nwimoriks. Likewise, the applicant should not assert a claim in any material that is uncopyrightable or . For information concerning claims in uncopyrightable or material, see Sections 618.8(C) and 618.8(D).
When completing a paper application using Form VA, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes in space 2 that accurately describe the authorship that the applicant intends to register. When completing a paper application using Forms TX, PA, SR, or SE, the applicant should provide a brief statement that accurately describes the authorship that will be submitted for registration. This statement should be provided in space 2 of the application under the heading Nature of Authorship. If the applicant needs more space to provide a complete and accurate description of the claim, the applicant should complete and submit as many continuation sheets as necessary. Chapter 600 : 112 12/22/2014 e.g., The U.S. Copyright Office may accept any of the terms listed below or any combination of those terms that are not redundant or duplicative ( “text” and “computer program” when support for each term is nonexistent), provided that they accurately describe the copyrightable authorship being claimed. In some cases, the Office may accept variant forms of these terms. If the statement provided in the Nature of Authorship space is contradicted by the information provided in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. For a definition and discussion of the following terms, see Section 618.4(C). For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the Nature of Authorship sLpitaecrea,r sye We Soercktsi o/ nF o6r1m8 .4T(XD ).
• Text • Photograph(s)
• Artwork Computer program WorCkos mofp tihlaet Vioisnu a l Arts / Form VA.
• 3-dimensional sculpture • Architectural work • Jewelry design • Map • Technical drawing Reproduction of work of art WorTkes xotf the Performing Arts / Form PA • Music • Lyrics • Text • Musical arrangement • Script • Screenplay Choreographic work SounPda nRteocmoridmineg s / Form SR • Sound recording • Performance • Production Music Lyrics Chapter 600 : 113 12/22/2014 Motion Pictures or Audiovisual Works / Form PA • Entire motion picture • Cinematography • Production • Direction • Script Screenplay Audiovisual material Single Serial Issue (i.e., a single issue of a serial publication) / Form SE • Compilation • Contribution(s) to a collective work • Text Photograph(s)
• FEonrti are d misocutisosni opnic otuf rdei.gital editing in photography, see Chapter 900, Section 909.3. This term may be used to describe the direction, production, editing, music, script, and cinematography in a motion picture. For a discussion of the specific practices and procedures for registering motion pictures, see Chapter • 8Je0w0e, lSrey cdteiosing 8n08.
Author Created:
Online application for a novella.
text.
Chapter 600 : 118 12/22/2014 AOuntlhinoer aCprepalitceadt:ion for a travel book containing photographs and written descriptions of tourist attractions.
Author Created:
Online application for a graphic novel.
• text, 2-D artwork.
OAuntlhinoer aCprepalitceadt/ioOnt hfoerr: etched and raised design on the surface of a pocket knife.
Etched and sculptural authorship applied to • pocket knife.
OAuntlhinoer aCprpealitceadt:ion for a blueprint that depicts the specifications for a new product.
• Technical drawing.
Author Created:
Online application for the design of a house.
• Architectural work.
AOuntlhinoer aCprepalitceadt:ion for a sound recording released on a CD cAounthtaoirn Cinrge alitneder/ Ontohteers:, drawings, and photographs. sound recording.
text of liner notes, artwork, photographs • (and possibly compilation of sound recordings).
Author Created:
AOuntlhinoer aCprpealitceadt/ioOnt hfoerr: a musical.
music, lyrics.
• script.
AOuntlhinoer aCprepalitceadt:ion for a multimedia kit containing text, illustrations, Amuutlhtoiprl eC rseoautnedd/ rOetchoerrd:ings, and a video presentation. sound recording.
• text, artwork, audiovisual material.
Nature of Authorship:
Paper application for a treatment for a documentary.
• treatment.
NPaaptuerre a opfp Aliuctahtioornsh fiopr: an educational workbook containing lessons, illustrations, and photographs.
• text, artwork, and photographs.
Nature of Authorship:
Paper application for a stuffed animal.
3-dimensional sculpture.
Chapter 600 : 119 12/22/2014
618.5 Derivative Works
A derivative work “is a work based upon one or more preexisting works, such as a translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgement, condensation, or any other form in which a work may be recast, transformed, or adapted.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. To register a claim to copyright in a derivative work the applicant should identify the new material that the author contributed to the work, as well as “any preexisting work or works that it is based on or incorporates.” 17 U.S.C. § 409(9). By definition, a •d erivative work contains two types of authorship:
When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the new authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Authors screen. Specifically, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes that appear under the heading Author Created that accurately describe the new copyrightable material that will be submitted for registration. If none of these terms fully describe the new material that the applicant intends to register, the applicant should provide a more specific description in the field marked Other. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Section 618.4(A).
When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 2 under the heading Nature of Authorship. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Section 618.4(B).
Derivative works often contain previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or material owned by a third party, because by definition, they are based upon one or more preexisting works. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). If a derivative work contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should limit the claim to the new copyrightable material that the author contributed to the work using the procedure described in Section 621.8.
For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the Author Created field and the Nature of Authorship space in an application to register a derivative work, see Section 621.8(E).
618.6 Compilations
A compilation “is a work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated, or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Chapter 600 : 120 12/22/2014 selection A compilation may contain csoeovredrainl adtiisotninct forms of authorship. There may be authorship involved in choosing the material or data that will be incluadrreadn igne tmheen t compilation. There may be authorship involved in classifying, categorizing, ordering, or grouping the material or data. In addition, there may be authorship involved in determining the placement or arrangement of the material or data within the compilation as a whole. A registration for a compilation may cover each type of authorship if that authorship is sufficiently creative, but it does not cover any preexisting material or data that appears within the compilation unless that material is copyrightable and is specifically claimed in the application. 17 U.S.C. § 103(b). To register a claim to copyright in a compilation the applicant shouel.dg .identify the new material that the author contributed to the work and should specify the preexisting material or data that was selected, coordinated, and/or arranged ( , “compilation of data” or “compilation of sound recordings”). 17 U.S.C. § 409(9). When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Authors screen in the field marked Other. Specifically, the applicant should provide a brief statement that (i) identifies the preexisting material or data that appears in the compilation and (ii) specifies whether the author selected, coordinated, and/or arranged that material or data. (When completing an application to register a literary work, the applicant also should check the box marked “compilation.”) Currently, the total amount of text that may be provided in the Author Created / Other field is limited to 100 characters. If more space is required, the applicant should provide the additional information in the Note to Copyright Office field. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide a brief statement in space 2 under the heading Nature of Authorship that identifies the authorship that the applicant intends to register.
As a general rule, if the applicant states “compilation of __________” and specifies the preexisting material or data that appears in the work, the registration specialist may register the claim, provided that the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement authorship that the applicant intends to register is clearly evident from the deposit copy(iesE).x amples:
Chapter 600 : 121 12/22/2014 Author Created/Other:
If the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement authorship is not clear from the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant, which will delay the examination of the claim. In such cases, the specialist may ask the •a pplicant to provide a more specific authorship statement, such as: Selection of [specify the preexisting material or data that has been selected and • specify the criteria used to select the material or data]. Coordination of [specify the preexisting material or data that has been coordinated and specify the criteria used to classify, categorize, organize, or group the material • data].
When an applicant registers a compilation together with the material contained therein, the registration covers the material that is copyrightable, as well as the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the material that appears in the compilation (regardless of whether it is copyrightable or not).
Chapter 600 : 122 12/22/2014 Examples:
Compilations often contain unclaimable material, such as a selection of data that has been previously registered, a coordination of data that has been previously published, or an arrangement of data that is owned by a third party. If a compilation contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Section 621.8. Chapter 600 : 123 12/22/2014
618.7 Collective Works
A collective work “is a work, such as a periodical issue, anthology, or encyclopedia, in which a number of contributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, are assembled into a collective whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. To register a claim in a collective work and/or a contribution to a collective work, the applicant should identify the authorship that the applicant intends to register. By d• efinition, a collective work contains two types of authorship: The compilation authorship in the collective work, which typically involves selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging a number of separate and independent • works and assembling them into a collective whole; and The authorship in the separate and independent works included within the collective work, such as an article that appears in a periodical issue or a poem that appears in an anthology.
An applicant may register a collective work together with the separate and independent works contained therein if the collective work and the contributions were created by the same author/claimant, or if the copyright in the contributions and the collective work are owned by the same claimant, provided that none of the component works are previousElxya pmupblleis: hed, previously registered, or in the public domain. Elizabeth Barrett wrote a short story, which was published in an anthology containing twelve stories by different authors. Alfred Pennington compiled the stories that appear in this anthology. Alfred obtained the right to use each story in the anthology, but he did not acquire the copyright in any of these contributions. Alfred may register the anthology as a collective work, but he is not entitled to register the copyright in any of the stories. Elizabeth may register the copyright in her story as a contribution to a collective work, but cannot register the copyright in the anthology as a whole. Collective works often contain unclaimable material, such as contributions that are not owned by the copyright claimant or contributions that were previously registered or previously published. If a collective work contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Section 621.8.
618.7(A) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Collective Work If the applicant intends to register the compilation authorship involved in creating the collective work as a whole, the applicant should describe that authorship on the Authors screen in the field marked Author Created/Other. When completing an application to register a literary work, the applicant also should check the box marked “compilation.” Currently, the total amount of text that may be provided in the Author Chapter 600 : 124 12/22/2014 Created/Other field is limited to 100 characters. If more space is required, the applicant should provide the additional information in the Note to Copyright Office field. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide a brief statement in space 2 under the heading marked Nature of Authorship that describes the compilation authorship that the applicant intends to register.
As a general rule, if the applicant states “compilation of __________” and specifies the type of contributions that appear in the collective work, the registration specialist may register the claim, provided that the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement authorship that the applicant intends to register is clearly evident from the deposit copy(iesE).x ample:
If the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement authorship is not clear from the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. In such cases, the specialist may ask the applicant to provide a more specific authorship statement.
For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the Author Created field and the Nature of Authorship space in an application to register a collective work, see Section 618.7(D).
618.7(B) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Contribution to a Collective Work 618.7(B)(1) Registering a Contribution without Registering the Collective Work as a Whole If the applicant intends to register a contribution to a collective work, but does not intend to register the collective work as a whole, the applicant should provide the title of the contribution in the Title of Work Being Registered field. The applicant should provide the title of the collective work in which the contribution appears in the Title of Larger Work field. For guidance on completing these fields on the Titles screen, see Sections 610.2 and 610.4(B). The applicant should assert a claim in that contribution by checking one or more of the boxes in the Author Created field that accurately describes that contribution. For guidance on completing this field, see Section 618.4(A). To register a contribution to a collective work with a paper application, the applicant should identify the authorship that the applicant intends to register in space 2 under the heading Nature of Authorship.
Chapter 600 : 125 12/22/2014 For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the Author Created field and the Nature of Authorship space in an application to register a contribution to a collective work, see Section 618.7(D).
618.7(B)(2) Registering a Collective Work and a Contribution to a Collective Work If the author of the collective work created a contribution that appears within the collective work, the applicant may register that contribution together with the collective w• ork by providing the following information in the online application: The applicant should provide the title of the collective work as the “Title of work being registered.” In addition, the applicant may provide the title of the contribution in the Contents Title field, although this is optional. For guidance on completing the • Titles screen, see Sections 610.2 and 610.4.
If the contribution was created by an individual or entity other than the author of the collective work, the applicant may register that contribution together with the collective work, provided that the claimant owns the copyright in that contribution and the work was not previously published or registered. When completing the online application the a• pplicant should provide the following information:
On the Claimants screen the applicant should provide an appropriate transfer statement in the Transfer field that explains how the claimant obtained the Chapter 600 : 126 12/22/2014 copyright in the contribution. For guidance on providing a transfer statement, see Section 620.9.
If the work contains contributions created by other authors, the applicant should repeat the process set forth in the bullets immediately above for each contribution that the applicant intends to register.
To register a collective work and/or a contribution to a collective work with a paper application, the applicant should identify the authorship that the applicant intends to register in space 2 under the heading Nature of Authorship. For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the Author Created field and the Nature of Authorship space in an application to register a contribution to a collective work, see Section 618.7(D).
618.7(C) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Serial Publication This Section discusses the procedure for asserting a claim to copyright in a specific type of collective work, namely, a single issue of a serial publication. A serial publication is a collective work that is published or intended to be published at regular or stated intervals on an indefinite basis where each issue is numbered or dated consecutively, such as a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(v). If the applicant intends to register a single issue of a serial publication, then as discussed in Section 609.2(A), the applicant should select Single Serial Issue from the drop down menu on the Type of Work screen.
If the applicant intends to register the issue as a whole, the applicant should check the “compilation” box that appears on the Authors screen in the Author Created field. If the author of the issue as a whole created one or more of the contributions that appear in the issue, aen.dg .if that party owns the copyright in those contribution(s), the applicant may register the contributions by checking the box marked “Contribution(s) to a collective work ( , an article).” The title(s) of the contribution(s) may be provided on the Titles screen in the Contents Title field using the procedure described in Section 610.4, although this is optional.
If the contribution was created by an individual or entity other than the author for the issue as a whole, the applicant may register that contribution using the procedure described in Section 618.7(B), provided that the claimant owns the copyright in that contribution.
For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the Author Created field and the Nature of Authorship space in an application to register a single serial issue and/or a contribution to a single serial issue, see Section 618.7(D). For guidance on registering a single issue of a serial publication with a paper application on Form SE, see Chapter 700, Section 712. For a discussion of the group registration options for serials, daily newspapers, daily newsletters, and contributions to periodicals, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1109, 1110, 1111, and 1115.
Chapter 600 : 127 12/22/2014 618.7(D) Examples for Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Collective Work and / or a Contribution to a Collective Work This Section provides representative examples for completing the Author Created field in an onlEinxaem appplelsic: ation for a collective work and/or a contribution to a collective work. • Claim in collective work Fierce . An application is submitted for an anthology titled . Pride Publishers intends to register the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and arranging the text, photographs, artwork, and other contributions that appear in this anthology, but does not intend to register the contributions tThyepme soef lwveosr.k Title of work being registered:Fierce Name of Auth: oLriterary work.
T itle of work being registered:Fitness Contents Title S(Oinpgtlieo nsearl)ia:l issue.
, Vol. 7, No. 77, Spring 2014.
Name of Author [Titles of contributions created by HAuetahltohrN Certe’as teemd:ployees].
e.g : HealthNet, Inc.
Compilation, Contribution(s) to a collective work C(lai.m, a inn acrotlilcelcet)i.v”e work and contributions to the collective work Fauna .
American Wildlife published a coffee table book titled that contains text, photographs, and maps. American Wildlife LLC selected and arranged all of the content that appears in the book. Most of the content was created by the company’s employees. The rest was created by a number of freelance writers; five of those individuals assigned the copyright in their contributions to the company by contract. American Wildlife submits an application to register the coffee table book as a whole and the content that was created by its employees. The company also intends to register the content that was created by the five freelance writers who assigned their copyrights to the company.
Chapter 600 : 128 12/22/2014 Content created by American Wildlife employees:
Author Created/ OAtmheerr:ican Wildlife LLC Name of ClaimanTte:xt, photograph(s), map Compilation of text, photographs, and maps.
Content created by Afrmeeelarinccaen w Wriitlderlisf:e LLC. Name of Author:
Author Created/Other:
[Name of freelance writer].
[Title of the contribution created by that freelance writer].
[NRaempee aotf fColra aimll aontht:e r contributions created by a freelance writer that tThrea ncsofmerp satnayte imnteenntd: s to register].
American Wildlife LLC.
• Claim in a single issuBe yo fw ar istetreina la pgurebelimcaetniotn. Driven . McCallister & Co.
publishes magazine four times a year. The publisher intends to register the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and arranging the content that appears in the latest issue. It also intends to register the individual articles, photographs, and other content created by its employees. The publisher does not intend to register the content which was created by third parties, such as the aTdypvee rotfi swemorekn: ts.
Title of work being registered: Driven, Contents Title S(iOnpgtlieo nsearl)ia:l issue.
Name of Author: [Title of contributions created by AMuctChaolrli Cstreera’ste edm: ployees]. e.g., McCallister & Co.
Compilation, Contribution to a collective work ( • aCnla aimrt iicnl ea) .c ontribution to a collective work . Al ThomDasr iivnetnends to register his article “A Sneak PeDakri vaet nthe Mercedes Benz E350” which was published on page 16 of the May 2012 issue of magazine. HTyep deo oefs w noortk i:ntend to register magazine as a whole. Title of work being registered:
Literary work.
Title of larger work: Driven “A Sneak Peak at the Mercedes Benz EN3a5m0e” o f Author:
Author Created: (Vol. 12, Issue 2, Winter 2012, p. 16). Al Thomas.
Text.
Chapter 600 : 129 12/22/2014
618.8 Examination Guidelines: Author Created / Nature of Authorship
This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for examining the Author Created field in an online application and the Nature of Authorship space in a paper application.
618.8(A) Authorship Unclear The authorship that the applicant intends to register should be clearly identified in the application and the claim to copyright in that authorship should be clearly stated. As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will accept any of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C), any of the terms set forth in Sections 618.6 or 618.7 (in the case of an application to register a compilation, a collective work, or a contribution to a collective work), or any combination of those terms, unless the information provided in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space fails to describe the authorship that the applicant intends to register, fails to describe copyrightable authorship, or is contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials. The Office recognizes that many applicants are not familiar with the correct terms for completing an application or may make a mistake in completing the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space. As a general rule, “[a]ny substantive editing of authorship and/or new matter statements and/or material excluded from claim statements, will be done only after contacting the applicant for permission to amend the information” set forth in that portion of the application. Online Registration of Claims to Copyright, 72 Fed. Reg. 36,883, 36,887 (July 6, 2007). In some cases, the registration specialist may add an annotation to the record to clarify the copyrightable material that the author contributed to the work. If the information provided in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space is unclear and the issue cannot be addressed with an annotation, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. Examples of unclear terms that should be avoided in the application are discussed in Sections 618.8(A)(1) through 618.8(A)(11) below.
618.8(A)(1) Design As a general rule, the terms “2-D artwork” or “sculpture” should be used to describe the copyrightable authorship in a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, while the term “computer program” should be used to describe the copyrightable authorship in a computer program.
The term “design” should not be used in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because it suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in an idea, proEcxeadmurpele, :p rocess, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery. • Redesign Your Backyard An application is submitted for a book titled . The deposit copies contain text and two-dimensional artwork depicting landscape designs. The application states that the Chapter 600 : 130 12/22/2014 author created “text” and “2-D artwork.” The registration specialist will register the claim.
If an applicant uses the term “design” in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space for a pictorial or graphic work, the registration specialist may register the claimE,x iaf mthpalte :t erm is clearly being used to describe copyrightable artwork. • How to Make Stained Glass Windows An application is submitted for a book titled . The deposit copies contain text and two- dimensional artwork depicting stained glass windows. The application states that the author created “text and designs.” The registration specialist may register the claim, because the term “designs” apparently refers to the two-dimensional artwork embodied in the stained glass windows (although the term “2-D artwork” would be a more appropriate authorship statement). If the applicant appears to be asserting a claim in the ideas, concepts, or methods embodied in the work or the plan, scheme, layout, or format of the work, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. Alternatively, the specialist may add an annotation to the registration record, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount Eoxf acmoppylerisg: htable authorship to warrant registration. An application is submitted for a computer program. In the Author Created/Other field the applicant states that the author created “source code and design for high speed retrieval tasks.” The registration specialist will ask for permission to remove the phrase “design for high speed retrieval tasks,” because it suggests that the applicant is attempting to register the ideas, concepts, or methods • embodied in the program.
An application is submitted for a book containing text and photographs explaining how to knit hats. The applicant asserts a claim in “knitting designs.” The term “design” suggests that the applicant is asserting a claim in the hats themselves, rather than the text and photographs. The registration specialist will ask the applicant for permission to remove this term from the application and replace it with an appropriate authorship statement, such as • “text, photographs.”
An application is submitted for a motion picture. The applicant asserts a claim in “script, direction, cinematography, and title design.” The registration specialist will ask for permission to remove the term “title design” because it suggests that the applicant is asserting a claim in typeface or typographic ornamentation. 618.8(A)(2) Game As a general rule, “text” should be used to describe the copyrightable authorship in a literary work, and “2-D artwork” or “sculpture” should be used to describe the copyrightable authorship in a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work. To describe the copyrightable authorship in a videogame, the applicant should use the term “audiovisual material” or “computer program” depending upon what is being registered. For information concerning the practices and procedures for registering videogames, see Chapter 800, Section 807.7(A).
Chapter 600 : 132 12/22/2014 The term “game” should not be used in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because it is not a form of copyrightable authorship. It also suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in the idea for a game or the method or proceduErexsa mfoprl pe:l aying a game.
If the applicant uses the term “game” to describe an audiovisual work, the registration specialist will ask the applicant to provide a more specific authorship statement, such as “audiovisual material.”
If the applicant uses the term “game” to describe a literary work and/or a pictorial or graphic work, the registration specialist may register the claim if the work contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable authorship to warrant registration. In this situation, the specialist may add an annotation indicating that the registration does not cover the uncopyrEigxhatmabpllee se: lements of the game.
Chapter 600 : 133 12/22/2014 An application is submitted for a work naming MindStretch as the author of “game.” The deposit copy consists of a single sudoko puzzle. The registration specialist will refuse to register the claim because a single Sudoku puzzle contains no copyrightable expression.
618.8(A)(3) Packaging As a general rule, “text,” “2-D artwork,” and/or “photograph(s)” should be used to describe the copyrightable authorship that appears on product packaging. The term “packaging” should not be used in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because the packaging for a work — in and of itself — does not constituEtex acomppylrei:g htable subject matter.
Chapter 600 : 134 12/22/2014 618.8(A)(4) Author, Artist, Writer, Songwriter, and Other Professional Designations As a general rule, the applicant should use one or more of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C) to describe the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register. A term that merely describes the author or the author’s profession should not be used in the AuthEoxra Cmrpealet:e d field or the Nature of Authorship space. Shane Banks is a professional songwriter. He submits an application for a ballad. In the Author Created field, he asserts a claim in “music, lyrics.” The registration specialist will register the claim. If an applicant uses the term author, writer, songwriter, or the like in an application to register a literary work or a work of the performing arts, the registration specialist may register the claim if it is clear that the applicant is asserting a claim in text and/or lyrics. If the deposit copy(ies) contain another form of authorship, and if it is clear that the author(s) listed in the application created all of the copyrightable content that appears in the wEorxka,m thpele ssp: ecialist may add an annotation to clarify the content of the deposit. An online application for a musical work is submitted naming Jody Silverman as the sole author of the work. The Author Created/Other field states “writer.” A statement on the deposit copy reads “music and lyrics by Jody Silverman.” Since the copy contains lyrics and an additional authorship element, the registration specialist may register the claim with an annotation to clarify the content of the deposit, such as: “Regarding author information: copy states music • and lyrics by Jody Silverman.”
618.8(A)(5) Story, Story Idea, Story Concept, Story Line As a general rule, the applicant should use one or more of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C) to describe the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register. The applicant should not use the terms “story,” “story idea,” “story concept,” “story line,” or the like in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because these terms do not clearly describe copyrightable authorship. Chapter 600 : 135 12/22/2014 Example:
If an applicant asserts a claim in a “story idea,” “story concept,” “storyline,” or the like, and if it is clear from the information provided in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials that the author contributed copyrightable authorship to the work, the registration specialist may register the claim. In addition, the specialist may add an aEnxnaomtaptlieosn: to the record stating that ideas are not copyrightable. An application is submitted for a play naming James Beck as the author of “story idea and play” and Bob Bobelli as the author of “play.” The statement in the application indicates that James and Bob contributed copyrightable authorship to this work. The registration specialist may register the claim with an annotation, such as: “Regarding author information: ideas not copyrightable. 17 • U.S.C. § 102(b).”
If the applicant uses the term “story,” “story idea,” “story concept,” “storyline,” or the like in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, and ifd teh misi nisi mthise author’s sole contribution to the work, the specialist will communicate with the applicant if the author’s contribution appears to be uncopyrightable or . Chapter 600 : 136 12/22/2014 Examples:
618.8(A)(6) Conceived, Conception As a general rule, the applicant should use one or more of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C) to describe the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register. The applicant should not use the term “conceived” or “conception” in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because they suggest that the applicant may be asserting a claim in an idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principleE,x oarm dpislec:o very.
If an applicant uses the term “conceived,” “conception,” or the like to describe copyrightable authorship, the registration specialist may register the claim if it is clear that the term is being used as a synonym for “created” or “creation.” By contrast, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may register the claim with an annotation if the applicant appears to be asserting a claim in uncopyrightable subject matter. Examples:
618.8(A)(7) Plot As a general rule, the applicant should use one or more of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C) to describe the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register. The applicant should not use the term “plot” in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because it suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in the plan, scheme, or main idea for the work (which is not copyrightable), rather than the text, dialEoxga, morp olet:h er copyrightable expression that appears in the work. An application is submitted for a political thriller with a complicated plot. Tori Taylor is named as the author of the “text.” The specialist will register the claim.
If the applicant uses the term “plot” together with another form of copyrightable authorship in the Author Created field or Nature of Authorship space, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. In this situation, the specialist will add an annotation to the record stating that ideas are not copyrighEtxaabmlep. l e:
If the applicant names two or more authors in the application, and if the applicant asserts a claim in “plot,” the specialist will ask for permission to remove that term from the application if it appears that one of the authors contributed only ideas to the work. If there appears to be no other basis for a valid copyright claim, the specialist will refuse registratEioxanm. ple:
Although the copyright law does not protect the name or the general idea for a character, a work that describes, depicts, or embodies a particular character may be registered if it contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable authorship. As a general rule, the applicant should use one or more of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C) to describe a work that describes, depicts, or embodies a particular character. The applicant should not use the term “character(s)” in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because it suggests that the applicant is asserting a claim in the idea for a character, rather than the text, artwork, or other copyrightable expression that appEexaarsm ipnl eth: e work.
Chapter 600 : 140 12/22/2014 618.8(A)(9) Research As a general rule, the applicant should use one or more of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C) to describe the authorship that the applicant intends to register. The term “research” should not be used in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, because it does not specify copyrightable authorship. It also suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in the facts that appear in the work or the effort involved in collecting that information, rather than the expression that the author used to cEoxmammpulne:i c ate facts or information.
If the applicant asserts a claim in “research” together with another form of copyrightable authorship, such as “text,” the registration specialist may register the claim with an annotation indicating that “research” is not copyrightable. If the applicant mentions only “research” in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, the specialist may register the claim if it is clear from the deposit copy(ies) that the author contributed copyrightable authorship to the work. In this situation, the specialist will add an annotation stating that research is not copyrightable and idenEtxifayminpgl et:h e copyrightable material that appears in the work. An application is submitted for a scientific paper. The applicant names Dr. Anthony Schleicher and Dr. Ron Ayotte as the authors of “research.” A statement on the deposit copy reads “by Drs. Schleicher and Ayotte.” If the work contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable tCeoxmt, ptheen dciluaimm may be registered with an annotation such as: “Regarding author information: research itself not copyrightable. 707.2. Registration extends to text deposited.”
If the applicant uses the term “research” in the application, and if the applicant appears to be asserting a claim in the facts that appear in the work or the effort involved in collecting those facts, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse to registEexr atmhep clelas:i m .
618.8(A)(10) Unclear Terms for Musical Works and Sound Recordings As a general rule, the terms “music” and/or “lyrics” should be used to describe the authorship in a musical work, and the terms “sound recording,” “performance,” “production,” “music,” or “lyrics” should be used to describe the authorship in a sound recording. The applicant should not use the following terms in the Author Created field •o r the Nature of Authorship space, because they are unclear: • Song • Ballad • Cancion • Vocals • Musical Instruments • Rap, Hip Hop, Beats, Loops Transcription, Narration, Spoken Words Sound Effects For a discussion of U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures regarding these terms, see Chapter 800, Sections 802.9(E) and 803.9(D). 618.8(A)(11) Entire Work and Other Unspecific Terms As a general rule, the applicant should use one or more of the terms set forth in Section 618.4(C) in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space. The applicant should not use the term “entire work,” because it does not identify the specific form of authorship that the applicant intends to register. Instead, it suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable elements of the work. It also suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in any previously published material, previously registered Chapter 600 : 142 12/22/2014 material, public domain material, or third party material that may be present in the work. Example:
If the applicant uses the term “entire work” or other unspecific description that is not listed in Sections 618.8(A)(1) through 618.8(A)(10), the registration specialist may register the claim, provided that the extent of the claim is clear from the deposit copy(ies) or the information provided elsewhere in the registration materials. In this situation, the specialist may add an annotation that describes the copyrightable content of the work or any relevant statements or information that appear in the deposit copy(ies). If the extent of the claim is unclear, the specialist will ask the applicant to provide Eax mamorpel essp: eEcniftiicr ea uwtohrokr ship statement. An application is submitted for a sound recording naming Wrecked Records as the author of the “entire work.” The registration specialist will ask the applicant to provide a more specific authorship statement using one or more of the terms set forth in • Section 618.4(C).
Chapter 600 : 143 12/22/2014 Examples: Other unspecific authorship statements An application is submitted for a literary work, naming St. John Sinclair as the author of “everything.” A statement on the deposit copy reads “text and artwork by St. John Sinclair.” The registration specialist may register the claim with an annotation, such as: “Regarding author information: copy states ‘Text and artwork by St. • John Sinclair.’”
618.8(B) Percentage of Authorship The U.S. Copyright Office strongly discourages applicants from using numerical percentages to describe an author’s contribution to a work, such as “music by Joe Goldie (50%); lyrics by Pepe Greenwald: (50%).” As discussed in Section 619, a copyright may be registered by or on behalf of the author of the work or a person or entity that owns all rights under the copyright that initially belonged to the author. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3). Providing percentages in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space may imply that the work is a joint work or it may raise a question as to whether the person or persons named in the application contributed copyrightable authorship to the work or whether the claimant owns all of the exclusive rights in the work. If the applicant provides a percentage in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant if it is clear that the authors named in the application contributed copyrightable authorship to the work and if the work appears to be jointly owned. The percentage is considered superfluous, because it presumably refers to some allocation among the co-authors or co-owners of the copyright, rather than an allocation of the ownership in the copyright as a whole.
Chapter 600 : 144 12/22/2014 618.8(C) Uncopyrightable Material Claimed in the Author Created Field or the Nature of Authorship Space The material described in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space must be copyrightable. If the applicant asserts a claim in uncopyrightable material and if the claim appears to be limited to that material, the U.S. Copyright Office will refuse to register the claim.
For a general discussion of copyrightable and uncopyrightable authorship, see Chapter 300 (Copyrightable Authorship: What Can Be Registered). 618.8(C)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) Containing Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material If the deposit copy(ies) contain copyrightable authorship as well as uncopyrightable material, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant, provided that the applicant does not claim the uncopyrightable material in the AuEtxhaomr pClree: ated field or the Nature of Authorship space. An application is submitted for a work naming Judy Smith as the author of “2-D artwork.” The deposit copy contains an illustration and a short slogan to describe the illustration. The registration specialist will register the claim because the applicant asserted a claim in the copyrightable artwork, but did not assert a claim in the uncopyrightable short phrase. The specialist may add an annotation to identify the uncopyrightable material, such as: “Regarding new material included: slogan, typeface, typographic ornamentation not copyrightable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1.”
618.8(C)(2) Claim in Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material If theC oampppleicnadniut masserts a claim in copyrightable material as well as material that is uncopyrightable under the Copyright Act, Section 202.1 of the regulations, or this , the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. In the alternative, the specialist may register the claim with an annotation indicating that the registration does not cover the uncopyrightable material. The annotation is intended to put the applicant, the claimant, the courts, and the general public on notice concerning the extenEtx aomf tphlee sc:l aim to copyright.
618.8(C)(3) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Deposit Copy(ies) Contain Copyrightable Authorship If the applicant asserts a claim in material that is uncopyrightable, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant, which will delay the examination of the claim. Examples:
618.8(C)(4) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Acceptable Authorship Statement Used to Describe Uncopyrightable Material If the applicant uses a term in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space that normally would be used to describe copyrightable authorship, such as “text” or “aCrotwmoprekn,d” iaunmd if it appears that the applicant is using that term to describe material that is uncopyrightable under the Copyright Act, Section 202.1 of the regulations, or this , the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may register the claim with an annotation indicating that the registration does not cover the uncopyrEigxhatmabpllee sm: aterial.
618.8(C)(5) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors If two or more authors are named in the application, and if it appears that one or more of the authors did not contribute copyrightable authorship to the work, the specialist will ask for permission to remove that author’s name from the registration record. Chapter 600 : 147 12/22/2014 Examples:
618.8(C)(6) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Registration Refused Compendium If the applicant asserts a claim in material that is uncopyrightable under the Copyright Act, Section 202.1, or this , and if the claim appears to be limited to that materialE, xthaem sppleesc:i alist will refuse registration. • Claim in uncopyrightable material under the Copyright Act. An application names two individuals as the authors of a work described as “2-D artwork; sculpture.” The deposit copy is a photograph of a chair containing no separable pictorial, graphic, or sculptural authorship. The registration specialist will refuse registration, because the applicant is asserting a claim to copyright in a useful article.
Chapter 600 : 148 12/22/2014 • Claim in uncopyrightable material under 37 C.F.R. § 202.1. An application is submitted for a product label. The applicant asserts a claim in “text, 2-D artwork.” The deposit copy merely contains the name of the product in a stylized typeface and a list of ingredients. The registration specialist will refuse registration, because the applicant is asserting a claim to copyright in mere words, mere variations of typographic ornamentation, and a mere listing of • Cinlagirmed iine nutnsc. opyrightable material under this Compendium. An application is submitted naming Tamlyn Jackson as the author of a “choreographic work.” The deposit copy is a DVD depicting various cheerleading routines. The registration specialist will refuse registration, because cheerleading routines do not qualify as copyrightable choreographic subject matter.
618.8(D) De Minimis Material Claimed in the Author Created Field or the Nature of Authorship Space de minimis The material described in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space must be copyrightable. If the author’s contribution to the work is , the U.S. Copyright Office may ask the applicant for permission to remove that claim from the application or may refuse registration.
618.8(D)(1) Deposit Copies Contain Copyrightable Authorship and De Minimis Material de minimis If the deposit copy(ies) contain copyrightable material as well as material, the registration specialist madye r meginisitmeirs the claim without communicating with the applicant and may add an annotation to the registration record, provided that the applicant does not claim the material in the Author Created field or the Nature oEfx Aaumthploer:s hip space.
618.8(D)(2) Claim in Copyrightable Authorship and De Minimis Material de minimis If the applicant asserts a claim in copyrdieg hmtainbilme iasuthorship as well as material, the registration specialist generally will ask the applicant for permission to remove the claim in the material. In some cases, the specialist Chapter 600 : 149 12/22/2014 mayd ree mgiisntiemr itshe claim with an annotation identifying the copyrightable material that has been submitted for registration and stating that the registration does not cover the Examp lmesa: terial claimed in the application.
618.8(D)(3) Claim in De Minimis Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors de minimis If two or more authors are named in the application, and if it appears that one of the authors contributed authorship to the work, the specialist will ask for permissiEoxna mtop rleem: ove that author’s information from the registration record. An application is submitted for a musical work, naming Bert Mendelson as the author of “music” and Alice Cambridge as the author of “lyrics.” The lyrics consist of the words “I love you” repeated over and over again. The registdrea tmioinni mspiescialist will communicate with the applicant and explain that Alice’s contribution to this work appears to be . If Alice did not contribute any other authorship to the work, the specialist will ask for permission to remove all of Alice’s information and the term “lyrics” from the registration record.
Chapter 600 : 150 12/22/2014 An application is submitted for a scientific article naming Jason Macro as thdee a mutinhiomr iosf “text” and Erin Abrunzo as the authdoer of m“airntiwmoisrk.” The work contains five pages of text with three figures containing authorship. Because the figures are , the registration specialist will ask the applicant for permission to remove all of Erin’s information and the term • “artwork” from the registration record.
618.8(D)(4) Claim in De Minimis Material: Registration Refused de minimis, If the registration specialist determines that the author’s contribution is and if there appears to be no other basis for asserting a valid claim in the work, the specialist will refuEsxea rmegpilset:r ation.
For a general discussion of authorship, see Chapter 300, Section 313.4(B). 618.8(E) Variances Between the Information Provided in the Application and Elsewhere in the Registration Materials As a general rule, the information provided in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space should be consistent with the information that appears in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. In some cases, the registration specialist may give greater weight to the information that appears in the application, if that information does not raise additional questions concerning the identity of the authors Eoxra tmhep olew: nership of the copyright in the deposit copy(ies). An application is submitted for a musical work naming Sally Ember and Derek Thomas as the co-authors and describing each author’s contribution as “music, lyrics.” The deposit copy states “music by Derek Thomas; lyrics by Sally Ember.” The registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant, because the variance between the application and the deposit copy Chapter 600 : 151 12/22/2014 does not affect the scope of the claim or the ownership of the copyright in the work.
The specialist may communicate with the applicant if there is a substantial variance between the information provided in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space and the statements that appear on the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the reEgxisatmraptlieosn: materials.
618.8(F) Material Claimed in the Author Created Field or Nature of Authorship Space Not Found in the Deposit Copy(ies)
As discussed in Sections 618.4(A) and 618.4(B), the applicant should only assert a claim in the authorship that will be submitted for registration. The applicant should not assert a claim in material that will not be submitted for registration or material that does not appear iEnx tahme pwleo:r k.
If the applicant asserts a claim in material that does not appear in the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. Chapter 600 : 152 12/22/2014 Examples:
If the deposit copy appears to be incomplete, the specialist will communicate with theE axpapmlipclaens:t .
Chapter 600 : 153 12/22/2014 618.8(G) Copyrightable Material in the Deposit Copy(ies) That Has Not Been Claimed in the Application As discussed in Sections 618.4(A) and 618.4(B), the applicant should identify all of the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register in the Author Created field or tEhxea Nmaptluer: e of Authorship space.
In the case of a collective work or a derivative work the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant if the deposit copy(ies) contain a substantial amount of copyrightable material that is not mentioned in the application and if the author of that material is not specified in the deposit copy(ies). In this situation, the specialist will conclude that the applicant only intends to register the authorship that is specifically claimed in the application. If the work was created by a single author, and if there is a specific statement on the deposit copy(ies) indicating that the author created all of the copyrightable material that appears in the work, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may add an annotation to the registration record if the copy(ies) contain a substantial amount of copyrighEtxaabmlep mlea: t erial that has not been claimed in the application. An application is submitted for a musical work naming Greg Gardner as the author of “lyrics.” A statement on the deposit copy reads “music, lyrics, and performance by Greg Gardner.” The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine whether the claim is intended to cover a musical work and a sound recording.
618.8(H) Nature of Authorship Statement Omitted from a Paper Application If the applicant fails to complete the Nature of Authorship space in a paper application, the registration specialist may register the claim if the applicant completed spaces 6(a) and 6(b), provided that those spaces clearly identify the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register and provided that the author named in the application appears to be the author of that material. In this situation, the claim to copyright is defined by the information provided in space 6(b) of the application. In all other cases, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to request an appropriate authorship statement.
Chapter 600 : 154 12/22/2014 Examples:
618.8(I) Nature of This Work This Section discusses the Nature of This Work space, which appears only in space 1 of Forms VA and PA. This space does not appear in the online application or other paper applications.
The U.S. Copyright Office added this space to Forms PA and VA, because these e.g applications may be used to register different categories of works. The Nature of This Work space should be used to describe the physical nSaeteure of the deposit copy(ies) ( ., cartoon, model, globe, chart, puppet, hologram, etc.). It should not be used to describe the authorship that the applicant intends to register. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 65 Fed. Reg. 41,508, 41,508 (July 5, 2000).
619 Name of Claimant This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for identifying the copyright claimant for a work of authorship.
619.1 Who Is Eligible to Be a Copyright Claimant?
An application for registration must identify the name and address of the copyright claimant. 17 U.S.C. § 409(1). For purposes of copyright registration, the “claimant” is either the author of the work that has been submitted for registration, or a person or Chapter 600 : 155 12/22/2014 organization that owns all the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author of that work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3).
A person or entity that owns one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights in a work is not eligible to claim ownership of the entire copyright in the records maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office. The Office will not knowingly allow a party that owns less than all the exclusive rights in a work to register the copyright in his or her own name, because this would create a misleading and inaccurate public record and it would subvert the purpose of the registration system. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 43 Fed. Reg. 965, 965 (Jan. 5, 1978).
619.2 The Claimant Must Be an Individual or a Legal Entity
The claimant named in an application must be a human being or a legal entity that is capable of owning property. As a general rule, the registration specialist will conclude that a legal entity is capable of owning property if that entity has been named as the copyright claimant, unless there is evidence to the contrary in the registration materials.
619.3 When Is an Individual or Legal Entity Eligible to Be a Copyright Claimant? An application naming the author as the copyright claimant may be filed at any time before the copyright expires.
An individual or entity that owns all of the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author may be named as the copyright claimant at any time during the life of the copyright, provided that the party owns all of the rights, whether by transfer, bequeath, or operation of law, as of the date that the application is received in the Office. If the copyright is owned jointly by two or more parties, all of the owners must be listed in the application.
619.4 Claimants Distinguished from the Owner of a Copy or Phonorecord
of the Work Ownership of the copyright in a work of authorship is distinct from ownership of the material object in which the work has been fixed. Ownership of a copy or phonorecord does not convey any rights in the copyright, nor does the transfer of ownership of the copyright convey property rights in any material object in which the work has been fixed (absent an agreement to that effect). 17 U.S.C. § 202.
619.5 Claimants Distinguished from the Applicant and the Correspondent
As discussed above, the author of the work or a person or entity that owns all of the rights in the copyright that initially belonged to the author are the only parties entitled to be named as a copyright claimant. However, an application to register a copyright claim may be filed by other parties. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3), (c)(1). The applicant is the party who certifies the application and submits it to the U.S. Copyright Office. An application to register a copyright may be certified and submitted by any of the following parties:
Chapter 600 : 156 12/22/2014 • The author of the work.
• An owner of one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights in the work. A duly authorized agent of any of the foregoing parties. See No other parties are entitled to file an application for copyright registration. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(1).
When completing an application, the applicant will be asked to provide the name, address, and other contact information for the person or persons who should be contacted if the registration specialist has questions or concerns regarding the application. This person is known as the correspondent. In most cases, the correspondent and the applicant are the same person, because the correspondent typically certifies and submits the application. In all cases, the correspondent must be o• ne of the following parties:
• An author of the work.
• An owner of one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights in the work. A duly authorized agent of any of the foregoing parties.
619.6 Naming the Author as Claimant
If the author owns all the rights under the copyright as of the date that the application is filed, the author must be named in the application as the copyright claimant. An application to register the copyright in the author’s name may be certified and submitted by the author or by the author’s duly authorized agent. In this situation, the author is considered the claimant and the author or the author’s agent is considered the applicant (dependent upon who certified and submitted the application.)
619.7 The Author May Be Named as Claimant Even if the Author Has Transferred
the Copyright to Another Party The author may always be named as the copyright claimant, even if the author has transferred the copyright or one or more of the exclusive rights to another party, or even if the author does not own any of the rights under copyright when the applicatioSene gise fnielerda.l lTyhis is due to the fact that the author always retains a legal or equitable interest in the copyright, even if the copyright has been licensed or assigned to a third party. Registration of Copyright: Definition of Claimant, 77 Fed. Reg. 29,257, 29,258 (May 17, 2012); Applications for Registration of Claim to Copyright Under Revised Copyright Act, 42 Fed. Reg. 48,944, 48,945 (Sept. 26, 1977). Chapter 600 : 157 12/22/2014 If the author transferred rights to another party, an application to register the copyright •in the author’s name may be certified and submitted by any of the following parties: • The author.
• An owner of all the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author. An owner of one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights that initially • belonged to the author.
619.8 Naming a Transferee as Claimant
If a person or organization owns all the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author, that party may be named in the application as the copyright claimant. An application to register the copyright in that party’s name may be certified and submitted by the author, the transferee, or their respective agents. In this situation, the transferee is considered the claimant, and the author, the transferee, or their respective agents are considered the applicant (depending on who certified and submitted the application).
619.9 A Party That Owns One or More — but Less than All — of the Exclusive
Rights May File an Application to Register a Copyright Claim, but Cannot Be Named as the Copyright Claimant i.e A party that owns one or more — but less than all — of the rights that initially belonged to the author cannot register the copyright in that party’s own name ( ., naming itself as the claimant). However, that party may certify and submit an application to register the copyright iSne ethe author’s name. In this situation, the author is considered the claimant, and the party that owns one or more of the exclusive rights is considered the applicant. Registration of Copyright: Definition of Claimant, 77 Fed. Reg. at 29,258. Although that party cannot be named as the copyright claimant, it may identify itself in the public record by recordingId the transfer or other document pertaining to copyright that transferred the exclusive rights from the author or the author’s successor(s) in interest to that party. . at n.1.
619.10 A Nonexclusive Licensee Cannot Be a Claimant
A nonexclusive licensee is not entitled to register a copyright in the licensee’s own name, because by definition, a nonexclusive licensee does not own the entire copyright in the work.
As a general rule, a nonexclusive licensee is not entitled to file a copyright application, because a nonexclusive licensee is neither the “copyright owner or [an owner] of any exclusive right in the work.” 17 U.S.C. § 408(a) (specifying the parties who “may obtain registration of the copyright claim”). A nonexclusive licensee may sign or submit an application to register the copyright only if the licensee is a duly authorized agent acting Chapter 600 : 158 12/22/2014 on behalf of the author or a person or entity that owns all the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author.
619.11 One Registration Per Work
A registration that has been issued to an author of a work or a person or entity that owns all the rights that initially belonged to the author secures the statutory benefits of registration to any other author or any other person or entity that owns one or more of the exclusive rights in that work. Consequently, the U.S. Copyright Office will not knowingly issue more than one basic registration for the same work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11); Applications for Registration of Claim to Copyright under Revised C• opyright Act, 42 Fed. Reg. at 48,945. However, there are three exceptions to this rule: If the work was previously registered as an unpublished work, the Office may issue another registration for the first published edition of that work, even if the published version “is substantially the same as the unpublished version.” 17 U.S.C. § • 408(e); 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(i).
For a general discussion of these exceptions, see Chapter 500, Sections 510.1 through 510.3.
619.12 Completing the Application: Name of Claimant
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the claimant’s name and address on the Claimants screen. (When completing the Single Application the applicant should provide this information on the Claimant screen.) If the claimant is an individual, the applicant should provide the claimant’s first and last name in the fields that appear under the heading Individual Claimant. If the claimant is a legal entity, the applicant should provide the entity’s name in the field marked Organization Name. The claimant’s address should be provided in the fields marked Address 1, Address 2, City, State, Postal Code, Country. If the copyright is co-owned by two or more parties, the applicant should repeat this process and add the names of each additional claimant.
When completing a paper application on Forms TX, VA, PA, SR, or SE, the applicant should provide the claimant’s name and address in space 4 of the application in the space marked Copyright Claimant(s). If the copyright is co-owned by two or more parties, the applicant should provide the names and addresses of each claimant on space Chapter 600 : 159 12/22/2014 4 or provide the name and addresses of each claimant on a continuation sheet if additional space is needed.
Applicants should provide the claimant’s full legal name. Providing a full legal name creates a clear record concerning the ownership of the copyright, and it limits the potential for confusion among claimants with similar names. The applicant may provide the claimant’s home address, business address, or any other address where the claimant maintains a fixed and permanent residence or place of business. If the applicant prefers not to provide this information (for instance if the claimant does not want a home address or phone number to appear in the registration record), the applicant may provide a post office box number where the claimant receives correspondence or an address for a third party agent who is authorized to receive correspondence on the claimant’s behalf. However, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the applicant merely provides an email address or an online address rather than a physical address.
The name and address that the applicant provides on the application will appear on the certificate of registration, which will be made available to the public upon request. Likewise, the claimant’s name and address will appear in the online public record for the work, which can be accessed by anyone who performs a search for the work on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website. This information will be made a permanent part of the public record, and the Office will not remove this information from the public record once a registration has been issued except in extraordinary circumstances. For a general discussion of privacy issues, see Chapter 200, Section 205.
619.13 Examination Guidelines: Name of Claimant
619.13(A) Nicknames and Abbreviations If the applicant provides a nickname or an abbreviated version of the claimant’s full name, the registration specialist may register the claim provided that the identity of the claimant is clear. If the claimant’s full name appears in the Name of Author field/space, on the deposit copy(ies), or elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist may add that information to the registration record with an annotation, such as: “Regarding copyright claimant: claimant’s full name added by C.O. from [Name of Author field, deposit copy, Note to Copyright Office, etc.].” The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the application merely provides the claimant’s given name orE sxuarmnapmlees:.
Chapter 600 : 160 12/22/2014 An online application names “Mr. T” as the claimant for a sound recording. In the Note to Copyright Office field the applicant explains that the claimant’s full name is Terry Thompson Tipley. The registration specialist will add the claimant’s full name to the registration record and add an annotation, such as: “Regarding copyright claimant: claimant’s full name added by C.O. from Note to • Copyright Office.”
619.13(B) Initials An application may be accepted if the applicant provides initials in lieu of the claimant’s full name, provided that the claimant is known to the public by those initials or provided that the claimant’s full name is clearly given elsewhere in the registration materials. If it is unclear whether the initials identify the claimant, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. If the claimant’s full name appears elsewhere in the registration materials, the specialist may add that information to the application with an annotation, such as: “Regarding copyright claimant: claimant’s full name added by CopyrighEtx Oamffipclee sf:r om copy.”
If the author does not wish to provide his or her legal name anywhere in the application, the applicant may provide the author’s pseudonym in the Name of Claimant field/space, provided that the author checks the Pseudonymous box on the application and provided that the work meets the statutory definition of a pseudonymous work. A pseudonym must be a name. The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept a number or symbol as a pseudonym.
For a detailed discussion of pseudonymous works, see Section 615.2. 619.13(D) Identifying the Author of an Anonymous Work as the Copyright Claimant If the author and the copyright claimant are the same individual, the applicant should provide the author’s legal name in the Name of Claimant field/space, even if the applicant checks the box indicating that this is an “anonymous” work. If the author does not wish to provide his or her real name in the application, the applicant may state “anonymous” in the Name of Author field/space and may provide a pseudonym in the Name of Claimant field/space.
If the applicant states “anonymous” in the Name of Claimant field/space, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant unless the applicant provides the name of an actEuxaal mpeprlesos:n in the Rights and Permissions field. • The Aaron Spates Museum An online application is submitted for the children’s book by Anonymous. The applicant has checked the box indicating that this is an anonymous work and the Name of Author field has been left blank. The Name of Claimant identifies the claimant as “Natalie Whitcomb;” that name also appears in the Rights and Permissions field; no transfer statement has been provided. The application will be accepted, because it appears that the anonymous author either provided her legal name or her • pseudonym in the Name of Claimant field. The Errant Space Museum An online application is submitted for a comedy sketch by Anonymous. The applicant checked the box indicating that this is an anonymous work and stated “Anonymous” in the Name of Author and Name of Claimant fields. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant and will explain that Chapter 600 : 162 12/22/2014 a legal name or a pseudonym should be provided in the Name of Claimant field.
For a detailed discussion of anonymous works, see Section 615.1. 619.13(E) Two or More Names Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space If the copyright is owned by two or more co-claimants, the applicant should provide the name and address for each claimant.
When completing an online application, the applicant should enter the name of one claimant in the appropriate fields and then repeat this process for the other claimant(s). When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide the name of each claimant on space 4 of the application or on a continuation sheet if additional space is required. The name of each claimant should be separated from each other with the word “and” or by listing each name on a separate line.
If the applicant provides more than one name in the Name of Claimant field/space, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the identity or number of the claimants or co-claimants is unclear.
619.13(E)(1) Applications Submitted on Behalf of the Copyright Claimant As a general rule, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the Name of Claimant field/space states that one party is asserting a copyright claim on behalf ofE axnaomtphleer: party.
619.13(E)(2) Two or More Names Separated by Conjunctions or Punctuations Marks in a Paper Application If the copyright is owned by two or more claimants, the applicant should use “and” between the claimants’ names in a paper application, rather than “or” and rather than “ea.ngd./or.” The registration specialist will come.gmunicate with the applicant if two or more names are provided in the Name of Claimant space together with the conjunction “or” ( , “John Smith or Jane Doe) or “and/or” ( ., “John Smith and/or Jane Doe”). Chapter 600 : 163 12/22/2014 Examples:
If the name of an unincorporated organization appears above the name of an individual in a paper application, the specialist will conclude that the organization is the claimant, regardless of whether the organization appears to be a sole proprietorship or whether the individual appears to be doing business under the name of that organization. Likewise, if the name of an incorporated organization appears above the name of an individual in a paper application, the specialist will conclude that the organization is the claimant and that the Enxaammep olef st:h e individual is simply part of the claimant’s mailing address. A paper application names Joan Donnelly as the author of an architectural work. The following information appears in the Name of Claimant space:
Robin Alexis 1001 Main Street Parole, MD 21401 The registration specialist will register the claim, because it appears that Alexis Consulting, Inc. is the sole copyright claimant and that the individual’s name is part of the company’s mailing address. 619.13(F) Group of Individuals Provided in the Name of Claimant Field/Space Applicants should provide the name(s) of the specific individual(s) or organization(s) that own the copyright in the work, even if the copyright is owned by a group of individuEaxlsa. mple:
An application is submitted for a sound recording, naming George Baker, Michael Warner, and Nathan Pike as the co-authors and co- claimants for the work. A statement on the deposit copy reads “Performed by the Busboys. The Busboys are George Baker, Michael Warner, and Nathan Pike.” The registration specialist will register the claim. e.g If the applicant names a group of individuals in the Name of Claimant fields/spaces ( ., “The 2014 Graduating Class of Summer Glen Elementary School”), the applicant should also provide the name of each individual in the group.
The registration specialist may register a claim without communicating with the applicant if the criteria for membership in the group are clearly defined, if the members of that group were clearly established as of the date that the application was filed, and if the applicant provides the names of representative individuals in the application. If the membership of the group is vague or ambiguous, or if the applicant fails to provide the names of any individuals, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicanEt.x amples:
Chapter 600 : 166 12/22/2014 “The James Martin Family” is named as claimant for a genealogy. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant because “family” is an ambiguous term and the members of this • group are not clearly defined.
619.13(G) Individual and Unincorporated Business Organization Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space If an individual and an unincorporated business organization are named together in the Name of Claimant field/space, the application may be accepted if it seems likely that the organization is merely a trade name or other assumed name for the individual. As a general rule, the registration specialist will conclude that an individual and an unincorporated organization are the same legal entity if the applicant clearly states that the individual is “trading as,” “doing business as,” or “also known as” the organization or that the unincorporated organization is “solely owned by” the individual. Likewise, the specialist will conclude that an individeu.gal and an unincorporated organization are the same legal entity if there is a clear relationship between the name of the individual and the name of the organization ( ., John Smith/Smith Publishing Company).
The specialist will communicate with the applicant if the individual and the organization appear to be separate legal entities, if the organization appears to be a corporation, or if the relationship between the individual and the organization is unclear. Examples:
Chapter 600 : 167 12/22/2014 A paper application names “George Jefferson” as the author of a sound recording and “George Jefferson (Bentley Sound)” as the claimant. No transfer statement has been provided. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, because it is unclear whether George and Bentley Sound are the same legal entity. 619.13(H) Individual and Incorporated Organization Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space If an individual and an incorporated organization are named together in the Name of Claimant field/space, and if a transfer statement is not provided or is unclear, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether the individual or the organization is the copyright claimant. Examples of corporate designations and abbreviations that may trigger this inquiry i•n clude:
• Incorporated (Inc.)
• Corporation (Corp.)
• Limited (Ltd.)
• Professional Corporation (PC)
• Limited Liability Company (LLC)
• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
• Public Limited Company (plc)
• Aktiengesellschaft (AG)
• Aktibolag (AB)
• Aktieselskab or Aksjeselskap (A/S)
• Akciová spoločnosť or Akciová společnost (a.s.)
• Besloten Vennootschap (B.V.)
• Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH, GesmbH, or Ges.m.b.H.) • Société Anonyme, Sociedad Anónima, or Sociedad por Acciones (S.A.) • Sociedad Anónima de Capital Variable (S.A. de C.V.)
• Sociedad Anónima Bursátil de Capital Variable (S.A.B. de. C.V.) Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada de Capital Variable (S. de R. L. de C.V.) Chapter 600 : 168 12/22/2014 Examples:
619.13(I) Partnership Named as Claimant Typically, a partnership is an unincorporated business that is owned by two or more individuals. A partnership necessarily requires a written agreement stipulating that the partners are co-owners of any property held by the partnership, and works created by one of the partners are often considered the property of the partnership as a whole. Therefore, if an application names a partnership as the claimant without providing a transfer statement explaining how the partnership obtained ownership of the copyright, the application may be accepted if it is clear that at least one of the authors is a membEerx aomf tphlaet: partnership.
619.13(J) Trust or Estate Named as Claimant An application that names a trust or estate in the Name of Claimant field/space may be accepted, provided that the claimant is identified with one or more of the following terms, which indicate that the claimant is a legal owner or beneficial owner of the c•o pyright:
• Administrator • Administrator on behalf of _______ • Beneficiary Estate Executor Chapter 600 : 169 12/22/2014 • Fiduciary Personal Representative Trustee If the applicant fails to provide a transfer statement explaining how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant unless there is a clear relationship between the name of the author and the claimantE. xamples:
Chapter 600 : 170 12/22/2014 619.13(K) Variances Between the Name Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space and Elsewhere in the Registration Materials As a general rule, the individual or legal entity that is identified in the application as the copyright claimant should be consistent with the ownership information that appears on the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. Ordinarily, the registration specialist will give greater weight to the information that appears in the Name of Claimant field/space. If appropriate, the specialist may add an annotation to the registration record to clarify the claimant’s name or to add information that appears on the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. The specialist will communicate with the applicant if the variance between the name provided in the Name of Claimant field/space is inconsistent with the ownership statements that appear on the depoEsxita mcopplye:( ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. An application is submitted naming Maureen Hope Sullivan as the author and Maureen Sullivan Romagnoli as the copyright claimant. A statement on the deposit copies reads “by Maureen Romagnoli.” The registration specialist may register the claim because Maureen Sullivan appears to be the author’s maiden name or married name. The specialist may add an annotation to the record, such as: “Regarding author information: name appears on deposit copy as Maureen Romagnoli.”
619.13(L) Variance Between the Name Provided in the Name of Claimant Field / Space and the Copyright Notice As a general rule, the registration specialist will not communicate with the applicant if the name provided in the Name of Claimant field/space does not match the name provided in a copyright notice, if any. (A proper copyright notice was required for works published in the United States before March 1, 1989, but this requirement does not apply to unpublished works, foreign works, or works published in the United States after that date.) However, the specialist may communicate, if the variance suggests that the indivEixdaumalp olers e: ntity named in the application is not the correct copyright claimant. An application for an unpublished work names Patrick Mink as the author and copyright claimant. The copy contains the following copyright notice: “© 2003 Market Music Company.” The registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant, because the name that appears in the notice could be an alternative name for the copyright claimant, such as a “doing • business as” designation.
619.13(M) Statements Concerning the Extent of the Claim in the Name of Claimant Field / Space To register a work of authorship, the applicant should identify the work that will be submitted for registration and the applicant should assert a claim to copyright in that material. As discussed in Sections 618 and 621, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, in the New Material Included field in the online application, or in space 2, and if applicable, in space 6(b) of the paper application. The Office strongly discourages applicants from providing this type of information in the Name of Claimant field/space or in the Transfer field/space. Statements such as “John Smith: wrote words; Jane Doe: wrote music” or “John Smith — owner of words; Jane Doe — owner of words” may raise a question as to whether the claimant is an owner or co- owner of the copyright in the entire work or whether the claimant merely owns the copyright in a specific element of a collective work or derivative work. 619.13(N) Percentage of Copyright Ownership in the Name of Claimant Field / Space e.g The U.S. Copyright Office strongly discourages applicants from providing percentages in the Name of Claimant field/space ( ., John Smith 50%; Jane Doe — one half share, etc.) because this may raise a question as to whether the claimant owns the entire copyright in the work.
619.13(O) Owner of Copyright for a Limited Term The U.S. Copyright Office will accept an application stating that the claimant owns all of the rights in the work for a limited term or a limited period of time, provided the term of ownership is correct. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the specialist becomes aware that the claimant does not own all rights at the time the application is submitted or that the application was filed after the period of ownership has expired.
619.13(P) Future and Contingent Interests An individual or legal entity that owns a future interest in the copyright cannot be named as a copyright claimant. Likewise, an individual or legal entity who may obtain all of the rights under the copyright based upon a future contingency cannot be named as a Chapter 600 : 172 12/22/2014 copyright claimant. In the following examples, the registration specialist would accept an application that names “John Doe” or “John Doe Company” as the copyright claimant, but would ask for permission to remove the name of the party with only a future interest Efrxoamm pthlees :N ame of Claimant field/space. • “John Doe, or upon his death, Mary Doe.”
619.13(Q) Deceased Individual or Defunct Entity Named as a Claimant As a general rule, the claimant named in the application must be an individual or legal entity capable of owning the copyright in the work. If it appears that the claimant died or ceased to exist before the application was received, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to request the identity of the current owner of the copyright.
If the author is the only party who is eligible to be named as the copyright claimant, and if the author is deceased or a defunct organization, the U.S. Copyright Office will accept an application that names the author as the copyright claimant. Likewise, the Office will accept an application that names a claimant who owns all of the rights that initially belonged to a deceased author, such as the author’s estate, devisee, or heir. 619.13(R) Identifying the Claimant by Referring to Other Records The claimant’s name and address should be clearly identified in the Name of Claimant field/space. If the claimant can be identified only by referring to documents or records that have not been submitted with the registration materials, the registration specialist will comEmxaumnipcalet:e with the applicant.
If the applicant fails to provide the claimant’s name and address in a paper application, and if the claimant is clearly identified elsewhere in the registration materials, the specialist may add the claimant’s name to the application and add an annotation to the registration record that identifies the source of that information. If this information cannot be found elsewhere in the registration materials, the regisEtxraatmiopnle ssp: e cialist will communicate with the applicant. A Form TX is submitted for an unpublished work titled “Jean Claude’s Alley.” The Name of Author and Name of Claimant spaces are blank, but Cecil Milliner signed the application and checked the box indicating that he is the author of this work. The registration specialist may add Cecil’s name to the author and claimant spaces and may register the claim with an annotation, such as: “Regarding author information: name added from certification statement on application; claim registered in author’s name as claimant. 37 C.F.R. • § 202.3(a)(3).”
620 Transfer Statement This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for providing a transfer statement for works created and/or first published on or after January 1, 1978. A transfer statement is not required for works first published before January 1, 1978. For a detailed discussion of such works, see Chapter 2100 (Renewal Registration).
620.1 What Is a Transfer of Copyright Ownership?
The Copyright Act states that a transfer of ownership “is an assignment, mortgage, exclusive license, or any other conveyance, alienation, or hypothecation of a copyright or of any of the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright, whether or not iItd is limited in time or place of effect.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “transfer of copyright ownership”). It also states that a nonexclusive license is not a transfer of ownership. . The copyright in a work initially belongs to the author or authors of that work. 17 U.S.C. § 201(a). Section 201(d) of the Copyright Act explains that “[t]he ownership of a copyright may be transferred in whole or in part by any means of conveyance or by operation of law, and may be bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by the applicable laws of intestate succession.” As a general rule, a transfer of copyright ownership must be made in writing, and it must be signed by the copyright owner conveying the copyright. Section 204(a) of the Copyright Act states that “a transfer of copyright ownership, other than by operation of law, is not valid unless an instrument or conveyance, or a note or memorandum of the transfer, is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner’s duly authorized agent.”
620.2 What Is a Transfer Statement?
A transfer statement is a brief statement in the application that explains “how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright.” 17 U.S.C. § 409(5).
620.3 Transfer Statement Distinguished from an Instrument or Conveyance That
Transfers the Copyright from One Party to Another A transfer statement is distinct from a legal instrument, conveyance, or other document that transfers the copyright from one party to another. A transfer statement does not convey any rights in the copyright; it is merely a statement in the application affirming Chapter 600 : 175 12/22/2014 that the claimant has obtained all of the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author and specifying the means by which the claimant obtained those rights.
620.4 When Is a Transfer Statement Required?
Generally, a transfer statement is required for all applications where the individual or organization named as claimant or co-claimant in the Name of Claimant field/space is not an author of the work. There are a few exceptions to this rule, which are discussed in Sections 620.10(D)(1) through 620.10(D)(2).
620.4(A) The Author and the Copyright Claimant Are the Same If the work was created by a single author, and if the author is named in the application as the soElexa cmoppyler:i ght claimant, there is no need to provide a transfer statement. An online application is submitted for a sculptural work. Alberto Bolero is named as the author and the sole copyright claimant. The work will be approved for registration; no transfer statement is required.
620.4(B) The Author and the Copyright Claimant Are Different If an individual or organization other than the author(s) is named as a claimant or co- claimant, the applicant should provide a brief statement that explains how that party obtained ownership of the copyright. Specifically, the applicant should explain how the claimant acquired all of the rights that initially belonged to the author of that work. 17 U.S.C. § 4E0x9a(m5p).l e s:
For instructions on how to provide a transfer statement in an online application or a paper application, see Section 620.9 below.
620.5 Joint Works
If the work submitted for registration is a joint work, then as discussed in Section 613.5, the applicant should provide the name of each author who contributed copyrightable authorship to that work. In addition, the applicant should provide the name of each person who owns or co-owns the copyright in that work.
If the applicant names all of the joint authors as the copyright claimants, there is no need to pErxoavmidpele a: transfer statement.
If the joint authors are not named as the copyright claimants, the applicant should provide a transfer statement explaining how the claimant acquired all of the rights that initially belonged to the authors. If the claimant obtained the copyright from two or more joint authors using a different means for each transfer, the applicant should provide Eaxna amppplreo: priate transfer statement for each author. An online application is submitted for a technical drawing, naming Leon Katz and Wolfgang Fritz as co-authors of this work. Rumpelstiltskin LLC is named as the copyright claimant. In the Note to Copyright Office field the applicant explains that Katz assigned the copyright in this work to Rumpelstiltskin LLC through a bill of sale; Fritz assigned the copyright in this work to Rumpelstiltskin LLC through a trust agreement. The transfer statement for each author reads “by written agreement.” The registration specialist will register the claim; the transfer statement adequately explains how the claimant obtained the copyright from each author.
For a general discussion of joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505. Chapter 600 : 177 12/22/2014
620.6 Works by Two or More Authors That Do Not Meet the Statutory Definition
of a Joint Work If the work was created by two or more authors but does not meet the statutory definition of a joint work, the applicant should provide a brief statement explaining how the claimEaxnatm opbleta: ined ownership of the work that the applicant intends to register. • A Little Dog Laughed Katey Pitt is the author of a murder mystery titled ; Mick Anders created the cover art for the book. Katey and Mick assigned the copyright in their respective works to Pittfall Mystery Publishing. The publisher submits an online application naming Katey Pitt as author of “text,” Mick as author of “artwork,” and Pittfall Mystery Publishing, Inc., as the copyright claimant. The publisher provides a transfer statement explaining that it obtained the copyright in the text and artwork “by written agreement.” The registration specialist will register the claim as a collective work.
620.7 Derivative Works and Compilations
If an individual or organization other than the author(s) is named as a claimant or co- claimant for a derivative work or a compilation, the applicant should provide a transfer statement explaining how that party obtained ownership of the copyright. In the case of a derivative work, the applicant should explain how the claimant acquired all of the rights that initially belonged to the individual or organization that created the new or revised material that appears in the work. In the case of a compilation, the transfer statement should explain how the claimant acquired all of the rights that initially belonged to the individual or organization that selected, coordinated, and/or arranged the preeExxisatminpgl ems:a terials or data that appear in the compilation. An application is submitted for an English translation of a Spanish textbook. The application names Mary Fisher as the author of the translation and names Jones Publishing Company as the copyright claimant. The transfer statement indicates that the publisher obtained the copyright in the translation “by written agreement.” • The registration specialist will register the claim.
Chapter 600 : 178 12/22/2014 An online application is submitted for a directory. The Association of Herpetologists is named as the copyright claimant, and the Serpentine Society is named as author of the “compilation of professional information.” A transfer statement is not provided. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to request an appropriate transfer statement.
620.8 Collective Works
A collective work and the separate and independent works that appear in the collective work may be registered with the same application, provided that the claimant owns the copyright in the individual contributions and the copyright in the collective work as a whole. If the claimant is not the author of the contributions or is not the author of the collective work as a whole, the applicant should provide a transfer statement explaining how theE cxlaaimmpalnets :o btained the copyright in that aspect of the work. An online application is submitted for a book that contains letters written by veterans of the Iraq War. John Roberts is named as the author of the “introduction and the selection, coordination, and arrangement of letters,” and ten individuals are named as the authors of the letters that appear in the book. John is named as the copyright claimant, and the transfer statement states that he obtained the copyright in each letter “by written agreement.” • The registration specialist will register the claim. B ackyard Grilling An application is submitted for a cookbook titled which contains dozens of articles, recipes, photographs, and illustrations. The Brickyard Press is named as the author and copyright claimant; no transfer statement is provided. The registration specialist will register the claim. There is no need to provide a transfer statement, because the Brickyard Press appears to be the author of both the individual contributions and the collective work as a whole.
620.9 Completing the Application: Transfer Statement
This Section provides guidance on providing a transfer statement in an online application or a paper application.
620.9(A) Minimum Requirements for a Transfer Statement If the claimant or co-claimant(s) is not the author of the work, the applicant should provide a brief statement that explains how each claimant obtained ownership of the copyright. (As discussed above, a transfer statement is not required if the claimant is the author of the work.)
The transfer statement should demonstrate that the copyright was transferred to the claimant by written agreement, by inheritance, or by operation of law. 17 U.S.C. § Chapter 600 : 179 12/22/2014 201(d)(1). In addition, the statement should demonstrate that the claimant obtained all the rights under the copyright that initially belonged to the author. When completing an online application the applicant should provide this information on the Claimants screen by selecting one of the options listed in the drop down menu marked Transfer Statement.
In the case of a literary work, a work of the visual arts, a work of the performing arts, a sound recording, or a motion picture/audiovisual work, the options include “By written agreement,” “By inheritance,” and “Other.” If the claimant obtained the copyright through an assignment, contract, or other written agreement, the applicant should select “By written agreement.” If the claimant obtained the copyright through a will, bequest, or other form of inheritance, the applicant should select “By inheritance.” •W hen completing an online application for a single serial issue, the options include: • By written agreement(s) with author(s) named on the application/certificate. • By written agreement(s) with author(s) not named on the application/certificate. By written agreement(s) with author(s) named and contributors not named on the • application/certificate.
If these options do not fully describe the transfer, the applicant may select “Other” from the drop down menu and provide a more specific transfer statement in the space marked Transfer Statement Other. Currently, the total amount of text that may be provided in the Transfer Statement Other field is limited to 100 characters. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide a transfer statement on space 4 of the application under the heading Transfer. For examples of acceptable transfer statements, see Section 620.9(B) below.
620.9(B) Acceptable Transfer Statements As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will accept any of the transfer statements set forth in Sections 620.9(B)(1) through 620.9(B)(4) below (regardless of whether the applicant submits an online application or a paper application), unless that statement is contradicted by other information in the registration materials. In most cases, the Office will accept variant forms of these transfer statements. 620.9(B)(1) Transfer by Written Agreement The U.S. Copyright Office will accept a transfer statement that clearly states that the copyright was transferred to the claimant by a written agreement. Chapter 600 : 180 12/22/2014 Examples:
• By assurance (a legal term meaning writing under seal). • By bill of sale.
• By contract.
By exclusive songwriter’s agreement (provided that the claimant acquired all of the rights under the copyright, rather than the mere • right to reproduce, distribute, perform, and/or display the work). • By gift agreement.
• By memorandum confirming oral agreement.
• By mutual agreement.
• By note confirming oral agreement.
By publishing agreement, by publishing contract, by agreement with publisher, publishing conveyance of copyright contract, or the like (provided that the claimant acquired all of the rights under the • copyright, rather than the mere right to publish the work). • By purchase agreement.
By royalty agreement (provided that the claimant acquired all of the rights under the copyright, rather than the mere right to receive • royalties from the use of the work).
• By settlement.
• By transfer of all rights.
• By transfer of all U.S. rights.
By transfer of title.
Chapter 600 : 181 12/22/2014 • By trust agreement.
620.9(B)(2) Transfer by Written Instrument from a Third Party The U.S. Copyright Office will accept a transfer statement that clearly states that the copyright was transferred to the claimant by a written transfer that was made by a third party. Examples:
620.9(B)(3) Transfer by Inheritance The U.S. Copyright Office will accept a transfer statement that clearly states that the copyright was transferred to the claimant by will or by the applicable laws of intestate successiEoxna. mples:
• Heir of author.
• Heir under state law.
Sole distributee of author who died intestate.
Chapter 600 : 182 12/22/2014 620.9(B)(4) Transfer by Operation of Law The U.S. Copyright Office will accept a transfer statement that clearly states that the copyrighEtx wamasp tleras:n sferred to the claimant by operation of law. • By operation of state community property law.
620.10 Examination Guidelines: Transfer Statement
The transfer statement provided in the application will appear on the certificate of registration and the online public record. Therefore, the statement should be as accurate and complete as possible in order to provide a reliable public record. As a general rule, if the claimant named in the application is not an author or co-author of the work, the applicant should provide a transfer statement. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the application fails to provide a transfer statement or if the transfer statement is unclear or contradicted by other information in the registration materials.
620.10(A) Transfer of Copyright Ownership or Other Documents Pertaining to Copyright Submitted with the Application A transfer statement should be provided in the appropriate field/space of the application.
Submitting a copy of an agreement, conveyance, or other legal instrument is not an acceptable substitute for a transfer statement. If the applicant submits a legal document in lieu of providing a proper transfer statement, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
The applicant need not and should not submit a copy of any agreement, conveyance, or other legal instrument that may be referenced in the transfer statement. The U.S. Copyright Office will not interpret any agreement or other document pertaining to copyright.
If the applicant would like to record a transfer of copyright ownership or any other document pertaining to copyright, that document should be submitted separately using the procedures for recording documents with the U.S. Copyright Office. For a detailed discussion of these procedures, see Chapter 2300.
Chapter 600 : 183 12/22/2014 Examples:
Chapter 600 : 184 12/22/2014 Examples:
620.10(C) Unacceptable Transfer Statements The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept a transfer statement indicating that the claimant obtained the copyright through an oral agreement; a statement indicating that the claimant does not own all of the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author; a statement that merely describes the relationship between the author and claimant; or a statement that merely references the material object in which the work has been fixed. Each of these topics is discussed in Sections 620.10(C)(1) through 620.10(C)(4) below.
620.10(C)(1) Transfer by Oral Agreement As discussed above, the copyright in a work created and/or first published on or after January 1, 1978 cannot be transferred by an oral agreement, unless the agreement has been memorialized in a written note or memorandum signed by the copyright owner or the owner’s duly authorized agent. 17 U.S.C. § 204(a).
If the transfer statement states or suggests that the copyright was transferred to the claimant by oral agreement, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether the agreement was confirmed in a written document signed by the copyright owner. If so, the specialist will ask the applicant for permission to amend the transfer statement to read “by written agreement.” If the oral agreement has not been confirmed in writing, the specialist will ask the applicant for permission to name the author of the work as the sole copyright claimant. 620.10(C)(2) Transfer of One or More—but Less than All—of the Rights under Copyright As discussed in Section 619.1, the author of the work or a person or entity that owns all of the rights under copyright are the only parties entitled to be named as a copyright claimant. If the transfer statement states or suggests that the copyright claimant is a Chapter 600 : 185 12/22/2014 party that owns some — but less than all — of the exclusive rights, a nonexclusive licensee, or any other party that does not own all the rights under copyright, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. The following are examples of statements that may indicate that the claimant does not own all oEfx tahme prliegsh: ts in the copyright:
By grant of contractual right to claim legal title in an application for • copyright registration.
• By lease.
• By license.
• By permission.
• By purchase of option.
• By release.
• By request.
• By right of first refusal.
• Dedicated to.
• Adaptation rights.
• Broadcast rights.
• Display rights.
• Distribution rights.
• Motion picture rights.
• Performing rights.
Publication rights.
Chapter 600 : 186 12/22/2014 • Reproduction rights.
620.10(C)(3) Transfer Statements That Merely Describe the Relationship between the Author and the Copyright Claimant As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will not accept a transfer statement that merely describes the relationship between the author and the claimant without specifyinEgx ahmowpl eths:e claimant obtained ownership of the copyright. Claimant is the author’s father, mother, son, or daughter, or any • other member of the author’s family (even if the author is a minor). Claimant is the mother, father, daughter, son, widow, or widower of a deceased author, or any other member of the deceased author’s family (although the Office will accept a transfer statement indicating that the claimant is the author’s “heir,” acquired the copyright “by will,” or similar statements indicating that the • claimant obtained the copyright “by inheritance”).
• Claimant is the author’s licensee.
Claimant produces all of the author’s artistic works.
Chapter 600 : 187 12/22/2014 620.10(C)(4) Transfer or Possession of Material Object The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept a transfer statement that merely refers to the transfer, ownership, or possession of a material object in which the work has been fixed. Ownership or possession of a copy or phonorecord does not convey any rights in the copyright, nor does the transfer of ownership of the copyright convey property rights in any material object in which the work has been fixed (absent an agreemeEnxta tmo pthleast: effect). 17 U.S.C. § 202.
• I bought this sculpture at an auction.
• The author sent me these love letters when we were in high school. The author asked me to keep these pictures for him.
620.10(D) No Transfer Statement Given As a general rule, if the name provided in the Name of Author field/space differs from the name provided in the Name of Claimant field/space, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the applicant fails to provide a transfer statement. There are a few exceptions to this rule, which are discussed in Sections 620.10(D)(1) through 620.10(D)(2) below.
620.10(D)(1) Copyright Transferred by Inheritance or by Operation of Law As a general rule, an application may be accepted without a transfer statement if it is clear from the relationship described that the copyright was transferred to the copyright claimant by inheritance or by operation of law. 620.10(D)(1)(a) Inheritance The registration specialist may accept an application without a transfer statement if the author isE xdaemcepalsee: d and it is clear that the claimant is the author’s heir. An application is submitted for a pictorial work. The applicant states that the author is deceased and names the claimant as “Joanne Chan (heiress).” The registration specialist may register the claim, even if the applicant fails to provide a transfer statement.
Chapter 600 : 188 12/22/2014 An application names Cotton Wilson as the author of a play and states that the author died in 2008. The “Estate of Cotton Wilson” is named as the copyright claimant. The registration specialist may register the claim, even if the applicant fails to provide a transfer statement.
620.10(D)(1)(b) Partnerships The U.S. Copyright Office may accept an application if it is clear that the copyright was transferred to an unincorporated partnership by operation of law, even if the applicant does not provide a transfer statement. Typically, a partnership is an unincorporated business that is owned by two or more individuals. A partnership necessarily requires a written agreement stipulating that the partners are co-owners of any property held by the partnership, and works created by one of the partners are often considered the property of the partnership as a whole. Therefore, if the applicant names an unincorporated partnership as the claimant, and it is clear that one or more of the authors is a member of the partnership, the application may be accepted even if the applicanEt xfaaimlsp tloes p: rovide a transfer statement. Jerry Bennett submits an online application for a children’s book. Jerry is named as the author of the text and Richard Bennett is named as the author of the artwork. The claimant is named as “Jerry & Richard Bennett, a partnership.” The registration specialist may register the claim, even though no transfer statement has been • provided.
620.10(D)(1)(c) Community Property States The registration specialist may accept an application without a transfer statement if the author and the author’s spouse are named as co-claimants, and it is clear that the claimants reside in one of the following community property states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, or Wisconsin. In this situation, the specialist will conclude that the spouse obtained his or her interest in the copyright as community property.
Chapter 600 : 189 12/22/2014 Example:
620.10(D)(2) Same Person Is Named as Author and Claimant As a general rule, if the author and the claimant are the same person, the registration specialist may accept an application without a transfer statement even if the names provided in the fields/spaces for the Name of Author and the Name of Claimant are different. For examples that illustrate this practice, see Sections 620.10(D)(2)(a) through 620.10(D)(2)(c) below.
620.10(D)(2)(a) Anonymous and Pseudonymous Works If the names provided in the fields/spaces for the Name of Author and the Name of Claimant are different, and if the applicant does not provide a transfer statement, the registration specialist may register the claim if the claimant is an individual and if the applicant checked the box indicating that the work is anonymous or pseudonymous. In this situation, the specialist will conclude that the applicant provided the author’s real name in the Name of Claimant field/space and concealed the author’s identity in the Name of Author field/space by stating “anonymous” or by providing the author’s pseudonEyxmam. ple:
For a detailed discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Sections 615.1 and 615.2.
Chapter 600 : 190 12/22/2014 620.10(D)(2)(b) Individual Named as Author and Unincorporated Organization Named as Claimant If an individual is named as the author and an unincorporated organization is named as the claimant, the application may be accepted without a transfer statement if it is clear that the individual and the organization are the same legal entity or that the organization is merely a trade name or other assumed name for the individual. As a general rule, the registration specialist may conclude that an individual and an unincorporated organization are the same legal entity if the applicant clearly states that the individual is “trading as,” “doing business as,” or “also known as” the organization or that the unincorporated organization is “solely owned by” the individual. Likewise, the specialist may register a claim without a transfer statement if there is a clear relationship between the name of the individual and the name of the unincorporated organization.
By contrast, if the individual and the organization appear to be separate legal entities or if the organization appears to be a corporation, the specialist will communicate with the applicanEt.x amples:
Chapter 600 : 191 12/22/2014 620.10(D)(2)(c) Extraneous Information Provided in the Transfer Statement Field / Space As a general rule, if the author and the claimant appear to be the same person or organization the registration specialist will ignore any extraneous information that may be provided in the Transfer field/space, unless it explains or contradicts information that has Ebxeaemn pplreos:v ided elsewhere in the registration materials. An online application is submitted for a motion picture naming “Hari Prasad (Pvt.), Ltd., employer of Vijay Prasad” as the author and copyright claimant. The applicant checks the box indicating that the work is a work made for hire, and the transfer statement reads “by written agreement,” “by contract,” or the like. The registration specialist will register the claim without communicating with the applicant, because the transfer statement apparently refers to an employment agreement or work made for hire agreement, rather than an assignment of copyright from the author to the copyright • claimant.
621 Limitation of Claim This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for limiting the scope of a claim to copyright. A claim should be limited if the work contains an appreciable amount of material that was previously published, material that was previously registered, material that is in the public domain, and/or material that is owned by an individual or legal entity other than the claimant who is named in the application.
Chapter 600 : 192 12/22/2014 Derivative works almost always contain unclaimable material because, by definition, they are based on, or incorporate, one or more preexisting works. Likewise, compilations, including collective works, usually contain unclaimable material because they are often comprised of previously published, previously registered, public domain material, or material that is owned by a third party. To register a derivative work, a compilation, a collective work, or any other type of work that contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should identify and exclude that material in the application using the procedure described in Section 621.8 below.
621.1 What Is Unclaimable Material?
A registration for a work of authorship extends only to the new material that the author contributed to that work. It does not extend to any unclaimable material that may appear in that work. For purposes of registration, unclaimable material includes the f•o llowing types of material:
• Previously published material.
• Material that is in the public domain. i.e Copyrightable material that is owned by a third party ( ., an individual or legal entity other than the claimant who is named in the application). These categories are described and discussed below in Sections 621.4 through 621.7. If the work described in the application contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should identify the unclaimable material that appears in that work and should exclude that material from the claim. Specifically, the applicant should provide a brief, accurate description of the unclaimable material in the appropriate field/space of the application. In the case of an online application, the applicant should provide this information in the Material Excluded field on the Limitation of Claim screen. In the case of a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 6(a) in the space marked Preexisting Material. For instructions on how to complete these portions of the application, see Section 621.8(B) below. In addition, the applicant should identify the new authorship that is being claimed in the application. The applicant should provide this information in the New Material Included field of the online application or in space 6(b) of a paper application in the space marked Material Added to this Work. In the case of a derivative work, the applicant should provide a brief description of the new or revised material that the author contributed to the work. In the case of a compilation, the applicant should provide a brief description of the preexisting material or data that has been selected, coordinated, and/or arranged by the author. For instructions on how to complete these portions of the application, see Section 621.8(C) and 621.8(D).
Chapter 600 : 193 12/22/2014 The information provided in these fields/spaces will appear on the certificate of registration in the field marked Limitation of Copyright Claim and in the online public record in the fields marked Preexisting Material and Basis of Claim (regardless of whether the applicant submits an online application or a paper application). Completing these fields/spaces correctly is essential to defining the claim that is being registered and it ensures that the public record will be accurate. The registration specialist may either annotate the registration record or communicate with the applicant if the work appears to be a derivative work, a compilation, a collective work, or any other work containing an appreciable amount of unclaimable material and if the applicanEt xfaaimlsp tloes e: x clude that unclaimable material from the claim. • Excluding previously published material Navigating the Supermarket . The Slow Food Press published a self-help book titled . The first edition was published in 2009 and the second edition was published in 2010. Because the second edition contains an appreciable amount of previously published material from the first edition, the publisher should exclude that material from the application to register the second edition by stating “previously published edition” in the Material Excluded field and “new text” in • tEhxec lNudewin gM parteevriioaul sIlnyc rluegdiesdte frieedld m. aterial. Sharkbyte v. 1.0, ClamCake Software created a computer program called wShhiacrhk wbyatse rve. g2i.s0tered in 1999. ClamCake used an appreciable portion of the source code for this program to create a new program called .
621.2 Unclaimable Material That Need Not Be Excluded from the Application
If the applicant intends to register a work that contains a minimal amount of unclaimable material, the applicant need not identify or disclaim that material in the application. Unclaimable material should be disclaimed only if it represents an appreciable portion of the work as a whole. Likewise, if the work contains material that is uncopyrightable, such as facts or mere ideas, there is no need to exclude that material from the application. Generally, quotations from a preexisting work do not need to be excludedE xaasm unplcelas:i mable material.
621.3 The Relationship Between the Author Created / Limitation of Claim Fields in the Online Application and the Relationship between Spaces 2, 6(a), and 6(b) of the Paper Application As a general rule, a claim to copyright is defined by the information provided in the Author Created field (in the case of an online application) or in the Nature of Authorship space (in the case of a paper application). Therefore, all of the material that the applicant intends to register should be identified in these fields/spaces. Chapter 600 : 195 12/22/2014 If the work contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, then the applicant should complete the Limitation of Claim fields/spaces in order to limit the claim to the new copyrightable material created by the author. In this case, the claim to copyright is defined by the information provided in the New Material Included field or the information provided in space 6(b). Therefore, all of the material that the applicant intends to register should be described in this field/space. In such cases, the information that the applicant provides in the New Material Included field should be duplicated in the Author Created field. Likewise, the information that the applicant provides in space 6(b) should be duplicated in the Nature of Authorship space. NOTE : The applicant should complete the New Material Included field of the online application or space 6(b) of the paper application only when unclaimable material has been excluded from the claim in the Material Excluded field of the online application or in space 6(a) of the paper application. If no material has been excluded from the claim, tSheee applicant should not complete this portion of the application. Corrections and Amplifications of Copyright Registrations; Applications for Supplementary Registration, 63 Fed. Reg. 59,235, 59,235 (Nov. 3, 1998) (“The Copyright Office follows the general policy of requiring all authors and copyright claimants to supply information, consistent with 17 U.S.C. § 409, concerning the authorship being claimed in the application for registration.”).
621.4 Previously Published Material
If the work described in the application contains an appreciable amount of copyrightable material that has been previously published, the previously published material should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Section 621.8(B). This rule applies regardless of whether the previously published material was published in the United States or in a foreign country (or both). The applicant should determine whether the work contains previously published material on the date that the work is submitted to the Office. In other words, if the applicant intends to register a work that contains an appreciable amount of material that was published at any time before the application is submitted, the applicant should exclude that previously published material from the claim. The date of creation for the work that the applicant intends to register is irrelevant to this determination. In other words, previously published material should be disclaimed, regardless of whether that material was created before or simultaneously with the work that the applicant intends to register. Likewise, previously published material should be disclaimed regardless of whether that material was published before or after the date of creationE fxoarm thpele ws:o rk that the applicant intends to register. The Piecemeal Press submits an application for a textbook and states that the work was published on March 24, 2005. The deposit copies indicate that this is the second edition of this work and that the first edition was published in 2004. In the Material Excluded Chapter 600 : 196 12/22/2014 field the applicant states “previously published edition” to exclude the previously published material from the claim, and in the New Material Included field states ”new text” to limit the claim to the new material that appears in the second edition. The registration • specialist will register the claim.
For a definition and detailed discussion of publication, see Chapter 1900.
621.5 Previously Registered Material
If the applicant intends to register a work that contains an appreciable amount of copyrightable material that has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, the previously registered material should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Section 621.8(F).
Likewise, if the work contains an appreciable amount of copyrightable material that has been submitted for registration, but has not been registered yet, the previously submitted material should be identified on the application as excluded material. Once the previously submitted material has been registered, the material is then considered unclaimable material.
As a general rule, the Office will issue only one registration for each version of a particular work, because multiple registrations for the same work would confuse the public record. 37 C.F.R § 202.3(b)(11). In most cases, this means that the applicant should disclaim any portion of the work that has been registered before. NOTE:
Chapter 600 : 197 12/22/2014 Before filing an application with the Office, the applicant should determine whether the work contains previously registered material or material contained in the deposit copy(ies) for a previously or concurrently filed application. The date of creation and the date of publication for the work that the applicant intends to register are irrelevant to this determination. In other words, previously registered material or material submitted with a previously or concurrently filed application should be disclaimed, regardless of whether that material was created before or simultaneously with the work that the applicant intends to register. It should be disclaimed regardless of whether that material was registered before or after the date of creation for the work that the applicant intends to register. Likewise, it should be disclaimed regardless of whether that material was registered before or after the date of publication for the work that the applicant intends to register.
This rule applies only to copyright registrations issued by the Office, including any registration made under Section 408 of the Copyright Act, a renewal registration made under Section 304 of the Copyright Act, or a registration or renewal registration made under Title 17 of the United States Code as it existed before January 1, 1978. It does not apply to preregistrations issued by the Office. Nor does it apply to material that has been registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a foreign intellectual property office, orE axnaym optlehse:r governmental or nongovernmental entity. Bithia Adu submits an application to register the first draft of her short story. The following week she submits an application to register her second draft. In the Material Excluded field the applicant states “first draft has been submitted for registration but has not been registered yet;” in the New Material Included field the applicant states “additional text” to limit the claim to the new authorship that appears in the second draft. The registration • specialist will register the claim.
621.6 Public Domain Material
If the applicant intends to register a work that contains an appreciable amount of material that is in the public domain in the United States, that material should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Section 621.8(B). Golan v. Holder A copyrighted work enters the public domain in the United States when “its full copyright term has expired.” , 132 S. Ct. 873, 878 (2012). In addition, Chapter 600 : 198 12/22/2014 works published in the United States without a copyright notice on or before March 1, 1989 may be in the public domain, and works registered or published in the United States on or before December 31, 1963 may be in the public domain if the copyright was not renewed in a timely manner.
In most cases, material that is in the public domain has been published before, and as such, should also be excluded from the claim as previously published material. The applicant should determine whether the work contains any public domain material on the date that the application is submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office. The date of creation and the date of publication for the work that the applicant intends to register are irrelevant to this determination. In other words, public domain material should be disclaimed, regardless of whether that material was created before or simultaneously with the work that the applicant intends to register. Likewise, it should be disclaimed regardless of whether that material entered the public domain before or after the date of creation or the date of publication for the work that the applicant intends to register. This rule applies to material that is in the public domain in the United States. Material that is in the public domain in another country (but protected by copyright in the United States) need not be disclaimed (unless the material has been previously published, previousElxya rmegpilsetse: r e d, or is owned by a third party). The Misogynist.
621.7 Copyrightable Material That Is Owned by an Individual or Entity Other
Than the Claimant If the applicant intends to register a work that contains an appreciable amount of copyrightable material that is not owned by the claimant named in the application, that material should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Section 621.8(B).
Chapter 600 : 199 12/22/2014 The applicant should make this determination on the date that the work is submitted to the Office. In other words, if the work being registered includes an appreciable amount of material that is not owned by the copyright claimant as of the date that the application is filed, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim, and the application should be limited to the material that is owned by the claimant. The date of creation and the date of publication for the work that the applicant intends to register are irrelevant to this determination. In other words, material that is owned by another party should be disclaimed, regardless of whether that material was created before or simultaneously with the work that the applicant intends to register. Likewise, it should be disclaimed regardless of whether a third party acquired the copyright in that material before or after the date of creation or the date of publication for the work that the Eaxpapmlicpalen:t intends to register.
621.8 Completing the Application: Limitation of Claim
This Section provides guidance on completing the Limitation of Claim screen in an online application for works that contain an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, including derivative works. It also provides guidance on completing spaces 2, 5, 6(a), and 6(b) of a paper application. For specific guidance on completing an application to register a compilation or a collective work that contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, see Section 621.8(D).
621.8(A) Identifying the Material That the Author Created To register a claim to copyright, the applicant should identify all the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Authors screen by checking one or more of the boxes that appear under the heading Author Created. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 2 of the application under the heading Nature of Authorship.
For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Sections 618.4(A) and 618.4(B). For guidance on completing this portion of the application for a compilation or a collective work, see Sections 618.6 and 618.7.
Chapter 600 : 200 12/22/2014 As a general rule, the information that the applicant provides in the Author Created field should be identical to the information that the applicant provides in the New Material Included field. Likewise, the information that the applicant provides in the Nature of Authorship space should be identical to the information that the applicant provides in space 6(b).
For guidance in completing the New Material Included field and space 6(b), see Sections 621.8(C).
621.8(B) Identifying Unclaimable Material That Should Be Excluded from the Claim If the applicant intends to register a work that contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim. When completing an online application the applicant should identify the unclaimable material by checking one or more of the boxes that appear on the Limitation of Claim screen in the field marked Material Excluded that accurately describe the previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or separately owned material that appears in the work. The options for each type of wLioterrka aryre W liosrtekds below:
• Text • Artwork • Photographs Compilation WorCkos mofp tuhtee Vr ipsuroagl rAarmts • Text • 2-D artwork • Photograph(s)
• Jewelry design • Architectural work • Sculpture Technical drawing WorMksa opf the Performing Arts • Lyrics • Music Musical arrangement SounTde xRte (csocrrdeinengps lay, scripts, other)
• Sound recording Production Performance Chapter 600 : 201 12/22/2014 Music MotiLoynr iPcisc tures and Audiovisual Works • Script/screenplay • Preexisting music Preexisting footage SingPler eIsesxuies toinf ga pSehroitaol gPruabplhicsa tion • Text • Artwork • Editing • Translation Compilation Photographs For a definition and discussion of these terms, see Section 618.4(C). If the terms provided in the checkboxes do not fully describe the unclaimable material that appears in the work, the applicant should provide a more specific description in the space marked Material Excluded/Other. Currently, the total amount of text that may be provided in both the Material Excluded and the New Material Included fields is limited to 1800 characters.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide a brief statement on space 6(a) of the application under the heading Preexisting Material that accurately describes the unclaimable material that should be excluded from the claim. If the work does not contain an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the Material Excluded field of the online application or space 6(a) of the paper application may be left blank.
For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete this portion of the application, see Section 621.8(E).
621.8(C) Identifying the New Material That the Applicant Intends to Register This Section provides guidance on completing the New Material Included field in the online application and space 6(b) in the paper application. When completing an application to register a compilation or a collective work that contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should complete the New Material Included/Other field in the online application or space 6(b) of the paper application using the procedure described in 621.8(D). NOTE : If the work does not contain an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, this portion of the application may be left blank. In other words, the New Material Included field should be completed only if material has been excluded from the claim in the Chapter 600 : 202 12/22/2014 Material Excluded field. Likewise, space 6(b) of the paper application should be completed only if material has been excluded from the claim in space 6(a). 621.8(C)(1) The Online Application: New Material Included Field When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the new authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Limitation of Claim screen by checking one or more of the boxes in the New Material Included field that accurately describe the new authorship that is owned by the copyright claimant. The options for Leaitcehr atryyp eW oofr wkso rk are listed below:
• Text • Editing • Artwork • Compilation Photographs WorCkos mofp tuhtee Vr ipsuroagl rAarmts • Text • 2-D artwork • Photograph(s)
• Jewelry design • Architectural work Sculpture WorTkes cohf nthicea Pl derrfaowrminign g Arts • Music • Lyrics • Editing Musical arrangement SounTde xret c(osrcdreinegnsp lay, scripts, other)
• Sound recording • Production • Performance Music MotiLoynr iPcisc tures and Audiovisual Works • Editing • New narration • Additional new footage • Revisions / additions to script Production as a motion picture All other cinematographic material Chapter 600 : 203 12/22/2014 Single Issue of a Serial Publication • Text • Editing • Artwork • Translation Compilation Photograph(s)
For a definition and discussion of these terms, see Section 618.4(C). For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete the New Material Included field, see Section 621.8(E).
NOTE : As discussed in Section 621.8(A), the information that the applicant provides in the New Material Included field should be identical to the information that the applicant provides in the Author Created field, but this portion of the application should be completed only if unclaimable material has been excluded from the claim in the Material Excluded field. If the work does not contain an appreciable amount of unclaimable material, the Limitation of Claim screen may be left blank. As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will accept any of the terms listed above or any combination of these terms, provided that they accurately describe the copyrightable authorship being claimed. If the information provided in the New Material Included field is contradicted by the information provided elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. The applicant should only check the boxes that describe the authorship created by the author(s) named in the application that is owned by the individual or entity who is named as the copyright claimant. The applicant should not assert a claim in material that is not owned by the copyright claimant, material that will not be sudbem mitinteimd ifsor registration, or material that does not appear in the depodseit m coinpiym(iises). Likewise, the applicant should not assert a claim in any material that is uncopyrightable or . For information concerning claims in uncopyrightable or material, see Sections 621.9(E) and 621.9(F)E. xample:
The applicant should check the box(es) that identify the specific type of authorship that the applicant intends to register. For example, if the applicant intends to register a computer program or a set of blueprints, the applicant should check the box marked “computer program” or “technical drawing,” rather than the box marked “text.” If the applicant intends to register new or revised text that has been added to a literary work, Chapter 600 : 204 12/22/2014 the applicant should check the box marked “text,” rather than the box marked “editing.” Likewise, if the applicant intends to register a new voiceover or a new scene for a motion picture, the applicant should check the boxes marked “new narration” or “additional new footage,” rather than the boxes marked “production as a motion picture” or “all other cinematographic material.”
If the terms provided in the checkboxes do not fully describe the new authorship that the applicant intends to register, the applicant should provide a more specific descriptEioxna minp tlhees: field marked New Material Included/Other. The applicant intends to register the second edition of a coffee table book. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this new authorship by checking the boxes marked “text, photograph(s), 2-D artwork,” or by stating “revised text,” “new illustrations,” “some new photographs,” “new introduction,” or the like in the New • Material Included/Other field.
The applicant intends to register a portfolio of photographs that contains new photographs and an appreciable number of previously registered photographs. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in the new photographs by checking the box for “photographs” in the New Material Included field, or by stating “photographs on pages [specify page numbers where new photographs appear]” in the New Material Included/Other field. Chapter 600 : 205 12/22/2014 The applicant intends to register new drawings that were added to a graphic novel. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this authorship by checking the box for “2-D artwork” in the New Material Included field, or by stating “new drawings added” in the • New Material Included/Other field.
The applicant intends to register a new musical arrangement for a previously registered song. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this new authorship by checking the box for “musical arrangement” in the New Material Included field or by stating “new musical arrangement,” “revised music,” or the like in the New • Material Included/Other field.
The applicant intends to register a screenplay adaptation of a previously published book. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this new authorship by checking the box for “screenplay” in the New Material Included field, or by stating “adaptation of book for screenplay” in the New Material • Included/Other field.
The applicant intends to register a new treatment for a motion picture. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this new authorship by stating “revised treatment,” “new treatment,” or the • like in the New Material Included/Other field.
The applicant intends to register a remix of a previously published sound recording. The applicant may assert a claim to copyright in this new authorship by stating “remixed sound recordings” in the New Material Included/Other field.
NOTE:
When completing a paper application, the applicant should identify the new authorship that is owned by the copyright claimant that the applicant intends to register. This statement should be provided in space 6(b) under the heading Material Added to This Work.
The applicant should only assert a claim in material created by the author(s) named in the application that is owned by the copyright claimant. The applicant should not assert a claim in material that is not owned by the claimant, material that will not bed seu mbminiitmteids for registration, or material that does not appear in the dedpeo msiitn ciompiys(ies). Likewise, the applicant should not assert a claim in any material that is uncopyrightable or . For information concerning claims in uncopyrightable or material, see Sections 621.9(E) and 621.9(F).
Chapter 600 : 206 12/22/2014 The U.S. Copyright Office may accept any of the terms listed below or any combination of those terms, provided that they accurately describe the new authorship being claimed. In some cases, the Office may accept variant forms of these terms. If the statement provided in space 6(b) is contradicted by the information provided in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
For a definition and discussion of the following terms, see Section 618.4(C). For representative examples that demonstrate how to complete space 6(b), see Section 6Li2t1er.8a(rEy) W. ork / Form TX • Text • Photograph(s)
• Artwork Computer program WorCo omf tphiela Vtiiosuna l Arts / Form VA • k • Text • 2-D artwork • Photograph(s)
• Jewelry design • Architectural work • Sculpture Technical drawing WorMk aopf t he Performing Arts / Form PA • Music • Lyrics • Musical arrangement • Script • Screenplay Choreographic work SounPda nretcoomrdimineg / Form SR • Sound recording • Performance • Production Music MotiLoynr iPcisc ture or Audiovisual Work / Form PA • Editing • New narration Additional new footage Revisions / additions to script Chapter 600 : 207 12/22/2014 Production as a motion picture SingAlel lS oetrhiaelr I csisnueem (ia.et.o, agr sainpghliec imssautee roifa al serial publication) / Form SE • Text • Artwork • Photograph(s)
In addition, the application should identify the new material that the applicant intends to register. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen in the field marked New Material Included/Other. Currently, the total amount of text that may be provided in both the Material Excluded and the New Material Included fields is limited to 1800 characters. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 6(b). In all cases, the applicant should use the procedure described in Section 618.6 to assert a claim in a compilation and should use the procedure described in Section 618.7 to assert a claim in a collective work.
As discussed in Section 621.8(A), the information that the applicant provides in the Author Created/New Material Included fields or in spaces 2 and 6(b) should be identical to each oEtxhaemr.p les:
Author Created/Other:
Name of Claiman Et:s tragon & Co.
Material Excluded: C ompilation of articles.
New Material IncludEesdt/rOagthoenr &: Co.
Text.
Name of Author: Compilation of articles.
Author Created/Other:
Name of Claiman Jto: nah Sarah.
Transfer statement: Introduction.
Material Excluded:Estragon & Co.
New Material Includ Bedy/ wOtrhitetre:n agreement.
Text.
Introduction.
621.8(E) Examples for Identifying Unclaimable Material and the New Material That the Applicant Intends to Register This Section provides representative examples for completing the Author Created and New Material Included/Material Excluded fields in the online application and spaces 2, 6(a), andE x6a(mb)p ilne st:h e paper application.
Text.
• Entire Motion Picture.
Online application for a music book containing some original cAoumthpoors Citrieoantse da/nOdt ahrerra:ngements of Beethoven’s piano concertos. Material Excluded: Some original music and arrangement of Npuebwl iMc datoemriaailn I nmculusdice.d :
Some public domain music.
Some original music and arrangement of • public domain music. Romeo and Juliet Online application for a new edition of Shakespeare’s Autho wr Citrhe aa tneedw/O itnhterro:duction.
M aterial Excluded/Other: Romeo and Juliet.
New Material Included /TOetxhte or:f introduction.
Public domain play, • Text of introduction.
Online application for a reissue of a previously published album containing remixed sound recordings, new photographs, and a pAruetvhiooru Csrlye autnerde/lOetahseerd: bonus track. Material Excluded/OtheOrn:e new sound recording, remixing of previously published sound recordings, some new photographs. New Material Included/Ot Phreer:viously published sound recordings and photographs.
One new sound recording, remixing of • previously published sound recordings, some new photographs. Online application for a new catalog containing new artwork and new text, combined with text and artwork that appeared in a Apruetvhiooru Csr ceaattaeldo:g.
Material Excluded/Other:
New Material In cTluexdte,d 2: -dimensional artwork.
Previously published text and artwork.
• Text, 2-dimensional artwork.
Online application for a children’s book containing text by the aAuutthhoorr, Carse wateeldl :as illustrations and clip art by a third party. M aterial Excluded:
New Material In cTluexdte.d :
Illustrations and clip art used with permission.
• Text.
OAuntlhinoer aCprpealitceadt/ioOnt hfoerr: an interview submitted by the interviewer. Text of interviewer’s questions.
Chapter 600 : 210 12/22/2014 Material Excluded/Other:
M aterial Excluded/Other:
: Text, artwork.
New Material Included: Quotations from various sources, numerous bibliographic references.
• Text, artwork.
Online application for an illustrated edition of a children’s story by HAuatnhso Cr hCrriesatitaend :Anderson.
M aterial Excluded/Other:
New Material In c2l-uDd eadr:twork.
Text.
• 2-D artwork.
Online application for a revised version of a previously registered cAoumthpourt Cerre partoedgr/aOmth. er:
M aterial Excluded/Other:
New Material Included /NOetwhe pr:rogram code.
Previously registered version.
• New program code.
Online application for a holiday ornament containing logos and aAruttwhoorr kC rtheaatte adr:e not owned by the copyright claimant. Material Excluded/Other:
New Material In cSlcuudlepdt:u re, 2-D artwork.
Preexisting logos, 2-D artwork.
• Sculpture, 2-D artwork.
Online application for a revised map of downtown San Juan, Puerto RAuictoh othr aCtr sehaotewds: the location of the new central business district. Material Excluded/Other:
Map.
New Material Included: U.S. Geological Survey map, San Juan municipal maps.
• Map.
Paper application for a lithographic print of a nineteenth-century oil pSpaainctei n2g:.
S pace 6(a):
Space 6( bR)e:production of work of art.
Artwork.
• Reproduction of work of art.
Paper application for a U.S. Geological Survey map with additional maps and text added.
Chapter 600 : 211 12/22/2014 Space 2:
Paper application for a revised version of a previously registered sScpraeceen 2p:lay.
Space 6(a):
Space 6( bR)e:vised text.
Previously registered screenplay.
Revised text.
For examples that illustrate how to complete an application to register a compilation or a collective work, see Section 621.8(D). For additional examples, use the following link to access the “help” section of the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system: www.copyright.gov/eco/help-limitation.html#literary. 621.8(F) Identifying Previously Registered Material That Should Be Excluded from the Claim If the applicant intends to register a work that contains an appreciable amount of material that has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should provide the registration number for that material and the year that the registration was issued.
Likewise, if the work contains an appreciable amount of material that was previously submitted for registration (but has not been registered yet), the applicant should provide the case number/service request number for the previous application. In the alternative, the applicant may state “pending” and provide the date that the previously application was submitted.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen in the field marked Previous Registration. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 5 of the application. Specifically, the applicant should check the “yes” box that appears on space 5 under the heading Previous Registration. The registration number that has been assigned to the previous registration should be provided under the heading Previous Registration Number. The year that the previous registration was issued should be provided under the heading Year of Registration. If the Office has issued multiple registrations for the unclaimable material, the applicant should provide the registration number and year of registration for the two most recent registrations.
If the work submitted for registration does not contain an appreciable amount of previously registered material, the Previous Registration field/space may be left blank. Chapter 600 : 212 12/22/2014 621.8(G) Identifying Preregistered Material If the applicant is seeking a basic registration for a work that has been preregistered, the applicant should provide the preregistration number for that work in the application for basic registration. Doing so ensures that the records for the preregistration and the basic registration are cross-referenced with each other. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the preregistration number for the work (beginning with the prefix “PRE”) on the Publication/Completion screen in the field marked Preregistration Number. The applicant should not provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen in the field marked Previous Registration.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide the preregistration number in space 5 of the application and check the box marked “no” that appears in that space under the heading Previous Registration.
For a detailed discussion of preregistration, see Chapter 1600.
621.9 Examination Guidelines: Limitation of Claim
This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for examining applications for derivative works, compilations, collective works, or any other work that contains an appreciable amount of unclaimable material. As a general rule, “[a]ny substantive editing of authorship and/or new matter statements and/or material excluded from claim statements, will be done only after contacting the applicant for permission to amend the information” set forth in that portion of the application. Online Registration to Claims of Copyright, 72 Fed. Reg. 36,883, 36,887 (July 6, 2007). In some cases, the registration specialist may annotate the registration record to clarify the extent of the claim and to identify material that should be excluded from the claim. In other cases, the scope of the claim may be clear from the face of the application, even though the application is incomplete or has been completed incorrectly. If the scope of the claim is unclear and the issue cannot be addressed with an annotation, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. 621.9(A) Limitation of Claim Not Required 621.9(A)(1) Works Containing Uncopyrightable Material or a Minimal Amount of Unclaimable Material As discussed in Section 621.2, if a work contains only a minimal amount of unclaimable material, the New Material Included, Material Excluded, and Previous Registration fields may be left blank in the online application, or spaces 5, 6(a), and/or 6(b) may be left blank in a paper application. Likewise, there is no need to complete these portions of the application if the work contains material that is not copyrightable. Chapter 600 : 213 12/22/2014 Examples:
621.9(A)(2) Applicant Has Not Asserted a Claim in Unclaimable Material If it is clear that the claimant is not asserting a claim to copyright in the unclaimable material that appears in the work, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. In making this determination, the registration specialist may consider the title of the work or any other information found in the deEpxoasmitp cloeps:y (ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. The Office receives an online application for a photograph of a terra cotta sculpture. In the Author Created field the applicant checked the box for “photograph(s),” but the Limitation of Claim fields have not been completed. The applicant is clearly asserting a claim in the photograph, and has not asserted a claim in the sculpture depicted • in the photograph. The registration specialist will register the claim. Leading Edge Records submits an online application for a sound recording. In the Author Created field the applicant checks the box for “sound recording,” but the Limitation of Claim fields have not been completed. The spacer notes indicate that three songs have been used with permission from Monkey’s Uncle Music Publishing. The applicant should have disclaimed these songs in the Material Excluded field, because they appear to be owned by a third party. Nevertheless, the scope of the claim is clear, because the applicant is asserting a claim in the sound recording, but is not asserting a claim in the music embodied in that recording. The registration specialist • will register the claim.
621.9(A)(3) Unclaimable Material Described in the Application but Not Included in the Deposit Copy(ies)
If the applicant completes the New Material Included/Material Excluded fields or spaces 6(a) and 6(b), but the deposit copy(ies) do not appear to contain any unclaimable material, the registration specialist may annotate the record to clarify the content of the deposit cEoxpaym(pieles:) .
621.9(B) Identifying the Author of a Work That Contains an Appreciable Amount of Unclaimable Material The applicant should provide the name of the author(s) who created the new material that the applicant intends to register. The applicant need not and should not provide the name of the author(s) who created any unclaimable material that may be included in the work.
An application may be accepted if it names both the author of the unclaimable material and the author of the new material, provided that the unclaimable material itself has been excluded from the claim. Identifying the author of the unclaimable material is considered superfluous in this situation. Likewise, an application may be accepted if the author of the new material and the author of the unclaimable material are named as co- claimants, provided that the work appears to be a joint work and provided that the application has been certified by the author of the new material or his or her authorized agent. Otherwise, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. 621.9(C) Authorship Unclear The copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register should be clearly identified in the application, and the scope of the claim to copyright in that authorship should be clearly stated. As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will accept any of the Chapter 600 : 215 12/22/2014 terms set forth in Sections 621.8(C), or any combination of those terms, unless the statement provided in the New Material Included field or space 6(b) is contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials. For examples of terms that may be considered unclear, see Sections 618.8(A)(1) through 618.8(A)(10). As discussed in Section 621.8(C), the New Material Included field in the online application or space 6(b) of the paper application should identify all of the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register. As discussed in Sections 621.8(A) and 621.8(C), the statement provided in the Author Created field should be identical to the statement provided in the New Material Included field (if any). Likewise, the statement provided in space 2 should be identical to the statement provided in space 6(b) (if any). If there is a discrepancy between the statements provided in the Author Created/New Material Included fields or in spaces 2 and 6(b), or if the deposit copy(ies) contain an appreciable amount of copyrightable authorship that is mentioned in one portion of the application but not the other, the registration specialist may register the claim if the statements are consistent with each other and if the claim is clear based on the registration materials as a whole. If there is a conflict between these statements or if the extent of the claim is unclear, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
621.9(D) Claim Clarified by Information Provided Elsewhere in the Registration Materials As a general rule, if the work appears to contain an appreciable amount of unclaimable material and if the applicant fails to complete the New Material Included and/or Material Excluded fields in an online application, or fails to complete spaces 5 and/or 6(a) and/or 6(b) on a paper application, the registration specialist may register the work if the claim is clearly limited by information provided in the application or elsewhere in the registration materials. If so, the specialist may amend the application and/or add an annotation to the registration record to clarify the extent of the claim. However, if this information is not provided in the application itself, the specialist may communicate with the applicant.
621.9(D)(1) Claim Clearly Defined by the Title of the Work If the extent of the claim is clearly defined by the title provided in the application or the title given on the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist may register the claim, even if the applicant failed to complete the Limitation of Claim screen in the online applicatEioxna morp slepsa:c es 6(a) and/or 6(b) in a paper application. • Industrial Training Guide, 15th Edition, An online application is submitted for a work titled with a copyright notice dated 1990– 2005. In the Author Created/New Material Included fields the applicant asserts a claim in “text.” In the Material Excluded/Other field the applicant disclaims the “previously published text.” The registration specialist may register the claim.
Chapter 600 : 216 12/22/2014 • Marva Thompson’s New Band Arrangements of J.S. Bach Fugues An online application is submitted for a work titled . Marva Thompson is named as the author of “music,” but the Limitation of Claim screen is blank. The registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. The title indicates that the claim is limited to the new musical arrangements but does • not extend to any music that is in the public domain. A paper application is submitted for a textbook. In space 2 the applicant asserts a claim in “text,” but spaces 6(a) and 6(b) are left blank. The deposit copies indicate that this is the fourth edition of this work. The registration specialist may add this information to the title space and register the claim with an annotation, such as: “Regarding title information: ‘fourth edition’ added by Copyright Office from deposit copy(ies).” Alternatively, the specialist may communicate with the applicant to clarify the preexisting material. 621.9(D)(2) Claim Clarified by Information Provided in the Author Created Field or Nature of Authorship Space If the applicant fails to complete the New Material Included and/or Material Excluded fields in an online application or fails to complete spaces 6(a) and/or 6(b) on a paper application, the application may be accepted if the claim is clearly defined by informatEixoanm pprolevsi:d ed in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space. Passion for Fashion v. 3.0 UnderWare LLC submits an online application for a computer program titled . UnderWare is named as the sole author of the work and its name appears in the copyright notice. In the Author Created/Other field the applicant asserts a claim in “numerous updates to this version.” Although this information should have been provided in both the Author Created and New Material Included fields, the registration specialist may register the claim, because the application is clearly limited to the • updates that the author made to this work.
621.9(D)(3) Claim Clarified by Information Provided in the Limitation of Claim Screen or Spaces 6(a) and / or 6(b) of the Paper Application If the information provided in the New Material Included field describes both the unclaimable material and the new material that the applicant intends to register, and if the Material Excluded field has been left blank (or vice versa), the registration specialist may move the information to the correct field and register the claim without communicating with the applicant. The registration specialist may follow the same approach if the applicant failed to complete space 6(b) and if the information provided in space 6(a) of the paper application describes both the unclaimable material and the new matEexraiaml pthleast: the applicant intends to register (or vice versa). An online application is submitted for a musical work. In the Material Excluded/Other field and in the New Material Included/Other field the applicant states “new lyrics added to previously published words and music.” The application may be accepted, even though the Material Excluded field should have described only the “previously published words and music” and the New Material Included field should have described only the “new • lyrics.”
621.9(D)(5) Claim Clarified by Information Provided in the Deposit Copy(ies) If the applicant fails to complete the New Material Included and/or Material Excluded fields in an online application or fails to complete spaces 6(a) and/or 6(b) on a paper application, the application may be accepted if the scope of the claim is clearly defined Chapter 600 : 218 12/22/2014 by the deposit copy(ies). If so, the registration specialist may add an annotation to clarify thEex ascmopplee so: f the claim.
621.9(E) Uncopyrightable Material Claimed in the New Material Included Field or Space 6(b)
The authorship that is claimed in the New Material Included field or space 6(b) must be copyrightable. If the applicant asserts a claim in uncopyrightable material, and if the claim appears to be limited to that material, the U.S. Copyright Office will refuse to register the claim.
Chapter 600 : 219 12/22/2014 621.9(E)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) That Contain Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material If the deposit copy(ies) contain copyrightable material as well as uncopyrightable material, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant, provided that the applicant does not claim the uncopyrightable material in the NeEwxa Mmaptleer: ial Included field or in space 6(b). An application is submitted for a revised version of a user’s manual. In the New Material Included field the applicant states “new text.” The deposit copies contain text, geometric symbols, and some sections highlighted in color. The registration specialist will register the claim because the applicant only asserted a claim in the copyrightable new text, and did not assert a claim in the uncopyrightable geometric shapes and highlighting.
621.9(E)(2) Claim in Copyrightable Authorship and Uncopyrightable Material If the New Material Included field or space 6C(bo)m opfe tnhdei uampplication asserts a claim in copyrightable material and material that is uncopyrightable under the Copyright Act, Section 202.1 of the regulations, or this , the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. In the alternative, the specialist may register the claim with an annotation indicating that the registration does not cover the uncopyrightable material. The annotation is intended to put the applicant, the claimant, the courts, and the geneErxaal mpupbleli:c on notice concerning the extent of the claim to copyright. An application is submitted for a new version of a banner advertisement. The applicant states “artwork, slogan, typeface” in the New Material Included field. If the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic authorship to support a claim in artwork, the registration specialist may register the claim with an annotation, such as: “Regarding new material included: slogan, typeface, typographic ornamentation not copyrightable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1.”
621.9(E)(3) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Deposit Copy(ies) Contain Copyrightable Authorship If the applicant only asserts a claim in material that is uncopyrightable, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant.
621.9(E)(4) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Acceptable Authorship Statement Used to Describe Uncopyrightable Material If the applicant uses a term in the New Material Included field or space 6(b) of the application that normally would be used to describe copyrightable authorship, such as Chapter 600 : 220 12/22/2014 “artwork” or “text,” and if it appears that the applicant is using that term to describe material that is uncopyrightable, the specialist may communicate or may register the claim with an annotation indicating that the registration does not cover the uncopyrightable material.
621.9(E)(5) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors If two or more authors are named in the application, and if it appears that one or more of the authors did not contribute copyrightable authorship to the work, the specialist will ask for permission to remove the noncontributing author’s information from the registration record.
621.9(E)(6) Claim in Uncopyrightable Material: Registration Refused Compendium If the applicant asserts a claim in material that is uncopyrightable under the Copyright Act, Section 202.1, or this , and if the claim appears to be limited to that material, the specialist will refuse registration.
621.9(F) De Minimis Material Claimed in the New Material Included Field or Space 6(b) de minimis The material described in the New Material Included field or in space 6(b) must be copyrightable. If an element claimed in that field/space is , the U.S. Copyright Office may ask for permission to remove that element from the application or may refuse to register the claim.
621.9(F)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) Contain Copyrightable Authorship and De Minimis Material de minimis If the deposit copy(ies) contain copyrightable mdea tmeriniaiml ainsd material, the registration specialist may register the claim without communicating with the applicant, provided that the applicant does not claim the material in the New Material Included field or in space 6(b).
621.9(F)(2) Claim in Copyrightable Authorship and De Minimis Material de minimis If the applicadnet m asinseimrtiss a claim in copyrightable material and material, the registration specialist generally will ask the applicant for permission to remove the claim in the material. In some cases, the specialist madye rmeginisimteirs the claim with an annotation identifying the copyrightable material that has been submitted for registration and stating that the registration does not cover the material claimed in the application.
621.9(F)(3) Claim in De Minimis Material: Works Created by Two or More Authors de minimis If two or more authors are named in the application, and if it appears that one of the authors contributed only a amount of authorship, the specialist will communicate with the applicant. If the applicant confirms that the author did not make a copyrightable contribution to the work, the specialist will ask for permission to remove that author’s name from the registration record. Chapter 600 : 221 12/22/2014 621.9(F)(4) Claim in De Minimis Authorship: Registration Refused de minimis, If the registration specialist determines that the author’s contribution is and if there appears to be no other basis for asserting a valid claim in the work, the specialist will refuse registration.
621.9(G) Discrepancies Involving the Copyright Notice 621.9(G)(1) Published Works e.g The presence of multiple year dates in the copyright notice for a published work ( ., © Mountain View Software 2004, 2005, 2006) may indicate that portions of thee w.gork have been previously published or previously registered. Likewise, a copyright notice that precedes the date of publication for a published work by two or more years ( ., Rise and Shine, published January 2008, © Sunny Day Inc. 2005) may indicate that the work contains previously published or previously registered material. In this situation, the registration specialist may question an application if the applicant fails to complete the Limitation of Claim screen in an online application or spaces 5, 6(a), and/or 6(b) in a paper application.
621.9(G)(2) Unpublished Works The presence of an earlier date or multiple dates in the copyright notice for an unpublished work does not necessarily mean that the work contains unclaimable material. However, if the date clearly refers to previously published material or previously registered material, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the applicant failed to complete the Limitation of Claim screen or spaces 5, 6(a), and/or 6(b) of the paper application.
621.9(H) Discrepancies Involving the Registration Number or Year of Registration in a Paper Application If the applicant checks the “yes” box on space 5 of a paper application without providing a registration number and/or year of registration, the registration specialist may either communicate with the applicant, or may attempt to locate the previous registration information in the U.S. Copyright Office’s records. In conducting such a search, the specialist will only look for works that have been registered under the exact same title as the work described in the application.
If there is no record of a previous registration under the same title, the specialist may complete the registration and add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding previous registration: Copyright Office records show no previous registration under this title.”
If the work described in the application has been published, and if the specialist finds another work registered under the exact same title, he or she may add the previous registration number and year to the registration record. If the previous registration is for an unpublished version of the work described in the application, the specialist may explain that the Office is issuing a new registration for the first published edition of this work by giving an annotation, such as: “Regarding previous registration: registration Chapter 600 : 222 12/22/2014 number added from C.O. records. Registered as first published edition.” If the previous registration is for a previously published version of the work described in the application, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether there is a basis for issuing a new registration.
In some cases, the applicant may check box (a) in space 5, indicating that “this is the first published edition of a work previously registered in unpublished form” without providing a date of publication for the work that has been submitted for registration and without providing a previous registration number or year of registration. If the work appears to be unpublished, and if there is no record of a previous registration under the same title, the registration specialist may add an annotation, such as: “Regarding previous registration: application states that this is the first published edition of a work previously registered in unpublished form, but no publication date or previous registration number given. Registered as unpublished.”
621.9(I) Reference to Previous Registration Clearly Erroneous Where the applicant provides a number in the Previous Registration field/space, but the number is clearly erroneous or does not relate to a registration the U.S. Copyright Office, the registration specialist may annotate the registration record and register the claim without communicating with the applicant. If the applicant provides an erroneous number and checks the “yes” box on space 5 of a paper application, the specialist may ask the applicant for permission to remove that number from the registration record and to chEaxnagmep tlhese: a nswer on space 5 from “yes” to “no.” Lois Lanier submits an application for a product logo. In the Previous Registration field, the applicant provides a U.S. trademark registration number. The specialist will add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding previous registration: applicant gives RN 1234567, which is not a Copyright Office • registration number.”
Chapter 600 : 223 12/22/2014 621.9(J) Reference to a Preregistration in the Previous Registration Field/Space If the applicant provides a preregistration number in the Previous Registration field in an online application, the registration specialist will move that information to the correct portion of the registration record. If the applicant provides a preregistration number on a paper application and checks the “yes” box that appears on space 5, the specialist will register the work and will add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding previous registration: information refers to preregistration under 17 U.S.C. § 408(f), not full registration under 17 U.S.C. § 408(a).” 622 Rights and Permissions Information / Correspondent / Mail Certificate
622.1 Rights and Permissions Information
The applicant may provide the name, address, and other contact information for the person and/or organization that should be contacted for permission to use the work. Providing this information is optional and an application will be accepted even if this portion of the application is left blank.
The applicant may provide rights and permissions information in an online application on the Rights and Permissions Information screen. Currently, there is no space for this information on the paper applications.
The applicant may provide as much or as little information as the applicant prefers. For example, the applicant may provide the name of the person and/or organization who may be contacted for permission to use the work, along with the street address, telephone number, fax number, and email address (if any) for that person or organization. If the applicant prefers not to provide personally identifiable information, the applicant may provide the name and address for a third party agent or a post office box number in lieu of a street address.
If the applicant provides rights and permissions information on the application, that information will appear on the certificate of registration, which will be made available to the public upon request. In addition, rights and permissions information will appear in the online public record for the work, which can be accessed by anyone who performs a search for the work on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website. As discussed in Section 622.5, the Office will not remove this information from the online public record once a registration has been issued.
For a general discussion of privacy concerns, see Chapter 200, Section 205.
622.2 Correspondent
The applicant must provide the name, address, and other contact information for the person or persons who should be contacted if the registration specialist has questions or concerns regarding the application. This person is known as the correspondent. As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will direct all communications concerning an application or a registration to the correspondent at the email address, phone number, or mailing address provided in the registration record. Chapter 600 : 224 12/22/2014 When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Correspondent screen; when completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 7(b) of the application under the heading Correspondence. Specifically, the applicant should provide the correspondent’s first and last name, along with the street address (or P.O. Box) and email address where that person may be contacted. If the applicant fails to provide this information in an online application, the application will not be accepted by the Office’s electronic registration system. In addition, the applicant is strongly encouraged to provide the area code, daytime telephone number, and fax number (if any) for the correspondent, as well as the name of the organization (if any) where the correspondent may be reached. When a duly authorized agent or other third party submits an application on behalf of the author, the claimant, and/or an owner of one or more of the exclusive rights in the work, the third party should provide his or her name, address, and contact information in the Correspondent field/space.
The name and address provided in the application will appear on the certificate of registration, which will be made available to the public upon request. This information will not appear in the online public record. As discussed in Section 622.5, the Office will not remove this information from the registration record once a registration has been issued.
For a general discussion of privacy concerns, see Chapter 200, Section 205.
622.3 Applicant’s Internal Tracking Number
The applicant may assign an internal tracking number to an online application by completing the field marked Applicant’s Internal Tracking Number on the Certification screen.
Providing a tracking number is optional and this feature is intended solely for the applicant’s convenience. The U.S. Copyright Office does not use these numbers to keep track of pending applications, although the number will appear on the certificate of registration.
622.4 Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration
The applicant should provide the first and last name of the person and/or the name of the organization to whom the certificate of registration should be sent, along with the street address (or P.O. Box), city, state, and zip code for that person and/or organization. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Mail Certificate screen. If the applicant fails to provide this information, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 9 of the application under the heading “Certificate Will be Mailed in Window Envelope to This Address.” Space 9 should be completed legibly; failure to provide a legible name and address may delay the delivery of the certificate of registration. Chapter 600 : 225 12/22/2014 The applicant should provide only one mailing address in the application. The Office will send a single copy of the certificate of registration to that address by first class mail. Additional copies of the certificate of registration may be obtained from the Office for an additional fee. For instructions on how to request additional copies of a certificate of registration, see Chapter 2400, Section 2408.
The name and mailing address provided in the application will appear on the certificate of registration, which will be made available to the public upon request, although it will not appear in the online public record. As discussed in Section 622.5, the Office will not remove this information from the registration record once a registration has been issued.
For a general discussion of privacy concerns, see Chapter 200, Section 205.
622.5 Privacy Concerns
Because registration records are open to the public, an applicant should not provide any private, confidential, or personally identifiable information that is not required for registration. Any information that is provided in the application may be made available to the general public through the U.S. Copyright Office’s online database and the public records of the Office.
If the applicant provides private, confidential, or personally identifiable information in the application, that information may appear on the certificate of registration as well as online public record for the work, which can be accessed by anyone who runs a search work on the Office’s website. This information also will be made a permanent part of public record, and as a general rule, the Office will not remove any information from public record once a registration has been issued.
For a general discussion of privacy issues, see Chapter 200, Section 205. 623 Special Handling This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for special handling.
623.1 What Is Special Handling?
Special handling is a procedure for expediting the examination of an application to register a claim to copyright or the recordation of a document pertaining to copyright. The U.S. Copyright Office offers this service in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for the expedited issuance of a certificate of registration or a certificate of recordation, as described in Section 623.2. The Office charges an additional fee for this service, which is discussed in Section 623.6. The copyright law provides that a work of authorship is protected by copyright from the moment it is fixed in a tangible medium of expression and that a registration or recordation is not a prerequisite for such protection. 17 U.S.C. §§ 102(a), 408(a). However, registration is required in order to institute a lawsuit for the infringement of a U.S. work, and recordation is required in order to obtain the benefit of certain statutory Chapter 600 : 226 12/22/2014 See provisions and presumptions. 17 U.S.C. §§ 203(a)(4)(A), 205(c), 304(c)(4)(A), 411(a), 412.
The Office recognizes that a delay in the issuance of a certificate may create difficulties for the copyright owner or other interested parties, particularly when litigation is expected. Therefore, the Office has established a procedure for processing applications and recording documents on an expedited basis for an additional fee. The procedure for rSeeqe ugeesnteinragl lsypecial handling is discussed in Section 623.5. Fees for Special Handling of Registration Claims, 74 Fed. Reg. 39,900 (Aug. 10, 2009); Policy Decision: Revised Special Handling Procedures, 56 Fed. Reg. 37,528 (Aug. 7, 1991); Policy Decision Fixing Fees for the Special Handling of Import Statements and Documents, 50 Fed. Reg. 46,206 (Nov. 6, 1985); Policy Decision Announcing Fee for Special Handling of Applications for Copyright Registration, 47 Fed.
Reg. 19,254 (May 4, 1982).
623.2 Justification for Special Handling
The U.S. Copyright Office will grant a request for special handling in the following s•i tuations:
• Pending or prospective litigation.
• Customs matters.
The Office may refuse to grant special handling if the request is not sufficiently justified, or if the Office is unable to process the request based on the Office’s workload or budget at the time the request is made. The Office will not grant any request for special handlingE ixna mcopnlnese:c tion with a request for reconsideration of a refusal to register. Timothy King discovers that a website published his photograph of the Dalai Lama without his permission. He intends to send a cease and desist letter to the website demanding that the photo be removed from the site. Before sending the letter, Timothy submits an application to register his work and asks the Office to process the application on an expedited basis due to pending or prospective • litigation. The request for special handling will be granted. The Pomegranate Company submits an application to register a motion picture and asks the Office to process the application on an expedited basis. In the Note to Copyright Office field the applicant explains that it intends to record its registration with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service to prevent infringing copies Chapter 600 : 227 12/22/2014 from being imported into the United States. The request for special • handling will be granted.
623.3 Examination Guidelines: Special Handling
The U.S. Copyright Office will apply the same practices and procedures when examining a claim to copyright or a document pertaining to copyright, regardless of whether the applicant asks for special handling.
The fact that the Office issued a registration or recorded a document on an expedited basis will not be mentioned in the certificate or the online public record. However, the Office will retain a copy of the request for special handling in the registration record or the recordation record.
623.4 Timeline for Special Handling Requests
Once a request for special handling has been received and the request has been granted, the U.S. Copyright Office will make every attempt to examine the application or the document within five working days, although the Office cannot guarantee that all applications or all documents will be registered or recorded within that timeframe. As a general rule, the Office will issue a certificate of registration or a certificate of recordation within five working days if it is clear that the material deposited consti- tutes copyrightable subject matter and that the other legal and formal requirements of U.S. copyright law have been met.
If there are questions or issues that prevent the Office from registering the work or recording the document, the Office generally will notify the party that submitted the application or document within five working days. If the applicant responds to this communication, the Office will provide its response to the applicant’s communication(s) within a reasonable amount of time.
If it is clear that the requirements of the law have not been met, the Office will refuse to register the claim or will refuse to record the document. A refusal will be made in a written communication that will be sent to the party that submitted the application or document. However, the Office cannot guarantee that a decision will be made or that the refusal will be issued within the timeframe specified above. Chapter 600 : 228 12/22/2014
623.5 Procedure for Requesting Special Handling
Special handling for an application to register a work may be requested online, in person, by courier, or by mail. Special handling for document recordations may be requested only in person, by courier, or by mail. The procedures for each type of request are discussed in Sections 623.5(A) through 623.5(D).
The request may be made when the application or document is submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office or any time before the Office issues a certificate of registration or a certificate of recordation.
When requesting special handling for an application, the Office strongly encourages applicants to complete an online application and upload an electronic copy of the work if the work is eligible for submission in an electronic format. When submitting the deposit in a hard copy format, the Office strongly encourages applicants to deliver the deposit copy(ies) in person to ensure they are received in a timely manner and to minimize the risk of damage.
For guidance in determining whether a work is eligible for submission in electronic format, see Chapter 1500, Section 1507.2. For information concerning the procedures for delivering deposit copy(ies) in person, see Chapter 1500, Section 1508.5. 623.5(A) Online Requests for an Expedited Certificate of Registration When submitting an application using the electronic registration system, the applicant may request special handling by completing the fields that appear on the Special Handling screen. The applicant should check the box mia.erked Special Handling and provide a justification for the applicant’s request by checking one or more of the boxes that appear under the heading Compelling Reason(s) ( ., pending or prospective litigation; customs matters; contract or publishing deadlines). The request for special handling must be certified by an author of the work, the claimant named in the application, an owner of one or more of the exclusive rights in the work, or a duly authorized agent of one of the aforementioned parties. The certifying party should check the box that reads, “I certify that I am the author, copyright claimant of exclusive rights, or the authorized agent of the author, copyright claimant of exclusive rights of this work.” By checking this box, the certifying party confirms that the information provided in the request for special handling is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. There is no need to date the certification; the date will be added automatically when the application is received by the U.S. Copyright Office. Additional comments or instructions that may be relevant to the request for special handling may be provided in the field marked Explanation for Special Handling, such as the applicant’s preference for the delivery of the certificate of registration. 623.5(B) In Person Requests To request special handling in person, the requesting party should prepare a letter explaining why there is a compelling need for the expedited issuance of a certificate of registration or a certificate of recordation. The letter must include one or more of the Chapter 600 : 229 12/22/2014 i.e.
justifications listed in Section 623.2 ( , pending or prospective litigation; customs matters; contract or publishing deadlines). In addition, the party making the request must provide a signed statement certifying that the information contained in the letter is correct to the best of his or her knowledge.
The letter should be clearly labeled “Special Handling” and should be delivered to the SPpuebcliiac lI hnafonrdmliantgi ofonr O cfofpicyer itgohgte rthegeirs twraitthio tnh:e following items: • An appropriate application to register the claim to copyright. The appropriate deposit copy(ies), phonorecords, or identifying material for the • claim to copyright.
• The appropriate filing fee or deposit account number. SpecTiahle h sapnedcliianlg h faonr dcloinpygr fiegeh to rr edceoprdoasitti oanc:c ount number. The transfer or other document pertaining to copyright that is being submitted for • recordation.
• The appropriate document recordation fee or deposit account number. The special handling fee or deposit account number.
The Public Information Office is located in Room LM-401 of the James Madison Memorial Building of the Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20559, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (except for federal holidays). Please be advised that visitors to the U.S. Copyright Office must pass through security before entering the building, and that sealed packages or packages that are more than twenty-four inches wide by fifteen inches high are not permitted.
For more information on visiting the Office, see Chapter 200, Section 204.1(B)(3). 623.5(C) Requests Delivered by Courier or by Mail Although it is strongly discouraged, applicants may submit a request for special handling by mail, or if the package exceeds certain measurements, by courier. When submitting a request by mail applicants should send all of the required materials as follows:
To submit a request for special handling by U.S. mail or by private courier, the party making the request should prepare a letter containing the information set forth in Section 623.5(B). The letter should be sent to the U.S. Copyright Office together with the Chapter 600 : 230 12/22/2014 items listed in Section 623.5(B) in an envelope or package that is clearly labeled “Special Handling.”
Items delivered by private courier should be sent to the Congressional Courier Acceptance Site, which is located at 2nd and D Streets NE, Washington, DC. This location is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time(except for federal holidays). Items delivered to this location are typically sent to the Office the next working day.
Items delivered by U.S. mail should be sent to the following address: Special Handling Copyright RAC Division P.O. Box 71380 Washington, DC 20024-1380 A package containing a request for special handling must not exceed twelve inches by eighteen inches by four inches in size. Packages exceeding these dimensions should be delivered in person to the Public Information Office using the procedure described in Section 623.5(B) or should be sent by U.S. mail to the following address: Special Handling Department 100 Washington, DC 20540 623.5(D) Procedure for Requesting Special Handling for a Pending Application or a Pending Recordation A request for special handling may be made at any time before the U.S. Copyright Office issues a certificate of registration or certificate of recordation. If an application or a document recordation request is already pending, the applicant or remitter may ask the U.S. Copyright Office to process the application or document on an expedited basis, provided that the requesting party pays the special handling fee and provided that there is a compelling reason for the request.
To request special handling for a pending application or a pending recordation request, the applicant or remitter should prepare a letter containing the information set forth in Section 623.5(B). To facilitate the location of the application that is the subject of the r•e quest, the letter should provide the following information: • The service request number/case number for the work, if known. • The exact title of the work as it appears in the application. • The name(s) of the author(s) and claimant(s) named in the application. A description of the deposit copy(ies), phonorecords, or identifying material that • were submitted to the Office.
To facilitate the location of the document that is the subject of the request, the letter s•h ould provide the following information:
• The title of the first work that is listed in the document. • The date that the document was submitted to the Office. e.g The means by which the document was submitted to the Office ( ., by hand delivery, by first class mail, by registered mail, by certified mail, or by private • courier).
In some cases, the applicant may be required to pay a search fee if the application or document cannot be located immediately. The fee for this service is set forth in the fee schedule on the Office’s website in the field marked “Retrievals and Copies of Records” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
623.6 Special Handling Fee
The applicant must pay a special handling fee in addition to the filing fee for the application or the recordation fee for the document in order to expedite the registration or recordation. These fees are set forth in the fee schedule on the Office’s website in the field marked “Special Handling for Registration of Qualified Copyright Claims” and “Special handling of recordation of documents” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). The special handling fee must be paid for each application and for each document for which expedited service is requested and granted.
Once a request for special handling has been granted, the special handling fee is not refundable, regardless of whether the Office issues a certificate of registration or a certificate of recordation.
If the applicant requests special handling through the electronic registration system, the special handling fee may be paid with a credit card, a debit card, or an electronic transfer from a checking account, savings account, or a deposit account. Chapter 600 : 232 12/22/2014 If the request is made in person at the Public Information Office, the special handling fee may be paid in cash, by credit card, by check, or it may be charged to a deposit account. If the request is delivered by mail or by private courier, the special handling fee may be paid by check or it may be charged to a deposit account. Checks must be made payable to the Register of Copyrights, they must be payable in U.S. dollars, they must be imprinted with an American Banking Association routing number, and they must be redeemable through a U.S. institution without a service charge or exchange fee. International money orders and foreign postal money orders that are negotiable only at a post office will not be accepted.
If the Office issues a certificate of registration or a certificate of recordation, and if the payment for the special handling fee is returned for insufficient funds, the registration oSer er ecordation will be cancelled.
623.7 Special Handling for Multiple Applications That Share the Same Deposit Copy On occasion, an applicant will submit multiple applications together with a single deposit copy, and will ask the U.S. Copyright Office to process some — but less than all — of those applications on an expedited basis. In such cases, the Office will expedite the examination of the applications for which special handling has been requested, but will not expedite the examination of the other applications. However, the applicant must pay an additional fee, which will be added to the filing fee for each application and the special handling fee. The fee for this service is set forth in the fee schedule on the Office’s website on the line marked “Additional fee for each (non- special-handling) claim using the same deposit” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). Before processing each application the Office will ask the applicant to submit the additional fee (if it has not been paid). If the applicant prefers to avoid the additional fee, the applicant may submit a separate deposit copy for the applications that do not require sEpxeacmiapll eh:a ndling.
624.1 The Significance of the Certification
The person who signs a copyright application certifies that the information provided therein is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(iii). Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application for copyright registration, or in any written statement filed in connection with the application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e).
624.2 Who May Certify the Application?
The applicant is the party who certifies the certification and submits the application to the U.S. Copyright Office. An application to register a claim to copyright may be certified b• y any of the following parties:
• The author of the work.
• An owner of one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights in the work. A duly authorized agent of any of the foregoing parties. No other person or entity is entitled to certify a copyright application. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(i).
624.2(A) Application Certified by the Author or the Author’s Duly Authorized Agent If the author owns all of the rights under the copyright on the date that the application is submitted, the author should be named in the application as the copyright claimant. In this situation, the application to register that claim should be certified by the author or the author’s duly authorized agent.
Chapter 600 : 234 12/22/2014 For further discussion of this issue, see Section 619.6 and Chapter 400, Section 405. 624.2(B) Application Certified by a Party That Owns All the Rights under Copyright That Initially Belonged to the Author or That Party’s Duly Authorized Agent If a party owns all the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author and if the work has not been registered before, that party may be named in the application as the copyright claimant. In this situation, the application to register that claim should be certified by that party or that party’s duly authorized agent. In the alternative, the author may be named as the copyright claimant and the application may be certified by the author or the author’s duly authorized agent, even if the author has transferred all of the rights to another party, and even if the author does not own any of the rights at the time the application is filed. For further discussion of this issue, see Sections 619.7 and 619.8, and Chapter 400, Sections 405 and 406.
624.2(C) Application Certified by an Owner of One or More — but Less than All — of the Exclusive Rights or That Party’s Duly Authorized Agent If the author has assigned one or more — but less than all — of the rights in the work to another party, then the author should be named as the copyright claimant. In this situation, the application to register the claim may be certified by the author, the transferee, or their respective agents.
In the event the author assigned all of his or her rights under copyright to a third party and that transferee, in turn, assigned some — but not all — of those rights to an exclusive licensee, the author should be named as the copyright claimant. However, the author, the transferee, the exclusive licensee, or their respective agents may certify and submit an application to register the work with the U.S. Copyright Office. For further discussion of this issue, see Section 619.7 and 619.9 and Chapter 400, SSeeections 405 and 407.
624.3 Completing the Application: Certification
624.3(A) Online Applications When completing an online application, the applicant will be asked to certify the application on the Certification screen. Specifically, the applicant should provide the first and last name of the individual who is certifying the application in the space marked Name of Certifying Individual and should check the box that reads “I certify that I am the author, copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive rights, or the authorized agent of the author, copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive rights of this work and that the information given in this application is correct to the best of my knowledge.” 37 Chapter 600 : 235 12/22/2014 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2Se)(eii). There is no need to date the certification in an online application; the date will be added automatically when the application is received by the U.S. Copyright Office. Online Registration of Claims to Copyright, 72 Fed. Reg. 36,883, 36,887 (July 6, 2007).
If the certification box has not been checked, or if a name is not provided in the field marked Name of Certifying Individual, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system.
For guidance concerning the Note to Copyright Office field on the Certification screen, see Section 605.2(A).
624.3(B) Paper Applications A paper application should be signed and dated on space 8 of the application under the heading Handwritten Signature. In addition, the first and last name of the person who certified the application should be typed or printed on the space marked Typed or Printed Name and Date. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(ii).
If the signature is illegible the registration specialist will add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding certification: image of signature on file in Copyright Office.”
The person who certifies the application should check one of the boxes on the application indicating whether he or she is an author of the work, the claimant specified in the application, an owner of one or more exclusive rights in the work, or a duly authorized agent of one of the foregoing persons. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(i). Ordinarily, an application will be accepted if two or more of the boxes in space 8 have •b een checked unless there is reason to question the application. Checking the “author” box means that the person certifying the application is one of • the authors of the work named in space 2 of the application. Checking the “other copyright claimant” box means that the person certifying the application is the copyright claimant named in space 4 of the application. It also means that the person certifying the application owns all the rights under the • copyright that initially belonged to the author.
Chapter 600 : 236 12/22/2014 The registration specialist will conclude that the application was certified by an authorized person, unless there is evidence to the contrary in the registration materials. If the application has not been signed, the specialist will communicate with the applicant, even if a handwritten signature appears in a cover letter or elsewhere in the registration materials. If the applicant or the applicant’s authorized agent confirms that the information in the application is correct, the specialist will add that party’s name to the Certification space and will provide the date of the communication as the date of certification. In addition, the specialist will add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding certification: certification affirmed by [phone call / email] with [name of person] on [date].”
624.4 Examination Guidelines: Certification
624.4(A) Signature Requirements When completing an online application, the individual who certifies the application should provide his or her first and last name. When completing a paper application, the individual who certifies the application should provide a handwritten signature containing his or her first and last name. The U.S. Copyright Office will accept a photocopy of a handwritten signature, but a stamped signature or a signature provided on a preprinted label is not acceptable. Likewise, the Office will not accept a signature consisting solely of initials or a monogram.
If the work described in the application is a pseudonymous work, the author may sign the application using his or her pseudonym, provided that the name is clearly identified as a pseudonym in the registration materials. For a detailed discussion of pseudonymous works, see Section 615.2.
The registration specialist will review the application to confirm that it has been certified by an individual. A certification that merely recites the name of a business, company, partnership, or other legal entity is unacceptable. However, the specialist will accept a certification that includes the name of the individual who certified the application, along with the name of that person’s employer or the business or organizaEtxioanm tphlaets :t he person represents.
625.1 Minimum Requirements for an Acceptable Application
If the applicant has made a reasonable, good faith effort to complete the relevant fields/spaces in the application, the effective date of registration will be the date that the U.S. Copyright Office received the application, provided that the applicant satisfied the minimum requirements for an acceptable, complete deposit copy and paid the applicabElex afimlinpgle fse: e as of that date.
625.2 Minimum Requirements for Acceptable Deposit Copy(ies)
To establish an effective date of registration, the U.S. Copyright Office must receive deposit copy(ies) containing the entire copyrightable content of the work described in the application.
Chapter 600 : 240 12/22/2014 If it appears that the applicant failed to submit the entire copyrightable content of the work, or if the specialist is unable to access, view, or examine that content, the specialist will communicate with the applicant.
If the work is approved for registration, the effective date of registration is the date that the Office received the entire copyrightable content of the work in a form that can be accessed, viewed, and examined. As a general rule, the fact that the deposit copy(ies) may not satisfy the “best edition” requirement is irrelevant to this determination. For a discussion of the “best edition” requirements, see Chapter 1500, Section 1504. 625.2(A) Acceptable File Formats for the Deposit Copy(ies) Accompanying an Online Application If the applicant uploads a deposit copy(ies) using any of the acceptable file formats listed on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file- types.html), the effective date of registration will be the date that the Office received the deposit copy(ies), provided that the file can be opened and provided that the applicant satisfied the minimum requirements for an acceptable application and paid the applicable filing fee as of that date.
625.2(B) Unacceptable File Formats for the Deposit Copy(ies) Accompanying an Online Application If the applicant uploads the deposit copy(ies) in a file format that is not listed on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website, the registration specialist may attempt to open the file using the equipment available in the Office or may communicate with the applicant to request a deposit in an acceptable file format.
If the specialist is able to view and/or listen to the copyrightable authorship that is claimed in the application, the effective date of registration will be the date that the Office received the deposit copy(ies), provided that the applicant satisfied the minimum requirements for an acceptable application and paid the applicable filing fee as of that date.
If the specialist is unable to open the file or unable to view or listen to the authorship claimed in the application, he or she will ask the applicant to resubmit the deposit copy(ies) in an acceptable file format. If the work is approved for registration, the effective date of registration will be the date that the Office received a copy or phonorecord of the work in an acceptable file format that can be accessed, viewed, and examined by the specialist. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(D). 625.2(C) Corrupted Deposit Copy(ies) Files Accompanying an Online Application If the applicant submits the deposit copy(ies) in a file format that is listed on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website, and if the registration specialist is unable to access, view, or examine the deposit copy(ies) because the file appears to be corrupted, the specialist will ask the applicant to submit another copy or phonorecord of the work. If the applicant resubmits the deposit copy(ies) in one of the file formats listed on the Office’s website, the effective date of registration generally will be based on the date that Chapter 600 : 241 12/22/2014 the Office received an acceptable copy, although the Office may assign a different date at its discretion (e.g., the date of the original submission). 625.2(D) Shipping Slips for Mailing Physical Deposit Copy(ies) to Accompany an Online Application When submitting an online application, the applicant may upload the deposit copy(ies) through the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system, provided the work is not subject to best edition requirements and provided that the work meets one or more of the requirements set forth in Chapter 1500, Section 1507.2. For a discussion of the best edition requirements, see Chapter 1500, Section 1504. When required to submit physical deposit copy(ies), the applicant may submit the deposit copy(ies) by mail, by courier, or by personal delivery to the Public Information Office. When submitting the deposit copy(ies) using one of these methods, the applicant must attach a shipping slip to the deposit copy(ies) to ensure that they will be paired with the online application. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(2)(i)(D). To create a shipping slip the applicant must click the Create Shipping Slip button at the bottom of the Case Summary screen, then click the shipping slip link that appears in the Send By Mail field. The applicant must print a copy of the shipping slip and attach it to each of the deposit copy(ies).
The effective date of registration for claims submitted by mail, by courier, or by personal delivery will be determined based on the date that the Office receives the deposit copy(ies) together with the corresponding shipping slip. Failure to attach the shipping slip to each deposit copy(ies) will prevent the copy(ies) from being paired with the online application and may require the applicant to resubmit the deposit copy(ies) to the Office, which in turn, will delay the effective date of registration. For additional information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 1500, Section 1508.2.
625.3 Minimum Requirements for an Acceptable Filing Fee
To establish an effective date of registration the U.S. Copyright Office must receive the full, applicable filing fee. To determine the correct filing fee, see the fee schedule on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
625.3(A) Forms of Payments A filing fee may be paid with a credit card, a debit card, an electronic transfer from a checking or savings account, or with a check, bank draft, or money order made payable to the Register of Copyrights. The U.S. Copyright Office also maintains a system of deposit accounts for parties who frequently conduct business with the Office. Persons or entities that maintain a deposit accounSt emeay deposit funds into the account and charge fees against that balance instead of sending a separate payment with each application or other request for services. 37 C.F.R. § 201.6(b). For a discussion of deposit accounts, see Chapter 1400, Section 1403.5.
Chapter 600 : 242 12/22/2014 Checks or money orders from a foreign country must be payable in U.S. dollars, they must be redeemable through a U.S. institution, they must be imprinted with an American Banking Association routing number, and they must be redeemable for the full amount of the fee required without a service or exchange fee. 37 C.F.R. § 201.6(a). Postal money orders and international money orders that are negotiable only at a post office are not acceptable.
The Office cannot assign an effective date of registration if the applicant submits an unacceptable form of payment, such as uncollectible payments submitted through www.pay.gov, dishonored ACH fees, uncollectible checks, unsigned checks, postdated checks, mutilated checks, illegible checks, fees made payable in a foreign currency, postage stamps, or the like.
625.3(B) Insufficient Funds If the applicant fails to submit the correct filing fee or if there are insufficient funds in a deposit account when an application is received, the U.S. Copyright Office’s Receipt Analysis and Control Division (“RAC”) will notify the applicant or account holder in writing.
If the correct filing fee is submitted within forty-five days after the date set forth in the notice from RAC, the effective date of registration may be changed to reflect the date that the funds were received, provided that the applicant satisfied the minimum requirements for an acceptable application and deposit copy(ies) as of that date. If the Office does not receive a response within forty-five days after the date set forth in the notice from RAC, the file will be closed.
If an applicant submits funds or has funds in a deposit account that are sufficient to cover the filing fee for one or more, but not all, of the applications that are submitted for registration, the Office will not communicate with the applicant to determine which application should be processed first. RAC will apply the filing fees to the applications in no particular order until the funds have been exhausted and will forward those applications to the Registration Program for examination. 625.3(C) Special Handling Fee The fee for processing an application on an expedited basis is separate from the filing fee, and the date that the special handling fee is received in the U.S. Copyright Office does not affect the effective date of registration. If the applicant submits an application together with the appropriate deposit copy(ies) and filing fee, and subsequently asks the Office to process that application on an expedited basis, the effective date of registration will be the date that the Office received an acceptable application, deposit copy(ies), and filing fee, rather than the date that the special handling fee was received. For a discussion of special handling, see Section 623.
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625.4 Minimum Requirements for Establishing an Effective Date of Registration
Distinguished from the Requirements for Issuing a Certificate of Registration The fact that an applicant satisfied the minimum requirements for establishing an effective date of registration does not necessarily mean that the work will be registered. The U.S. Copyright Office will not register a claim or issue a certificate of registration until the registration specialist has determined that the material deposited constitutes copyrightable subject matter and the other legal and formal requirements for registration have been met. 17 U.S.C. § 410(a).
625.5 Differences Between an Application and a Certificate of Registration
The date on which the U.S. Copyright Office receives an application for ir.eeg.istration will constitute the effective date of registration only if (i) the Office subsequently determines that it has received (a) the proper filing fee; (b) an acceptable deposit ( , one that is legally sufficient and perceptible); (c) an application that meets the legal and formal requirements of Title 17; and (d) issues a certificate of registration; or (ii) the Office refuses the claim and a court of competent jurisdiction later determines that the work was registrable.
The mere submission of an application to the U.S. Copyright Office does not amount to a registration. This is corroborated by the statute and the legislative history. Sections 410(a) and (b) set forth the basic duties of the Register of Copyrights: to issue certificates of registration after an examination of the deposit and the application to determine whether the legal and formal requirements of Title 17 have been met, or to refuse the application and notify the applicant of the reason for the refusal. 17 U.S.C. § 410(a), (b). Section 410(c) provides for a statutoIdry. evidentiary presumption of the validity of the facts “stated in the certificate [of registration]” if the registration “is made before or within five years after publication.” § 410(c). Whether the registration has been “made before or within five years after first publication” di.eep.ends on whether a certificate of registration has beenI dis.sued by the Office and the date on which the Office received all of the requisite registration materials ( , a complete application, deposit, and filing fee). Until the Office issues a certificate of registration, there can be no effective date of registration.
Section 410(d) directly addresses the effective date of a copyright registration. It states that “[t]he effective date of copyright registration is the day on which an application, deposit, and fee, wIhdi.ch are later determined by the Register of Copyrights or by a court of competent jurisdiction to be acceptableId f.or registration, have all been received in the Copyright Office.” § 410(d). Deposit requirements and filing fees are established by regulation by the Register of Copyrights. §§ 408(b), 702, 708. While a court may later determine the copyrightability of a work that has been refused by the Office, a court cannot waive the Office’s requisite registration fees, determine whether the deposit was received by the Office, or whether that deposit was sufficient for registration purposes by the Office. A court’s determination of an effective date of registration, as opposed to the Register’s determination, is premised on the Office’s refusal of a claim of copyright. The legislative history on section 410(d) confirms this interpretation: Chapter 600 : 244 12/22/2014 Where the three necessary elements are received at different times the date of receipt of the last of them is controlling, regardless of when the Copyright Office acts on the claim. The provision not only takes account of the inevitable timelag between receipt of the application and other material and the issuance of the certificate, but it alsroe prreicnotgend iiznes the possibility that a court might later find the Register wrong in refusing registration. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476 at 157 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5773.
The Senate Joint Explanatory Statement on the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988 stated unequivocally: “The principal change made by the amendment deals with existing section 411 of the Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 411. This provision establishes the general rule that a claim of copyright in a work must be registered with the Copyright Office before any lawsuit claiming infringement of the work may be initiated. Section 411(a) contains an exception in the case of a work as to which the Copyright Office has refused to issue a certificate of registration, but the fact remains that a review by the Copyright Office of the validity of a copyright claim is a necessary precondition for enforcement of copyright protection under current law.” 134 CONG. REC. S14554 (daily ed. Oct. 5, 1988) (Joint Explanatory Statement on Amendment to S. 1301). In addition, the House Report on the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988 explained: “For all of these reasons, the Committee concluded that section 411(a)—and registration as a prerequisite to the filing of a lawsuit—should be retained.” H.R. REP. NO. 100-609, at 42 (1988).
The statute and the legislative history, when read together, clearly evince Congress’s intention that the Register of Copyrights must either issue a certificate of registration or refuse an application for registration prior to filing a suit for copyright infringement. Not only would the filing of a lawsuit solely on the basis of submission of an application eliminate the mediating role that Congress intended the Office to fulfill, it also would nullify the Register of Copyrights’ statutory right to intervene in an infringement action in cases where the application for registration has been refused. 17 U.S.C. § 411(a). It also should be noted that the Office provides a service for applicants to expedite the processing of claims within five business days in situations involving prospective or pending litigation. (For information concerning this procedure, see Section 623.) This service is available when a claim is submitted or after a claim has been submitted and is currently in-process. This service eliminates delay in the copyright owner’s ability to file copyright infringement actions.
Chapter 600 : 245 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
707.1 Numbers ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 707.2 Research ............................................................................................................................................................................. 10 707.3 Book Design ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10 708 Joint Works........................................................................................................................................................................ 11 709 Derivative Literary Works........................................................................................................................................... 11 709.1 Translations ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12 709.2 Fictionalizations .............................................................................................................................................................. 13 709.3 Abridgements ................................................................................................................................................................... 14 709.4 Editorial Revisions, Annotations, Elaborations, or Other Modifications ................................................... 14 710 Compilations ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 711 Collective Works and Contributions to Collective Works ............................................................................... 17 712 Serials .................................................................................................................................................................................. 18 712.1 What Is a Serial? .............................................................................................................................................................. 18 712.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Serials ....................................................................................................................... 18 712.3 Application Tips for Serials ......................................................................................................................................... 19 712.4 International Standard Serial Number (“ISSN”) ................................................................................................. 20 713 Book Jackets ...................................................................................................................................................................... 21 714 Games .................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 715 Genealogies ....................................................................................................................................................................... 22 715.1 What Is a Genealogy?..................................................................................................................................................... 22 Chapter 700 : 1 12/22/2014 715.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Genealogies............................................................................................................. 23 715.3 Application Tips for Genealogies .............................................................................................................................. 23 716 Instructional Texts and Instructional Works ....................................................................................................... 26 717 Legal Materials ................................................................................................................................................................. 28 717.1 Legal Publications........................................................................................................................................................... 29 717.2 Legal Documents ............................................................................................................................................................. 30 717.3 Patents, Patent Applications, and Non-Patent Literature ............................................................................... 31 718 Letters, Email, and Other Written Correspondence .......................................................................................... 31 719 Interviews .......................................................................................................................................................................... 32 720 Tests, Answer Material for Tests, and Secure Tests .......................................................................................... 34 720.1 Secure Tests ...................................................................................................................................................................... 34 720.2 Examination of Secure Tests ...................................................................................................................................... 35 720.3 Examination Fee for Secure Tests ............................................................................................................................ 36 720.4 Identifying Material for Secure Tests ...................................................................................................................... 36 720.4(A) Print Format ..................................................................................................................................................................... 37 720.4(B) Machine-Readable Format .......................................................................................................................................... 37 720.4(C) Appropriate Method for Blocking Out Secure Test Materials ....................................................................... 37 720.5 Secure Tests Administered through a Computer Program ............................................................................ 38 721 Computer Programs ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 721.1 What Is a Computer Program? .................................................................................................................................. 38 721.2 What Is a Derivative Computer Program? ............................................................................................................ 39 721.3 What Is Source Code? .................................................................................................................................................... 39 721.4 What Is Object Code? ..................................................................................................................................................... 39 721.5 Relationship Between Source Code and Object Code ....................................................................................... 39 721.6 Relationship Between a Computer Program and a Work Created with a Computer or a Computer Program................................................................................................................................................ 40 721.7 Copyrightable Authorship in a Computer Program .......................................................................................... 40 721.8 Copyrightable Authorship in a Derivative Computer Program .................................................................... 41 721.9 Application Tips for Computer Programs ............................................................................................................. 45 721.9(A) Identifying the Type of Work ..................................................................................................................................... 45 721.9(B) Title of the Program ....................................................................................................................................................... 45 721.9(C) Name of Author / Name of Claimant ....................................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 700 : 2 12/22/2014 721.9(D) Year of Completion ......................................................................................................................................................... 46 721.9(E) Date of Publication ......................................................................................................................................................... 46 721.9(F) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Computer Program.................................................................................. 47 721.9(G) Limiting the Claim to Copyright in a Computer Program ............................................................................... 48 721.9(H) Acceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Computer Program ...................................... 49 721.9(I) Unclear Terminology for an Application to Register a Computer Program ............................................. 50 721.9(J) Unacceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Computer Program ................................. 51 721.10 Screen Displays ................................................................................................................................................................ 54 721.10(A) Relationship Between Source Code and Screen Displays ............................................................................... 54 721.10(B) Copyrightable Authorship in Screen Displays .................................................................................................... 54 721.10(C) Deposit Requirements for Screen Displays .......................................................................................................... 55 721.11 User Manuals and Other Documentation for a Computer Program ............................................................ 55 722 Apps ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 56 723 Computer Programs That Generate Typeface, Typefont, or Barcodes ...................................................... 56 724 Diagrams, Models, Outlines, Pseudocode, and Other Types of Works That Illustrate or Describe a Computer Program ............................................................................................... 57 725 Spreadsheets, Reports, and Other Documents Generated by a Computer Program ............................ 58 726 Videogames ....................................................................................................................................................................... 60 727 Databases ........................................................................................................................................................................... 60 727.1 What Is a Database? ....................................................................................................................................................... 60 727.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Databases ................................................................................................................ 61 727.3 Application Tips for Databases.................................................................................................................................. 62 727.3(A) Name of Author / Name of Claimant ....................................................................................................................... 62 727.3(B) Year of Completion ......................................................................................................................................................... 63 727.3(C) Date of Publication / Nation of Publication / Author’s Citizenship or Domicile .................................... 63 727.3(D) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Database ...................................................................................................... 63 727.4 Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 64 Chapter 700 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 700 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
• For a general overview of the registration process, see Chapter 200. • For a discussion of copyrightable subject matter, see Chapter 300. For guidance in determining who may file the application and who may be named as • the copyright claimant, see Chapter 400.
• For instructions on completing the application, see Chapter 600. • For guidance on the filing fee, see Chapter 1400.
703 What Is a Literary Work? The Copyright Act defines a literary work as “works, other than audiovisual works, expressed in words, numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia, regardless of the nature of the material objects, such as books, periodicals, manuscripts, phonorecords, film, tapes, disks, or cards, in which they are embodied.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. A literary work is a nondramatic work that explains, describes, or narrates a particular subject, theme, or idea through the use of narrative, descriptive, or explanatory text, rather than dialog or dramatic action. Generally, nondramatic literary works are intended to be read; they are not intended to be performed before an audience. Examples of nondramatic literary works include the following types of works: Chapter 700 : 5 12/22/2014 • Fiction • Nonfiction • Poetry • Directories • Catalogs • Textbooks • Reference works • Advertising copy • Compilations of information • Computer programs See Databases reprinted in 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(i); H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5667.
704 Literary Works Distinguished from Works of the Performing Arts Textual works that are intended to be performed before an audience and textual works that are intended to be used in a sound recording, motion picture, or other audiovisual work are considered works of the performing arts, rather than nondramatic literary works. FEoxra am dpelfeisn: ition and discussion of works of the performing arts, see Chapter 800. • The Sisters.
There are countless ways that a literary work may be fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Most literary works are fixed by their very nature, such as a poem written on paper, a short story saved in a computer file, an article printed in a periodical, or a novel embodied in an audio recording. However, some copies or phonorecords may not be sufficiently permanent or stable to warrant registration. The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the work is fixed in a medium that only exists for a transitory period of time, a medium that is constantly changing, or a medium that does not allow the specific words, numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia that constitute the literary work to be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated in a consistent and uniform manner. 706 Copyrightable Authorship in Literary Works A literary work may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office if it contains a certain minimum amount of literary expression that originated with the author of that work. When a registration specialist examines a literary work, he or she determines whether the work contains a sufficient amount of original authorship “expressed in words, numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indiCcioam.”p 1e7n dUi.uSm.C. § 101 (definition of “literary works”). In making this determination, specialists apply the legal standards set forth in the Copyright Act, the Office’s regulations, the , and the relevant caselaw. However, specrieaplirsitnst eddo innot look for any particular style of literary authorship, and they do not judge the “literary merit or qualitative value” of the work. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5667; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 53 (1975).
For a general discussion of these legal standards, see Chapter 300, Sections 302 through 308.
707 Uncopyrightable Material The U.S. Copyright Office is charged with administering the provisions of the Copyright Act and with issuing regulations for the administration of the copyright system that are Chapter 700 : 7 12/22/2014 consistent with the statute. The Office has no authority to register claims to copyright in works that fall outside the scope of federal statutory protection. Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act states that copyright protection extends only to “original works of authorship.” Works that have not been fixed in a tangible medium of expression, works that have not been created by a human being, and works that are not eligible for copyright protection in the United States do not satisfy this requirement. Likewise, the copyright law does not protect works that do not constitute copyrightable subject matter or works that do not contain a sufficient amount of original authorship. E• xamples of works that do not satisfy these requirements include the following: An idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or • discovery.
• Facts.
• Research.
• Typeface or mere variations of typographic ornamentations. • Format and layout.
• Book designs.
• Works that contain an insufficient amount of authorship. • Names, titles, slogans, or other short phrases.
• Numbers.
• Works consisting entirely of information that is common property. • Measuring and computing devices.
• A mere listing of ingredients or contents.
• Blank forms.
• Scènes à faire.
• Familiar symbols and designs.
• Mere variations of coloring.
• U.S. government works.
• Government edicts.
Chapter 700 : 8 12/22/2014 For a discussion of numbers, research, and book designs, see Sections 707.1 through 707.3 below. For a discussion of other types of works that cannot be registered with the Office, see Chapter 300, Section 313.
707.1 Numbers
Individual numbers are not copyrightable and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Likewise, the Office cannot register a claim to copyright in values expressed in individual numbers, individual letters, or individual words. See Southco, Inc. v. Kanebridge Corp Individual numbers are never copyrightable for the same reason that an individual word cannot be protected by copyright. ., 390 F.3d 276, 286-87 (3d Cir. 2004) (holding that the regulatory bar against registering “short phrases” loSgeiec ally extends to short sseeeq uaelsnoces of numbers). An individual number is a common symbol that is not independently created and does not, in itself, reveal any creativity. 37 C.F.RS.e §e 202.1(a); Chapter 300, Section 313.4(J). Nor does it fit within the established categories of copyrightable subject matter set forth in Section 102(a) of the statute. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). While the Copyright Act states that literary works may be expressed in “numbers” or “numerical symbols,” a critical element in the statutoryS deeefinition is that there must be a “work” that is expressed in some combination of “words, numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “literary works”). In other words, a work that includes numbers may constitute a literary work, but it does not follow that a number contained in the literary work alone contains sufficient expression to constitute a work, or that such an element alone constitutes copyrightable authorship. A compilation of numbers may be registered if there is a sufficient amount of creativity in the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of data. However, the registration for a compilation does not create a presumption that the individual numbers are copyrightable as independent works or as independent authorship. The authorSseheip involved in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the copyrightable and uncopyrightable elements of a compilation must be perceptible in the deposit copy(ies). Chapter 300, Section 312.2. While the process of deriving a particular number or value may be creative, any such creativity is not perceptible in a number alone. An individual number in and of itself never comprises sufficient authorship to be copyrightable. Copyright protects expression, not ideas or processes, and an individual number itself is not, and does not reveal, any copyrightable expression. Moreover, the statutory definition of a compilation states that the selection, coordinations, eaen adl/soor F aerirsta nPguebmliceantti oonfs p, rInece.x vis. tRiunrga ml Taetelerpiahlo onre dSaetrav imceu Csto .b,e done “in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 101; 499 U.S. 340, 358 (1991). The process of arriving at individual numbers or values may require judgment, prediction, valuation, or expertise, but an individual number does not express any selection, coordination, or arrangement that results in an original work of authorship. Mental processes and methods of operations are unfixed and they are exempt from copyright protection under Section 102(b) of the statute. Chapter 700 : 9 12/22/2014
707.2 Research
The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register a claim in research, because it suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in the facts that appear in the work or the effort involved in collecting that information.
The Supreme Court expresslFy eriestjected the “sweat of the brow” or “industrious collection” doctrines, which made copyright protection a “reward for the hard work” involved in creating a work. , 499 U.S. at 352, 364. The Court concluded that “[p]rotection for the fruits of such research…maIyd in certain circumstances be available under a theory of unfair competition,” but recognized that a claim to copyright “on this basis alone distorts basic copyright principles.” . at 354. Although research is not copyrightable, the Office may register a work of authorship that describes, explains, or illustrates factual research, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. For example, a research paper, a scientific journal, or a biopic may be registered if the work contains a sufficient amount of literary, pictorial, graphic, or audiovisual expression. However, the registration does not extend to the facts, ideas, procedures, processes, systems, meIdthods of operationM, ciollnerc evp. ts, Uprniinvceirpslaels C, oitry dSitsucdoivoes,r Iinesc .described in the work. “They may not be copyrighted and are part of the public domain available to every person.” . at 348 (quoting , 650 F. 2d 1365, 1369 (5th Cir. 1981).
For a further discussion on “research” as an authorship term, see Chapter 600, Section 618.8(A)(9).
707.3 Book Design
The overall format or layout of a book or other printed publication cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, regardless of whether the book is published ini .perint or electronic form. Book design includes all of the physical oi.re visual attributes of a book or printed publication, such as the choice of style and size of typeface, leading ( ., the space between lines of type), the placement of the folio ( ., page numbers), the arrangement of type on the pages, or the placement, spacing, and juxtaposition of textual and illustrative matter in the work.
The copyright law does not protect these elements because they fall within the realm of uncopyrightable ideas. Deciding how and where to place content in a book or printed publication is merely a process or technique, regardless of the number of decisions involved. The fact that “a work is distinctive, unique or pleasing in appearance, and embodies certain ideas of contrast or coloring does not necessarily afford a basis for copyright protection.” Registration of Claims to Copyright: Notice of Termination of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Registration of Claims to Copyright in the Graphic Elements involved in the Design of Books and Other Printed Publications, 46 Fed. Reg. 30,651, 30,652 (June 10, 1981).
For a further discussion on “design” as an authorship term, see Chapter 600, Section 618.8(A)(1).
Chapter 700 : 10 12/22/2014 708 Joint Works A “joint work” is a work “prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contributions be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. A joint work may be registered as a nondramatic literary work if it contains a sufficient amount of literary expression. Examples of works that may satisfy this requirement include essays, articles, textbooks, reference works, children’s books, graphic novels, or any other work that may be jointly prepared by two or more authors. Ordinarily, each author owns the copyright in the authorship that he or she contributed to the work. In the case oSfe ae joint work, all of the authors jointly own the copyright in each other’s contributions and each author owns an undivided interest in the copyright for the work as a whole. 17 U.S.C. § 201(a).
When asserting a claim in a joint work, the applicant should provide the name of each author who contributed copyrightable authorship to the work and should provide specific authorship statements for each author. When completing an online application, the authorship information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618 and 621. In addition, the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 619. For a general discussion of joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505. 709 Derivative Literary Works A derivative literary work is a work that is based upon one or more preexisting works, regardless of whether the preexisting work is a literary work, a work of the performing arts, a sound recording, a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, or any other type of work. Typically, a derivative literary work is a newS eveersion of a preexisting work or a work that contains new material combined with material that has been recast, transformed, or adapted from a preexisting work. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”).
A derivative literary work may be registered with the U.S. Copyright OSeffei cAel firfe tdh eB ealul t&h oCro .
cvo. Cnatrtiablduate Fdi nae s Aurfftisc,i Iennct. amount of new authorship to the work. Making trivial changes or additions to a preexisting work does not satisfy this requirement. , 191 F.2d 99, 103 (2d Cir. 1951). Examples of nondramatic literary works that may be registered as a derivative work include translations, fictionalizations, abridgements, editorial revisions, and a wide r•a nge of other works such as:
• A short story based on a preexisting poem.
Chapter 700 : 11 12/22/2014 • The third edition of a previously published textbook. • The fourth version of a previously published computer program. • New content that has been added to a preexisting website. A computer program that has been translated from C++ into the C# programming language.
When asserting a claim in a derivative literary work, the applicant should provide the name of each author who created the new material that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that new material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the new material contains a sufficient amount of textual expression, or a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the new material contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “revised computer program” if the new material contains sufficient statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result. When completing an online application this information should be provided in the Author Created field and the New Material Included field; when completing a paper application on Form TX this information should be provided in spaces 2 and 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8. For a discussion of translations, fictionalizations, abridgements, and editorial revisions, see Sections 709.1 through 709.4 below. For a discussion of derivative computer programs, see Sections 721.2 and 721.8 below. For a general discussion of the legal standard for determining whether a derivative work contains a sufficient amount of original expression to warrant registration, see Chapter 300, Section 311.2.
709.1 Translations
A translation is a rendering of a nondramatic literary work from one language into another, such as a work that has been translated from English into Spanish, from German into English, or from Hindi into Malayalam.
Translations are among the nine categories of works that can be specially ordered or commSiesesioned as a work made for hire, provided that the parties expressly agree in a signed written instrument that the translation shall be considered a work made for hire. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work made for hire,” Section 2). For a detailed discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506. A translation may be registered if it contains a sufficient amount of original expression. A translation that is performed by a computer program that automatically converts text from one language into another without human intervention cannot be registered because the conversion is merely a mechanical act. For thSee seaSmigen roe Tasroandi, nag tInratenrsnliatetiroantaiol,n L otdr. ovt. hGeorr pdrooncess whereby the letters or sounds from one alphabet are converted into a different alphabet cannot be registered. , 535 F. Supp. 362, 364 (N.D. Cal. 1981) (holding that a list of Chapter 700 : 12 12/22/2014 words translated from English into Arabic and then transliterated from Arabic into Roman lEexttaemrsp “lessim: ply does not embody sufficient originality to be copyrightable”). A Portuguese translation of a Spanish language newspaper could be • registered as a derivativeT hweo Krkin. g James Bible The King James Bible A Tagalog translation of could be registered as a derivative work, even though is in the public domain.
When submitting an application to register this type of work, the claim should be limited to the text of the translation, the applicant should provide the name of the author who translated the preexisting work from one language into another, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in the translated text. Applicants should use the term “translation” to describe this type of authorship, rather than “text” or “editing.” When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created/Other field and the New Material Included/Other field. When completing a paper application, this information should be provided in spaces 2 and 6(b) of Form TX. For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8.
709.2 Fictionalizations
A fictionalization is a work of fiction that recasts, transforms, or adapts the facts or factual events that are described in one or more preexisting works. A work of fiction that is only loosely based on the facts or events described in a preexisting work typically would bEe xcaomnspildees:r ed a work of fiction, rather than a fictionalization. A children’s book about the life and times of Kit Carson would be • considered a fictionalization.
When submitting an application to register this type of work, the claim should be limited to the text of the fictionalization, the applicant should provide the name of the author of that text, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that text. Applicants should use the term “text” or “fictionalization” to describe this type of authorship, rather than “editing.” When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created/Other field. Chapter 700 : 13 12/22/2014 When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2. For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4.
If the fictionalization is based on or incorporates a preexisting work, such as a biography or other work of authorship, the applicant should exclude that preexisting work from the claim using the procedure described in Section 621.8. By contrast, if the fictionalization is based solely on historical facts, persons, or events, or other uncopyrightable material, there is generally no need to complete this portion of the application.
709.3 Abridgements
An abridgment is a shortened or condensed version of a preexisting work that retains the general sense and unity of the preexisting work. An abridgment of a nondramatic literary work may be registered if the author contributed a sufficient amount of creative authorship in the form of edits, revisions, or otherS meeodifications to the preexisting work, and if the work as a whole is sufficiently creative in adapting the preexisting work such that it constitutes an original work of authorship. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). Trivial changes do not satisfy this requirement, such as merely omittingE ax asmecptiloesn: from the beginning or end of a preexisting work. • Anna Karenina An audiobook version of Leo Tolstoy’s that has been abridged and condensed in order to fit into an eight–hour recording • could be registered as a derivative work.
709.4 Editorial Revisions, Annotations, Elaborations, or Other Modifications
Editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications to a preexisting work or the addenda or errata sheets for a published work may be registered as a derivative literary work if the author contributed a sufficient amount of nSeewe material to the work, and if the derivative work as a whole sufficiently modifies or transforms the preexisting work such that it constitutes an original work of authorship. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). Specifically, the author must contribute new text Chapter 700 : 14 12/22/2014 or revised text to the preexisting work, and the text must possess a sufficient amount of written expression. Merely correcting errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, or making other minor changes, revisions, or other modifications to a preexisting work do not satisEfyx atmhips lreesq: uirement.
Chapter 700 : 15 12/22/2014 Compilations are among the nine categories of works that can be specially ordered or commSiesesioned as a work made for hire, provided that the parties expressly agree in a signed written instrument that the compilation shall be considered a work made for hire. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work made for hire,” Section 2). For a detailed discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506. Typically, the author of a compilation selects the preexisting material or data that will be included in the compilation, the author classifies, categorizes, or groups these elements into particular sequences, and the author decides how these elements should be arranged within the compilation as a whole. A compilation may be registered if the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of preexisting material or data was independently created, and if the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement contains a sufficient amount of creativity. A registration for a coSmepeilation may cover the author’s original selection, coordination, and/or arrangement, but it does not cover any preexisting material or data that is included in the compilation. 17 U.S.C. § 103(b) (“Copyright in a compilation . . . does not imply any exclusive right in the preexisting material”).
(1976) 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 54-55 (1975). In other words, a compilation may be registered if the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement as a whole would be considered a literary work, a musical work, or any other type of work listed in 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). If the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement does not fall within Soenee or more of the congressionally established categories of authorship, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed.
Reg. 37,605, 37,606 (June 22, 2012).
Examples of nondramatic literary works that may be registered as a compilation include t•h e following:
When asserting a claim in a compilation, the applicant should provide the name of each author who created the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant should assert a claim to copyright in that material using the procedures described in Chapter 600, Sections 618.7, 618.6, and 621.8(D). For a general discussion of the legal standard for determining whether a compilation contains a sufficient amount of original expression to warrant registration, see Chapter 300, Section 312.2.
711 Collective Works and Contributions to Collective Works The Copyright Act defines a “collective work” as a work “in which a number of contributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, are assembled into a collective whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. A contribution to a collective work is a separate and independent work that has been included within a collective work. Since collective works are a subSseeet of compilations, they must select, coordinate, and/or arrange component works in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “compilation” stating that “The term ‘compilation’ includes collective works.”). Both collective works and contributions to collective works are among the nine categories of works that can be specially ordereCdo omr pcaormemissioned as a work made for hire, provided that the parties expressly agree in a signed written inswtriuthm iednt that the work shall be considered a work made for hire. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “compilation”) (“The term ‘compilation’ includes collective works.”), . (definition of “work made for hire”) (“a ‘work made for hire’ is…a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work [or]…as a compilation...”). For a detailed discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506. Collective works and contributions to collective works may be registered as nondramatic literary works, provided that they contain a sufficient amount of literary expression. Examples of collective works that may satisfy this requirement include a periodiScaeel issue, an anthology, an encyclopedia, or any other work that contains a number of separate and independent works that have been assembled into a collective whole. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “collective work”). Examples of a contribution to a collective work that may satisfy this requirement include an article that has been included within a periodical issue, an essay that has been included within an anthology, or a chapter that has been included within a textbook.
C• ollective works typically contain two different types of authorship: The authorship in the collective work as a whole, which may involve selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the various contributions to the collective work, and/or editing, annotating, and/or revising the contributions or the collective work as a whole.
Chapter 700 : 17 12/22/2014 The authorship in the separate and independent works that have been included in the collective work, which may contain literary expression and/or artistic expression.
An applicant may register a collective work together with the separate and independent works contained therein if the collective work and the contributions were created by the same author and/or if the copyright in the collective work and the contributions are owned by the copyright claimant. If the copyright in the collective work and the contributions to the collective work are owned by different parties, separate applications for each work will be required based on the difference in ownership. For additional information concerning collective works, see Chapter 500, Section 509. When asserting a claim in a collective work and/or a contribution to a collective work, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant should assert a claim to copyright in that material using the procedures described in Chapter 600, Sections 618.7 and 621.8(E). For guidance on the deposit requirements for a contribution to a collective work, see Chapter 1500, Section 1505.5.
712 Serials This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, such as single issue of a magazine or a single volume of a journal.
NOTE : The Office has established a procedure that allows copyright owners to register a group of serials, a group of newspapers, or a group of newsletters with one application and one filing fee. The requirements for these group registration options are discussed in Chapter 1100, Sections 1109 through 1111.
712.1 What Is a Serial?
A serial is a work that is issued or intended to be issued in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designations that are intended to be continued indefinitely. Examples include periodicals, newspapers, magazines, newsletters, journals, bulletins, annuals, the proceedings of societies, and other similar works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(v).
712.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Serials
Serials are considered collective works, because they typically contain “a number of contributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, [that] are assembled into a collective whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “collective work”). As s•u ch, serials typically contain two different types of authorship: The authorship in the compilation, which may involve selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the various contributions to the serial, and/or editing, annotating, and/or revising the contributions or the serial as a whole. Chapter 700 : 18 12/22/2014 The authorship in the separate and independent works that have been included in the serial, which may contain literary expression and/or artistic expression. As with any other type of collective work, an applicant may register a serial together with the separate and independent works contained therein if the serial and the contributions were created by the same author and/or if the copyright in the serial and the contributions are owned by the copyright claimant.
A registration for a single issue of a serial publication covers the particular issue that has been submitted for registration, as well as any contributions that may be included within the claim. The U.S. Copyright Office does not offer “blanket registrations” that cover future issues or future contributions to that publication.
712.3 Application Tips for Serials
An applicant may register a single issue of a serial publication with an online application by selecting the option for “Single Serial Issue” in the electronic registration system. In the alternative, an applicant may submit a paper application using Form SE. When completing an application, the applicant should provide the title that appears on the serial, as weel.gl as the volume number, issue number, and date that appears on the specific issue that is submitted for registration, as well as thee .fgr.e, qHuoemnec yC ooof kpiunbglication for that serial ( ., daily, weekly, monthly, etc.). When completing an online application, an applicant may provide this information in the Title field ( , Vol. 2, No. 17, February 2, 2013). When completing Form SE, this information should be provided in space 1. For guidance in completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 610.
The applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant should assert a claim to copyright in that material. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field. When completing a paper application, this information should be provided in space 2 of Form SE. For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4(B) and 618.7(C).
If the applicant intends to register the authorship involved in creating the serial as a whole, the applicant should assert a claim in the “compilation.” An applicant may register a serial together with the articles, photographs, or other component works contained therein (i) if the serial and the component works were created by the same author, and/or (ii) if the copyright in the component works and the serial as a whole are owned by the copyright claimant. If the copyright in the serial and the component works are owned by different parties, separate applications for each work will be required based on the difference in ownership. A registration for a serial will cover both the collective work as well as the component works conSteaein Meodr trhise rve. Binu isfi ntheess s Ceorinacle apntsd, tIhnce component works were created abbyr othgea ted same author and if the copyright in those works are owned by the copyright claimant. ., 259 F.3d 65, 71 (2d Cir. 2001), Chapter 700 : 19 12/22/2014 on othergrounds by Reed v. Elsevier, Inc. v. Muchnick , 559 U.S. 154 (2010). In this seit.gu.ation, there is no need to identify the component works in the application, although the applicant may do so by checking the box marked “contribution to a collective work ( an article)” in the Author Created field or by providing a similar statement in the Nature of Authorship space.
If the serial and the component works were created by different authors, but the claimant in the serial owns all rights in the component works, the applicant should identify the authoe.rg o.f each component included within the claim. The applicant may assert a claim in each component by checking the box marked “contribution to a collective work ( an article)” in the Author Created field or by providing a similar statement in the Nature of Authorship space. In the alternative, the applicant may describe the specific form of authorship that appears in each component, such as “text,” “photographs,” or “artwork.” In all cases, the applicant should provide a transfer statement explaining how the claimant obtained the copyright in each component. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 620.9(A).
If the serial contains a substantial amount of previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or material that is not owned by the copyright claimant, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
For guidance concerning the deposit requirements for serials, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(K).
712.4 International Standard Serial Number (“ISSN”)
If an International Standard Serial Number (“ISSN”) has been assigned to the serial, the applicant is strongly encouraged to include that information in the online application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 612.6(C). When completing Form SE, the applicant may include the ISSN number in the space marked Previous or Alternative Titles.
If the applicant provides an ISSN, the number will appear on the certificate of registration and the online public record. Providing this information is useful, because an ISSN may be used to search and retrieve the registration records for a particular serial. However, providing an ISSN is optional and an application will be accepted even if this portion of the application is left blank.
The U.S. Copyright Office does not assign ISSNs. For information concerning the procedure for obtaining an ISSN, applicants should write to the Serials Record Division of the Library of Congress at the following address:
714 Games A game may be registered as a literary work if the predominant form of authorship in the work consists of text. Examples of works that may satisfy this requirement include word games, card games, party games, riddles, brain teasers, and similar diversions, including the instructions or directions for playing a particular game. A game may be registered as a work of the visual arts if the predominant form of authorship consists of pictorial or sculptural authorship. Examples of works that may satisfy this requirement Chapter 700 : 21 12/22/2014 See include board games, playing cards, playing pieces, and the like. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.3(b)(1)(i), (iii).
When submitting an application to register a game, the claim should be limited to the text, artwork, and/or photographs that appear in the work (as applicable), the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the game contains a sufficient amount of written expression, or a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8.
A registration for a game covers all of the copyrightable elements that appear in the work, regardless of whether the game has been registered as a literary work or a work of the visual arts. However, copyright does not protect the idea for a game, the name or title of a game, or the procedure, process, or method of operation for playing a game. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, or device involved in developing or marketing a game. Once a game has been made available to the public, the copyright law cannot be used to prevent others from deveSloeeping another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular expression that appears in the literary or artistic elements that the work may contain. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b); 37 C.F.R. § 202.1. If the game consists of separately fixed elements and works that were physically bundled together by the claimant for distribution to the public as a single, integrated unit, it may be possible to register them with one application and one filing fee if all the works were first published in that integrated unit and if the claimant owns the copyright in those works. For information concerning the unit of publication option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1107.
For a discussion of the practices and procedures for registering videogames, see Chapter 800, Section 807.7(A). For a discussion of the practices and procedures for registering board games, see Chapter 900, Section 910.
715 Genealogies
715.1 What Is a Genealogy?
A genealogy is a work that contains information about the history of a particular family. These types of works typically contain a substantial amount of factual information, such as the names of family members, dates of birth, marriage, death, and other significant events, as well as family trees illustrating the relationships between family members. Frequently, this information is obtained from various sources, such as letters, diaries, scrapbooks, photo albums, birth certificates, marriage licenses, church records, census records, wills and probate records, gravestones, and the like. Much of this material may be in the public domain, it may be previously published, it may be previously registered Chapter 700 : 22 12/22/2014 with the U.S. Copyright Office, or it may be separately owned by another copyright owner.
715.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Genealogies
Although facts are not copyrightable, a genealogy may be registered as a literary work if it contains a sufficient amount of literary expression. The application should be limited to the text, artwork, and/or photographs that the author contributed to the work (as applicable), the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the work contains a sufficient amount of written expression, and may accept a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. Likewise, the Literary Division may accept a claim in “compilation” if the author exercised a sufficient amount of creativity in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the information that appears in the genealogy.
715.3 Application Tips for Genealogies
Submitting an online application is the preferred way to register a genealogy. When completing the application, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the genealogy on the Author screen. In the field marked Author Created, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes that accurately describe the material that the Eaxuathmoprl ecsr:e ated.
In addition, the applicant should check the exact same boxes that appear on the Limitation of Claim screen in the field marked New Material Included. In other words, if the applicant checked the box for “text” in the Author Created field, the applicant also should check the box for “text” on the Limitation of Claim screen in the New Material Included field. Likewise, if the applicant checked the box for “compilation” in the Author Created field and stated “selection and arrangement of church records” in the Other field, the applicant should check the box for “compilation” in the New Material Included field and state “selection and arrangement of church records” in the Other field. For additional guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
A registration for a genealogy does not cover any of the factual information that may be included in the work. Nor does it cover material that is in the public domain, material that has been previously published, material that has been previously registered, or material that is owned by another person or legal entity. If the genealogy contains this type of material the applicant should exclude it from the application by checking the appropriate boxes that appear on the Limitation of Claim screen in the field marked MaterialE Exxacmlupdleesd: .
If the genealogy contains a substantial amount of material that has been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should provide the registration number and the year that the registration was issued in the field marked Previous Registration. For additional guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 621.8(F).
If the genealogy appears to contain a substantial amount of public domain material, previously published material, previously registered material, or material that is owned Chapter 700 : 24 12/22/2014 by another party, and the applicant completed the Author Created field but did not exclude the unclaimable material, the registration specialist may add an annotation to the registration record, such as “Regarding author information and limitation of claim: registration does not extend to previously registered, previously published, public domain, or separately owned material, or to facts.”
If it is unclear whether the author contributed text, artwork, photographs, or compilation authorship to the genealogy, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. If the genealogy does not contain a sufficient amount of original authorshEixpa tmo pwleasr: rant registration, the specialist may refuse to register the claim. • The Springers of Springfield, Massachusetts.
The Literary Division may register an instructional work that explains how to perform a particular activity, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of text, photographs, artwork, or other copyrightable expression. Likewise, the Literary Division may register an instructional work that illustrates or describes the end result for a particular activity or technique, such as a drawing of a crochet pattern or a photograph of a product that has been fully assembled.
When asserting a claim in an instructional text or an instructional work, the claim should be limited to the text, artwork, and/or photographs that appear in the work, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that Chapter 700 : 26 12/22/2014 material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the work contains a sufficient amount of written or editorial expression, or a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8. A registration for a cookbook covers the instructional text that appears in the work, as well as any photographs or illustrations that are owned by the copyright claimant. However, the registration does not cover the list of ingredients that appear in each recipe. Likewise, a registration for a cookbook or oSteheer instructional work does not cover the saecet iavlistoies described in the work, because procedures, processes, or methods of operation are not subject to copyright protection. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b); 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a); Policy Decision on Copyrightability of Digitized Typefaces, 53 Fed. Reg. 38,110, 38,112 (Sept. 29, 1988) (“[T]he explanation and illustration of recipes is copyrightable even though the end result — the food product — is not.”). The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the applicant appears to be asserting a claim to copyright in a particular activdiet ym oinr iam liisst of ingredients, if the work merely illustrates the specific hand or body movements for performing a particular activity, or if the instructions, taken as a whole, are Examp.l es:
For a discussion of the deposit requirements for an instructional work, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(F).
717 Legal Materials Certain types of legal materials may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office if they contain a sufficient amount of original expression. Examples of legal materials that may satisfy this requirement are discussed in Sections 717.1 through 717.3 below. When submitting an application to register these types of works, the claim should be limited to the new material that appears in the work, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the work contains a sufficient amount of written expression, or a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8.
Certain types of legal materials may be registered as a compilation if the author exercised a sufficient amount of creativity in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the preexisting materials that appear within the deposit. When asserting a claim in a compilation, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant should assert a claim to copyright in that material using the procedures described in Chapter 600, Section 618.6.
As discussed in Sections 717.1 and 717.2, legal materials often contain a substantial amount of content that is not eligible for copyright protection. They also may contain a substantial amount of content that is in the public domain, content that has been previously published, content that has been previously registered, or content that is Chapter 700 : 28 12/22/2014 owned by a third party. If so, the applicant should exclude this content from the application using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F). If the applicant asserts a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable elements of the work, the registration specialist may annotate the application to indicate that the registration does not extend to the uncopyrightable elements. If the applicant asserts a claim to copyright in an element that is uncopyrightable, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the claim appears to be based solely on that element.
717.1 Legal Publications
A legal publication that analyzes, annotates, summarizes, or comments upon a legislative enactment, a judicial decision, an executive order, an administrative regulation, or other edicts of government may be registered as a nondramatic literary work, provided that the publication contains a sufficient amount of literary expression. ExampSleees of legal publicatsioeen sa ltshoat may satisfy this requirement are listed below, but in no case does the registration cover any government edict that may be included in the work. Ex 1a7m Up.lSe.sC: . § 105; Chapter 300, Section 313.6(C)(2). Annotated codes that summarize or comment upon legal materials • issued by a federal, state, local, or foreign government. A compilation of legislative enactments or judicial decisions, provided that the author exercised a sufficient amount of creativity in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the material that • appears in the compilation.
Test materials that are used to determine eligibility for membership in a bar association or other professional organization, as well as study materials used to prepare for such tests.
Chapter 700 : 29 12/22/2014 The Office will consider an application to register a citator containing specialized indexes for tracing the prior and subsequent history of a judicial decision; for identifying decisions that have followed, explained, distinguished, criticized, or overruled a previous judicial decision; or for researching a specific area of the law. This type of work may be registered if it contains a sufficient amount of new text, such as an introduction or a brief summary of the issues discussed in each case. Likewise, a citator may be registered as a compilation, provided that the author exercised a sufficient amount of creativity in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the categories that appear within the work. However, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the claim appears to be based solely on the selection of judicial decisions, because citators typically list all of the subsequent decisions that cite the same case. The specialist also may communicate or refuse registration if the claim appears to be based solely on a system for conducting legal research or on any “idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery” that may be reflected or implemented in the work. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b).
717.2 Legal Documents
Contracts, insurance policies, or other legal documents may be registered if they contain a sufficient amount of expression that is original to the author. The U.S. Copyright Office may register briefs, motions, prepared testimony, expert reports, or other legal pleadings, provided that they contain a sufficient amount of expression that originated with the author (regardless of whether the pleading has or has not been filed with a judicial or administrative body). Likewise, the Office may register books that contain sample forms used in preparing contracts, pleadings, or other legal documents. Legal documents typically contain a substantial amount of language that may have been obtained from other sources, such as standard form contracts, prior pleadings, form books, and the like. Much of this language may have been previously published, it may be owned by other parties, or it may be in the public domain. Often the language used in a legal document may be determined by the requirements of the relevant statutory, regulatory, or decisional law. In some cases, the author may be required to use specific legal terminology or a specific sentence structure, such as the boilerplate language found in a lease, bailment, chattel mortgage, security interest, or similar transactions. The Office may register a legal document that contains a substantial amount of unclaimable material, provided that the claim is limited to the new material that the author contributed to the work and provided that the unclaimable material has been excluded from the claim. For purposes of registration, unclaimable material includes previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or copyrightable material that is owned by another party. When completing the application, the applicant should provide a brief statement that describes the new material that the author contributed to the work, such as “new text,” and a brief statement that describes the unclaimable material that should be excluded from the claim, such as “standard legal language.” In the case of an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created, New Material Included, and Material Excluded fields. In the case of a paper application submitted on Form TX, it Chapter 700 : 30 12/22/2014 should be provided in spaces 2, 6(a), and 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8.
717.3 Patents, Patent Applications, and Non-Patent Literature
The U.S. Copyright Office may register a claim to copyright in the written description for an invention or the drawings or photographs set forth in a patent or a patent application, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. Likewise, the Office may register a claim to copyright in articles, publications, or other non-patent literature that may be submitted with a patent application. However, the copyright in a patent, a patent application, or non-patent literature does not extend to any “idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery” that may be disclosed in these works. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). See Under U.S. patent law, a patent application must be filed within one year after the invention has been described in any printed publication. 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1), (b)(1). Filing a patent application or non-patent literature with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or the U.S. Copyright Office is not considered publication within the meaning of the copyright law. The U.S. Copyright Office takes no position on whether filing an application to register the text and illustrations in a patent application or in non-patent literature would be considered a publication within the meaning of the patent law.
718 Letters, Email, and Other Written Correspondence Letters, emails, journals, diaries, and other forms of written correspondence may be registered if they contain a sufficient amount of copyrightable expression and if the claimant owns the copyright in that material.
When submitting an application to register these types of works, the applicant should limit the claim to the text, artwork, and/or photographs that appear in the work, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the work contains a sufficient amount of written expression, or a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8. As a general rule, the author of the correspondence—not the recipient—should be named as the copyright claimant. The fact that a person owns or possesses the original copy of a letter, a journal, diary, or other material object does not give that person the right to claim copyright in that work, even if the material object was purchased or found. Ownership of the copyright in a work, or of any of the exclusive rights under a copyright, is distinct from the ownership of any material object in which the work has been fixed. A transfer of ownership involving a material object does not convey any rights in the copyrighted work, nor does the transfer of ownership of a copyright convey any Chapter 700 : 31 12/22/2014 property rights in any material object (absent a written agreement to that effect). 17 U.S.C. § 202.
A party that has obtained all of the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author may be named as the copyright claimant for a letter, email, journal, diary, or other written correspondence. When completing the application, the applicant should provide a brief transfer statement explaining how the claimant obtained the copyright in the work. For example, the registration specialist may accept an application if the applicant states that the claimant obtained the copyright “by inheritance” or “by written agreement,” but the specialist will question an application if the applicant simply states “I found this diary in thie.e attic,” “my mother gave me this journal,” “my boyfriend sent me these love letters,” or the like. These types of statements suggest that the claimant may own a material object ( ., a journal, a diary, a letter), but it is unclear whether the claimant owns the copyright in the work that is embodied in those objects. For guidance on identifying the copyright claimant, see Chapter 600, Section 619. For guidance on providing a transfer statement, see Chapter 600, Section 620. In some cases, journals, diaries, letters, or other written correspondence may be published with new material that introduces, illustrates, or explains the work, such as forewords, afterwords, footnoteSse,e annotations, or the like. As discussed in Section 709.4, this type of material may be registered as a derivative work if it contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). The applicant should limit the claim to the new text that the author contributed to the work, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the new text, together with the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in the new text. Applicants should use the terms “new text,” “text of introduction,” or the like to describe this type of authorship, rather than “text” or “editing.” If the new material contains a substantial amount of pictorial or graphic expression, applicants should use the term “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” to describe this type of authorship. In all cases, the journal, diary, letters, or other written correspondence should be excluded from the claim if that material has been previously published, previously registered, if it is in the public domain, or if the copyright in that material is owned by another party. For a discussion of the procedure for excluding this type of material from a claim, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
719 Interviews An interview is a written or recorded account of a conversation between two or more individuals. Typically, the interviewer poses a series of questions that elicit a response from the interviewee(s). An interview may be registered if the conversation has been fixed in a tangible medium of expression and if it contains a sufficient amount of creative expression in the form of questions and responses. Specifically, an interview may be registered as a literary work if it has been fixed in a written transcript, an audio recording, a video recording, or other medium of expression. An interview may be registered as a work of the performing arts if the interview was performed or is intended to be performed before an audience, such as a television interview, radio interview, or onstage interview.
Chapter 700 : 32 12/22/2014 In all cases, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the questions and/or the author who created the responses that appear in the interview, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the interview contains a sufficient amount of written expression, or may accept a claim in “text by interviewer” or “text by interviewee” if the claim is limited to the interviewer’s questions or the interviewee’s responses. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections
618.4 and 621.8.
The U.S. Copyright Office will assume that the interviewer and the interviewee own the copyright in their respective questions and responses unless (i) the work is claimed as a joint work, (ii) the applicant provides a transfer statement indicating that the interviewer or the interviewee transferred his or her rights to the copyright claimant, or (iii) the applicant indicates that the interview was created or commissioned as a work made for hire. If the applicant fails to provide a transfer statement or fails to answer the work made for hire question, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if it appears that the interviewee or the interviewer is attempting to register the entire interview instead of registering a claim in his or her contribution to the work. For guidance on providing a transfer statement, see Chapter 600, Section 620. For guidance on answering the work made for hire question, see Chapter 600, Section 614. For guidEaxnacme opnle sjo: int works, see Chapter 500, Section 505. Michael Scorch submits an application to register his interview with Major William Smith. The application names Michael and William as authors of “text of interview questions” and “text of responses to interview questions,” respectively. Michael is named as the sole copyright claimant and the transfer statement indicates that he obtained the copyright in William’s contribution “by written • agreement.” The registration specialist will register the claim. Beth McBride submits an application to register her interview with Franklin Murphy. Beth is named as author of “text by interviewer” and Franklin is named as author of “text by interviewee.” Beth is named as the sole copyright claimant, but a transfer statement has not been provided and the work made for hire question has not been answered. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if Franklin transferred his copyright to Beth or if the interview was created or commissioned as a work made for hire. If Beth does not own the copyright in Franklin’s contribution, the specialist will ask her to limit the claim to the “text by interviewer.”
Chapter 700 : 33 12/22/2014 720 Tests, Answer Material for Tests, and Secure Tests Tests, answer material for tests, and secure tests may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office if they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship. Specifically, the Office may register a claim to copyright in a test, aS eteest combined with an answer sheet, or an answer sheet by itself, if the work contains a sufficient amount of creative expression in the form of questions and/or answers. Registration of Claims to Copyright: Inquiry—Blank Form, 44 Fed. Reg. 69,977, 69,977 (Dec. 5, 1979). Tests and answer material for tests are among the nine categories of works that can be speciSaelley ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire, if the parties expressly agree in a signed written instrument that the work shall be considered a work made for hire. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “works made for hire”). For a detailed discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
Submitting an online application through the Office’s electronic registration system is the preferred way to register these types of works. In all cases, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the questions and/or answers that appear in the test, together with the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the work contains a sufficient amount of written expression, or may accept a claim in “artwork” or “photograph(s)” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8. For guidance concerning the deposit requirements for secure tests, see Sections 720.2 and 720.4. The deposit requirements for non-secure tests are discussed in Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(G).
720.1 Secure Tests
A “secure test” is a nonmarketed test that is administered under secure conditions at specified centers on specified dates where all copies of the test are accounted for and either destroyed or returned to restricted and locked storage after each administration. A test is considered nonmarketed if copies of the work are not sold, but instead are distributed and used in such a manner that the test sponsor or publisher retains ownership and control of the copies. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(4). Examples of secure tests include high school equivalency tests, tests that are used to determine eligibility for admission to an educational institution, tests that are used to determine placement in or credit for undergraduate and graduate course work, tests that are used to determine eligibility for scholarships and professional certifications, and the like. Deposit Requirements: Proposed Rulemaking, 42 Fed. Reg. 59,302, 59,304 (Nov. 16, 1977). The U.S. Copyright Office is required to make “the articles deposited in connection with completed copyright registration” available for “public inspection.” 17 U.S.C. § 705(b). The Office recognizes that retaining a complete copy of a secure test and making those materials available for public inspection could prejudice the future utility, quality, and Chapter 700 : 34 12/22/2014 See37 C.F.R. 202.20(c)(2)(vi); see also National iCnotnefgerrietyn coef othf Be aters Et xmamatienreirasls .v T. Mheurletifsotraet,e t Lheeg Oaflf Sicteu dhiaess ,a Idnoc.pted a special procedure for the registration of this type of work.
Cir. 1982) (holding that the Office’s secure test regulation is authorized by the Copyright Act and does not violate Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution).
720.2 Examination of Secure Tests
To register a secure test, the applicant should call the Literary Division at (202) 707- 8250 to schedule an in-person interview with a registration specialist. On the scheduled d• ate, the applicant should bring the following items to the Public Information Office: • A copy of the completed application.
• The filing fee (if it has not been paid).
• The examination fee.
• A copy of the secure test materials that the applicant intends to register. Identifying material for the secure test.
Please be advised that the applicant must pass through security before entering the building, and that sealed packages or packages that are more than twenty-four inches wide by fifteen inches high are not permitted.
If the secure test is administered with test booklets, the applicant should bring one complete copy of the test. If the secure test is administered on a computer or other electronic device, or if the test is administered with test booklets that contain a selection of questions from an automated database, the applicant may bring one complete copy of the test or a copy containing fifty pages of questions or other contents of the test or database. The selection of pages may include the first twenty-five and last twenty-five pages of the test, or fifty pages taken from anywhere within the test or database. The registration specialist will review the copy of the secure test materials in the applicant’s presence under strict conditions of security. The applicant may supply the specialist with a printed copy of the test materials. In the alternative, the applicant may supply an electronic copy, provided that the copy has been fixed on a CD-ROM, DVD, or other electronic storage device, and provided that the copy can be viewed on the applicant’s portable computer or other electronic device. In all cases, the content of the secure test materials must be completely visible.
Following the examination, the specialist will return the copy of the secure test materials to the applicant. If the applicant provided the registration specialist with a printed copy, he or she will stamp the copy with the date that the secure test materials were reviewed. If the applicant provided an electronic copy, the specialist will prepare a label specifying the date that the secure test materials were reviewed and apply that label to the CD-ROM, DVD, or other electronic storage device. Chapter 700 : 35 12/22/2014 The specialist will review the identifying material to determine if it satisfies the deposit requirements. In addition, the specialist will examine the deposit for unclaimable material that should be excluded from the claim. As discussed in Section 720.4, the identifying material for the secure test will be retained by the Office. If the specialist determines that the test constitutes copyrightable subject matter and that the other legal and formal requirements have been met, the Office will register the claim and will mail a certificate of registration to the applicant at a later date. The Office cannot guarantee the security or confidentiality of secure tests that are mailed to the Office or uploaded to the Office’s online registration system. Secure tests delivered by mail or uploaded to the online registration system will be included in the Office’s normal work flow and will not be given any special treatment. If the applicant uploads an electronic copy of a secure test through the Office’s electronic registration sSyeset geemn,e trhaell cyopy cannot be returned or deleted from the system. Deposit Requirements: Proposed Rulemaking, 42 Fed. Reg. 59,302, 59,304 (Nov. 16, 1977).
720.3 Examination Fee for Secure Tests
The applicant must pay an examination fee in addition to the filing fee for the application. The examination fee is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Secure test processing (per staff member per hour)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). The fee is based on the amount of time that it takes to examine the secure test materials.
As discussed in Section 720.2, the applicant should bring the examination fee to the Public Information Office, along with the application, a complete copy of the secure test materials, the identifying material, and the filing fee (if it has not been paid). The examination fee may be paid in cash, by credit card, or by check, or it may be charged to a deposit account. Once the secure test materials have been examined, the examination fee is not refundable, regardless of whether the Office issues a certificate of registration.
720.4 Identifying Material for Secure Tests
As discussed in Section 720.2, the applicant must provide the U.S. Copyright Office with a copy of the secure test materials that the applicant intends to register. These materials will be returned to the applicant when the registration specialist completes his or her examination. In addition, the applicant must provide the Office with a portion or description of the test that is sufficient to create an archival record of the secure test. This identifying material will be retained by the Office and may be made available for public inspection in appropriate circumstances.
The type of identifying material that should be submitted to the Office depends on the format of the secure test, and the sufficiency of that material will be determined by the registration specialist. The applicant may be required to submit different identifying material if the test is administered in aSnee u gneunseuraall lfyormat. In all cases, the identifying material should contain a representative selection of the new questions and/or answers that the applicant intends to register. 37 C.F.R. § 202.21. Chapter 700 : 36 12/22/2014 720.4(A) Print Format If the secure test is administered with test booklets, the applicant should submit an unmasked photocopy of the title page of the booklet and a photocopy of the last page of questions in the booklet. Most of the text that appears on the last page may be blocked out, provided that the applicant leaves a narrow diagonal strip of visible text that is sufficient to show that the page contains copyrightable text. In addition, the number of the last question that appears in the booklet and the page number that appears on that page (if any) must be visible.
If the secure test is accompanied by slides or if the test consists entirely of slides, the •a pplicant also should provide one of the following items: A single slide or a photograph of a slide that contains copyrightable artwork • and/or text.
720.4(C) Appropriate Method for Blocking Out Secure Test Materials The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept identifying material that conceals virtually all of the copyrightable expression in the work. The Office has not attempted to quantify the amount of text or artwork that must remain visible, because the determination of Chapter 700 : 37 12/22/2014 copyrightable expression can never be based on an arbitrary formula. Instead, the regulation requires a “sufficient portion[]” or description “so as to constitute a sufficient archival record of the deposit.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vi). Whether the identifying material for a particular test meets this standard will be determined on a case-by-case basis. In the vast majority of cases, the presence of copyrightable text or artwork will be readily apparent. However, if all of the copyrightable expression has been blocked out and only uncopyrightable elements remain, the registration specialist may refuse to register the test, even if the unblocked portions represent more than 50% of the text or artwork shown in the identifying material.
720.5 Secure Tests Administered through a Computer Program
If the secure test is administered through a computer program and if the claimant owns the copyright in that program, the applicant may register the program and the test with the same application, provided that the program is considered part of the test and provided that the applicant submits appropriate identifying material for the program. To register a secure test together with a computer program, the applicant should call the Literary Division at (202) 707-8250 for further instructions. 721 Computer Programs This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for the examination of computer programs.
For a discussion of databases, see Section 727. For a discussion of websites and website content, see Chapter 1000. For a discussion of videogames, see Section 726 and Chapter 800, Section 807.7(A).
721.1 What Is a Computer Program?
The Copyright Act defines a “computer program” as “a set of statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Congress added this definition to the statute “to make it explicit that computer programs, to the extent that they embody an author’s original creasteieo nal, so are proper subject matter of copyright.” NATIONAL COMMISSION ON NEW TECHNOLOGICAL USES OF COPYRIGHTED WORKS (“CONTU”), FINAL REPORT 1 (1979) (CONTU REPORT); 126 CONG. REC. 29,895 (1980) (statement of Rep. Kastenmeier) (explaining that the legislation “eliminates confusion about the legal status of computer software by enacting the recommendations of [CONTU] clarifying the law of computer software”). A claim to copyright in a computer program may be based on the authorship “expressed in words, numbers, or other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia,” regardless of whether that expression has been fixed in tapes, disks, cards, or any other tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “literary works”). However, the fixed program must be used directly or indirectly in a computer. For purposes of copyright registration, a “computer” is defined as a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data that is input by a user through a user interface, and is capable of providing output through a display screen or other external output device, such as a printer. “Computers” include mainframes, desktops, laptops, tablets, and smart phones.
Chapter 700 : 38 12/22/2014
721.2 What Is a Derivative Computer Program?
A derivative computer program is a program that is “based upon one or more preexisting works.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). Typically, a derivative computer program is a new version of a preexisting program, or a program that contains material from a preexisting work that has been revised, augmented, abridged, or otherwise modified such that the modifications as a whole represent an original Ewxoarmk polfe :a uthorship.
721.3 What Is Source Code?
Source code is a set of statements and instructions written by a human being using a particular programming language, such as C, C++, FORTRAN, COBOL, PERL, Java, Basic, PASCAL, LISP, LOGO, or other programming languages. Typically, these statements are comprehensible to a person who is familiar with the relevant programming language, but they are not comprehensible to a computer or other electronic device. In order to convey these statements and instructions to a machine, the source code mSeues tA bpep le Ccoonmvpeurtteerd, Iinntco. vo. bFjreacnt kcloind eC.o Tmhpisu tceorn Cvoerrpsion is performed by a separate programW iwlliiathmins Ethleec ctoromnpicust, eIrn,c w. vh. iAcrht iics Iknntoewrnna taiso naanl ,i nIntecrpreter, assembler, or compiler. ., 714 F.2d 1240, 1243 (3d Cir. 1983);
721.4 What Is Object Code?
Object ci.oed.,e is the representation of a computer program in a machii.ne.e, language consisting of the numbers zero and one ( , binary coding), the numbers zero through seven ( octal coding), or a combination of letters and numbers ( ASCII or See hAepxpaled eCcoimmpaul tceord, ing). Object code is comprehensible to a computer or other electronic device, but as a general rule, it is not directly comprehensible to human beings. 714 F.2d at 1243.
721.5 Relationship Between Source Code and Object Code
Chapter 700 : 39 12/22/2014 As a general rule, the Office will not issue separate registrations for the source code and object code versions of the same program. However, if a program has been registered in unpublished form based on a submission of source code, the Office may register the first published version of the same program based on a submission of object code, even if the published version “is substantially the same as the unpublished version.” 17 U.S.C. § 408(e); 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(i).
For details concerning the deposit requirements for registering a computer program based on a submission of object code, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(C)(6).
721.6 Relationship Between a Computer Program and a Work Created with a
Computer or a Computer Program The ownership of the copyright in a work of authorship, or of any of the exclusive rights under a copyright, is distinct from the ownership of any material object in which the work has been fixed. A transfer of ownership of a material object does not convey any rights in the work, nor does the transfer of ownership of a copyright convey property rights in any material object (absent a written agreement to that effect). 17 U.S.C. § 202. Likewise, ownership of the copyright in a work is distinct from ownership of any material object that may be used to create that work. The fact that the author used a computer to write an article, short story, or other nondramatic literary work does not mean that the work is a computer program. The fact that the author saved his or her work onto a hard drive, flash drive, thumb drive, CD-ROM, or other electronic storage device does not mean that the work is a computer program. A work only qualifies as a computer program if it contains “a set of statements or instructions to be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “computer program”). Moreover, elements of a work created by a computer program, such as formatting codes generated by a word processing program, are not claimable in a work.
721.7 Copyrightable Authorship in a Computer Program
A computer program may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office if it contains a sufficient amount of original authorship in the form of statements or instructions to a computer.
Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act “make[s] clear that the expression adopted by the programmer is the copyrightable element in a cormeppruintteerd p irnogram, and that the actual processes or methods embodied in the program are not within the scope of the copyright law.” H.R. REP. 94-1476, at 57 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670; S.
REP. NO. 94-473, at 54 (1975). As a general rule, the Office does not distinguish between executable code and nonexecuting comments or data that may appeSaere in the source code for a computer program. Either element may support a claim to copyright if the program contains a sufficient amount of original statements or instructions. Registration of Claims stoee C aolpsoyright Deposit Requirements for Computer Programs Containing Trade Secrets and for Computer Screen Displays, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,173, 13,174 n.2 (Mar. 31, 1989); Registration Decision: Registration and Deposit of Computer Screen Displays, 53 Fed. Reg. 21,817, 21,819 (June 10, 1988). To register a claim in executable code, the applicant should state “computer program” in the application. The applicant Chapter 700 : 40 12/22/2014 should not use the term “text,” either alone or in combination with the term “computer program.” By contrast, to register a claim in nonexecutable comments, the applicant should state “text” in the application. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Section 721.9(F).
The copyright in a computer program does not extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in the program. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). As such, the Office will not register the functional aspects of a computer program, such as the program’s algorithm, formatting, functions, logic, system design, or the like. Likewise, the Office will communicate with the applicant and may refuse registration if the applicant asserts a claim in uncopyrightable elements that may be generated by a computer program, such as menu screens, layout and format, or the like.
721.8 Copyrightable Authorship in a Derivative Computer Program
A derivative computer progrSaeme may be registered if it contains new material that is sufficiently different from the preexisting work such that the program qualifies as an original work of authorship. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). The new material must be original and it must contain a sufficient amount of copyrightable authorship. Making only a few minor changes or revisions to a preexisting work, or making changes or revisions of a rote nature that are predetermined by the functional considerations of the hardware do not satisfy this requirement. In no case does the copyright for a derivative computer program extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in the program. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). Examples:
REP. NO. 94-473, at 55 (1975) (explaining that “copyright in a ‘new version’ covers only the material added by the later author, and has no effect one way or the other on the copyright or public domain status of the preexisting material.”). However, a registration for a specific version of a computer program does not cover any unclaimable material that may appear in that version. For purposes of registration, unclaimable material i•n cludes:
• Previously published material.
• Material that has been previously registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. • Material that is in the public domain. i.e.
Chapter 700 : 42 12/22/2014 Examples:
• dEexcslcurdibinegd pinr eSveioctuisolny r7e2g1is.9te(Gre)d. material. Ink Blot version 5.0 Jesper Nielsen submits an application to register a program titled . This version contains an appreciable amount of source code that appeared in versions 1.0 through 4.0 of the same program. The prior versions have not been distributed to the public, but version
work. The registration for version 5.0 will cover the new material that appears in that version, as well as any unpublished or unregistered source code from versions 1.0 through 4.0 that appear in version 5.0. However, the source code that appeared in version
• dEexcslcurdibinegd tihni rSde cptaiornty 7 m2a1t.9er(Gia)l.. Architexture v. 9.0 Picture V Tihveisk v &. 2 A.5s0sociates created an opeArarctihnigte sxytustreem v . t9it.0led using a software development tool titled . The source code for conPtiactinusr ea nT haipspreciable number of modules, subroutines, and macros that were used with permission from the company that producedA rchitexture v. . V9i.v0e k & Associates should exclude those modules, subroutines, and macros from its application to register using the procedure described in Section 721.9(G), because the copyright in that • mNoa tdeirsicalal iims oewr rneeqdu ibrye da third party. Hackleberry Finn version 3.0 . CodeBuster LLC submits an application to register a program titled . Version 3.0 contains an appreciable amount of code that appeared in versions
versions 1.1.1 and 2.2.2 and never distributed those versions to the public. Therefore, the prior versions of the program need not be disclaimed in the application to register version 3.0. The registration for version 3.0 will cover all of the copyrightable content that appears in that version, including any unpublished or Chapter 700 : 43 12/22/2014 unregistered source code from versions 1.1.1 or 2.2.2 that have been incorporated into version 3.0.
The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the program appears to contain an appreciable amount of unclaimable material and if the applicant does not exclude that material from the claim. Examples of factors that may prompt a specialist to inquire whether a computer program contains unclaimable material include the f•o llowing:
• Multiple copyright notices.
• A copyright notice containing multiple dates.
If the deposit contains multiple dates or multiple version/release numbers, the applicant should notify the registration specialist if those dates or numbers refer to the development history of the program or if they refer to previous versions of the program that have not been published or registered before. When submitting an online application, this information may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field; when completing a paper application this information may be provided in a cover letter. If the program contains only a minimal amount of unclaimable material or if the program contains material that is uncopyrightable, there is no need to exclude that material from the application. Unclaimable material should be excluded only if that materialE ixsa cmoppyler:i ghtable and represents an appreciable portion of the work. BearCat 5.0 Professor Barrakat submits an application for a computer program titled . The program contains 5,000 lines of source code, including 50 lines that appeared in a previously published version of the same program. There is no need to excBluedaer Cthate s5e.0 50 lines of code from the application, because they do not represent an appreciable portion of the program code for .
Chapter 700 : 44 12/22/2014
721.9 Application Tips for Computer Programs
This Section discusses the practices and procedures for completing an application to register a computer program. For guidance concerning the deposit requirements for computer programs, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(C). For guidance concerning the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Section 1403.
721.9(A) Identifying the Type of Work Submitting an online application through the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system is the preferred way to register a computer program. The first step in completing the online application is to select the type of work that the applicant intends to register. In the case of a computer program, the applicant should select Literary Work from the drop down menu marked Type of Work. When submitting a paper application, Form TX should be used to register a claim to copyright in a computer program.
721.9(B) Title of the Program The application must provide the title of the computer program. 17 U.S.C. § 409(6). The title should include the version number or release number (if any) for the specific version of the program that the applicant intends to register. The version number or r•e leaAsdev annutmagbee rW moaryk sb ve. p1.r0o vided in the application as follows: • Advantage Works (v. 2.0)
• Advantage Works version 3.5.1 • Advantage Works (release 4.1.1)
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the title of the program on the Title screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide the title on space 1 of Form TX. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 610.
If the applicant does not provide a version number or release number, the registration specialist may add that information to the Title field/space if the number appears on the deposit or elsewhere in the registrateio.gn mScaateler iMalosd aenledr ivf .i 1t .i0s, c2l.e0a, r3 t.0h,a 4t. 5th0e number identifies the specific version that has been submitted for registration. If the title contains multiple version numbers ( ., ), the specialist may communicate with the applicant if he or she is unable to identify the specific version that the applicant intends to register.
721.9(C) Name of Author / Name of Claimant The applicant should provide the name of the author(s) who created the specific version of the program that the applicant intends to register. Specifically, the applicant should Chapter 700 : 45 12/22/2014 provide the name(s) of the person(s) or organization(s) who created the source code for the version that will be submitted for registration. In addition, the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that version. When completing an online application the applicant should provide this information on the Author and Claimant screens; when completing a paper application the applicant should provide this information in spaces 2 and 4 of Form TX.
For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 613 and 619. For guidance on identifying the author of a work made for hire, see Chapter 600, Section 614.
721.9(D) Year of Completion The applicant should identify the year that the author completed the specific version of the program that the applicant intends to register. As a general rule, the applicant should provide a year of completion only for the specific version of the program that will be submitted for registration. The applicant should not provide a year of completion for the first version of the program or any other version of the program that is not included in the application.
For the purpose of copyright registration, each version of a computer program is considered a separate work. Each version of a program is considered complete when that version has been fixed in a tangible medium of expression for the first timeS. eWehen a program is prepared over a period ofs teiem ael,s tohe portion that has been fixed at any particular time constitutes the version that has been completed as of that date. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “created”); 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(ii) (explaining that the year of completion means “the latest year in which the creation of any copyrightable element was completed”).
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the year of completion on the Publication/Creation screen; when completing a paper application the applicant should provide this information in space 3(a) of Form TX. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611. If the yee.agr specified in the application does not match the year that is specified in the copyright notice for the program (if any) or if the copyright notice contains multiple dates ( ., © Lionel Software 2010, 2011, 2012), the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if he or she is unable to identify the specific version that the applicant intends to register.
721.9(E) Date of Publication If the version that the applicant intends to register has been published as of the date that the application is filed with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should provide the month, day, and year that the version being registered was published for the first time. As a general rule, the applicant should provide a date of first publication only for the specific version that will be submitted for registration. The applicant should not provide a date of publication for the first version of the program or any other version of the program that is not included in the application.
Chapter 700 : 46 12/22/2014 A computer program is considered published when copies of the program are distributed “to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending” or when copies of the program are offered “to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”). As a general rule, a program is considered published if there has been a general distribution of the program code, regardless of whether the copies are distributed by purchase or license and regardless of whether the copies are distributed on a CD-ROM, DVD, or downloaded online.S Leiek Mewidiwsea, ya Mpraongurfaamct uisr icnogn Csoid. evr. eSdtr pohuobnlished even if the copies contained object code rather than source code and even if the source code has not been disclosed to the public. , 564 F. Supp. 741, 751 (N.D. Ill. 1983) (“the object code is nothing other than a direct transformation of a computer program, composed... in source code”). When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the date of first publication on the Publication/Completion screen. When completing a paper application the applicant should provide this information on space 3(b) of Form TX. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 612. For a general discussion of publication and for specific guidance on determining whether a particular work has been published, see Chapter 1900. 721.9(F) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Computer Program The applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register and should assert a claim to copyright in that authorship. The information provided in the application defines the claim that is being registered, rather than the information given in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Author screen in the field marked Author Created. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 2 of the application under the heading Nature of Authorship. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4.
“Computer program” is the most appropriate term for registering a claim in this type of work. If this term does not fully describe the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register, the applicant should provide a more specific description in the Author Created/Other field using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 618.4(A). For a representative list of other terms that may be acceptable, see Section 721.9(H).
“Revised computer program” is the most appropriate term for registering a claim in a derivative computer program. If this term does not fully describe the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register, the applicant should provide a more specific description using the procedures described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(C)(1) and 621.8(C)(2). For a representative list of other terms that may be acceptable, see Section 721.9(H).
Chapter 700 : 47 12/22/2014 If the claim is unclear, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration. For example, if the applicant merely asserts a claim in “text,” the specialist will communicate if it is unclear whether the deposit copy(ies) contain text that is distinguished from source code, object code, or other statements or instructions that may be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result. Likewise, the specialist may communicate if the applicant merely asserts a claim in “computer program” that is not discernable as a written language or a programming language.
As discussed in Section 721.7, an applicant may assert a claim in executable code or nonexecuting comments or data that appear in the source code for a computer program. To register a claim in executable code, the applicant should check the box marked “computer program” in the Author Created field. The applicant should not check the box marked “text,” either alone or in combination with the term “computer program.” By contrast, to register a claim in nonexecutable comments, the applicant should check the box marked “text.”
If the applicant asserts a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable features of the program, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may annotate the application to indicate that the registration does not extend to the uncopyrightable features. For representative examples that illustrate this practice, see Chapter 600, Section 618.8(C). If the claim appears to be based solely on the functional aspects or other features that are not eligible for copyright protection, registration will be refused. For a representative list of unclear terms that may be questioned, see Section 721.9(I). For a representative list of terms that will not be accepted, see Section 721.9(J). 721.9(G) Limiting the Claim to Copyright in a Computer Program If the computer program contains a substantial amount of unclaimable material, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim. As discussed in Section 721.8, this category includes previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or copyrightable material that is owned by a party other than the copyright claimant.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide a brief statement that identifies the unclaimable material that appears in the program. Specifically, the applicant should provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen by checking one or more of the boxes that appear in the Material Excluded field that accurately describe the unclaimable material. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 6(a) of Form TX. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(B). In addition, the applicant should provide a brief statement that identifies the new material that the applicant intends to register. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen by checking one or more of the boxes that appear in the New Material Included field that accurately describe the new material that the author created. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 6(b) of Form TX. For Chapter 700 : 48 12/22/2014 guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(C).
The statement that the applicant provides in the New Material Included field should be identical to the statement that the applicant provided in the Author Created field. Likewise, the statement that the applicant provides in space 6(b) of the paper application should be identical to the statement that the applicant provides in space 2. Together, these statements define the claim in a derivative computer program. If the program contains a substantial amount of material that has been previously registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should identify the registration number for that material and the year that the registration was issued. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen in the field marked Previous Registration. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 5 of Form TX. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F).
721.9(H) Acceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Computer Program This Section provides guidance for completing the Author Created/Other field and the New Material Included/Other field of the online application, as well as guidance for completing spaces 2 and 6(b) of paper application Form TX. The applicant should provide a brief statement in this dpeo mrtiionnim oifs the application that describes the copyrightable material that the applicant intends to register. The applicant should not describe any uncopyrightable elements or elements that appear in the program. Likewise, the applicant should not describe the material object in which the program has been fixed.
The U.S. Copyright Office may accept the term “computer program” or any of the terms listed below, provided that they accurately describe the copyrightable authorship that appears in the deposit copy(ies). In most cases, the Office will accept combinations or variant forms of these terms, unless they are contradicted by information provided in •th e deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. • Computer program • Computer code • Computer software • New computer program • New computer code • New computer software Program code Chapter 700 : 49 12/22/2014 • Program instructions • Revised computer program • Revised computer code • Revised computer software Revision of [specify nature of revision, e.g., revision of software subroutines, • revision of program code, etc.] • Software code • Software modifications • Software module(s)
• Software program • Software routine(s)
• Software subroutine(s)
• Software update(s)
• Automation • Cells • Commands • Compilation • Computerized Debugging Chapter 700 : 50 12/22/2014 • Editing • Enhancements • Entire program code • Entire text • Entire work • Error corrections • Features • Macro(s)
• New programming text • Patching • Program text • Programmer • Programming text • Search engine • Text • Text of computer program Text of computer game If the applicant combines an acceptable authorship term with the term “text,” such as “computer program and text” or “text and program code,” the registration specialist will examine the deposit copy(ies) to determine if the work contains copyrightable text that is not part of the computer program. If the work does not appear to contain copyrightable text apart from the text of the computer program, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse to register that aspect of the claim. 721.9(J) Unacceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Computer Program If the applicant asserts a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable features of the program, the specialist may annotate the application to indicate that the registration does not extend to the uncopyrightable features. If the applicant asserts a claim to copyright in any storage medium or any feature of the program that is uncopyrightable, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse Chapter 700 : 51 12/22/2014 registration if the claim appears to be based solely on those features. Examples of u• nacceptable terms include the following or any combination of the following: • Algorithm • Analysis • Cassette • Chip • Computation • Computer language(s)
• Computerized • Data • Designed program • Disk • Drive • Encrypting • EPROM • Firmware • Flash drive • Format • Formatting • Formula(s)
• Functions • Hard drive • Interface • Language Layout Chapter 700 : 52 12/22/2014 • Logic • Menu screens • Mnemonics • Models • Object • Object code • Object listing • Organization • Peripheral(s)
• Printout • PROM • RAM (Random Access Memory)
• ROM • Protocol • Software methodology • System • System design(er)
• Template • Text of algorithm • Thumbdrive • Typeface Typefont Chapter 700 : 53 12/22/2014
721.10 Screen Displays
721.10(A) Relationship Between Source Code and Screen Displays As a general rule, a computer program and the screen displays generated by that program are considered the same work, because in most cases the screen displays are created by the program code. If the copyright in the program and the screen displays are owned by the same claimant, the program and any related screen displays may be registered with the same application.
The U.S. Copyright Office will not knowingly issue a separate registration for a computer program and the screen displays that may be generated by that program. Likewise, the Office will not issue a supplementary registration that purports to add a claim in screen displays to a basic registration for a computer program. If the applicant states “computer program” in the Author Created/New Material Included fields or in spaces 2 and 6(b), the registration will cover the copyrightable expression in the program code and any copyrightable screen displays that may be generated by that code, even if the applicant did not mention the screen displays or even if the deposit copy(ies) do not contain any screen displays. By contrast, if an applicant states “screen displays” in these portions of thSee aepplication, the registration will not cover the computer program unless the applicant also asserts a claim in the “computer program” and submits an appropriate deposit. Registration Decision: Registration and Deposit of Computer Screen Displays, 53 Fed. Reg. 21,817, 21,819-20 (June 10, 1988). This rule does not apply to the HTML code for a website, because HTML is not a computer program or source code. If the applicant submits an application to register HTML code, the registration may cover the code itself, but it does not cover any of the content that may appear on the website unless the applicant submits a copy of the website content and expressly asserts a claim in that material. For a discussion of HTML code, see Chapter 1000, Section 1006.1(A).
721.10(B) Copyrightable Authorship in Screen Displays When asserting a claim in screen displays, the claim should be limited to the new material that appears in the screen displays, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the screen displays contain a sufficient amount of textual expression that is not a part of the code, or a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the screen displays contain a sufficient amount of artwork or photos that are not generated by the computer program. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections
618.4 and 621.8.
A registration for a computer program covers the copyrightable expression that appears in any screen that may be generated by the program, even if the applicant does not Chapter 700 : 54 12/22/2014 submit identifying material depicting the screen displays or merely submits a representative sampling of those displays. If the screen displays as a whole do not contain copyrightable authorship, the registration specialist may communicate withd teh e ampipnilmicaisnt or may refuse registration. For example, if the claim is based solely on the layout orS feoermat of a screen or if the deposit copy(ies) consist solely of blank forms, menu screens, or other elements that are purely functional, registration will be refused. Registration Decision: Registration and Deposit of Computer Screen Displays, 53 Fed. Reg. 21,817, 21,819 (June 10, 1988).
721.10(C) Deposit Requirements for Screen Displays For a discussion of the deposit requirements for computer screen displays, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(C)(7).
721.11 User Manuals and Other Documentation for a Computer Program
User manuals, instructional booklets, flowcharts, and other documentation that explain the development or operation of a computer program may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship. If text is the predominant form of authorship, the work may be registered as a nondramatic literary work. If the predominant form of authorship consists of artwork, illustrations, or photographs, the work may Sbeee registered as a work of the visual arts. If the predominant form of authorship consists of audiovisual material, the work may be registered as a work of the performing arts. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(i)-(iii). If the claimant physically bundled a computer program together with a user manual, documentation, or other elements for distribution to the public as a single, integrated unit, it may be possible to register the works with one application and one filing fee if all the works were first published in that integrated unit and if the claimant owns the copyright in those works. For information concerning the unit of publication option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1107. By contrast, if the computer program was first published separately from the user manual or other documentation or if the program and the other material are owned by different claimants, each element is considered a separate work and a separate application for each element is required. When asserting a claim in a user manual or other documentation, the claim should be limited to the new material that appears in the work, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the work contains a sufficient amount of written expression, or a claim in “artwork” and/or “photograph(s)” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4 and 621.8.
For a discussion of the deposit requirements for user manuals and other documentation, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(C)(8).
Chapter 700 : 55 12/22/2014 722 Apps An “app” is a computer program that is used directly or indirectly in a computer or handheld electronic device. An app may be registered if it contains a sufficient amount of original authorship in the form of statements or instructions that bring about a certain result in the computer or device.
When asserting a claim in an app, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the work. Specifically, the applicant should provide the name(s) of the person(s) or organization(s) who created the source code for the specific version of the app that the applicant intends to register. In addition, the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that version. “Computer program” is the most appropriate term for registering a claim in an app. As discussed in Section 721.9(F), this term should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field of the online application. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b).
If the applicant registers the app as a computer program and submits identifying portions of the source code for that program, the registration will cover any copyrightable screen displays generated by that work, provided that the app and the screen displays are owned by the same claimant. If the applicant expressly asserts a claim in the text, artwork, or screen displays generated by an app, the applicant must submit an appropriate copy of those screen displays together with the identifying portions of the source code.
For guidance in completing the application, see Section 721.9. For a discussion of the deposit requirements for computer programs and screen displays, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1509.1(C)(1) through 1509.1(C)(7).
723 Computer Programs That Generate Typeface, Typefont, or Barcodes Typeface and mere variations of typographic ornamentation or lettering are not copyrightable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a), (e).
A computer program that generates bar codes or a particular typeface, typefont, or letterform may be registered if the program contains a sufficient amount of original authorship in the form of statements or instructions to a computer. For example, creating a scalable font output program that produces harmonious fonts consisting of hundreds of characters may require numerous decisions in drafting the instructions that drive a printer or other output device. If this expression contains a sufficient amount of original authorship, the work may be registered as a computer program. However, the registratioSne ewould not cover any bar codes, typeface, typefont, letterform, or mere variations of typographic ornamentation or lettering that may be generated by the program. Registrability of Computer Programs that Generate Typefaces, 57 Fed. Reg. 6201, 6202 (Feb. 21, 1992).
When asserting a claim in a computer program that generates typeface, typefont, letterform, or barcodes, the applicant should identify the author(s) who created the Chapter 700 : 56 12/22/2014 work. Specifically, the applicant should provide the name of the person(s) or organization(s) who created the source code for the program. The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if it appears that the author merely assigned coordinates to a particular letterform and then used a third party program to render typeface or typefont from those coordinates (but did not create any of the source code for that program).
“Computer program” is the most appropriate term for registering a claim in this type of work. As discussed in Section 721.9(F), this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept an application that asserts a claim in the “entire work,” “entire computer programS,”e “eentire text,” or the like, because these statements suggest that the applicant may be asserting a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable elements of the program. 57 Fed. Reg. at 6202.
To register a computer program that generates typeface, typefont, letterform, or barcodes, the applicant must submit a portion of the source code for that program. If the applicant merely submits a representation of the characters generated by the program without providing any code, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. For a discussion of the deposit requirements for computer programs, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(C).
724 Diagrams, Models, Outlines, Pseudocode, and Other Types of Works That Illustrate or Describe a Computer Program Diagrams, models, outlines, pseudocode, or other types of works that illustrate or describe the structure or order of operation for a computer program may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship. However, such illustrations or descriptions may not be claimed as computer programs.
The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the work contains a sufficient amount of written expression, or a claim in “artwork,” “photograph(s),” “technical drawing,” or “graphic work” if the work contains a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression. When completing an online application this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Sections 721.9(F) and 721.9(G). When asserting a claim in these types of works, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the work and the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that work. A registration for this type of work covers the copyrightable expression that appears in the deposit copy(ies). However, it does not cover the computer program that may be described in the deposit copy(ies) unless the applicant expressly asserts a claim in the program and submits an appropriate selection of source code. Chapter 700 : 57 12/22/2014 As a general rule, these types of works do not contain “statements or instructions” that may be used “directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result,” nor do they contain any executable program code. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “computer program”). In some cases, they may represent nothing more than an “idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). Therefore, if an applicant attempts to register a diagram, model, outline, or other type of work as a computer program, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse to register the claim. 725 Spreadsheets, Reports, and Other Documents Generated by a Computer Program Spreadsheets, reports, or other documents generated by a computer program may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office if they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship. When asserting a claim in this type of work, the applicant should limit the claim to the copyrightable material that appears in the deposit copy(ies), the applicant should provide the name of the author who created that material, and the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Literary Division may accept a claim in “text” if the deposit copy(ies) contain a sufficient amount of written expression, or a claim in “artwork” if the deposit copy(ies) contain a sufficient amount of pictorial or graphic expression.
A computer program that may be used to generate spreadsheets or to perform calculations or other functions within a spreadsheet, report, or other document may be registered, provided that the applicant expressly asserts a claim in the “computer program” and submits an appropriate selection of source code. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in space 2, and also in space 6(b) if applicable. For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Sections 721.9(F) and 721.9(G).
A claim in “text” or “artwork” covers the copyrightable expression that appears in the deposit copy(ies), but it does not cover the computer program that may be used to perform calculations or other functions within a spreadsheet, report, or other document. While these types of documents may contain statements or instructions that may be used directly or indirectly in a computer in order to bring about a certain result, in most cases the code that performs those functions was created by the author of the authoring tool, rather than the author of the document itself. Therefore, if an applicant attempts to register a spreadsheet, report, or other document as a computer program but fails to submit an appropriate selection of source code, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse to register the claim. A spreadsheet, report, or other document may be registered as a compilation if the author exercised a sufficient amount of creativity in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the algorithms or other information that appears within the deposit copy(ies). When asserting a claim in a compilation, the applicant should provide the name of the author who created the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant should assert a claim to copyright in that material by using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 618.6. Chapter 700 : 58 12/22/2014 As discussed in Section 710, a registration for a compilSaeteion covers the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of information, but it does not cover any of the information that appears in the deposit copy(ies). 17 U.S.C. § 103(b). It does not cover the authoring tool that was used to create the work, nor does it cover any “idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery” that is reflected or implemented in the work. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). In some cases, it may be unclear whether the applicant intends to register a spreadsheet, report, or other document as a compilation or simply intends to register the information that appears in the document itself. The fact that the deposit copy(ies) contain fictitious data may indicate that the applicant is asserting a claim in selection, coordination, and/or arrangement authorship, rather than a claim in any copyrightable material in the deposit copy(ies). By contrast, if the deposit copy(ies) contain data that has been entered by an actual user, it may be unclear whether the applicant is asserting a claim in a compilation or a claim in any copyrightable text or artwork that may appear in the deposit.
In all cases, the authorship that the applicant intends to register should be clearly identified in the application, and the claim to copyright in that authorship should be clearly stated. Examples of unclear terms that will prompt the registration specialist to annotate the application or to communicate with the applicant include “template” and “data.” Examples:
Chapter 700 : 59 12/22/2014 AutoCrat LLC submits an application to register a spreadsheet that contains graphs, tables of information, explanatory text, as well as various formulas, such as “SUM (b12, c12, d12)/d13.” In the Author Created and New Material Included fields the applicant asserts a claim in “text,” “artwork,” and “computer program.” In the Material Excluded/Other field the applicant explains that the spreadsheet “uses Excel 5.2.” The registration specialist will conclude AutoCrat created the program using Excel 5.2 as an authoring tool. The claim • will be registered. PatientCare.
726 Videogames The U.S. Copyright Office may issue separate registrations for the audiovisual material in a videogame and the computer program that generates that material. For a discussion of the practices and procedures for registering a videogame, see Chapter 800, Section 807.7(A).
727 Databases This Section discusses the practices and procedures for obtaining a registration for a specific version of a single-file or multi-file database. In the case of an unpublished database, an applicant may register all of the copyrightable material that appeared in the database as of the date that the registration materials are received in the U.S. Copyright Office. In the case of a published database, an applicant may register all of the copyrightable material that was first published on the date specified in the application. A registration for a specific version of a database does not cover any previously published or previously registered content that may be included in the database. Likewise, a registration for a specific version of a database does not cover any subsequent updates or revisions that may be made to the database (regardless of whether the database is published or unpublished). Instead, the Office has established a special procedure that allows applicants to register a database together with the subsequent updates or revisions that were made to that database within a period of three months or less. The requirements for this group registration option are discussed in Chapter 1100, Section 1117.6.
727.1 What Is a Database?
For purposes of copyright registration, a “database” is defined as a compilation of digital information comprised of data, information, abstracts, images, maps, music, sound Chapter 700 : 60 12/22/2014 recordings, video, other digitized material, or references to a particular subject or subjects. In all cases, the content of a database must be arranged in a systematic manner, and it must be accessed solely by means of an integrated information retrieval program •o r system with the following characteristics:
• A query function must be used to access the content.
As a general rule, databases are considered machine-readable works, because they are fixed or published in optical discs, magnetic tapes, or similar storage media, and as a result they cannot be perceived without the aid of a machine or device. Websites are not considered databases for the purpose of copyright registration. As discussed above, users retrieve sets of data or other content from a database by using a query function that fetches content that matches the criteria specified by the user. By contrast, users retrieve content from a website by using a browser function that allows the user to locate and link to the specific pages of the website where information or content is stored.
727.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Databases
The legislative history for the Copyright Act states that “computer databases” may be protected by copyright “to the extent that they increoprprionrtaetde i anuthorship in the programmer’s expression of original ideas, as distinguished from the ideas themselves.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5667. S• ingle-file or multi-file databases typically contain the following forms of authorship: The selection authorship involved in choosing the material or data that is included • in the database.
Chapter 700 : 61 12/22/2014 Each form of authorship may be registered with the Office, provided that the database contains a sufficient amount of original expression and provided that the claimant owns the copyright in that material.
727.3 Application Tips for Databases
A single-file or multi-file database may be registered as a literary work if the predominant form of authorship in the work consists of text. A database may be registered as a work of the visual arts if the predominant form of authorship consists of photographs or other forms of pictorial authorship.
As a general rule, an applicant may register a specific version of a database by submitting an online application. However, if the applicant intends to register a database that predominantly consists of photographs, the applicant must contact the Visual Arts Division at (202) 707-8202 to coordinate the filing and to obtain proper guidance concerning the information that should be included in the online application and the proper method for submitting the deposit copies. Applicants will be permitted to file an o Sneleine application for a photographic database only if they obtain authorization from the Visual Arts Division and follow the instsreuec atilosons from the Division. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.3(b)(5)(ii)(A), 202.3(b)(10)(xi), 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(8); Registration of Claims to Copyright, 76 Fed. Reg. 4072, 4075 (Jan. 24, 2011). In the alternative, an applicant may register a speSceiefic version of a database with a paper application. The applicant should use the form that is most appropriate for the subject matter of the works that appear in the database. 76 Fed. Reg.at 4074. For example, if the works in the database consist primarily of words, numbers, or oIdther verbal or numerical symbols or indicia, the applicant should use Form TX. If the works consist predominantly of photographs, the applicant should use Form VA. . NOTE : The online application may be used to register a group of updates or revisions for a database that predominantly consists of photographs, but it cannot be used for updates or revisions for any other type of database. For a discussion of the application requirements for this group registration option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1117.4. 727.3(A) Name of Author / Name of Claimant The applicant should provide the name of the author(s) who created the specific version of the database that the applicant intends to register. In addition, the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that version. When completing an online application the applicant should provide this information on the Author and Claimant screens; when completing a paper application the applicant should provide this information on spaces 2 and 4.
For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 613 and 619. For guidance on identifying the author of a work made for hire, see Chapter 600, Section 614.
Chapter 700 : 62 12/22/2014 727.3(B) Year of Completion The applicant should identify the year that the author completed the specific version of the database that is submitted for registration (even if other versions exist and even if the author intends to update or revise the database in the future). For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611. 727.3(C) Date of Publication / Nation of Publication / Author’s Citizenship or Domicile If the version that the applicant intends to register has been published as of the date that the application is filed with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should provide the month, day, and year that the version being registered was published for the first time. As a general rule, the applicant should provide a date of first publication only for the specific version that is being submitted for registration. The applicant should not provide a date of publication for the first version of the database or any other version of the database that is not included with the application. In addition, the applicant should identify the nation where the database was first published and the author’s country of citizenship or domicile. The Office will use this information to determine whether the database is eligible for copyright protection in the United States. For a definition and discussion of the nation of first publication, see Chapter 600, Section 612.5. For a definition and discussion of the author’s citizenship and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617. 727.3(D) Asserting a Claim to Copyright in a Database In all cases, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register, and the applicant should assert a claim to copyright in that material. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Author Created field. When completing a paper application, this information should be provided in space 2 under the heading marked Nature of Authorship. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 618.4. If the applicant intends to register the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the material that appears in the database, the applicant may use any of the terms listed below, provided that they accurately describe the copyrightable authorship that appears in the deposit copy(ies). In most cases, the Office will accept combinations or variant forms of these terms, unless they are contradicted by •in formation provided in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. • Compilation of data • Compilation of database information • Compilation of photographs Compilation of artwork Chapter 700 : 63 12/22/2014 • Compilation and text Revised and updated compilation The authorship that the applicant intends to register should be clearly identified in the application, and the claim to copyright in that authorship should be clearly stated. If the claim to copyright is unclear, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration. Examples of unclear terms include the following or a• ny combination of the following:
• Data dictionary • Data insertion • Data layout or format • Data manipulation Database features If the applicant asserts a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable features of the database, the registration specialist may annotate the application to indicate that the registration does not extend to the uncopyrightable features. If the applicant asserts a claim to copyright in any storage medium or any feature of the database that is uncopyrightable, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the claim appears to be based solely on those features. Examples of u• nacceptable terms include the following or any combination of the following: • Database design • Database interface • Database structure Data system If the applicant intends to register other copyrightable material that appears in the database, the applicant should describe the specific form of authorship that the author contributed to that material, such as “text,” “photographs,” “artwork,” or the like. If the database contains a substantial amount of previously published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or material that is not owned by the copyright claimant, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim by using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
727.4 Deposit Requirements
For a discussion of the deposit requirements for registering a specific version of a single-file or multi-file database, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(D). Chapter 700 : 64 12/22/2014 For a discussion of the deposit requirements for registering a group of updates or revisions for a database, see Chapter 1100, Section 1117.6. Chapter 700 : 65 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM :
801.1 Performing Arts Division ............................................................................................................................................. 14 801.2 What Is a Work of the Performing Arts? ................................................................................................................ 14 801.3 Fixation of Works of the Performing Arts ............................................................................................................. 15 801.3(A) Copies .................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 801.3(B) Phonorecords ................................................................................................................................................................... 16 801.4 Copyrightable Authorship in Works of the Performing Arts ......................................................................... 16 801.5 Uncopyrightable Material in Works of the Performing Arts .......................................................................... 17 801.6 Joint Authorship in Works of the Performing Arts ............................................................................................ 17 801.7 Works Made for Hire ..................................................................................................................................................... 18 801.8 Derivative Works ............................................................................................................................................................ 18 801.9 Compilations ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 801.10 Collective Works ............................................................................................................................................................. 19 801.11 Completing the Application for Works of the Performing Arts .................................................................... 19 801.12 Deposit Requirements for Works of the Performing Arts .............................................................................. 20 802 Musical Works.................................................................................................................................................................. 20 802.1 What Is a Musical Work? .............................................................................................................................................. 20 802.2 Musical Works Distinguished from Other Types of Works ............................................................................ 20 802.2(A) Nondramatic Musical Works Distinguished from Dramatic Musical Works ........................................... 20 802.2(B) Musical Works Distinguished from Sound Recordings .................................................................................... 20 802.3 Elements of Musical Works......................................................................................................................................... 20 802.3(A) Melody................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 802.3(B) Rhythm ............................................................................................................................................................................... 21 802.3(C) Harmony ............................................................................................................................................................................ 21 802.3(D) Song Lyrics ........................................................................................................................................................................ 21 802.4 Fixation of Musical Works ........................................................................................................................................... 21 802.4(A) Copies .................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 Chapter 800 : 1 12/22/2014 802.4(B) Phonorecords ................................................................................................................................................................... 22 802.4(C) Motion Pictures ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 802.5 Copyrightable Authorship in Musical Works ....................................................................................................... 22 802.5(A) Independent Creation ................................................................................................................................................... 22 802.5(B) Creative Expression ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 802.5(C) Human Authorship ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 802.6 Derivative Musical Works ........................................................................................................................................... 23 802.6(A) Permission to Use Preexisting Material ................................................................................................................. 24 802.6(B) Permission to Use Under a Section 115 Compulsory License ....................................................................... 24 802.6(C) Musical Arrangements .................................................................................................................................................. 24 802.6(C)(1) Harmonization ................................................................................................................................................................. 25 802.6(C)(2) Instrumentation .............................................................................................................................................................. 25 802.6(D) Adaptation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 25 802.6(E) Variations ........................................................................................................................................................................... 26 802.6(F) Setting ................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 802.6(G) Musical Works Containing Samples or Interpolation ....................................................................................... 26 802.6(H) Revised or Additional Music / Lyrics ...................................................................................................................... 26 802.6(I) Editorial Authorship ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 802.6(J) Method Books .................................................................................................................................................................. 27 802.7 Collective Musical Works ............................................................................................................................................. 27 802.8 Registration Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 802.8(A) A Registration for a Musical Work Distinguished from a Registration for a Sound Recording................................................................................................................................................... 27 802.8(B) Identifying the Author .................................................................................................................................................. 29 802.8(C) Joint Authorship .............................................................................................................................................................. 29 802.8(D) Name Individual Authors (Not Performing Groups) as the Author of a Musical Work ....................... 29 802.8(E) Work Made for Hire Authorship ............................................................................................................................... 31 802.8(F) Publication Issues ........................................................................................................................................................... 32 802.8(G) Unpublished Collections .............................................................................................................................................. 32 802.8(H) Unit of Publication .......................................................................................................................................................... 33 802.9 Application Tips for Musical Works ........................................................................................................................ 34 802.9(A) Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 800 : 2 12/22/2014 802.9(B) Title of Work ..................................................................................................................................................................... 35 802.9(C) Year of Completion ......................................................................................................................................................... 35 802.9(D) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space ................................................................... 35 802.9(E) Unclear Authorship Terms .......................................................................................................................................... 36 802.9(E)(1) Instrument Names / Vocals ........................................................................................................................................ 36 802.9(E)(2) Production / Produced ................................................................................................................................................. 36 802.9(E)(3) Rap ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 802.9(E)(4) Beats .................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 802.9(E)(5) Loops ................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 802.9(E)(6) Transcription .................................................................................................................................................................... 37 802.9(E)(7) Sound Effects .................................................................................................................................................................... 37 802.9(F) The Material Excluded / New Material Included Fields and the Preexisting Material / Material Added to This Work Spaces ................................................................................................. 38 802.10 Deposit Requirements for Musical Works ............................................................................................................ 38 803 Sound Recordings ........................................................................................................................................................... 39 803.1 What Is a Sound Recording? ....................................................................................................................................... 39 803.2 Sound Recordings Distinguished from Other Types of Works...................................................................... 39 803.2(A) Sound Recordings Distinguished from Musical Works .................................................................................... 39 803.2(B) Sound Recordings Distinguished from the Sounds Accompanying a Motion Picture .......................... 39 803.3 Elements of Sound Recordings .................................................................................................................................. 39 803.3(A) Performance Authorship ............................................................................................................................................. 40 803.3(B) Production Authorship ................................................................................................................................................. 40 803.4 Fixation of Sound Recordings .................................................................................................................................... 40 803.4(A) Unauthorized Fixation .................................................................................................................................................. 40 803.4(B) Types of Phonorecords ................................................................................................................................................. 40 803.4(C) Insufficiently Fixed Formats ....................................................................................................................................... 41 803.5 Copyrightable Authorship in Sound Recordings ................................................................................................ 41 803.5(A) Independent Creation ................................................................................................................................................... 41 803.5(B) Creative Expression ....................................................................................................................................................... 41 803.5(C) Human Authorship ......................................................................................................................................................... 41 803.5(D) Pre-1972 Sound Recordings ....................................................................................................................................... 42 803.6 Derivative Sound Recordings ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Chapter 800 : 3 12/22/2014 803.6(A) Permission to Use Preexisting Material ................................................................................................................. 42 803.6(B) Copyrightable Authorship in Derivative Sound Recordings .......................................................................... 43 803.6(B)(1) Additional Sounds .......................................................................................................................................................... 43 803.6(B)(2) Remix ................................................................................................................................................................................... 43 803.6(B)(3) Editorial Authorship ...................................................................................................................................................... 43 803.6(B)(4) Sound Recordings Containing Samples .................................................................................................................. 44 803.6(B)(5) Mashups ............................................................................................................................................................................. 44 803.6(B)(6) Mixtapes ............................................................................................................................................................................. 44 803.7 Compilations of Sound Recordings .......................................................................................................................... 44 803.7(A) Registrable Compilations............................................................................................................................................. 44 803.7(B) Unregistrable Compilations ........................................................................................................................................ 45 803.8 Registration Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 45 803.8(A) Registration for a Sound Recording Distinguished from a Registration for a Musical Work or Literary Work ...................................................................................................................... 45 803.8(B) Joint Authorship .............................................................................................................................................................. 46 803.8(C) Name Individual Authors (Not Performing Groups) as the Author of a Sound Recording..................................................................................................................................................... 47 803.8(D) Work Made for Hire Authorship ............................................................................................................................... 48 803.8(E) Executive Producer ........................................................................................................................................................ 48 803.8(F) Publication Issues ........................................................................................................................................................... 48 803.8(F)(1) Sounds Published on Both a Soundtrack Album and in a Motion Picture ................................................ 48 803.8(F)(2) Combination CD / DVD ................................................................................................................................................. 49 803.8(F)(3) Album Containing a Previously Published Track ............................................................................................... 49 803.8(F)(4) Bonus Track Added to a Previously Published Album ..................................................................................... 49 803.8(G) Unpublished Collections .............................................................................................................................................. 49 803.8(H) Unit of Publication .......................................................................................................................................................... 52 803.9 Application Tips for Sound Recordings .................................................................................................................. 55 803.9(A) Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 55 803.9(B) Title of Work ..................................................................................................................................................................... 55 803.9(C) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space ................................................................... 55 803.9(D) Unclear Authorship Terms .......................................................................................................................................... 56 803.9(D)(1) Instrument Names / Vocals ........................................................................................................................................ 56 Chapter 800 : 4 12/22/2014 803.9(D)(2) Narration / Spoken Works .......................................................................................................................................... 57 803.9(D)(3) Rap ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 57 803.9(D)(4) Beats / Music Track ....................................................................................................................................................... 57 803.9(D)(5) Executive Producer ........................................................................................................................................................ 58 803.9(D)(6) Sound Effects .................................................................................................................................................................... 58 803.9(E) Claims in Hidden Tracks .............................................................................................................................................. 58 803.9(F) The Material Excluded / New Material Included Field and the Preexisting Material / Material Added to This Work Spaces ................................................................................................. 58 803.9(F)(1) Preexisting Liner Notes, Artwork, and Photographs ........................................................................................ 59 803.9(F)(2) Samples ............................................................................................................................................................................... 59 803.9(F)(3) Unclear Authorship Terms for Derivative Sound Recordings ....................................................................... 59 803.9(F)(4) Unacceptable Authorship Terms for Derivative Sound Recordings ........................................................... 60 803.10 Deposit Requirements for Sound Recordings...................................................................................................... 60 804 Dramatic Works .............................................................................................................................................................. 60 804.1 What Is a Dramatic Work? .......................................................................................................................................... 60 804.2 Dramatic Works Distinguished from Other Types of Works ......................................................................... 60 804.2(A) Dramatic Works Distinguished from Nondramatic Literary Works ........................................................... 60 804.2(B) Dramatic Works Distinguished from Other Works of the Performing Arts ............................................. 60 804.3 Elements of Dramatic Works ..................................................................................................................................... 61 804.3(A) Plot ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 61 804.3(B) Characters .......................................................................................................................................................................... 61 804.3(C) Dialog / Monolog ............................................................................................................................................................ 61 804.3(D) Stage Directions and Directions for Performance .............................................................................................. 61 804.3(D)(1) Stage Business .................................................................................................................................................................. 61 804.3(D)(2) Blocking .............................................................................................................................................................................. 62 804.3(E) Music in Dramatic Works ............................................................................................................................................ 62 804.3(F) Illustrations or Descriptions of Costumes, Scenery, Sets, Props, etc. ......................................................... 62 804.4 Types of Dramatic Works ............................................................................................................................................ 62 804.4(A) Stage Plays ......................................................................................................................................................................... 62 804.4(B) Musical Plays .................................................................................................................................................................... 62 804.4(C) Screenplays ....................................................................................................................................................................... 62 804.4(D) Teleplays ............................................................................................................................................................................ 63 Chapter 800 : 5 12/22/2014 804.4(E) Radio Plays ........................................................................................................................................................................ 63 804.4(F) Precursors of Dramatic Works .................................................................................................................................. 63 804.4(F)(1) Synopses............................................................................................................................................................................. 63 804.4(F)(2) Treatments ........................................................................................................................................................................ 63 804.5 Fixation of Dramatic Works ........................................................................................................................................ 63 804.5(A) Copies .................................................................................................................................................................................. 63 804.5(B) Phonorecords ................................................................................................................................................................... 64 804.6 Copyrightable Authorship in Dramatic Works .................................................................................................... 64 804.6(A) Independent Creation ................................................................................................................................................... 64 804.6(B) Creative Expression ....................................................................................................................................................... 64 804.7 Derivative Dramatic Works ........................................................................................................................................ 65 804.7(A) Dramatizations or Adaptations ................................................................................................................................. 65 804.7(B) Revisions ............................................................................................................................................................................ 66 804.7(C) Translations ...................................................................................................................................................................... 66 804.7(D) Stage Directions............................................................................................................................................................... 66 804.8 Registration Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 66 804.8(A) Joint Authorship .............................................................................................................................................................. 67 804.8(A)(1) Intent to Merge into a Unified Whole ...................................................................................................................... 67 804.8(A)(2) Weight of Contribution to the Work as a Whole ................................................................................................. 67 804.8(B) Synopses............................................................................................................................................................................. 68 804.8(C) Redacted Screenplay for Motion Pictures in Production ................................................................................ 68 804.8(D) Publication Issues ........................................................................................................................................................... 69 804.9 Application Tips for Dramatic Works ..................................................................................................................... 69 804.9(A) Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 69 804.9(B) Joint Authors ..................................................................................................................................................................... 69 804.9(C) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space ................................................................... 70 804.9(D) The Material Excluded / New Material Included Fields and the Preexisting Material / Material Added to This Work Spaces ................................................................................................. 71 804.9(D)(1) Dramatizations, Adaptations, and Revisions ....................................................................................................... 71 804.9(D)(2) Translations ...................................................................................................................................................................... 71 804.9(D)(3) Stage Directions............................................................................................................................................................... 72 804.10 Deposit Requirements for Dramatic Works ......................................................................................................... 72 Chapter 800 : 6 12/22/2014 805 Choreographic Works ................................................................................................................................................... 73 805.1 What Is a Choreographic Work? ............................................................................................................................... 73 805.2 Elements of Choreographic Works .......................................................................................................................... 73 805.2(A) Rhythmic Movement in a Defined Space ............................................................................................................... 73 805.2(B) Compositional Arrangement ...................................................................................................................................... 74 805.2(C) Musical or Textual Accompaniment ........................................................................................................................ 74 805.2(D) Dramatic Content ............................................................................................................................................................ 74 805.2(E) Presentation Before an Audience ............................................................................................................................. 75 805.2(F) Execution by Skilled Performers .............................................................................................................................. 75 805.3 Fixation of Choreographic Works............................................................................................................................. 75 805.3(A) The Work Must Be Fixed in a Tangible Medium of Expression .................................................................... 75 805.3(B) Capacity for Uniform Performance .......................................................................................................................... 75 805.3(C) Improvisation ................................................................................................................................................................... 75 805.3(D) Forms of Fixation for Choreographic Works........................................................................................................ 76 805.3(D)(1) Dance Notation ................................................................................................................................................................ 76 805.3(D)(2) Audiovisual Recordings ................................................................................................................................................ 76 805.3(D)(3) Textual Descriptions, Photographs, Drawings, Illustrations, or the Like ................................................. 76 805.4 Copyrightable Authorship in Choreographic Works......................................................................................... 76 805.4(A) Copyrightable Subject Matter .................................................................................................................................... 76 805.4(B) Choreographic Authorship .......................................................................................................................................... 77 805.4(C) Human Performance Required ....................D...e.. .M....i.n...i.m....i.s.......................................................................................... 77 805.4(D) Choreographic Works That Incorporate Dance Steps, Social Dances, Simple Routines, or Other Uncopyrightable Movements ................................................................................ 78 805.5 UDne cmoipnyimrigishtable Dances and Dance Steps ............................................................................................................ 78 805.5(A) Movements and Dance Steps............................................................................................................... 78 805.5(B) Social Dances, Simple Routines, and Other Uncopyrightable Movements ............................................... 79 805.5(B)(1) Simple Routines............................................................................................................................................................... 80 805.5(B)(2) Social Dances .................................................................................................................................................................... 80 805.5(B)(3) Ordinary Motor Activities, Functional Physical Activities, Competitive Events, Feats of Physical Skill or Dexterity, and Other Uncopyrightable Movements ......................................... 82 805.6 Derivative Choreographic Works ............................................................................................................................. 83 805.7 Compilations ..................................................................................................................................................................... 84 Chapter 800 : 7 12/22/2014 805.8 Registration Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 85 805.8(A) Choreographic Works Embodied in Dramatic Works or Audiovisual Works ......................................... 85 805.8(B) Choreographic Work Combined with a Musical Work ..................................................................................... 85 805.8(C) Capacity for Uniform Performance .......................................................................................................................... 85 805.8(D) Descriptions, Depictions, and Illustrations of Social Dances, Simple Routines, or Other Uncopyrightable Movements ........................................................................................................................ 86 805.9 Application Tips for Choreographic Works .......................................................................................................... 86 805.10 Deposit Requirements for Choreographic Works .............................................................................................. 87 806 Pantomimes ...................................................................................................................................................................... 87 806.1 What Is a Pantomime? .................................................................................................................................................. 87 806.2 Elements of Pantomimes ............................................................................................................................................. 88 806.2(A) Movements and Gestures in a Defined Space ...................................................................................................... 88 806.2(B) Compositional Arrangement ...................................................................................................................................... 88 806.2(C) Silent Action ...................................................................................................................................................................... 88 806.2(D) Dramatic Content ............................................................................................................................................................ 88 806.2(E) Presentation Before an Audience ............................................................................................................................. 89 806.3 Fixation of Pantomimes................................................................................................................................................ 89 806.3(A) The Work Must Be Fixed in a Tangible Medium of Expression .................................................................... 89 806.3(B) Capacity for Uniform Performance .......................................................................................................................... 89 806.3(C) Improvisation ................................................................................................................................................................... 89 806.3(D) Forms of Fixation for Pantomimes .......................................................................................................................... 89 806.4 Copyrightable Authorship in Pantomimes............................................................................................................ 89 806.4(A) Copyrightable Subject Matter .................................................................................................................................... 90 806.4(B) Pantomime Authorship ................................................................................................................................................ 90 806.4(C) Human Performance Required .................................................................................................................................. 90 806.4(D) Pantomimes That Incorporate Uncopyrightable Movements, Gestures, and Facial Expressions .......................................................................................................................................................... 90 806.5 UDne cMoipnyimrigishtable Pantomimes ................................................................................................................................... 91 806.5(A) Movements ................................................................................................................................................. 91 806.5(B) Ordinary Motor Activities, Functional Physical Activities, Competitive Events, Feats of Physical Skill or Dexterity, and the Like ................................................................................................ 91 806.6 Registration Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 93 806.6(A) Pantomime Combined with a Literary Work or Musical Work .................................................................... 93 Chapter 800 : 8 12/22/2014 806.6(B) Capacity for Uniform Performance .......................................................................................................................... 93 806.7 Application Tips for Pantomimes ............................................................................................................................. 93 806.8 Deposit Requirements for Pantomimes ................................................................................................................. 94 807 Audiovisual Works ......................................................................................................................................................... 94 807.1 What Is an Audiovisual Work? .................................................................................................................................. 94 807.2 Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Other Types of Works ................................................................... 94 807.2(A) Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Motion Pictures ................................................................................ 94 807.2(B) Sounds Accompanying Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Sound Recordings............................. 95 807.2(C) Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Visual Art Works.............................................................................. 95 807.2(D) Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Literary Works ................................................................................. 95 807.3 Elements of Audiovisual Works ................................................................................................................................ 95 807.3(A) Visual Authorship ........................................................................................................................................................... 95 807.3(B) Series of Related Images .............................................................................................................................................. 95 807.3(C) Intrinsic Use of Machine or Device .......................................................................................................................... 96 807.3(D) Single, Integrated Work................................................................................................................................................ 96 807.3(E) Aural Authorship ............................................................................................................................................................ 96 807.3(E)(1) Soundtrack ........................................................................................................................................................................ 96 807.3(E)(2) Physical Integration of Sounds .................................................................................................................................. 96 807.4 Fixation of Audiovisual Works .................................................................................................................................. 97 807.5 Copyrightable Authorship in Audiovisual Works .............................................................................................. 97 807.5(A) Independent Creation ................................................................................................................................................... 97 807.5(B) Creative Expression ....................................................................................................................................................... 97 807.5(C) Human Authorship ......................................................................................................................................................... 98 807.6 Derivative Audiovisual Works ................................................................................................................................... 98 807.7 Registration Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 99 807.7(A) Videogames ....................................................................................................................................................................... 99 807.7(A)(1) Videogames Distinguished from Computer Programs ..................................................................................... 99 807.7(A)(2) One Videogame, Multiple Platforms ........................................................................................................................ 99 807.7(B) Karaoke Displays .......................................................................................................................................................... 100 807.7(C) Apps for Computers, Tablets, or Mobile Phones............................................................................................... 100 807.7(D) Banner Advertisements.............................................................................................................................................. 100 Chapter 800 : 9 12/22/2014 807.7(E) Slide Presentations....................................................................................................................................................... 101 807.8 Application Tips for Audiovisual Works .............................................................................................................. 101 807.8(A) Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................. 101 807.8(B) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space ................................................................. 102 807.9 Deposit Requirements for Audiovisual Works .................................................................................................. 103 808 Motion Pictures ............................................................................................................................................................. 103 808.1 What Is a Motion Picture? ......................................................................................................................................... 103 808.2 Motion Pictures Distinguished from Other Types of Works ........................................................................ 103 808.2(A) Motion Pictures Distinguished from Audiovisual Works .............................................................................. 103 808.2(B) Sounds Accompanying Motion Pictures Distinguished from Sound Recordings ................................ 104 808.2(C) Motion Pictures Distinguished from Underlying Works ............................................................................... 104 808.3 Elements of Motion Pictures .................................................................................................................................... 104 808.3(A) Impression of Motion Required .............................................................................................................................. 104 808.3(B) Device Needed for Viewing ....................................................................................................................................... 105 808.3(C) Sound Not Required..................................................................................................................................................... 105 808.3(D) Single, Integrated Work.............................................................................................................................................. 105 808.4 Elements of Motion Picture Authorship .............................................................................................................. 105 808.4(A) Production ....................................................................................................................................................................... 105 808.4(B) Direction ........................................................................................................................................................................... 105 808.4(C) Cinematography ............................................................................................................................................................ 105 808.4(D) Performance ................................................................................................................................................................... 105 808.4(E) Animation ........................................................................................................................................................................ 106 808.4(F) Screenplay or Script ..................................................................................................................................................... 106 808.4(G) Works That Precede a Screenplay or Script ....................................................................................................... 106 808.4(G)(1) Textual Proposal ........................................................................................................................................................... 106 808.4(G)(2) Synopsis............................................................................................................................................................................ 106 808.4(G)(3) Treatment ........................................................................................................................................................................ 106 808.4(H) Editing ............................................................................................................................................................................... 106 808.4(I) Musical Score .................................................................................................................................................................. 106 808.4(J) Soundtrack ...................................................................................................................................................................... 107 808.5 Types of Motion Pictures ........................................................................................................................................... 107 Chapter 800 : 10 12/22/2014 808.6 Fixation of Motion Pictures ....................................................................................................................................... 107 808.6(A) Film Format .................................................................................................................................................................... 107 808.6(B) Video Formats ................................................................................................................................................................ 107 808.6(B)(1) Videodiscs ........................................................................................................................................................................ 108 808.6(B)(2) Digital Video Files ......................................................................................................................................................... 108 808.6(B)(3) Videotape ......................................................................................................................................................................... 108 808.7 Copyrightable Authorship in Motion Pictures ................................................................................................... 109 808.7(A) Independent Creation ................................................................................................................................................. 109 808.7(B) Creative Expression ..................................................................................................................................................... 109 808.7(C) Human Authorship ....................................................................................................................................................... 109 808.8 Derivative Motion Pictures ....................................................................................................................................... 110 808.8(A) Editing ............................................................................................................................................................................... 110 808.8(B) Dubbed Soundtracks and Subtitled Motion Pictures ...................................................................................... 110 808.8(B)(1) Subtitles ............................................................................................................................................................................ 111 808.8(B)(2) Dubbed Soundtracks ................................................................................................................................................... 111 808.8(C) Closed and Open Captioning..................................................................................................................................... 111 808.8(D) Bonus Material Contained in DVD .......................................................................................................................... 111 808.8(E) Colorized Motion Pictures ......................................................................................................................................... 111 808.9 Compilations of Motion Pictures ............................................................................................................................ 112 808.10 Registration Issues ....................................................................................................................................................... 113 808.10(A) Identifying the Author of a Motion Picture ......................................................................................................... 113 808.10(A)(1) Work Made for Hire Authorship ............................................................................................................................. 113 808.10(A)(2) Work Made for Hire Authorship and Foreign Motion Pictures................................................................... 114 808.10(A)(3) Joint Authorship ............................................................................................................................................................ 114 808.10(A)(3)(a) Identifying the Authors of a Joint Work ............................................................................................................... 115 808.10(A)(3)(b) Clarifying Joint Authorship ....................................................................................................................................... 115 808.10(B) Executive Producer Authorship .............................................................................................................................. 116 808.10(C) Author and Authorship Variances .......................................................................................................................... 116 808.10(D) Missing Authorship Elements .................................................................................................................................. 116 808.10(E) Redacted Screenplay for Motion Pictures in Production .............................................................................. 117 808.10(F) Claims in Script with No Spoken Parts in the Motion Picture ..................................................................... 117 Chapter 800 : 11 12/22/2014 808.10(G) Underlying Works Contained in Motion Picture Soundtracks .................................................................... 117 808.10(G)(1) Scripts Contained in a Motion Picture Soundtrack .......................................................................................... 117 808.10(G)(2) Musical Compositions Contained in a Motion Picture Soundtrack ........................................................... 118 808.10(G)(3) Separately Owned Sounds Contained in a Motion Picture Soundtrack ................................................... 118 808.10(H) Issues Regarding Sound Recording Claims ......................................................................................................... 118 808.10(H)(1) Sounds Contained in One Format ........................................................................................................................... 118 808.10(H)(2) Sounds Contained in Two Different Formats ..................................................................................................... 119 808.10(H)(2)(a) Sounds Published on the Same Date ..................................................................................................................... 119 808.10(H)(2)(b) Remixes ............................................................................................................................................................................ 119 808.10(H)(2)(c) Sounds Published on Different Dates .................................................................................................................... 119 808.10(H)(2)(d) Multimedia Kits ............................................................................................................................................................. 120 808.10(I) Motion Pictures of Live Performances ................................................................................................................. 121 808.10(I)(1) Fixation of Live Musical Performances ................................................................................................................ 121 808.10(I)(2) Fixation of Live Dramatic Performances ............................................................................................................. 121 808.10(J) Publication Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 121 808.10(J)(1) Distribution to the Public .......................................................................................................................................... 121 808.10(J)(2) Offering to Distribute .................................................................................................................................................. 121 808.10(J)(3) Fixed Copies .................................................................................................................................................................... 122 808.10(J)(4) Publication of Underlying Works ........................................................................................................................... 122 808.10(K) Restored Copyrights in Foreign Motion Pictures ............................................................................................. 122 808.10(K)(1) The 1994 Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) ............................................................................................................. 122 808.10(K)(2) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) ........................................................................................... 123 808.11 Application Tips for Motion Pictures .................................................................................................................... 123 808.11(A) Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................. 123 808.11(B) The Work Made for Hire Field / Space ................................................................................................................. 123 808.11(C) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space ................................................................. 124 808.11(D) Unclear Authorship Terms ........................................................................................................................................ 125 808.11(E) Unacceptable Authorship Terms ............................................................................................................................ 125 808.12 Deposit Requirements for Motion Pictures ........................................................................................................ 125 Chapter 800 : 12 12/22/2014 Chapter 800 : 13 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM :
• For a general overview of the registration process, see Chapter 200. • For a general discussion of copyrightable subject matter, see Chapter 300. • For a discussion of who may file an application, see Chapter 400. For guidance in identifying the work that the applicant intends to register, • see Chapter 500.
• For guidance on the filing fee, see Chapter 1400.
801.1 Performing Arts Division
The Performing Arts Division (“PA”) of the U.S. Copyright Office handles the examination and registration of all works of the performing arts. Each registration specialist in the Division has expertise in music, as the examination of music and sound recordings often requires such expertise. The Division also has a team of registration specialists who specialize in the examination of motion pictures (the “Motion Picture Team”).
801.2 What Is a Work of the Performing Arts?
The Office uses the term “work of the performing arts” to collectively refer to the f•o llowing works of authorship:
• Musical Works, including any accompanying words.
• Sound Recordings.
• Dramatic Works, including any accompanying music.
• Choreographic works.
Chapter 800 : 14 12/22/2014 • Audiovisual Works.
See Motion Pictures.
Descriptions of each of these types of works and issues relating to the registration of such works are set forth in Sections 802 through 808.
The Office classifies the following types of works as works of the performing arts, but t•h ey also may be classified as literary works: e.g.
• Lectures and sermons.
Screen displays for videogames may be registered as visual art works, as well as works of the performing arts.
For more information on literary works, see Chapter 700. For more information on visual art works, see Chapter 900.
801.3 Fixation of Works of the Performing Arts
The Copyright Act states that “[a] work is ‘fixed’ in a tangible medium of expression when its embodiment in a copy or phonorecord, by or under the authority of the author, is sufficiently permanent or stable to permit it to be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated for a period of more than transitory duration. A work consisting of sounds, images, or both, that are transmitted, is ‘fixed’ for the purposes of this title if a fixation of the work is being made simultaneously with its transmission.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “fixed”).
All fixations of works of the performing arts are grouped into two main categories: copies and phonorecords, which are defined in Sections 801.3(A) and 801.3(B) below. For a more detailed discussion of fixation, see Chapter 300, Section 305. Chapter 800 : 15 12/22/2014 801.3(A) Copies Copies are defined as “material objects, other than phonorecords, in which a work is fixed by any method now known or later developed, and from which the work can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. The term ‘copies’ includes the material object, other than a phonorecord, in which the work is first fixed.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Copies include all forms of embodiment for works of the performing arts, except for “phonorecords,” which are defined in Section 801.3(B) below.
Copies may be submitted in hard copy or electronic format. Examples of copies include, but are not limited to books, scripts, musical scores, sheet music, librettos, lyric sheets, filmstrips, and electronic text and presentation files. 801.3(B) Phonorecords A “phonorecord” is a material object “in which sounds, other than those accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work, are fixed by any method now known or later developed, and from which the sounds can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.” The term also refers to the material object in which sounds are first fixed. 17 U.S.C. § 101. Phonorecords may be submitted in hard copy or electronic format. Examples of phonorecords include, but are not limited to .mp3 files, compact discs, LP albums, and audiotapes.
801.4 Copyrightable Authorship in Works of the Performing Arts
“To qualify for copyright protection, a work must be oriFgeinisat lP tuob tlhicea atuiotnhso, rI,n” cw. vh. iRchu ral mTeeleapnhs otnhea tS tehrev iwceo Crok. must be “independently created by the author” and it must possesses “at least some minimal degree of creativity.” , 499 U.S. 340, 345 (1991).
The term “independent creation” means that the author created the work without Id. copying from other works. at 345. The copyright law protects “those components of a work that are original to the author,” but “originality” does not require “novelty.” at 348. A wIdo.rk may satisfy the independent creation requirement “even though it closely resembles other works so long as the similarity is fortuitous, not the result of copying.” at 345.
308. For information concerning the originality requirement for specific types of works of the performing arts, see the following Sections:
Chapter 800 : 16 12/22/2014 • Section 802.5: Musical Works.
• Sections 803.5 and 803.6(B): Sound Recordings.
• Section 804.6: Dramatic Works.
• Section 805.4: Choreographic Works.
• Section 806.4: Pantomimes.
• Section 807.5: Audiovisual Works.
801.5 Uncopyrightable Material in Works of the Performing Arts
A work of the pdeer mfoirnmiminigs arts is deemed uncopyrightable if it does not constitute copyrightable subject matter, if it is not original to the author, or if it contains insufficient or expression. For general information on uncopyrightable works, see Chapter 300, Section 313. Specific information concerning uncopyrightable authorship for particular types of works of the performing arts is provided in the f•o llowing Sections:
• Section 802.5: Musical Works.
• Sections 803.5 and 803.6(B): Sound Recordings.
• Section 805.5: Choreographic Works.
• Section 806.5: Pantomimes.
• Section 807.5: Audiovisual Works.
801.6 Joint Authorship in Works of the Performing Arts
Joint works are works “prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contributions be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
Works of the performing arts often have more than one author, and in many cases, the authors are joint authors. It is important to name each author in the application and clearly identify the authorship each author contributed to the work. The Office may communicate with the applicant to confirm whether the work is a joint work if it appears that authors of the separate elements of the work did not intend to join the works into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole. Chapter 800 : 17 12/22/2014 If the multiple authors of a work created their contributions with the intention of merging them into a unitary, interdependent whole at the time of creation, their contributions should be registered together as a joint work on the same application. If the authors did not intend for their separaSteee elements to be merged into an interdepreenpdrienntte dw ihnole, the separate copyrightable elements should be registered as separate works on separate applications. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 120 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5736 (stating that the “touchstone” of the definition of a joint work “is the intention, at the time the writing is done, that the parts be absorbed or combined into an integrated unit…”); S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 103 (1975). If the parts of the unitary work are inseparable, each joint author must be listed in the applicatiEoxna munplleesss: the work is a work made for hire. Life on Mars Jay Munroe, Justin Edison, and Ava Applebaum wrote a musical drama together, entitled . Jay wrote the book (script), and Justin and Ava wrote the songs, with Justin writing the lyrics and Ava the music. Jay, Justin, and Ava are joint authors of the • musical and all three of them should be named in the application. Jay Munroe writes the script for a new musical based on music previously recorded by the recording artist, Shawn 2K. He obtains the appropriate licenses from Shawn 2K to use the music in the musical. Jay and Shawn 2K are not joint authors. The script and the music should be registered separately.
For more information on joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505.
801.7 Works Made for Hire
A work made for hire is (i) “a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment” or (ii) “a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work, as a part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, as a translation, as a supplementary work, as a compilation, as an instructional text, as a test, as answer material for a test, or as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
For more information on works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
801.8 Derivative Works
A derivative work is “a work based upon one or more preexisting works, such as a translation, musical arrangement, dramatization, fictionalization, motion picture version, sound recording, art reproduction, abridgment, condensation, or any other form in which a work may be recast, transformed, or adapted. A work consisting of editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications, which, as a whole, represent an original work of authorship, is a ‘derivative work.’” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Chapter 800 : 18 12/22/2014 Examples:
CopyrigShete protection provides exclusive rights to the author and/or owner of the copyrighted work. One of those exclusive rights is the right to create derivative works. 17 U.S.C. § 106(2). Generally, if the author of the derivative work is not the copyright owner of the preexisting work, and the preexisting work is still under See, ceo.gpyright protection, the author of the derivative work may not use the preexisting copyrighted work as the basis for a new work, unless a copyright exception applies. ., 17 U.S.C. § 115 (providing a compulsory license for the creation of a new sound recordinEgx oafm ap pler:e existing nondramatic musical work). A director may not register the stage directions for a play unless he or she has obtained permission to use the dramatic work. For more information on derivative works, see Chapter 500, Section 507.
801.9 Compilations
Compilations are works “formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated, or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. For more information on compilations, see Chapter 500, Section 508.
801.10 Collective Works
A collective work is a “work in which a number of contributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, are assembled into a collective whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. For more information on collective works, see Chapter 500, Section 509.
801.11 Completing the Application for Works of the Performing Arts
The Copyright Office may register a claim to copyright in a work of the performing arts only if the material deposited constitutes copyrightable subject matter and if the other legal and formal requirements of Title 17 have been met. 17 U.S.C. § 410(a). Detailed information on how to complete an application is set forth in Chapter 600. Additional tips on how to complete applications for particular types of works of the •p erforming arts are provided in the following Sections: • Section 802.9: Musical Works.
Chapter 800 : 19 12/22/2014 • Section 804.9: Dramatic Works.
• Section 805.9: Choreographic Works.
• Section 806.7: Pantomimes.
• Section 807.8: Audiovisual Works.
801.12 Deposit Requirements for Works of the Performing Arts
For information concerning the deposit requirements for works of the performing arts, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2.
802 Musical Works
802.1 What Is a Musical Work?
For purposes of copyright registration, musical works (which are also known as musical compositions) are original works of authorship consisting of music and any accompanying words. Music is a succession of pitches or rhythms, or both, usually in some definite pattern.
802.2 Musical Works Distinguished from Other Types of Works
802.2(A) Nondramatic Musical Works Distinguished from Dramatic Musical Works A dramatic musical work is a musical work created for use in a motion picture or a dramatic work, including musical plays and operas. These types of works are discussed in Section 804.
By contrast, a nondramatic musical work is a musical work that was not created for use in a motion picture or a dramatic work, such as a ballad intended for distribution solely on an album or an advertising jingle intended solely for performance on the radio. 802.2(B) Musical Works Distinguished from Sound Recordings A musical work and a sound recording of that musical composition are separate works. Thev cicoep yverirgshat in a musical work covers the music (and lyrics, if any) embodied in the musical composition itself, but does not cover a particular recording of that composition (or ).
For more information on this issue, see Sections 802.8(A) and 803.8(A).
802.3 Elements of Musical Works
The Office’s registration specialists examine musical works for copyrightable authorship. The main elements of copyrightable musical work authorship include Chapter 800 : 20 12/22/2014 melody, rhythm, harmony, and lyrics, if any. These terms are defined in Sections 802.3(A) through 802.3(D).
802.3(A) Melody Melody is a linear succession of pitches.
802.3(B) Rhythm Rhythm is the linear succession of durational sounds and silences. 802.3(C) Harmony Harmony is the vertical and horizontal combination of pitches resulting in chords and chord progressions.
802.3(D) Song Lyrics Lyrics are a set of words, sometimes grouped into verses and/or choruses, that are intended to be accompanied by music. Lyrics may consist of conventional words or non- syntactical words or syllables, and may be spoken or sung.
802.4 Fixation of Musical Works
To be copyrightable, musical works must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). Musical works may be embodied either in copies or phonorecords, as explained in Sections 802.4(A) through 802.4(C). 17 U.S.C. § 101(definition of “fixed”).
Improvised works are not registrable unless they are fixed in tangible form, such as in a transcribed copy, a phonorecord, or an audiovisual recording. A registration for an improvised musical work will extend only to the material that has been submitted to the Office.
802.4(A) Copies Musical works fixed in copies include their embodiment in both hard copy and electronic formats. Standard musical notation, using the five-line, four-space staff, is the form of notation often employed to embody musical works. Precision equal to that offered by standard notation is not required for registration, although the deposit should constitute as precise a representation of the work as possible. A graphic representation or textual description of pitch, rhythm, or both may suffice as long as the notation is sufficiently precise.
C• opies of musical works include the following:
A non-audio digital file ( , digital notation) that is uploaded to the Office’s server in support of an online application.
For the deposit requirements for musical works published in copies, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(A)(2). For unpublished musical works, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(A)(1).
802.4(B) Phonorecords •P honorecords of musical works include the following:
802.4(C) Motion Pictures Where music is first published in a motion picture soundtrack, the motion picture is considered a copy of the musical work.
For the deposit requirements for musical works published in motion pictures, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(A)(5). For unpublished musical works, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(A)(1).
802.5 Copyrightable Authorship in Musical Works
802.5(A) Independent Creation A musical work must originate from the author of that work to be protected by copyright. A musical work that is merely copied from another source is not copyrightable. For instance, a musical work consisting entirely of common property material would not constitute original authorship. Some examples of common property musical material include:
Chapter 800 : 22 12/22/2014 • Diatonic or chromatic scales.
• Arpeggios.
See Chord symbols basedse oen a slstaondard chord progressions. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(d); Chapter 300, Section 313.4(D).
802.5(B) Creative Expression To be copyrightable, a musical work must contain a sufficient amount of creative musical expression. Generally, the musical and lyrical elements of the work are considered dseep marinaitmeliys in determining whether there is sufficient creative expression. There is no predetermined number of notes, measures, or words that automatically constitutes authorship or automatically qualifies a work for copyright registration. HowSeeever, short musical phrsaesee as lasore not copyrightable because they lack a sufficient amount of authorship (just as words and short textual phrases are not copyrightable). 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a); Chapter 300, Section 313.4(C). For example, the phrase, “I love you so much it hurts” is both too short and too lacking in creative spark to be registrable. Similarly, a short phrase of only a few musical notes, such as clock chimes or “mi do re sol, sol, re mi do” would be considered too short and too lacking in creative expression to be registrable.
802.5(C) Human Authorship To be copyrightable, musical works, like all works of authorship, must be of human origin. A musical work created by solely by an animal would not be registrable, such as a bird song or whale song. Likewise, music generated entirely by a mechanical or an automated process is not copyrightable. For example, the automated transposition of a musical work from one key to another is not registrable. Nor could a musical composition created solely by a computer algorithm be registered. For more information on works created by non-human authors and mechanical processes, see Chapter 300, Section 306.
802.6 Derivative Musical Works
A derivative musical work is one that is based on one or more preexisting, copyrightable work(s) of any nature. The new music authorship may be registered if it is represents sufficient new original authorship. The applicant should identify any preexisting work or works that the derivative work is based on or incorporates, and should provide a brief general statement identifying the additional material covered by the •co pyright claim being registered. Descriptions of new material might include: • New or revised lyrics.
Chapter 800 : 23 12/22/2014 Issues related to derivative musical work authorship are set forth in Section 802.6(A) through 802.6(J) below. For general information on derivative works, see Section 801.8 and Chapter 500, Section 507.
802.6(A) Permission to Use Preexisting Material Musical works that unlawsfeuel layl seomploy a work that is protected by copyrirgehptr ainrete ndo itn subject to copyright protection if they are inseparably intertwined with the preexisting work. 17 U.S.C. § 103(a); H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57-58 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670-5671; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 54-55 (1975). The U.S. Copyright Office generally does not investigate the copyright status of preexisting material or determine whether it has been used lawfully, but if the preexisting material is known to the specialist he or she may communicate with the applicant. The applicant may clarify the lawful use of preexisting material by including a statement to that effect in the Note to Copyright Office field of the online application or in a cover letter submitted with the paper application. Where the authorship of the derivative work is clearly separable from that of the preexisting work, such as when a songwriter sets a copyrighted poem to new music, the specialist generally will not communicate with the applicant to determine whether the use was lawful. Where the authorship of the derivative work is not separable from the preexisting work, such as a new printed arrangement of a copyrighted song, the specialist may ask whether the derivative author’s arrangement lawfully incorporates the preexisting work. Where a work employs preexisting copyrighted material that is separable from the new material, the new work generally is registrable, even if the use of the preexisting material was unauthorized.
For more information concerning this issue, see Chapter 300, Section 313.6(B). 802.6(B) Permission to Use Under a Section 115 Compulsory License Under the compulsory license provided in Section 115 of the Copyright Act, a performer may record a copyrighted nondramatic musical work and make an arrangement of that work for purposes of the recording without obtaining permission from the owner of the musical work, provided that the requirements of the statutory license have been met. 17 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)-(2). While musical arrangements embodied in a phonorecord and made pursuant to a Section 115 (“mechanical”) license to make and distribute phonorecords of nondramatic musical works may contain enough original authorship to qualify as derivative works, neither the performer nor the arranger may claim copyright in the new arrangement without express permission from the copyright owner of the musical work. 17 U.S.C. §115(a)(2). The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if it seems unlikely that permission to create an arrangement of the preexisting musical work was obtained. 802.6(C) Musical Arrangements When sufficient new harmonies or instrumentation are added to a preexisting musical work, the musical arrangement may be registered as a derivative work. Chapter 800 : 24 12/22/2014 802.6(C)(1) Harmonization Harmonization is the addition of chords or musical lines to a melody. To be copyrightable, the addition of chords to a melody must constitute sufficient new and original authorship, not simply standard chords in common sequences such as C, F, G, C. The harmonization of a melody using multiple musical lines involves additional composiEtixoanmapl cler:e ative factors, such as voicing and counterpoint. An applicant submits an application to register words and a musical arrangement of a preexisting melody. The work is comprised solely of the chord symbols C (major), Am (minor), Dm (minor), and G (major) along with original words. The arrangement is not registrable because this chord sequence is both standard and too short to be sufficiently creative. The accompanying words, however, if sufficiently creative, may be registered.
802.6(C)(2) Instrumentation Musical instrumentation or orchestration is the distribution or redistribution of harmonic elements among different instruments. Instrumentation authorship may be registered as a derivative work if the author added sufficient original authorship to the preexisting work. Simply assigning entire lines from a preexisting work to new instruments would not be considered sufficient new authorship, such as a four-part choral wEoxrakm apssleigs noef dsu wffiitchieonutt o crhigainngael taou ftohuorr sbhriaps: s instruments. An orchestration of a work originally composed for piano, such as • Debussy’s “Reverie.”
802.6(D) Adaptation An adaptation of a musical work is a reworking of musical elements, such as melody, lyrics, rhythm, and harmony, that results in changes to the style or genre of a musical work. This category also may include the adaptation of lyrics, such as an adapted poem or adaptEexda Bmibplliecsa: l text.
Chapter 800 : 25 12/22/2014 A hip hop version of a Puccini aria.
802.6(E) Variations Variations usually consist of a theme followed by a number of changed or transformed versions of that theme. A registration for this type of work covers the new music that the author added to the work.
802.6(F) Setting Setting usually means the act of putting a preexisting poem or text to new music. A registration for this type of work covers the new music that the author added to the work.
A musical setting of Biblical or other preexisting text may be registered if the music represents sufficient original authorship. In the Material Excluded field the applicant should identify the preexisting text, and in the New Material Included field the applicant should check the box for “music.” If there has been sufficient adaptation of the preexisting words, and if the preexisting text is in the public domain or has been used with permission, the claim also may include “some adapted lyrics.” 802.6(G) Musical Works Containing Samples or Interpolation Sampling is the incorporation of a fragment or snippet from a preexisting recorded song into a new song. Sometimes the sampled portion is looped, modified, or repeated continuously. The Office may rdeeg mistinerim suisch works based on the original new music or lyrics that the author added to the work, but not based on the use of the sample. Moreover, use of more than a amount of recognizable sample may be questioned for lawful inclusion.
802.6(H) Revised or Additional Music / Lyrics The addition of music or lyrics, such as a new bridge or verse, may be registered if the additions represent sufficient original authorship. Small changes, however, such as substituting “he” for “she” in each incidence in a song would not be considered sufficient authorship to support a new claim.
802.6(I) Editorial Authorship Musical editing generally consists of adding markings for the performance of music, such as additional or altered fingering, accents, dynamics, and the like. Editing also may consist of textual notes on performance practice or historical background. A work consisting of editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, or other modifications which as a whole represent an original work of authorship, is a derivative work. These types of works may be registered only if the underlying authorship has been used lawfully. When asserting a claim to copyright in these types of work, the applicant should not use the term “editing,” but instead should provide a specific description of the new material that the author contributed to the work. Chapter 800 : 26 12/22/2014 802.6(J) Method Books Instructional books for learning to play an instrument are sometimes known as method books. Method books typically contain common property elements such as scales, arpeggios, chord charts, and musical examples taken from preexisting sources. They also may contain original elements, such as instructional text, new music, and original musical exercises. If a method book contains sufficient copyrightable text and/or new music, the application will be accepted on that basis.
A method book it.he.at contains only previously published material or chords, scales, exercises, and other information that is common property may be registered as a compilation ( , based on the selection, coordination, and/or arradneg memineinmti sof the preexisting material, as defined under 17 U.S.C. § 101) if it contains at least a minimal amount of compilation authorship. If the compilation authorship is , the claim cannot be registered. For example, a compilation of all the diatonic major and minor scales would not constitute sufficient creative compilation authorship, because the selection and arrangement is dictated by the Western musical scale system. For a general discussion of compilations, see Chapter 500, Section 508.
802.7 Collective Musical Works
Collective musical works potentially give rise to two separate copyrightable claims: (i) the compilation authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the independent musical works; and (ii) the individual authorship contributions to the musical works themselves. If the ownership of the two aspects is not the same, the two works shEoxualmd pblee sr: egistered separately.
For general information on collective works, see Chapter 500, Section 509.
802.8 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with musical works.
802.8(A) A Registration for a Musical Work Distinguished from a Registration for a Sound Recording As discussed in Section 802.2(B), a musical work and a sound recording of that work are two separate works. A registration for a musical work covers the music and lyrics (if any) embodied in that composition, but it does not cover a particular recording of that Chapter 800 : 27 12/22/2014 composition. Likewise, a registration for a recording of a particular musical work covers the performance and production authorship involved in creating that recording, but does not cover the music or lyrics embodied in the underlying composition. To register a musical work, the applicant generally should select “work of the performing arts” in the Type of Work field when completing the online application and should use Form PA when completing a paper application. By contrast, if the applicant intends to register a sound recording, the applicant must select “sound recording” when completing the online application and must use Form SR when completing a paper application.
A musical work and a sound recording of that work may be registered witShe oene application and one filing fee if the composition and the recording are embodied in the same phonorecord and if the claimant owns the copyright in both works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(iv). If the copyright in the musical work and the sound recording are owned by different parties, a separate application and filing fee must be submitted for each work.
It also may be possible to register multiple musical works together with a sound recording of each work if the compositions and the recordings are owned by the same claimant and if they were packaged or physically bundled together as a single unit and first published on the same date. This is known as the unit of publication option. For information concerning this option, see Section 802.8(H). NOTE:
Chapter 800 : 28 12/22/2014 802.8(B) Identifying the Author The author of a musical work (including any lyrics) is the creator of the music (and/or lyrics), not the person who merely transcribes the work. Transcribing or fixing a musical work in and of itself does not constitute authorship. Creating a recording of a musical work is not a form of musical work authorship in and of itself, although it may be a form of sound recording authorship if it contains sufficient creativity to constitute a copyrightable sound recording.
802.8(C) Joint Authorship If a musical work is a “joint work,” the applicant should name all the joint authors on the application. If there is a discrepancy between the individuals identified as authors on the application and the individuals identified as authors on the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist will communicate with an applicant, unless this information is clarified elsewhere in the registration materials. Historically, songs with different composers of music and lyrics have been registered as joint works. Where separate applications are received for the lyrics and the music of a song, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to inquire whether the authors intended to merge their contributions into a unitary whole. If the work is a work of joint authorship rather than a derivative work, the applicant(s) should submit one applEicxaatmiopnl elsis: t ing both authors.
For more information on joint works, see Section 801.6 and Chapter 500, Section 505. 802.8(D) Name Individual Authors (Not Performing Groups) as the Author of a Musical Work Generally, the applicant should name the individual authors of a musical work, and should not name a performing group as an organizational author, unless the group is a legal entity and the work was made for hire. Naming the individuals as the authors Chapter 800 : 29 12/22/2014 rather than the performing group creates a clearer public record, because membership in the performing group may change over time.
The applicant should provide the legal name(s) of all the individual(s) who created the musical work in the Author field or space (uin.eless the work is pseudonymous, anonymous, or a work made for hire). However, the applicant should include only the names of the songwriters ( ., the author(s) of the music and, if applicable, the lyrics).
The applicant should not list all of the nameis.e of the band members unless all of the members contributed to the authorship of the musical work. The band members’ contribution to the recorded performance ( ., the sound recording) may well be a separate claim that includes different authors from the claim in the musical work. If the authors of the musical work are different from the authors of the sound recording, separate applications should be filed for each work.
For instance, if a band is comprised of Bingo, Mick, Paul, and Keith, but Keith wrote all the lyrics and Bingo wrote all the music, the authors for the musical work should be limited to Keith and Bingo. The applicant for the sound recording may list all of the performers who contributed to the sound recording as well as any producer who contributed copyrightable production.
Where the authors are members of a performing group and the applicant wishes to include the name of the performing group in the record, the applicant may provide that information in the Note to Copyright Office field of the online application. When completing a paper application, the applicant should list each author in the Author space and may include the statement “member of [performing group X].” In both cases, the registration specialist will add the name of the performing group to the record as an index term.
If the musical work is pseudonymous (meaning that the individual who created the work is identified on the deposit under a fictitious name), the applicant may give the pseudonym instead of providing the author’s legal name and may indicate that the work is pseudonymous.
For registration purposes, the name of a performing group generally would not be considered a pseudonym, because pseudonyms apply only to individuals. If an applicant names a performing group as the author and indicates that the musical work is pseudonymous, the registration specialist generally will communicate with the applicant to request that the legal names of the individual authors who created the work be added to the application.
If the applicant names a performing group as the author and indicates that the work is a work made for hire, the specialist will communicate with the applicant unless it is clear that the performing group is a legal entity and that the work was created by the employees of that entity or was a specially commissioned work under the statutory definition of a work made for hire. If the performing group is a legal entity and that the musical work was created by the employees of that entity or was a specially commissioned work under the statutory definition of work made for hire, then the Chapter 800 : 30 12/22/2014 performing group should be named as the author and the work made for hire question should bEex aanmspwlee:r ed “yes.”
802.8(E) Work Made for Hire Authorship A musical work may be considered a work made for hire if the musical work was (i) prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment, or (ii) was specially ordered for a certain use with an express written agreement signed by both parties that the work is a work made for hire.
If the application states that a musical work was a work made for hire, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine whether the musical work truly falls within the statutory definition. Since musical works are not one of the categories listed under part two of the work made for hire definition, a musical work must fall under part one of the definition or a valid category under part two of the definitioEnx taom bpel ecso: nsidered a work made for hire. The applicant names Joe Smith as author of lyrics and music, answers “yes” to the “work made for hire” question, and states that Joe wrote the lyrics and paid a friend to write the music. The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant and provide information on works made for hire, because it appears unlikely (i) that Joe’s friend was employed by Joe and created the music within the scope of his employment, (ii) that the music was specially commissioned in a signed, written agreement, or (iii) that the music falls within one of the nine categories that may be • specially ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire. The applicant identifies TV Production Music, LLC as the author of music and states that the work is made for hire. The CD deposited contains 45 tracks consisting of short, copyrightable musical selections that are intended to be licensed as television cues. The application will be accepted for registration because it appears that the musical works were created as works made for hire under the first part of the definition and that the company employs people to compose television production music.
Chapter 800 : 31 12/22/2014 For a full discussion of work made for hire authorship, see Chapter 500, Section 506. 802.8(F) Publication Issues A public performance or display of a work does not, in and of itself, constitute publication. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”). If an applicaIndt gives a publication date, but states that the publication date refers to a performance of the musical work, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. . Under the current copyright law, the public distributieo.ng .of phonorecords on or after January 1, 1978 publishes the musical works recorded therein. By contrast, musical works distribuSteeed only in the form of phonorecords ( , records, tapes, or discs) prior to January 1, 1978, cannot be registered as published works under the 1909 Act or the 1976 Act. 17 U.S.C. § 303(b). Thus, if a musical work was released only in phonorecords prior to January 1, 1978 and if the phonorecords were still available as of that date, the date of first publication for registration purposes would be January 1, 1978. If the phonorecords were no longer available as of January 1, 1978, but the musical work was subsequently rereleased in any format, the rerelease date would be considered the date of first publication. If the phonorecords were no longer available as of January 1, 1978, and the musical work was not subsequently rereleased, the work may be registered as an unpublished work.
For more information on publication, see Chapter 1900.
802.8(G) Unpublished Collections Two or more unpublished songs, song lyrics, or other musical works may be registered •w ith one application and filing fee, but only under the following conditions: • All the works must be unpublished;
• The works must be assembled in an orderly form;
• The combined works must bear a single title identifying the collection as a whole; The copyright claimant(s) in all of the works, and in the collection as a whole, must • be the same; and All of the works must be by the same author; or, if they are by different authors, at least one of the authors must contribute copyrightable authorship to each work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B)(1)-(4).
If it appears that the conditions for registering an unpublished collection have not been met, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant or may reject the claim.
When registering musical works as an unpublished collection, applicants frequently overlook the requirement that the copyright owner(s) must be the same for each and every song. If this is not the case, the songs cannot be registered with the same Chapter 800 : 32 12/22/2014 application and filing fee. Copyright initially belongs to the author and can be transferred by a written agreement or other legal means. If the songs are by different combinations of authors and there has been no transfer of ownership, the copyright ownershEixpa rmeqpuleisr:e ment has not been met.
For a detailed description of unpublished collections, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106. For additional examples that illustrate this practice, see Section 803.8(G). 802.8(H) Unit of Publication An applicant may be able to register multiple musical works with one application and one filing fee if the works are owned by the same claimant, if they were physically bundled together by the claimant for distribution to the public as a single, integrated unit, and if they were first published in that integrated unit. This is known as the unit of publication option. An applicant may use this option if the following conditions have been met:
Chapter 800 : 33 12/22/2014 • All of the copyrightable elements must be recognizable as self-contained works. All of the works claimed in the application must be first published as a single unit on • the same date.
Works that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered with the unit of publication option.
In particular, an applicant cannot use this option to register a number of published and unpublished works. An applicant cannot use this option if the works were first published on different dates. Likewise, an applicant cannot use this option if the works were first published in different units or first distributed as separate, individual works. An applicant may use this option to register the component works within a unit of publication if the claimant is the author of those works or acquired the copyright in those works through a transfer of ownership, provided that the claimant manufactured, produced, published, packaged, or otherwise created the single, integrated unit. In other words, the unit of publication option may be used only if the claimant packaged the unit as a whole. Moreover, the unit cannot be created merely for the purpose of registration; instead the works must have been first distributed to the public in the packaged unit. For a definition of a “unit of publication” and a detailed discussion of this option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1107. For examples that illustrate this practice, see Section 803.8(H).
802.9 Application Tips for Musical Works
This Section provides basic information on how to complete the online and paper applications for a musical work, as well as terms to use and terms to avoid when describing the authorship in such works.
For detailed information on how to complete an application, see Chapter 600. 802.9(A) Type of Work A copyright claim in music or lyrics may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in the same manner as other works of the performing arts. When submitting an online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Performing Arts” as the Type of Work. (When submitting a paper application, the applicant should use Form PA.) NOTE:
For more information on sound recording authorship, see Section 803. 802.9(B) Title of Work The applicant should give the title of the work being registered. When registering a m• usRiceagl iwsteorrikn gw ait hsi nthgele o snolninge c aopnptaliicnaetdio onn, tahne a alpbupmlicant should follow these guidelines: : Give the individual song title as the • “RTeigtilset oerf iwngo rakn beenitnirge r aelgbiustmered” and give the album title as the “Title of larger work.” : Give the album title as the “Title of work being registered” and enter each song title separately as a “Contents title” if the claimant is • tRheeg iasutethrionrg o tfh oer m ouwsnics c aolnl traiginhetsd iinn eaa mcho toifo tnh pei cstounrges. : Give the song title(s) as the “Title(s) of work being registered” and give the motion picture title as the “Title of larger work.”
For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 610.
802.9(C) Year of Completion The applicant must give the year of completion date for the work submitted. If the applicant intends to register a derivative work, the applicant must give the year that the derivative version was completed (not the year the original work was completed). For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611.
802.9(D) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Authors screen in the field marked Author Created. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 2 of the application under the heading Nature of Authorship.
In all cases, the applicant should clearly and accurately describe the authorship that each author contributed and should only refer to the material submitted in the deposit copy(ies). When completing an online application, the applicant may use one or more of t•h e following terms:
• Music Lyrics Chapter 800 : 35 12/22/2014 • Text Musical Arrangement Other acceptable terms may be provided in the Author Created/Other field, such as “melody” (for a single line) or “song” (for lyrics and music). These terms also may be used when completing the Nature of Authorship space on Form PA.
For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.
802.9(E) Unclear Authorship Terms When completing the Author Created field or the eN.ga.t,ure of Authorship space, the applicant should avoid ambiguous or unclear terms, such as referring to the physical object in which the musical work has been fixed ( CD, mp3, tape, etc.). Additional unclear terms are discussed in Sections 802.9(E)(1) through 802.9(E)(6) below and in Chapter 600, Section 618.8(A).
802.9(E)(1) Instrument Names / Vocals e.g.
Giving an instrument name ( , guitar, trumpet, or keyboard) as a description of authorship is unclear, because the instrument could refer either to the music, the e.g., performance, or both. To refer to the musical contribution, the applicant should use clear terms, such as music, melody, or arrangement after the instrument named ( “music for guitar,” “trumpet melody,” or “keyboard arrangement”). Similarly, the term “vocals” is unclear, because it could refer to either lyrics or performance. To refer to the lyrics, the applicant should state “lyrics.” To refer to the melody to which the lyrics are sung, the applicant should state “melody.” For guidance in asserting a claim in the performance contribution, see Sections 803.9(C) and 803.9(D)(1).
802.9(E)(2) Production / Produced Using the term “production” to describe musical authorship is unclear, because it could refer either to the musical authorship, the sound recording authorship, or both. To refer to the musical work, the applicant should use the terms “music” and/or “musical arrangement.”
802.9(E)(3) Rap When an applicant describes the author’s contributions to a work as “rap,” that term generally is interpreted to mean that the author(s) contributed lyrics, unless information in the registration materials suggests that the applicant intended to register a claim in sound recording authorship. To clearly describe the musical authorship in a rap, the applicant should use terms such as “lyrics” and/or “music.” Chapter 800 : 36 12/22/2014 For guidance in registering rap authorship as a sound recording, see Section 803.9(D)(3).
802.9(E)(4) Beats A beat is an instrumental or drum track often created in a studio as a background for a song or rap. When this term is used it may be unclear whether the applicant is referring to the music or the sound recording, or both, or whether the beat is based in whole or in part on preexisting music, or is completely original. When the beat was created entirely by the author, the applicant should describe the authorship as “music” or “musical beat.” Where a preexisting beat is used, the applicant generally should exclude this material from the claim.
NOTE:
802.9(E)(5) Loops A loop is a short musical section that is repeated continuously as a part of a song. The repeated musical section of a loop may be preexisting or original. By itself, a loop may not represent sufficient authorship to support a claim in music. If the loop is original and sufficiently creative, the applicant may describe this authorship as “music” or “musical loop.”
802.9(E)(6) Transcription The term “transcription” is unclear, because it could refer to the act of notating or writing down music that someone else created. In this situation, the transcriber’s contribution is not registrable.
Transcription may also refer to arranging a work for a different group of instruments. To describe this type of contribution, the applicant should use the terms “musical arrangement” or “orchestration.”
802.9(E)(7) Sound Effects The term “sound effects” should not be used to describe the authorship in a musical work, because this term is unclear. If an applicant uses this term in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, the registration specialist may register the claim if he or she determines that the applicant is asserting a claim in music, sound recording, or music and sound recording (depending on the information given in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials). If it appears that the claimant is asserting a claim in uncopyrightable material or unclaimable material, the specialist will communicate with the applicant.
Chapter 800 : 37 12/22/2014 802.9(F) The Material Excluded / New Material Included Fields and the Preexisting Material / Material Added to This Work Spaces If the work being registered is a derivative work or a compilation of preexisting works, the use of the underlying works must be lawful and the preexisting material must be identified and excluded from the claim. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information in the Material Excluded and New Material Included fields. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in the Preexisting Material and Material Added to This Work space. For information on how to complete these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
In all cases, the applicant should provide a brief descrei.pgt.,ion of the new material that is being submitted for registration and the applicant should use an acceptable term to describe the author’s contributions to that material ( music, lyrics, musical arrangemExeanmt)p. l e:
When describing new material that the author added to a derivative work or compilation, the applicant should avoid using ambiguous or unclear terms, such as providing the name of a musical instrument or referring to the physical object in which the work has been fixed.
As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will accept statements that identify the material excluded from the claim and the new material included in the claim, unless they are contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or unless the terms used to describe the authorship are otherwise unclear. For examples of unacceptable and unclear authorship terms, see Chapter 600, Section 618.8(A).
802.10 Deposit Requirements for Musical Works
To register a musical work with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should deposit a copy or phonorecord of the work that is sufficient to identify the applicant’s claim to copyright in the music and/or lyrics and to allow the Office to examine the work for copyrightable authorship.
For information on the deposit requirements for musical works published on or after January 1, 1978, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(A). For information on deposit requirements for musical works published before January 1, 1978, see Chapter 2100, Section 2116.5(A).
Chapter 800 : 38 12/22/2014 803 Sound Recordings
803.1 What Is a Sound Recording?
Sound recordings are “works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds, but not including sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work, regardless of the nature of the material objects, such as disks, tapes or other phonorecords, in which they are embodied.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. A series of musical, spoken, or other sounds requires a temporal succession of sounds rather than a single sound expressed horizontally or simultaneous sounds expressed vertically, such as in a chord.
803.2 Sound Recordings Distinguished from Other Types of Works
803.2(A) Sound Recordings Distinguished from Musical Works A sound recording and the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content embodied in that recording are separate wvoicrek sv.e Trhsae copyright in a sound recording covers the recording itself, but does not cover the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content embodied in that recording (or ).
For more information on this issue, see Sections 802.8(A) and 803.8(A). 803.2(B) Sound Recordings Distinguished from the Sounds Accompanying a Motion Picture There is a legal distinction between a sound recording and the soundtrack for a motion picture or other audiovisual work. The statutory definition for a sound recording specifically states that this category does not include the “sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Thus, when an applicant intends to register the sounds in a motion picture or other audiovisual work, the applicant must state “sounds,” “soundtrack,” or “sounds accompanying a motion picture/audiovisual work,” rather than “sound recording.” For further information on this issue, see Sections 803.8(F)(1), 807.2(B), and 808.2(B).
803.3 Elements of Sound Recordings
•T here are two types of sound recording authorship:
• Authorship in the performance(s); and Authorship in the production of the sound recording.
Generally, both the performer and the producer of a sound recording of a musical performance or spoken word performance contribute copyrightable authorship to the sound recording. In some cases, however, the main or sole contribution may be production authorship (as in a recording of bird songs, where there is no human Chapter 800 : 39 12/22/2014 performance) or the main contribution may be performance authorship (as in a recorded performance where the only production involved is to push the “record” button).
803.3(A) Performance Authorship Examples of performance authorship include playing an instrument, singing, or speaking, or creating other sounds which are captured and fixed in the sound recording. Individual performance authorship may be ec.lgaimed only if the sound recording is comprised solely of an individual performance that is sufficiently creative. If a performance is part of an integrated work ( ., a band performance), the Office will not accept a claim in an individual performer’s contribution to that work. 803.3(B) Production Authorship Examples of production authorship in a sound recording include capturing and manipulating sounds and compiling and editing those sounds to make a final recording.
803.4 Fixation of Sound Recordings
A sound recording is “fixed” in a tangible medium of expression when its embodiment in a phonorecord, “by or under the authority of the author, is sufficiently permanent or stable to permit it to be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated for a period of more than transitory duration.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “fixed”). 803.4(A) Unauthorized Fixation To be “fixed,” a live performance must be recorded by or under the authority of the author. 17 U.S.C. § 101. Thus, an unauthorized or “bootleg” audio recording of a live performance would not be registrable.
803.4(B) Types of Phonorecords A sound recording may be submitted to the U.S. Ceo.gp.,yright Office in an electronic format by uploading the work to the Office’s electronic registration system. Electronic formats include but are not limited to digital audio files ( .wav, .mp3, .wma). A digital audio file that is uploaded to the Office’s server in support of an online application is a phonorecord for registration purposes. For more information on digital deposits, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1507.2 and 1508.1. A sound recording also may be submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office in a hard copy format, either by mail, by courier, or in person. Hard copy formats include but are not l•i mited to:
• Compact discs • Vinyl records Tape formats Chapter 800 : 40 12/22/2014 Flash drives 803.4(C) Insufficiently Fixed Formats Certain formats do not sufficiently fix a specific series of sounds. In such cases, the Office will not register a claim in sound recording. For example, standard midi files capture the underlying musical score, but they do not capture a specific series of sounds. While they contain instructions for producing sounds, any instrumentation may be applied, resulting in a file that contains different sounds each time it is played. For this reason, the Office does not consider standard midi files to be phonorecords and will not register a copyright claim in a sound recording contained in a standard midi file (although it may accept the claim as a musical work).
803.5 Copyrightable Authorship in Sound Recordings
803.5(A) Independent Creation To be copyrightable, a sound recording must originate from the author of that work, either through performance or production. A sound recording that is merely reproduced from another source is not copyrightable.
803.5(B) Creative Expression To be registrable, a sound recording must contain a sufficient amount of creative, perceptible sound recording authorship fixed as a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds.
Elements that determine the sufficiency and creativity of a sound recording include the simultaneous or sequential number of sounds, the length of the recording, and the creativity perceptively expressed in creating, fixing, and manipulating the sounds. See Short sounsede r aelcsoordings may lack a sufficient amount of authorship to be copyrightable (just as words and short textual phrases are not copyrightable). 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a); Chapter 300, Section 313.4(C).
803.5(C) Human Authorship To be registrable, a sound recording must result from human authorship through performance and/or production. A sound recording will not be registered where there is no human authorship, such as a recording that results from a purely mechanical or automated process. The registration of a sound recording that involves no human performance, such as a recording of nature sounds, is only possible if there is sufficient human production authorship present.
For more information on mechanical processes see Chapter 300, Section 306. Chapter 800 : 41 12/22/2014 803.5(D) Pre-1972 Sound Recordings Sound recordings were not protected under U.S. federal law until February 15, 1972, and the protection provided in 1972 was not retroactive. As such, sound recordings by U.S. authors that were first fixed prior to February 15, 1972 are not subject to federal copyright protection in the United States. 17 U.S.C. § 301(c). Registration under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (“GATT”) may be possible for foreign sound recordings fixed prior to February 15, 1972. For more information on GATT registration, see Chapter 2000, Section 2007. Sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972 may be protected under state common law or statutes. The Copyright Act provides that any rights or remedies under the common law or statutes of any State shall not be annulled or limited by federal copyright law until February 15, 2067. 17 U.S.C. § 301(c).
803.6 Derivative Sound Recordings
A derivative sound recording is a sound recording that is based on preexisting sounds that have been “rearranged, remixed, or otherwise altered in sequence or quality.” 17 U.S.C. § 114(b). Preexisting sounds may include sounds that have been previously published, previously registered, sounds in the public domain, sounds fixed before February 15, 1972, or sounds that are owned by another party. The applicant should identify any preexisting work or works that the derivative recording is based on or incorporates, and should provide a brief general description of the additional material covered by the copyright claim being registered. For guidance on these procedures, see Chapter 600, Section 621.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
803.6(A) Permission to Use Preexisting Material Protection for a work employing preexisting material in which copyright subsists does not extend to any part of the work in which such material has been used unlawfully. 17 U.S.C. § 103(a). Sound recordings that unlaIdw.fuselley aelmsoploy preexisting sounds under copyrighrte pprriontteecdt iionn are not subject to copyright protection if they are inseparably intertwined with the preexisting sounds. ; H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 57-58 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5670-71; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 54-55 (1975). The U.S. Copyright Office generally does not investigate the copyright status of preexisting material or investigate whether it has been used lawfully. However, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine whether permission to use was obtained where a recognizable preexisting work has been Chapter 800 : 42 12/22/2014 incorporated in a sound recording. The applicant may clarify the lawful use of preexisting material by including a statement to that effect in the Note to Copyright Office field of the online application or in a cover letter submitted with the paper application.
For a general discussion of this issue, see Chapter 300, Section 313.6(B). 803.6(B) Copyrightable Authorship in Derivative Sound Recordings To be registrable, a derivative sound recording must contain a sufficient amount of new, creative sound recording authorship. Where the changes made to the preexisting sound recording are the result of a Speuerely mechanical process rather than creative human authorship, or where only a few slight variations or minor additions have been made, registration will be refused. Section 803.5(B) and 803.5(C). Although sound-alike recordings do not infringe preexisting sound recordings, a sound- alike recording is not copyrightable unless it contains new, original and sufficiently creative authorship to support a new registration. 17 U.S.C. § 114(b). A virtually identical sound-alike recording will be refused registration. Common types of derivative sound recordings and the registration issues associated with such works are discussed in Sections 803.6(B)(1) through 803.6(B)(6). 803.6(B)(1) Additional Sounds Additional sounds that have been added to a preexisting sound recording may be registered if there is a sufficient amount of creative and original sound recording authorship in the new sounds.
803.6(B)(2) Remix A remix is a recombination and manipulation of audio tracks or channels from a preexisting sound recording to produce a new or modified sound recording. Remixing from multi-track sources generally is a sufficient basis for a copyright claim in a derivative sound recording. Likewise, if a producer and/or engineer is able to manipulate a number of variables and make creative judgments or decisions in determining the outcome of the new recording, there is usually a sufficient basis for a copyright claim. However, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to clarify a claim in a remix from monaural or stereophonic sources, bie.ec.ause in such cases it is unlikely that there was sufficient derivative authorship. In all cases, the remixing of preexisting sound recordings must be lawful to be copyrightable ( , authorized or permissible by law). 17 U.S.C. § 103(a). For a discussion of “mashups,” see Section 803.6(B)(5). 803.6(B)(3) Editorial Authorship The Office may register a claim in copyrightable editorial authorship where an original sound recording is recast, transformed, or adapted with editorial revisions or Chapter 800 : 43 12/22/2014 abridgments of the recorded material such that there is sufficient authorship to constitute a derivative work.
803.6(B)(4) Sound Recordings Containing Samples Sampling is the incorporation of a fragment or snippet from a preexisting track into a new track. The Office may register a claim based on new copyrightable sound recording that has been added to the work, but not based on the use of the sample. 803.6(B)(5) Mashups For sound recordings, a mashup is a track formed by combining elements from two or more preexisting (often disparate) works. A simple example would be laying a vocal track from one work on top of the instrumental track from another. Usually, the preexisting materials are edited and remixed in order to create a seamless, integrated work. Copyrightable editing / remixing authorship that has been added may support a derivative authorship claim. Mashups that unlawfully employ preexisting sound recordings are not subject to copyright protection. 17 U.S.C. § 103(a). Where it appears that no new material has been added, there may not be a basis for a claim in a derivative work. For example, in some cases, third party software may be used to generate the mashup through an automated process. This type of contribution does not constitute original, human authorship.
803.6(B)(6) Mixtapes The term “mixtape” may refer to a compilation of preexisting tracks, often based on a particular theme, or may refer to an album containing remixes of preexisting tracks. Copyrightable remix or compilation authorship may support a derivative authorship claim. Mixtapes that unlawfully employ preexisting sound recordings are not subject to copyright protection. 17 U.S.C. § 103(a).
803.7 Compilations of Sound Recordings
803.7(A) Registrable Compilations A compilation of sound recordings is a collection of preexisting sound recordings that are selected, coordinated, and/or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship. A compilation of sound recordings may be copyrightable if there is sufficient creativity in the selection, coordination and/or aErxraamngpelems:e nt of the preexisting recordings. • Greatest Hits The Chimpanzees, (collection of fifteen tracks from • mBeusltt iopf l2e0 athlb Cuemntsu)r. y Jazz (collection of thirty-three tracks from multiple albums).
Chapter 800 : 44 12/22/2014 • Dance Hits of 2012 (selection and arrangement of twenty-five tracks from multiple sources).
803.7(B) Unregistrable Compilations A re-issue of several previously released or registered sound recordings cannot be registered as a compilation unless the author contributed a sufficient amount of original authorship in selecting or arranging the preexisting sound recordings. For instance, taking all the works by a particular artist and arranging them in chronological order would not be registrable, because there is no original selection and arrangement where all of an artist’s works are included and the calendar determines the order. Similarly, a recording of a live performance could not be registered as a compilation unless the author oEf xtahme rpelecso:r ding created the selection and ordering of the songs. Two previously released albums are combined onto a single CD and rereleased; the tracks are not reordered. The registration specialist will refuse a claim in compilation because the author merely combined two preexisting albums together which does not represent enough original authorship to support a copyright claim • in a compilation of sound recordings.
803.8 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with sound recordings.
803.8(A) Registration for a Sound Recording Distinguished from a Registration for a Musical Work or Literary Work As discussed in Section 803.2, a sound recording and the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content embodied in that recording are two separate works. A registration for a sound recording covers the performance and production authorship involved in creating that recording, but does not cover the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content embodied in that recording. Likewise, a registration for a musical work covers the music and lyrics embodied in that composition, and a registration for a dramatic work or a literary work covers the text and music embodied in that work, but it does not cover a particular recording of those works. To register a sound recording, the applicant must select “Sound Recording” when completing the online application and must use Form SR when completing a paper application. By contrast, when registering a musical work, a dramatic work, or a literary Chapter 800 : 45 12/22/2014 work, the applicant should select “Work of the Performing Arts” or “Literary Work” when completing the online application or should use Form PA or Form TX when completing a paper application.
An applicant may use one application to register a sound recording together with a musical work, a dramatic work, or a literary Sweeork if the recording and the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content are embodied in the same phonorecord and if the claimant owns the copyright in both works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(iv). If the copyright in the sound recording and the underlying content are owned by different parties, a separate application and filing fee must be submitted for each work. It also may be possible to register multiple sound recordings together with the music, lyrics, words, or other underlying content embodied in each recording if the recordings and the underlying content is owned by the same claimant and if they were packaged or physically bundled together as a single unit and first published on the same date. This is known as the unit of publication option. For information concerning this option, see Section 803.8(H).
NOTE:
803.8(B) Joint Authorship Sound recordings are often created by multiple performers and/or producers as joint authors. For example, a recording of a song might be jointly authored by the members of a band, or a singer and producer might be joint authors of the recording, depending on the authors’ intent.
Chapter 800 : 46 12/22/2014 Generally, where there are multiple authors of a sound recording, the sound recording is a joint work and the applicant should name all the authors of that work. In such cases, the authors’ contributions are not subject to separate registrations. There may be instances, however, where different tracks of a sound recording were created as independent works, such as when a preexisting beat track is sampled in a song. In such cases, the beat track and the sound recording of the song should be registered separately — one as a derivative of the other.
For further discussion of joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505. 803.8(C) Name Individual Authors (Not Performing Groups) as the Author of a Sound Recording Generally, the applicant should provide the name(s) of the individual(s) who created the sound recording, and should not name the performing group as an organizational author, unless the group is a legal entity and the sound recording is a work made for hire. Naming the individuals as the authors of the sound recording rather than the performing group creates a clearer public record, because membership in the performing group may change over time.
The applicant should provide the legal names of the individual(s) who created the sound recording in the Author field or space (unless the work is pseudonymous, anonymous, or a work made for hire).
Where the authors are members of a performing group and the applicant wishes to include the name of the performing group in the record, the applicant may provide that information in the Note to Copyright Office field in the online application. When completing a paper application, the applicant should list each author in the Author space and may include the statement, “member of [performing group X].” In both cases, the registration specialist will add the name of the performing group to the record as an index term.
If the sound recording is pseudonymous (meaning that the individual who created the sound recording is identified on the phonorecord under a fictitious name), the applicant may give the pseudonym instead of providing the author’s legal name and may indicate that the work is pseudonymous.
For registration purposes, the name of a performing group generally would not be considered a pseudonym, because pseudonyms apply only to individuals. If an applicant names a performing group as the author and indicates that the sound recording is pseudonymous, the registration specialist generally will communicate with the applicant to request that the legal names of the individual authors who created the sound recording be added to the application.
If the applicant names a performing group as the author and indicates that the sound recording is a work made for hire, the specialist will communicate with the applicant unless it is clear that the performing group is a legal entity and the sound recording was created by the employees of that entity or was a specially commissioned work under the statutory definition of a work made for hire. If the performing group is a legal entity and the sound recording was created by the employees of that entity or was a specially Chapter 800 : 47 12/22/2014 commissioned work under the statutory definition of work made for hire, then the performing group should be named as author and the work made for hire question should be answered “yes.”
803.8(D) Work Made for Hire Authorship See For a sound recording to be made for hire, it must fall within the statutory definition. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work made for hire”). If the applicant states that a sound recording was a work made for hire and if it appears that the work does not fall within the statutory definition, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. For a detailed discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506. 803.8(E) Executive Producer An executive producer of a sound recording generally is involved only in the financial or administrative aspect of production. This type of contribution does not constitute copyrightable sound recording authorship. When an executive producer does contribute copyrightable sound recording authorship, the applicant should describe that author’s contribution using terms such as “production” or “sound recording” as appropriate, and not “executive producer.”
803.8(F) Publication Issues For sound recordings, publication is the distribution of phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership or by rental, lease, or lending. Offering to distribute phonorecords to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution or public performance constitutes publication. A public performance of a sound recording does not, in and of itself, constitute publication. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”).
803.8(F)(1) Sounds Published on Both a Soundtrack Album and in a Motion Picture Where the same sounds are published on both a soundtrack album and as part of a motion picture, the registration requirements vary depending on whether the soundtrack album or the motion picture was published first. The statutory definition of sound recording specifically excludes the sounds accompanying a motion picture. 17 U.S.C. § 101. Thus, if the sounds were first published on a soundtrack album, they are considered a sound recording and cannot be registered as a motion picture. If the sounds were first published in a motion picture, they are considered the sounds accompanying a motion picture and cannot be registered as a sound recording. If the soundtrack album was published before the motion picture, the applicant may register the sound recording without excluding any material that may be subsequently published in the motion picture. If the applicant subsequently submits an application for the motion picture, the portions of the sound recording that appeared on the soundtrack album should be excluded from the claim.
If the motion picture was published before the soundtrack album, the applicant may register the motion picture together with the sounds contained therein, provided that Chapter 800 : 48 12/22/2014 the copyright in the motion picture and the sounds are owned by the same claimant. The applicant may submit a separate application for the soundtrack album, provided that the album contains sounds or other copyrightable authorship that did not appear in the motion picture. In this situation, the sounds that appeared in the motion picture should be excluded from the claim. If the soundtrack album merely reprocessed sounds from the motion picture without change there would be no basis for registering the soundtrack album.
803.8(F)(2) Combination CD / DVD It is not possible to register the same series of sounds as a sound recording and as the sounds accompanying a motion picture. When the same sounds are published together as a sound recording and as the sounds accompanying a motion picture (such as a CD and DVD of a live concert published together on the same date), the applicant should assert a claim in the “motion picture” (which by definition includes the sounds in the motion picture soundtrack), but should not assert a claim in “sound recording.” 803.8(F)(3) Album Containing a Previously Published Track Where a single track is published as a single and then is subsequently published on an album, the single must be registered separately from the album because the dates of first publication differ. When completing the application for the single track the applicant should give the earlier date of publication. When completing the application for the remaining tracks on the album the applicant should give the later date of publication and should exclude the previously published track from the claim. 803.8(F)(4) Bonus Track Added to a Previously Published Album Where a previously published album is rereleased with one or more bonus tracks, the album and the bonus tracks must be registered separately because the dates of first publication for each track are different. To register the previously published album the applicant should submit the album in the form it was first published and should provide the date of first publication for that work. To register the bonus tracks the applicant should submit the rereleased album in the form it was first published, provide the date of first publication for that album, and exclude the previously published album from the claim.
803.8(G) Unpublished Collections This Section discusses the option for registering a number of sound recordings and/or a number of musical works as an unpublished collection. For a general discussion of unpublished collections, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106. An unpublished collection of sound recordings and/or musical works may be registered t•o gether with one application and one filing fee under the following conditions: • All the works must be unpublished;
Chapter 800 : 49 12/22/2014 • The combined works must bear a single title identifying the collection as a whole; The copyright claimant(s) in all of the works, and in the collection as a whole, must • be the same; and All of the works must be by the same author; or, if they are by different authors, at least one author must contribute copyrightable authorship to each element. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B).
Works that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered as an unpublished collection, and the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if it appears that these conditions have not been met.
To register an unpublished collection of sound recordings and/or musical works, the applicant should list the individual titles and name the author(s) of those works. If there has been no transfer of ownership, the applicant should name the author(s) as the copyright claimant(s).
A group of works may be registered as an unpublished collection if the copyright in the works is owned by the same party and if an author contributed copyrightable authorship to all of the works. However, a separate application for each work will be required if the ownership of the copyrights is not the same or if there does not appear to be an auEthxaorm wplheos: cMonulttriipblue twedo rakust rheogrisshteipre tdo aasl la onf uthnep uwbolirskhse.d collection Samantha and Fred create eight sound recordings. (The songs are preexisting.) There has been no transfer of copyright ownership. The sound recordings may be registered together by selecting Sound Recording as the Type of Work or by using Form SR. The applicant should name Samantha and Fred as co-authors of “sound • recording” and as co-claimants.
Chapter 800 : 51 12/22/2014 803.8(H) Unit of Publication An applicant may be able to register multiple sound recordings and/or musical works with one application and one filing fee if the works are owned by the same claimant, if they were physically bundled together by the claimant for distribution to the public as a single, integrated unit, and if they were first published in that integrated unit. An applicant also may be able to register the copyrightable text, artwork, and photographs that appear in the liner notes for the unit. This is known as the unit of publication o• ption. An applicant may use this option if the following conditions have been met: • All of the copyrightable elements must be recognizable as self-contained works. All of the works claimed in the application must be first published as a single unit on • the same date.
NOTE:
Chapter 800 : 53 12/22/2014 Mary, Bob, and Sam publish a CD containing four tracks. Mary wrote the music for songs 1 and 2; Bob wrote the music for songs 3 and 4. Sam wrote the lyrics for all four songs. Mary, Bob, and Sam performed all four tracks. There has been no transfer of ownership. Mary, Bob, and Sam co-own the sound recordings for all four tracks. By contrast, Mary and Sam co-own songs 1 and 2, and Bob and Sam co-own songs 3 and 4. The unit of publication option may be used to register the sound recordings, but cannot be used for the musical works. To register the sound recordings, the applicant should complete one application specifying Sound Recording as the Type of Work and should name Mary, Bob, and Sam as the authors and claimants of “sound recording.” To register songs 1 and 2, the applicant should complete a separate application for each musical work specifying Work of the Performing Arts as the Type of Work, naming Mary as the author of “music” and Sam as the author of “lyrics,” and naming Mary and Sam as co-claimants. To register songs 3 and 4, the applicant should complete a separate application for each musical work specifying Work of the Performing Arts as the Type of Work, naming Bob as the author of “music” and Sam as the • author of “lyrics,” and naming Bob and Sam as co-claimants. Sara and Chris perform and produce an album, and Max creates the artwork for the album cover. The album and the album cover are published together as a single unit, along with liner notes containing the title and credits for each track. No transfer of ownership has occurred. The unit of publication option may be used to register the sound recordings, but cannot be used for the artwork. To register the sound recordings, the applicant should submit one SR application naming Sara and Chris as the authors and claimants of the “sound recording.” To register the artwork, the applicant should submit a separate VA application naming Max as the author and claimant of the “2-D artwork.” The liner notes consist solely of • names and titles and cannot be registered.
Chapter 800 : 54 12/22/2014
803.9 Application Tips for Sound Recordings
This Section provides basic information on how to complete the online and paper applications for a sound recording, as well as terms to use and terms to avoid when describing sound recording authorship.
For detailed information on how to complete an application, see Chapter 600. 803.9(A) Type of Work If the applicant intends to register a sound recording or a sound recording combined with the underlying musical work, dramatic work, or literary work embodied in that recording, the applicant must select “Sound Recording” when completing the online application or must use Form SR when completing a paper application. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(2)(ii)(C).
NOTE:
803.9(B) Title of Work The applicant should give the title of the work being registered. When registering the f•o lloRweignigst teyrpinegs ao fs sinogulne dtr raeccko crodnintagsin, ethde o anp apnli acalbnutm should follow these guidelines: : When completing the online application, the applicant should give the individual track title as the “Title of work being registered” and give the album title as the “Title of larger work.” When completing a paper application, the applicant should state “[Individual track title] as • cRoengtisatienreidn gin a [nA elnbtuimre tailtbleu]m” in space 1 of Form SR. : When completing the online application, the applicant should give the album title as the “Title of work being registered” and enter each track title separately as a “Contents title.” When completing a paper application, the applicant should state “[album title] containing [individual track titles]” in space 1 of Form SR.
For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 610.
803.9(C) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Authors screen in the field marked Author Created. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in the Nature of Authorship space. Chapter 800 : 55 12/22/2014 In all cases, the applicant should clearly and accurately describe the contribution of each author and should only refer to material submitted in the deposit copy(ies). When completing an online application, the applicant may use one or more of the following t•e rms to describe new sound recording authorship:
• Sound recording.
• Performance and production (individual, joint, or work made for hire). Production.
Terms such as “remix” or “additional sound recording,” as appropriate, may be used to describe derivative sound recording authorship.
These terms also may be used when completing the Nature of Authorship space on Form SR.
For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.
803.9(D) Unclear Authorship Terms When completing the Author Created field or the Nateu.gr.e of Authorship space, the applicant should avoid ambiguous or unclear terms, such as referring to the physical object in which the sound recording has been fixed ( , CD, mp3, tape, etc.). Additional unclear terms are discussed in Chapter 600, Section 618.8(A) and in Sections 803.9(D)(1) through 803.9(D)(5) below.
803.9(D)(1) Instrument Names / Vocals e.g.
Giving an instrument name ( , guitar, trumpet, or keyboard) as a description of authorship is unclear because the instrument could refer either to the music, the performance, or both. To refer to the performance contribution, the applicant should use clear terms, such as “performance” after the instrument name, suec.hg .as “guitar performance.” To refer to the musical contribution, the applicant should use clear terms, such as music, melody, or arrangement after the instrument named ( , “music for cello,” “bassoon melody,” or “sitar arrangement”). To refer to both the musical and performance contributions, the applicant should use both terms, such as “guitar music and performance.”
Similarly, the term “vocals” is ambiguous because it could refer to either lyrics, performance, or both. To refer to the vocal performance, the applicant should describe the author’s contribution as “vocal performance.” To refer to the lyrics, the applicant should describe the author’s contribution as “lyrics.” To refer to both lyrics and performance, the applicant should describe the author’s contribution as “lyrics and performance.”
Chapter 800 : 56 12/22/2014 803.9(D)(2) Narration / Spoken Works These terms are ambiguous because they could refer to authorship in the text, the performance, or both. To refer to the vocal performance, the applicant should describe the author’s contribution as “vocal performance.” To refer to the text, the applicant should describe the author’s contribution as “text.” To refer to both text and performance, the applicant should describe the author’s contribution as “text and performance.”
803.9(D)(3) Rap An authorship statement that describes the author’s contribution to a work as “rap music” is generally interpreted to mean that the author(s) contributed music and lyrics in a rap style. To refer to the performance, the applicant should state “performance” or “rap performance.” For information on registering rap as a musical work, see Section 802.9(E)(3).
803.9(D)(4) Beats / Music Track A beat is an instrumental or drum track often created in a studio as a background for a recording. The term “beat” or “music track” may refer to the music, the sound recording, or both. To refer to the sound recording, the applicant should state “sound recording.” To refer to the music, the applicant should state “music.” To refer to both, the applicant should state “music and sound recording.”
The beat or “music track” may be preexisting in whole or in part, or it may be completely original. Where the beat is completely original, it may be described as a “sound recording.” Where a preexisting beat or music track has been used, the material generally should be excluded from the claim. For more information on derivative sound recording authorship, see Section 803.6.
NOTE:
Chapter 800 : 57 12/22/2014 803.9(D)(5) Executive Producer The term “executive producer” usually refers to a person involved in the financing or administration of a recording. A person or entity that contributes only these types of services does not contribute copyrightable sound recording authorship and should not be named as an author. If an executive producer contributed copyrightable sound recording authorship, the applicant should describe that author’s contribution using terms such as “production” or “sound recording” as appropriate, and not “executive producer.”
803.9(D)(6) Sound Effects The term “sound effects” should not be used to describe the authorship in a sound recording, because this term is unclear. If an applicant uses this term in the Author Created field or the Nature of Authorship space, the registration specialist may register the claim if he or she determines that the applicant is asserting a claim in music, sound recording, or music and sound recording (depending on the information given in the deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials). If it appears that the claimant is asserting a claim in uncopyrightable material or unclaimable material, the specialist will communicate with the applicant.
803.9(E) Claims in Hidden Tracks Hidden tracks are tracks that appear on a compact disc or LP that are not listed as a track on the album. When submitting a claim for a track not listed on the album, the applicant should make the location of the track clear and should provide information on accessing the track, either in the Note to Copyright Office field or in a cover letter. 803.9(F) The Material Excluded / New Material Included Field and the Preexisting Material / Material Added to This Work Spaces If the sound recording is a derivative work or a compilation of preexisting works, the use of the underlying works must be lawful and the preexisting material must be identified and excluded from the claim. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information in the Material Excluded field. When completing a paper application, the application should provide this information in the Preexisting Material space.
In all cases, the applicant should provide a brief descrei.pgt.ion of the new material that is being submitted for registration and the applicant should use an acceptable term to describe the author’s contributions to that material ( , sound recording, production, performance, music, lyrics, remixing, additional sounds). In the online application the applicant should provide this information in the New Material Included field. In the paper application the applicant should provide this information in the space marked Material Added to This Work. For information on how to complete these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
Chapter 800 : 58 12/22/2014 803.9(F)(1) Preexisting Liner Notes, Artwork, and Photographs The registration specialist will require the applicant to complete the Material Excluded field if the authorship statement refers to element(s) other than the sound recording (such as the underlying work or artwork on the record jacket) and if it appears that those elements have been previously published, previously registered, or are owned by a third party.
For example, when registering an entire album together with the text and photographs in the liner notes, and when two of the photographs are previously published, the two photographs should be identified in the Material Excluded field and the entire sound recording and the text and additional photographs in the liner notes should be identified in the New Material Included field.
803.9(F)(2) Samples de minimis Where a sample has been used that is more than , the sampled music and/or the sampled sound recording should be identified in the Material Excluded field/space and the new material should be described in the New Material Included field/space. Any amount of preexisting material may be identified in the Material Excluded field for clarity. Example:
803.9(F)(3) Unclear Authorship Terms for Derivative Sound Recordings The terms “equalization,” “reverberation,” “reprocessing,” and “re-engineering” refer to contributions that may involve sufficient creative authorship, or may be either mechanical in nature or too minimal to be copyrightable. If the applicant uses one or more of these terms on the application as the sole basis for the claim, the registration specialist will request a more detailed explanation or clarification. Similarly, the term “remastering” may refer to authorship that is mechanical or too minimal to be copyrightable. To avoid correspondence and to facilitate examination, an applicant should describe the authorship involved in the remixing, editing, or remastering in the Note to Copyright Office field or the New Material Included/Other field. If the applicant simply states “remastering,” “remixing,” or “editing” on the application, the registration specialist may request a detailed explanation of the authorship involved and will request that any registrable authorship be described with appropriate copyrightable terms.
Chapter 800 : 59 12/22/2014 803.9(F)(4) Unacceptable Authorship Terms for Derivative Sound Recordings de minimis The following terms generally denote authorship and thus are not acceptable •d escriptions for a claim in new or derivative sound recording authorship: • Declicking • New format • Noise reduction Reissue
803.10 Deposit Requirements for Sound Recordings
To register a sound recording with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should deposit a phonorecord of the work that is sufficient to identify the applicant’s claim to copyright in the sound recording and to allow the Office to examine the work for copyrightable authorship.
For information on the deposit requirements for sound recordings, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(B).
804 Dramatic Works
804.1 What Is a Dramatic Work?
For purposes of copyright registration, a dramatic work is a composition generally in prose or verse that portrays a story that is intended to be performed for an audience such as plays, musicals, or operas. Generally, a dramatic work represents the action as it occurs rather than simply narrating or describing the action. Some dramatic works include music.
804.2 Dramatic Works Distinguished from Other Types of Works
804.2(A) Dramatic Works Distinguished from Nondramatic Literary Works For the purposes of copyright registration, dramatic works are distinguished from nondramatic literary works, such as novels, which are not intended to be performed for an audience. Other examples of nondramatic literary works include sermons and lectures, which are intended to be performed for an audience, but do not tell a story. 804.2(B) Dramatic Works Distinguished from Other Works of the Performing Arts Dramatic works with accompanying music are distinguished from nondramatic musical works that do not convey a story. Operas and musicals are examples of dramatic works with accompanying music that tell a story. A symphony is an example of a nondramatic musical work that does not tell a story.
Chapter 800 : 60 12/22/2014 Although motion pictures, choreographic works, and pantomimes may contain dramatic elements and may qualify as dramatic works, these types of works are considered separate categories of copyrightable authorship, and as such they do not have to fall within the category of dramatic works in order to be registered. For more information on the statutory categories for works of authorship, see Chapter 300, Section 307.
804.3 Elements of Dramatic Works
Characteristic elements of dramatic works include plot, characters, dialog, and directions for performance, although each element is not necessarily registrable in and of itself. Information on these elements is set forth in Sections 804.3(A) through 804.3(F).
804.3(A) Plot Plot is the storyline, plan, or sequence of events in a dramatic work. As a general rule, plot is not registrable in and of itself, because it represents only an idea rather than the expression of an idea. Where a plot is sufficiently detailed and/or the author selects and arranges an original sequence of events, registration may be appropriate. 804.3(B) Characters A character is a person, animal, or even an inanimate object through which the content of a dramatic work is portrayed. Characters as such are not registrable as dramatic works. However, the Office may issue a registration based on the authorship describing, depicting, or embodying the characters. The more delineated a character is, either textually or visually, the more likely copyright protection will be available for those specific attributes of a character.
804.3(C) Dialog / Monolog Dialog is the conversation between characters in a dramatic work. A monolog is a speech by a single character in a dramatic work.
804.3(D) Stage Directions and Directions for Performance Stage directions and directions for performance generally refer to the instructions for the actors’ movements, gestures, and dramatic action, and/or suggestions for scenery. Directions include stage business and blocking, which are defined in Sections 804.3(D)(1) and 804.3(D)(2).
804.3(D)(1) Stage Business Stage business refers to activity performed by the actors to illustrate character or create dramatic effect, such as rolling up one’s sleeves or tapping a pencil. Stage business may be created by the playwright, the dirSeecetor, and/or the actor. Stage business is not registrable in and of itself because it represents common body movements which are not subject to copyright protection. Sections 805.5 and 806.5. Chapter 800 : 61 12/22/2014 Choreography and pantomime are the only categories of works comprised exclusively of certain types of bodily movements that are eligible for copyright protection under Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act. For more information on choreographic works and pantomimes, see Sections 805 and 806 below.
804.3(D)(2) Blocking Blocking refers to the positioning and movement of actors onstage or in frame, such as “cross to stage left.” Blocking may be created bSye tehe playwright and/or the director. Blocking is not registrable in and of itself because it represents common movements which are not subject to copyright protection. Sections 805.5 and 806.5. 804.3(E) Music in Dramatic Works Dramatic works may include accompanying music, such as musical plays or operas. Music in a dramatic work ranges from incidental music to music that advances the story. Music also may be used as an adjunct rather than integral part of a dramatic work, such as a tape of a preexisting song played in the background of a particular scene. 804.3(F) Illustrations or Descriptions of Costumes, Scenery, Sets, Props, etc. Illustrations of costumes, scenery, sets, props, and lighting may be included in a dramatic work. If the illustrations are copyrightable, they may be registered as visual arts works. A textual description of such works may also be registered as a literary work, but the registration does not necessarily extend to the costume, prop, set or lighting itself. For more information on literary works and visual arts works, see Chapters 700 and 900. For more information on costumes, see Chapter 900, Section 924.3(A)(2).
804.4 Types of Dramatic Works
804.4(A) Stage Plays i.e., A stage play is a story prepared for production in a theater ( to be performed on a stage for a live audience). The script generally includes instructions for performers and scenery.
804.4(B) Musical Plays Musical plays are works that consist of music and dramatic material where the music is an integral part of the dramatic work, as opposed to incidental music that is merely intended to accompany the dramatic work. Examples of musical plays include musicals, operas, and operettas.
804.4(C) Screenplays A screenplay is a script prepared for production in a motion picture. It generally includes textual instructions for performers, sets, and camera. Chapter 800 : 62 12/22/2014 804.4(D) Teleplays A teleplay is a script prepared for broadcast on television. It generally includes textual instructions for performers, sets, and camera.
804.4(E) Radio Plays A radio play is a script prepared for broadcast on radio. 804.4(F) Precursors of Dramatic Works Precursors of dramatic works generally are written in advance of the dramatic work and may or may not contain the characteristic authorship elements of dramatic works. Examples include treatments and synopses. To be copyrightable, these types of works must contain sufficient original expression.
804.4(F)(1) Synopses A synopsis is a summary of the major plot points and description of the characters in a play or other dramatic work, generally consisting of at least a page or two of text. A registration for a synopsis extends only to the text of the synopsis submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office and not to the completed dramatic work or the idea for the dramatic work.
804.4(F)(2) Treatments A treatment is a written description of a dramatic work or television show, which outlines and describes the scenes and/or characters and often includes sample dialog. A treatment is generally longer and more detailed than a synopsis. A registration for a treatment extends only to the text of the treatment submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office but does not extend to the idea, subsequent versions of the script, or a completed television series.
804.5 Fixation of Dramatic Works
To be copyrightable, dramatic works, including improvised works, must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression. A registration for a dramatic work extends only to the work that has been submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office. Dramatic works may be embodied either in copies or phonorecords.
804.5(A) Copies •C opies of dramatic works, including any accompanying music, include the following: • Hard copy formats, ien.gcl.uding handwritten or printed scripts, DVDs, and videotapes. Electronic formats ( , .txt, .pdf, .mov) embodied in compact discs, digital video discs, flash drives, hard drives, and other digital file storage devices. Chapter 800 : 63 12/22/2014 NOTE:
• Hard copy audio formats, ien.gcl.uding but not limited to CDs and tapes. Electronic audio formats ( , wav, mp3, wma) embodied in compact discs, digital video discs, flash drives, hard drives, and other digital file storage devices. NOTE:
804.6 Copyrightable Authorship in Dramatic Works
804.6(A) Independent Creation A dramatic work must originate from the author of that work to be protected by copyright. A dramatic work that is merely copied from another source is not copyrightable.
804.6(B) Creative Expression A dramatic work must contain a sufficient amount of creative expression. Words and short phrases, such as names, titles, and slogans, are not copyrightable because thseeey alalscok a sufficient amount of authorship. Thus, the title of a dramatic work or dialog that consists of only several words or phrases is not registrable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a); Chapter 300, Section 313.4(B) and 313.4(C).
A mere ideSae efo Zra am dbriatom va. tPica rwaomroku—nst uPcicht ausr e“sb Cooyr mp.eets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl falls in love with someone else”—is not copyrightable because mere ideas are common property. , 613 F. Supp. 1107, 1112 (E.D.N.Y 1985) (“That treasure might be hidden in a cave inhabited by snakes, that fire might be used to repel the snake, that birds might frighten an intruder in the jungle, and that a weary traveler might seek solace in a tavern ... are … simply too general to be pScrèonteecs tàa bfaleir.”e). necessarily are defined as elements Roef yah derr avm. Cahtiilcd wreonr’ks ,T “ewlehviicshio n Worksho pfollow from a common theme,” such as stock characters, settings, or events that are common to a particular subject matter or medium. scènes à faire , 533 F.2d 87, 91 (2d Cir. 1976) (emphasis added). These types of elements are too commonplace to be copyrightable. For more information concerning , see Chapter 300, Section 313.4(I).
Chapter 800 : 64 12/22/2014
804.7 Derivative Dramatic Works
Derivative authorship in dramatic works occurs when copyrightable additions or other c•h anges are made to one or more preexisting works, such as: Revisions, including updating or editing dialog, scenes, and other dramatic elements • of a preexisting play. vice versa • Adapting a novel or motion picture into a play or .
In each case, the author of the derivative work must have permission to use the preexisting work if the preexisting work is protected by copyright, and there must be sufficient new original authorship to register the new work as a derivative work. If it appears that the dramatic work is based on a copyrighted work and permission to use has not been obtained, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. 804.7(A) Dramatizations or Adaptations When a novel, story, or poem is adapted into a drama, the adaptation is considered a dramatic work. The U.S. Copyright Office categorizes an adaptation of a dramatic work as a dramatic work, because the work remains dramatic in nature, even if the new material added is nondramatic.
To be considered a derivative work, an adaptation must be based on a preexisting work that constitutes copyrightable subject matter. The Office does not view plays adapted from or based on historical or present day factual events as derivative works because facts areE nxoatm cpolpeys:r ightable.
Chapter 800 : 65 12/22/2014 For guidance in completing an application to register a dramatization or adaptation, see Section 804.9(D)(1).
804.7(B) Revisions A revised dramatic work results when an author revises or adds new dramatic material to a preexisting play. The additions or revisions may be registered as a derivative work to the extent that they contain new original authorship. For guidance in completing an application to register a revision of a dramatic work, see Section 804.9(D)(1).
804.7(C) Translations A translation of a play or other dramatic work from one language to another is a type of derivative authorship. The U.S. Copyright Office categorizes a translation of a dramatic work as a dramatic work, because the work remains dramatic in nature, even if the new material is nondramatic.
For guidance in completing an application to register a translation of a dramatic work, see Section 804.9(D)(2).
804.7(D) Stage Directions The Office regularly receives applications that claim copyright in the directions for the performance of a dramatic work, separate from the dialog or other elements of that dramatic work. In most cases, the applicant is attempting to register directions for performance on a stage.
Generally, stage directions are not independently copyrightable, although they may constitute an aspect of the overall dramatic work. Because stage directions are completely dependent on a particular dramatic work, a claim in stage directions must be authorized by the author of the dramatic work.
The Office has long held that copyright protection in stage directions is limited to the text of the directions themselves. When removed from the context of the dramatic work, the directions do not, in and of themselves, constitute dramatic content or give rise to a claim in the simple movements that are dictated by that text. For guidance in completing an application to register the stage directions for a dramatic work, see Section 804.9(D)(3).
804.8 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with dramatic works.
Chapter 800 : 66 12/22/2014 804.8(A) Joint Authorship A “joint work” is “a work prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contributions be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
Scripts for stage and screen are often written by multiple authors. If the authors of the script intend to merge their contributions into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole, the script is a joint work, and the applicant should name all the joint authors in the application.
Musical plays containing script, lyrics, and music are frequently written by multiple authors. If the authors of the script, lyrics, and music intend to merge their contributions into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole, the musical is a joint work, and the applicant should name all the joint authors in the application. For examples that illustrate these practices, see Section 801.6. 804.8(A)(1) Intent to Merge into a Unified Whole Different components of a dramatic work may be registered together as a joint work if the authors intended to merge their contributions into a single, unitary whole. By contrast, the elements should be registered separately if there was no intent to merge the elements when the authors creaet.ged. them. If there is some indication in the registration materials that the authors of the separate elements did not intend to merge the elements into a unitary whole ( , separate copyright notices), the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to clarify the authors’ intent. 804.8(A)(2) Weight of Contribution to the Work as a Whole e.g.
We.hgen all of the authors’ contributions ( , score, music, lyrics, script, book/libretto) have comparable weight and the application names all of the contributors as authors ( ., composer, lyricist, playwright), the registration specialist will not communicate with the applicant to clarify the fac(tes .go.f authorship. If there is some indication in the registration materials that one or more authors did not contribute copyrightable authorship to the work as a whole , statements on the deposit or application), the specialisEtx mamayp cleosm: municate with the applicant to clarify the facts of authorship. Two authors of a musical play submit one application to register a musical play as a joint work. Author A wrote the libretto, and Author B wrote the lyrics and music. Both authors claim ownership in the musical play as a whole. The musical play will be registered as • a joint work.
If the synopsis contains sufficient copyrightable textual expression, but the applicant erroneously describes the author’s contribution as a “dramatic work” or “script,” the registration specialist will add an annotation to the record, such as: “Regarding authorship: Deposit contains synopsis only.” If the synopsis contains sufficient textual expression, but the applicant erroneously describes the author’s contribution as an idea, concept, or the like, the specialist will communicate with the applicanet..g Where the synopsis is very short and/or merely amounts to an idea ( ., “I have an idea for a television show that will feature famous guest stars”), the specialist will refuse registration if the authorship is insufficient to support a claim in a dramatic work or literary work. Where the work contains sufficient text to be copyrightable, but it is clear that the applicant is seeking to protect the idea, the specialist may add an annotation to the record, such as: “Regarding authorship: ideas not copyrightable. 17 U.S.C. 102(b).” 804.8(C) Redacted Screenplay for Motion Pictures in Production The Office will consider requests for special relief allowing the applicant to submit a redacted version of a screenplay pending the publication of the motion picture under •th e following conditions: e.g.
• The motion picture must be in production ( , the filming has commenced), • Infringement must be anticipated, and Release of the film must be imminent.
The applicant should submit a written request for special relief that explains how these conditions have been met. (For information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 1500, Section 1508.8.) The redacted copy must reveal at least half of the work, and the redaction must be done in such a way as to allow comparison and authentication with an unredacted copy of the work. If the work is approved for registration, the registration specialist may add an annotation to the record, such as: “Regarding deposit: special relief granted under 202.20(d) of C.O. regulations.”
In all cases, the applicant must submit a complete unredacted copy of exactly the same screenplay within ten business days after the release of the motion picture. If the complete unredacted copy of the screenplay is not submitted, the Office may cancel the Chapter 800 : 68 12/22/2014 registration. For information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 1800, Section 1806.4(D).
804.8(D) Publication Issues If the applicant provides a date of publication in the application, but states that the date refers to a performance of the work, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, because a performance, in and of itself, does not constitute a publication. Publication of a motion picture or other audiovisual work publishes all of the compoSneeen Mtsa oljfa tchka Pt rwoodrukc.t Oionncse I nac d. vr.a UmAaVti cC owropr.k has been published as part of a motion picture or television show, the dramatic wMocrLki nmtoayck n!ot be registered as an unpublished work. , 964 F. Supp. 1416, 1421 (C.D. Cal. 1997)
(finding that publication of the 1963 film published all underlying works embodied in the film, including screenplays).
804.9 Application Tips for Dramatic Works
This Section provides basic information on how to complete an online or paper application for a dramatic work, as well as terms to use and terms to avoid when describing the authorship in such works.
For detailed information on how to complete an application, see Chapter 600. 804.9(A) Type of Work When registering a claim in a dramatic work using the online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Performing Arts” as the “Type of Work.” When registering a claim using a paper application, the applicant should complete Form PA. 804.9(B) Joint Authors If the dramatic work is a joint work, the applicant should name all of the joint authors and describe the contributions of each author, but should name only the authors who contributed copyrightable, tangible expression to the work. For instance, if one person contributed the story idea and a second person contributed the script, the applicant should nEaxmame opnlelsy: the author of the script.
Chapter 800 : 69 12/22/2014 For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 613.
804.9(C) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register on the Authors screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 2 of the application under the heading Nature of Authorship. In all cases, the applicant should clearly and accurately describe the author’s contribution to the work. When completing an online application, the applicant may select the boxes marked “text,” ”music,” “lyrics,” and / or “musical arrangement” in the Author Created field. If the author contributed text to the dramatic works, the applicant should describe the type of text that the author created in the Author Created/Other f•i eld, using one or more of the following terms:
In all cases, the applicant should use terms that describe the authorship that has been submitted for registration, rather than the applicant’s future plans for the work. For example, if the work is a treatment for a future motion picture, the applicant should state “treatment” not “motion picture.”
When completing this portion of the application, the applicant should avoid using a• mbiguous terms or terms that describe uncopyrightable material, such as: Idea Plot Format • Characters Stage directions Chapter 800 : 70 12/22/2014 For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.
804.9(D) The Material Excluded / New Material Included Fields and the Preexisting Material / Material Added to This Work Spaces If the work is a derivative dramatic work or a compilation of dramatic works, and the underlying works are used with permission, the applicant should identify and exclude any preexisting work or material from the claim and should provide a brief description of the new material that the author contributed to the work. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information in the Material Excluded and New Material Included fields. When completing a paper application, the application should provide this information in the Preexisting Material and Material Added to This Work space. For information on how to complete these portionsE oxfa tmhpe laep: plication, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8. The Lemon Tartlette The work is a screenplay by Steve MTohres eL ebmasoend T oanr ttlheett weell-known novel by Rochelle Oiseaux. In the Material Excluded field the applicant states “ by Rochelle Oiseaux, used by permission,” and in the Author Created and New Material Included fields the applicant states “screenplay by Steve Morse.” The claim will be registered.
804.9(D)(1) Dramatizations, Adaptations, and Revisions When preparing an application to register a dramatization, an adaptation, or a revision the applicant should exclude the preexisting work from the claim by naming the author and title of the preexisting work in the Material Excluded field of the online application or in space 6(a) of Form PA. The new material may be described as a “dramatization,” “adaptation,” or “revision” in the New Material Included field of the online application or in space 6(b) of Form PA.
As noted in Section 804.7, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to clarify the facts of authorship if it appears that the author of the adaptation or dramatization unlawfully used a copyrighted work.
804.9(D)(2) Translations When preparing an application to register a translation of a dramatic work, the applicant should exclude the preexisting work from the claim by identifying the author and title of the preexisting work in the Material Excluded field of the online application or in space 6(a) of Form PA. The new work should be described as a “translation” in the New Material Included field of the online application or in space 6(b) of Form PA.
Chapter 800 : 71 12/22/2014 804.9(D)(3) Stage Directions Where a director submits an application to register a claim to copyright in the text of his or her stage directions, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether the author of the play gave the director permission to create a derivative work. If the author of the play did not grant permission, the specialist will refuse registration. If the applicant confirms in writing that the author of the play granted permission to use the play as a basis for the derivative work, the specialist will register the claim in the text of the stage directions as a derivative work of the play, provided that the text is copyrightable.
To avoid correspondence, the applicant should notify the Office if the author of the stage directions obtained permission to use the dramatic work as a basis for the derivative work. When completing an online application, this information may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field; when completing a paper application, this information may be provided in a cover letter.
In addition, the applicant should specifically exclude the dramatic work from the claim by providing the title and author of that work in the Material Excluded field of the online application or in space 6(a) of the paper application. The derivative authorship should be described as “text of stage directions” in the New Material Included field or in space 6(b). Examples:
804.10 Deposit Requirements for Dramatic Works
To register a dramatic work with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should deposit a copy or phonorecord of the work that is sufficient to identify the applicant’s claim to copyright in the dramatic work and to allow the Office to examine the work for copyrightable authorship.
For information concerning the deposit requirements for dramatic works, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(C).
Chapter 800 : 72 12/22/2014 805 Choreographic Works This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Offi.iece’s practices and procedures for the examination of unpublished choreographic works and choreographic works first published on or after January 1, 1978 ( ., the date that choreography became a category of authorship subject to federal copyright protection). For a discussion of choreographic works first published before January 1, 1978, see Chapter 2100, Section 2122.3.
805.1 What Is a Choreographic Work?
The Copyright Act recognizes choreography as a distinct category of copyrightable authorship. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a)(4). The statute doeresp nroint tdeedf iinne the term “choreographic works.” However, the legislative history states that this term has a “fairly settled meaning[].” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 53 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5666- 67; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 52 (1975). choreia graphikos The word “choreography” is derived from the Greek words “ Hor,”g amne va.n Minagc m“diallnacne, ,” aInncd “ ,” meaning “to write.” A dance is the “static and kinetic succession[] of bodily movement in certain rhythmic and spatial relationships.” ., 789 F.2d 157, 161 (2d Cir. 1986) (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECON I D d). § 450.01). The Office defines choreography as the composition and arrangement of “a related series of dance movements and patterns organized into a coherent whole.” (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.03(a)).
By definition, choreography is a subset of dance. As such, a work of authorship cannot be registered as a choreographic work unless it is comprised of dance steps, dance movements, and/or dance patterns. However, the term choreography is not synonymous with dance. The legreisplraitnivteed h iins tory for the 1976 Copyright Act clearly states that “‘choreographic works’ do not include social dance steps and simple routines.” H.R.
REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5667; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 52 (1975). For a detailed discussion of the distinction between choreography on the one hand, and social dances and simple routines on the other, see Sections 805.4 and
805.5 below.
805.2 Elements of Choreographic Works
Choreographic works typically contain one or more of the elements described below, although the presence or absence of a given element is not determinative of whether a particular dance constitutes choreography.
805.2(A) Rhythmic Movement in a Defined Space Choreography is executed through the physical movement of a dancer’s body. Specifically, a choreographic work directs the rhythmic movements of one or more dancers’ bodies in a defined sequence and a defined spatial environment, such as a stage.
Chapter 800 : 73 12/22/2014 805.2(B) Compositional Arrangement Horgan A choreographic work “represents a related series of dance movements and patterns” organized into an integrated, coherent, and expressive compositional whole. , 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.03(a)). As discussed in Section 805.5(B)(3), odred minianrimy imsotor activities, functional physical activities, competitive events, and the like do not satisfy this requirement because they are not dance movements. LSiekeewise, movements and dance steps do not satisfy this requirement, because they do not contain a sufficient amount of choreographic authorship. Section 805.5(A).
805.2(C) Musical or Textual Accompaniment Choreography is usually accompanSieeed H boyr ag asnpecific musical composition, although in some cases it may be accompanied by the recitation of a literary work, such as a poem, or it may be performed in silence. , 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.01).
The accompaniment for a choreographic work typically provides an established rhythm or theme for the work. In some cases, cSheoereographic works may be intended to express—through bodily movement—the themes or emotions conveyed by a specific musical composition or literary work. U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, COPYRIGHT IN CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKS, at 93 n.2 (1961) (“COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28”) (“Choreography is commonly devised to be performed with music; the dance may be intended to express a theme suggested by the music, or the music may be intended to heighten the dramatic effect of the dance.”). 805.2(D) Dramatic Content See A choreographic work may present a story or theme or it may be an abstract composition. U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, REPORT OF THE REGISTER OF COPYRIGHTS ON THE GENERAL REVISION OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW 17 (COMM. PRINT 1961) (“We see no reason why an ‘abstract’ dance, as an original creation of a choreographer’s authorship, should not be protected as fully as a traditional ballet presenting a story or theme.”). Choreographic works often tell a story, develop characters or themes, and convey dramatic concepts or ideas through a sequence of bodily movements presented in an integrated, compositional whole. “Choreographic works of this character are typified by ballets.” COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 101.
A choreographic work may convey dramatic action through specific dance movements and physical actions, even though it does not tell a story or follow a narrative structure. “[M]any ‘modern’ dances, as distinguished from traditional ballets, are no doubt creative works of authorship; and although nIdo. ‘story’ may be readily evident in a dance of the ‘modern’ variety, the dance movements are expected to convey some thematic or emotional concept to an audience.”
By contrast, choreographic works published prior to January 1, 1978 cannot be registered unless the work tells a story, develops a character, or expresses a theme or Chapter 800 : 74 12/22/2014 emotion by means of specific dance movementsS aened i dphysical actions. Choreography was not mentioned in the 1909 Act, and as a result, dances movements could be registered only if the work qualified as a “dramatic work.” . at 94. For a discussion of these requirements, see Chapter 2100, Section 2122.3.
805.2(E) Presentation Before an Audience Choreographic works are typically performed before an audience. By contrast, social dances are not intended to be performed for an audience; they are typically performed for the personal enjoyment of the dancers themselves. As discussed in Section 805.5(B), this is one of the distinctions between choreography (which is eligible for copyright protection) and social dances (which do not constitute copyrightable subject matter). 805.2(F) Execution by Skilled Performers See Choreographic works are typically performed by skilled dancers. COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 100. As discussed in Section 805.5(B), this is one of the distinctions between choreography (which is eligible for copyright protection) and social dances (which do not constitute copyrightable subject matter). As a general rule, social dances are not created for professional dancers; they are intended to be performed by the general public. While ballroom dances, line dances, and similar movements generally can be performed by members of the public, choreographic works typically cannot.
805.3 Fixation of Choreographic Works
805.3(A) The Work Must Be Fixed in a Tangible Medium of Expression The U.S. Copyright Office may register a claim to copyright in a choreographic work, provided that the specific movements constituting the work have been fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). As a general rule, the work should be fixed in a visually perceptible form, because choreography involves the physical movements of a dancer’s body which are visually perceived. 805.3(B) Capacity for Uniform Performance A choreographic work should be fixed in a form that reveals “the movements of the dance in sufficient detail to permit the work to be performed therefrom.” COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 103. In other words, the specific movements and physical actions that constitute the choreographic work should be fixed in a form that allows the work to be performed in a consistent and uniform manner.
805.3(C) Improvisation The U.S. Copyright Office may register a choreographic work if the work has been fixed in a visually perceptible form that allows the dance movements to be perceived and performed by dancers, even if the choreographer left some room for improvisation or if some improvisation is iSneteended in the performance of the work. It is not possible to copyright an improvised dance if the improvisation has not been fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). For example, the Office may refuse to Chapter 800 : 75 12/22/2014 register a work that sSiemeply directs the performer to improvise a dance based on a particular theme or otherwise does not illustrate, depict, or describe the dancers’ specific movements. COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 102-03 (“It is doubtful, at best, whether the Federal statute could extend copyright protection to a work presented only in a performance and not recorded in some tangible form of ‘writing.’”). 805.3(D) Forms of Fixation for Choreographic Works 805.3(D)(1) Dance Notation Dance notation may be used to represent the precise movement of the dancers in a choreographic work. ESxeaem gpelneesr oafl ldyance notation systems include Labanotation (which employs abstract symbols), Benesh Dance Notation (which employs stick figures), among other systems. Ann Hutchinson Guest, CHOREO-GRAPHICS: A COMPARISON OF DANCE NOTATION SYSTEMS FROM THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT (1989).
While dance notation may be used to fix a choreographic work, the notational system itself is a system that is not eligible for copyright protection under Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act.
805.3(D)(2) Audiovisual Recordings A choreographic work may be embodied in a motion picture or other audiovisual recording, such as a music video.
805.3(D)(3) Textual Descriptions, Photographs, Drawings, Illustrations, or the Like A choreographic work may be fixed with a textual description, photographs, drawings, or any combination of the foregoing, provided that the descriptSieoen Hiso srpgeacnific enough to identify the precise movements of the dancers and provided that the description is sufficiently detailed to serve as directions for its performance. , 789 F.2d at 163 (noting that photographs “may communicate a great deal” about a choreographic work, such as “a gesture, the composition of dancers’ bodies” as well as “the moments before and after the split second recorded.”).
805.4 Copyrightable Authorship in Choreographic Works
The U.S. Copyright Office may register a claim to copyright in a choreographic work, provided that (i) the work is a dance; (ii) the dance constitutes copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act; (iii) the dance contains a sufficient amount of choreographic authorship; and (iv) the dance was created by a human author for human performers. These requirements are discussed in Sections 805.4(A) through 805.4(C).
805.4(A) Copyrightable Subject Matter Horgan As the Second Circuit observed in , “[d]ance is static and kinetic successions of bodily movement in certain rhythmic and spatial relationships,” while choreography is Chapter 800 : 76 12/22/2014 the composition and arrangement of “a related series of dance movements and patterns organized into a coherent whole.” 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) §§ 450.01, 450.03(a)).
When evaluating a claim to copyright in choreography, the registration specialist will use objective criteria to determine whether the work is a dance that constitutes copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act. In making this determination, the specialist will focus on the intrinsic nature of the work, rather than the specific performance that is reflected in the deposit copy(ies). The primary criteria that the specialist will consider are set forth in Section 805.2. These elements are found in most choreographic works, although the presence or absence of a particular element may not be determinative.
When Congress extended copyright protection to choreographic works, it did not intend to protect all forms of dance or movement. Instead, it used the term “choreographic work” in contrast to non-compositional dances, such as social dances or simple dance routines. Examples of dances and bodily movements that do not constitute copyrightable subject matter are discussed in Section 805.5(B) below. 805.4(B) Choreographic Authorship “As a fundamental premise, copyright presupposes an original intellectual creation of authorship.” COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 100. In the case of a choreographic work, originaHl aourtghaonr,ship requires the composition and arrangement of “a related sseerei es of dalasnoce movements and patterns” organized into an integrated, coherent, and expressive whole. 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.03(a)); Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. 37,605, 37,607 (June 22, 2012). The U.S. Copyright Office may register a choreographic work, provided that the dance contains a sufficient amount of choreographic authorship that was created by the choreographer. The registration specialist will use objective criteria to determine whether a choreographic work satisfies these requirements by reviewing the information provided in the application and by examining the deposit copy(ies), including the individual elements of the work as well as the dance as a whole. The specific criteria that the specialist will consider are set forth in Section 805.2 above. The specialist will not consider subjective criteria that have no bearing on whether the originality requirement has been met, such as the author’s intent, the aesthetic value, artistic merit, or intrinsic quality of the dance, or the symbolic meaning or commercial impression of the dance.
Examples of dances and bodily movements that do not satisfy the originality requirement are discussed in Section 805.5(A) below.
805.4(C) Human Performance Required The Copyright Act protects “original works of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). To qualify as a work of authorship a choreographic work must be created by a human being and it must be intended for execution by humans. Dances performed or intended to be performed by animals, machines, or other animate or inanimate objects are not copyrightable and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Chapter 800 : 77 12/22/2014 805.4(D) Choreographic Works That Incorporate De Minimis Dance Steps, Social Dances, Simple Routines, or Other Uncopyrightable Movements As discussed in Section 805.5(B), social dances, simple routines, and other uncopyrightable movements cannot be registered as separate and distinct works of authorship, even if they contain a substantial amount of creative expression. Nevertheless, uncopyrightable movements may be used as the building blocks for a choreographer’s expression, in much the same way that words and short phrases provide the basic material for writers. Choreographic works that incorporate social dance steps,S seiem Hpoler graonutines, or even athletic exercises may be protected by copyright, provided that the work as a whole contains a sufficient amount of choreographic authorshEixpa. mple: , 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.06). Tango de Janeiro José Eduardo da Silva created the choreography for a complex dance production titled, . One of the dances in the production incorporates an extensive number of steps and routines from a social dance. While the overall production could be registered as a choreographic work, the U.S. Copyright Office would reject a claim limited to the adapted social dance.
805.5 Uncopyrightable Dances and Dance Steps
The U.S. Copyright Office is charged with administering the provisions of the Copyright Act and with issuing regulations for the administration of the copyright system that are consistent with the statute. 17 U.S.C. §§ 701(a), 702. The Office has no authority to register claims to copyright in material that falls outside the scope of federal statutory protection. Some of the more common types of uncopyrightable dances are discussed in Sections 805.5(A) and 805.5(B). These examples are overlapping in the sense that a dance step or routine falling within one category may also fall within other categories described in that Section.
805.5(A) De minimis Movements and Dance Steps As discuHssoerdg ainn Section 805.1, choreography is the composition and arrangement of “a related series of dance movements and patterns organized into a coherent whole.” , 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.03(a)).I dIn.dividual movements or dance steps by themselves are not copyrightable, such as the basic waltz step, the hustle step, the grapevine, or the second position in classical ballet. (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.06). Likewise, the U.S. CoCpfyright Office cannot register short dance routines consisting of only a few movements or steps with minor linear or spatial variations, even if the routine is novel or distinctive. . 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a). The individual elements of a dance are not copyrightable for the same reason that individual words, numbers, notes, colors, or shapes are not protected by the copyright law. Individual dance steps and short dance routineSs eaer eH othrge abnu,ilding blocks of choreographic expression, and allowing copyright protection for these elements would impede rather than foster creative expression. 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.06).
Chapter 800 : 78 12/22/2014 Examples:
805.5(B) Social Dances, Simple Routines, and Other Uncopyrightable Movements Congress expressly recognized choreography as one of the categories of copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act. The legislative history indicates that “the technical term ‘choreographic works,’ as used in the context of copyright, may refer both to the dance itself as the conception of its author to be performed for an audience, and to the graphic representation of the dance in the form of symbols or other writing from which it may be comprehended and performed.” COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 93. Although Congress did not define this “technical term” in the statute, it does not have the same meaning as “choreography,” which is often used as a noun or verb for any type of dRainchcea rodr IaIrI.tistic display, as in “The square dance caller provides the choreography that the dancers follow” or “The company staged a well-choreographed production of ”
When Congress extended federal copyright protection to choreography, it intended to protect expressive works of authorship, such as ballet or modern dance. However, Congress did not intend to protect all forms of dance or morevperminetnetd. Tinhe legislative history specifically states that “choreographic works do not include social dance steps and simple routines.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5667; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 52 (1975).
The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register a claim to copyright in social dances or simple routines, because they do not constitute copyrightable subject matter. For the same reason, the Office cannot register a claim to copyright in ordinary motor activities, functional physical movements, competitive events, feats of physical skill or dexterity, or the like. Congress gave federal courts the flexibility to interpret the scope of the existing subject matter categories, but only Congress has the authority to create entirely new categories of authorship. “If the federal courts do not have the authority to establish new categories of subject matter, it necessarily follows that the Office also has no such authority in the absence of any clear delegation of authority to the Register of Copyrights.” Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,607. The fact that a dance or movement may contain more than a trivial amount of original authorship is irrelevant to this determination. Social dances, simple routines, and other Chapter 800 : 79 12/22/2014 uncopyrightable movements are not “choreographic works” under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act. As such, they cannot be registered, even if they contain a substantial amount of original, creative expression. For the same reason, the Office cannot register derivative social dances, derivative simple routines, or the like. A dance that is merely an adaptation of a social dance or simple routine is also considered a social dance or simple routine that does not qualify as a choreographic work under Section 102(a)(4) of the Act.
The dividing line between copyrightable choreography and uncopyrightable dance is a continuum, rather than a bright line. At one extreme are ballets, modern dances, and other complex works that represent a related series of dance movements and patterns organized into a coherent compositional whole. At the other extreme are social dances, simple routines, and other uncopyrightable movements described in Sections 805.5(B)(1) through 805.5(B)(3) below. Many works fall somewhere in between. The registration specialist will use objective criteria to determine whether a particular work falls on one side of the continuum or the other. The primary criteria that the specialist will consider are set forth in Section 805.2. The presence or absence of a particular element is not determinative. Instead, the specialist will consider the intrinsic nature of the work, including its individual elements as well as the work as a whole, to determine whether it is the type of dance that constitutes copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act.
805.5(B)(1) Simple Routines See Congresrse mpraidntee idt cinlear that there is a distinction between “choreographic works” on the one hand and simple routines on the other. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5667 (“‘choreographic works’ do not include social dance steps and simple routines”); S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 52 (1975). Choreographic works are eligible for copyright protection, but simple routines are not. The dividing line between copyrightable choreography and a simple routine is a continuum, rather than a bright line. The U.S. Copyright Office may register complex dances consisting of a related series of dance steps, movements, and patterns organized into a coherent compositional whole. By contrast, the Office cannot register simple routines. For example, it is not possible to copyright a seriSeese of dance movements that constitute a relatively small part of a theatrical performance, such as a discrete routine within a variety show, dance contest, or other exhibition. COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 100.
805.5(B)(2) Social Dances See Congresrse mpraidntee idt cinlear that there is a distinction between “choreographic works” on the one hand and social dances on the other. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5667 (“‘choreographic works’ do not include social dance steps and simple routines”); S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 52 (1975). Choreographic works are eligible for copyright protection, but social dances are not. Examples of social dance include the following:
Chapter 800 : 80 12/22/2014 Ballroom dances.
• Swing dances.
Choreographic works are compositions that are intended to be performed by skilled dancers, typically for the enjoyment of an audience. By contraesxte, csuotceiadl bdyances are intendpeedrf otor mbee dp feorrformed by members of the general public for their own personal enjoyment. In other words, “social dances are intended to be the public, not to be the public as audience.” COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 100. Performing a social dance is often a participatory, social experience, while the performance of a choreographic work is an expressive act that is typically intended toS ee bide. performed for the enjoyment of others. Whereas social dances are generally capable of being performed by members of the public, choreographic works typically cannot. at 93, 100.
If a social dance could be considered a choreographic work under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act, every individual who performed that dance in public would infringe the rights of the copyright owner. Unlike singing a song in the shower or whistling a tune in a car (which would be considered a private performance), social dances are usually performed in public by members of the general public. In other words, these types of dances are typically performed at places that are open to the public or at social functions where a substantial number of people outside the normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances are gathered. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “perform or display a work ‘publicly’”).
Given the express language in the House and Senate Reports concerning the meaning of the term “choreographic works” and given the absence of any limitation on the public performance right with respect to dance, the Office has concluded that social dances do not consEtixtuatme pcloep: yrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act. Seymour Winkler created a line dance for a song titled “The Slip,” which was featured in a famous music video. The dance consists of a few steps, a turn, a hop, and a snap, which is then repeated in different directions. “The Slip” is often performed at weddings and other social occasions, and members of the general public often perform Seymour’s line dance when the song is played. The U.S. Copyright Office would refuse to register this line dance, because it is a social dance that is commonly performed by members of the public as a participatory social activity (rather than a theatrical performance for the enjoyment of an audience).
Chapter 800 : 81 12/22/2014 805.5(B)(3) Ordinary Motor Activities, Functional Physical Activities, Competitive Events, Feats of Physical Skill or Dexterity, and Other Uncopyrightable Movements Choreography and pantomime are the only types of works comprised exclusively of bodily movements that are eligible for copyright protection under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act. Because choreography is a subset of dance, a work of authorship cannot be registered as a choreographic work unless it is comprised of dance steps, dance movements, and/or dance patterns.
“Functional physical movements” and “ordinary motor activities” — in and of themselves — do not represent the type of authorship that Congress intended to protect as choreography. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,607. The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register a claim to copyright in functional physical movements that merely implement an idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which the movements may be described, explained, or illustrated. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). A work may be precluded from registratioSne aes B ai kfuranmct’iso Ynoagl asy Csotellmeg eo ro pf Irnodcieas,s L i.fP t. hve. Epvaorltaictiuolna rY mogoav, eLmLCe,nts and the order in which they are performed purportedly improve one’s health or physical or mental condition. 2012 U.S. Dist.
LEXIS 177671, at *9-13 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 14, 2012) (quoting the Office’s policy statement concerning the registration of compilations from Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,607). Examples of functional physical movements that cannot be registered with the Office include exercise routines, aerobic dances, yoga positions, and the like.
The Office cannot rSeegeister claims to copyright in athletic activities or competitive events, because they do not constitute copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the CopyErxigahmtp Alecst:. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,607. • Football plays.
• Synchronized swimming.
• Cheerleading routines.
Marching band routines.
These types of activities are typically performed by skilled players for the enjoyment of an audience and in some cases they may be accompanied by music or narrative text provided by a play-by-play announcer. However, competitive activities are comprised of Chapter 800 : 82 12/22/2014 athletic maneuvers rather than dance steps, and the focus of the action often involves the movement of a ball or other inanimate object, rather than the rhythmic movement of a dancer’s body. Competitive activities lack the capacity for uniform performance because each contest usually involves a different set of maneuvers, they lack compositional arrangement because athletic movements are rarely organized into a coherent comSpeeositional whole, and any dramatic content involves the “drama” of the competition rather than a story that is told or a theme that is evoked by the players’ movements. COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 95 (noting that “the narrative description of a fictitious sporting contest . . . [has] been held not dramatic and denied the public performance rights accorded to dramatic compositions” under the 1909 Act). For similar reasons, the Office cannot register feats of physical skill or dexterity or other choreographed productions that do not involve the rhythmic movement of a dancer’s body. Examples:
See id. Fight sequencseese oarls moartial arts routines. at 95 n.13 (1961); Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,607.
805.6 Derivative Choreographic Works
A derivative choreographic work is a work that is based on or derived from one or more preexisting works, regardless of whether the preexisting work is a choreographic work, a pantomime, or any other type of work listed in Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act. Typically, derivative choreography is a new version of a preexisting choreographic work or an entirely new work that combines preexisting choreography with a substantial amount Eoxf anmewpl ems:a terial. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). • Don Quixote.
The new authorship that the choreographer contributed to the derivative work may be registered, provided that it contains a sufficient amount of original choreographic authorship. Specifically, the new material that the choreographer contributed to the work must be independently created and it must contain a sufficient amount of creativity. Simply making minor changes or trivial additions to a preexisting choreographic work does not satisfy this requirement. Moreover, simply adding Chapter 800 : 83 12/22/2014 movements to a social dance will not alter the nature of the work as an uncopyrightable social dance.
805.7 Compilations
The Copyright Act defines a compilation as “a work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
Typically, the author of a compilation selects the preexisting material that is included in the compilation, the author classifies, categorizes, or groups these elements into particular sequences, and the author decides how these elements should be arranged within the compilation as a whole. A compilation may be registered if the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of preexisting material was independently created and if the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement contains a sufficient amount of creativity.
Unlike other categories of authorship, such as literary works, musical works, pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, audiovisual works, and sound recordings, the mere de mseilneicmtiiosn, coordination, and arrangement of bodily movements does not necessarily result in the creation of a choreographic work, even if the work contains more than a number of dance movements. As discussed in Section 805.4(HDo),r agna nexpressive dance composition may qualify as a choreographic work if it “represents a related series of dance movements and patterns organized into a coherent whole.” , 789 F.2d at 161 (quoting COMPENDIUM (SECOND) § 450.03(a)). As a general rule, classical ballet and modern abstract dance are considered choreographic works, because they objectively constitute an expressive compositional whole. By contrast, many combinations of dance steps or other physical movements do not satisfy this requirement. See To be copyrightable, a compilation of movements or steps must fall within one or more of the categories of copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a). Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,606. While a compilation of dance steps may satisfy the criteria for a “choreographic work,” a compilation of social dances, simple routines, or other uncopyrightable movements may not satisfy these criteria when considered individually or in the aggregate. If the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of steps or movements does not result in an expressive compositional whole, the compilation does not constitute copyrightable subject matter Chapter 800 : 84 12/22/2014 under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act, and as such, cannot be registered as a choreographic work.
805.8 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with choreographic works.
805.8(A) Choreographic Works Embodied in Dramatic Works or Audiovisual Works The choreography in a musical, a music video, or a motion picture may be registered as a choreographic work (or as a contribution to a dramatic work or audiovisual work), provided that the dance contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable authorship and provided that the dance is claimed as a distinct form of authorship in the application. If an applicant submits an application to register a choreographic work embodied in a dramatic work or an audiovisual work, the registration only extends to the copyrightable choreography disclosed in that work.
NOTE:
805.8(B) Choreographic Work Combined with a Musical Work If the claimant owns the copyright in a choreographic work and the musical accompaniment for that work, the music should be separately claimed in the application. If the claimant does not own the copyright in the musical accompaniment, that element of the work should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
805.8(C) Capacity for Uniform Performance As discussed in Section 805.3(D)(3), a choreographic work may be embodied with a textual description, photographs, drawings, or any combination of the foregoing, provided that the deposit copy(ies) identify the precise movements of the dancers and is sufficiently detailed to serve as directions for the performance of the dance. If the deposit copy(ies) is not sufficiently specific or if it is so general and lacking in detail that the dance could not be performed therefrom, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse to register the dance as a choreographic work. In some cases, it may be possible to register a textual description as a literary work if the application asserts a claim in “text” and it may be possible to register a photograph or drawing as a work of the visual arts if the applicant asserts a claim in “artwork.” In both cases, tSheee registration would extend to the description, depiction, or illustration of the movements, but the movements themselves would not be registered as a choreographic work. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,607. Chapter 800 : 85 12/22/2014 Example:
The scope of protection for such works does not extend to the movements themselves, either individually or in combination with each other. Instead, the claim is limited to the expressive description, depiction, or illustration of the movements, to the extent that they constitute a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, a literary work, or an audiovisual work. For instance, making an unauthorized reproduction of a video recording that depicts an athletic competition may infringe the audiovisual expression in that recording. Likewise, making an unauthorized reproduction of a textbook that describes the steps for performing a social dance or simple routine may infringe the textual expression in thaSt ebeook. However, publicly performing a social dance, a simple routine, or an athletic competition that is depicted in a video recording or a book would not be an infringement. COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, at 100 n.45 (“A narrative or graphic description of a social dance, as in a book designed to teach the dance, might be copyrighted; but the copyright, while affording protection against the reproduction of the description in its narrative or graphic form, would not extend to the execution of the dance.”).
805.9 Application Tips for Choreographic Works
When registering a claim in a choreographic work using the online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Performing Arts” as the “Type of Work.” When registering a claim using a paper application, the applicant should complete Form PA. Chapter 800 : 86 12/22/2014 The applicant should provide the name of the choreographer who created the choreographic authorship that appears in the work and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material. The Performing Arts Division may accept a claim in “choreography” or “dance,” provided that the work is a choreographic work under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act and provided that it contains a sufficient amount of choreographic expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the box marked “Other” that appears in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form PA, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections
618.4 and 621.8.
805.10 Deposit Requirements for Choreographic Works
As discussed in Section 805.3, choreographic works may be fixed with dance notation, an audiovisual recording, a textual description, or any other tangible medium of expression that is sufficient to identify the applicant’s claim to copyright in the choreography and to allow the U.S. Copyright Office to examine the work for copyrightable authorship.
For a discussion of the deposit requirements for choreographic works, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(D).
806 Pantomimes This Section discui.seses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for the examination of unpublished pantomimes and pantomimes first published on or after January 1, 1978 ( ., the date that pantomimes became a category of authorship subject to federal copyright protection).
806.1 What Is a Pantomime?
The Copyright Act recognizes pantomime as a distinct category of copyrightable authorship. 17 U.S.C. § 1r0ep2r(ian)t(e4d) .i nThe statute does not define “pantomime.” However, the legislative history states that this term has a “fairly settled meaning[].” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 53 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5666-67; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 52 (1975).
Pantomime is the art of imitating, presenting, or acting out situations, characters, or events through the use of physical gestures and bodily movements. Long before Congress extended federal copyright protection to pantomimes, the Supreme Court recognized that a silent performance is worthy of copyright protection if it qualifies as a dramatic work. As Justice Holmes observed: “[D]rama may be achieved by action as well as by speech. Action can tell a story, display all the most vivid relations between men, and dKeapliecmt e Cvoe. rvy. Hkianrdp eorf Bhuromsan emotion, without the aid of a word. It would be impossible to deny the title of drama to pantomime as played by masters of the art.” ., 222 U.S. 55, 61 (1911).
Chapter 800 : 87 12/22/2014 Pantomimes and choreographic works are separate and distinct forms of authorship. The physical movements in a pantomime tend to be more restricted than the movements in a choreographic work, while pantomime uses more facial expressions and gestures of the hands and arms than choreography. Unlike a choreographic work, a pantomime usually imitates or caricatures a person, situation, or event. While choreography is typically performed with a musical accompaniment, pantomime is commonly performed without music or measured rhythm.
806.2 Elements of Pantomimes
Pantomimes typically contain one or more of the elements described below, although the presence or absence of a given element is not determinative of whether a particular work constitutes a pantomime.
806.2(A) Movements and Gestures in a Defined Space Pantomime is executed through the physical movement of a performer’s body. Specifically, a pantomime directs the performer’s movements, gestures, and facial expressions in a defined sequence and a defined spatial environment, such as a stage. 806.2(B) Compositional Arrangement A pantomime represents a related series of movements, gestures, and facial expressions organized into an integrated, coherent, and expressive compositional whole. 806.2(C) Silent Action Pantomime is typically performed without dialog. The sounds that accompany the work (if any) may include sound effects or a musical accompaniment that accentuate the performer’s actions or compliment the work as a whole. However, a claim in the pantomime itself does not extend to such music or sounds. 806.2(D) Dramatic Content A pantomime may present a story or theme or it may be an abstract composition. Pantomimes often tell a story, develop characters or themes, and convey dramatic concepts or ideas through a sequence of gestures and bodily movements. They may be performed either with or without makeup, masks, costumes, scenery, or props. A pantomime first published prior to JanuCafr.y 1, 1978 cannot be registered unless the work tells a story, develops a character, or expresses a theme or emotion by means of specific movements and physical actions. U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COPYRIGHT OFFICE See DST a U ly D Y v .N P O a.l 2m8e, ra,t 95 (1961). Pantomime was not mentioned in the 1909 Act, and as a result, this type of work could only be registered if it qualified as a “dramatic work.” 6 Fed. Cas. 1132, 1136 (C.C.S.D.N.Y. 1868) (No. 3,552) (holding that written directions for movements and gestures conveying an original story sequence may be protectable as a dramatic composition).
Chapter 800 : 88 12/22/2014 806.2(E) Presentation Before an Audience By definition, a pantomime is a work that is intended to be performed before an audience.
806.3 Fixation of Pantomimes
806.3(A) The Work Must Be Fixed in a Tangible Medium of Expression The U.S. Copyright Office may register a claim to copyright in a pantomime, provided that the specific movements, gestures, and facial expressions constituting the work have been fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). As a general rule, the work should be fixed in a visually perceptible form, because pantomime involves the physical movements of a performer’s body which are visually perceived. 806.3(B) Capacity for Uniform Performance A pantomime should be fixed in a form that depicts or describes the movements, gestures, and facial expressions in sufficient detail to permit the work to be performed. In addition, the specific movements and physical actions that constitute the pantomime should be fixed in a form that allows the work to be performed in a consistent and uniform manner. AnSye ceo Kpayl eomr phonorecord that satisfies this requirement will suffice, such as a written description of the work or an actual performance of the work captured in a motion picture. , 222 U.S. at 61 (“The essence of the matter . . . is not the mechanism employed, but that we see the event or story lived.”). 806.3(C) Improvisation The U.S. Copyright Office may register a pantomime, even if the author left some room for improvisation or if some improvisation is intended in the performance of the work. However, it is not possible to copyright an improvised pantomime if the improvisation has not been fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). For example, the Office will refuse to register a work that simply directs the performer to improvise a pantomime based on a particular theme or otherwise does not illustrate, depict or describe the performer’s specific movements.
806.3(D) Forms of Fixation for Pantomimes Unlike choreoSgereaphy, pantomimes are not fixed using a specific form of symbolic notation, although a dance notation system could conceivably be used for notating this type of work. Section 805.3(D)(1).
806.4 Copyrightable Authorship in Pantomimes
The U.S. Copyright Office may register a claim to copyright in a pantomime, provided that the work constitutes copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act and provided that it contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. Chapter 800 : 89 12/22/2014 806.4(A) Copyrightable Subject Matter When evaluating a claim to copyright in a pantomime, the registration specialist will use objective criteria to determine whether the work constitutes copyrightable subject matter. In making this determination, the specialist will focus on the intrinsic nature of the work, rather than the specific performance that is reflected in the deposit copy(ies). The primary criteria that the specialist will consider are set forth in Section 806.2. These elements are found in most pantomimes, although the presence or absence of a particular element may not be determinative.
Examples of movements, gestures, and facial expressions that do not satisfy this requirement are discussed in Section 806.5(B).
806.4(B) Pantomime Authorship Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co “To qualify for copyright protection, a work must be original to the author.” ., 499 U.S. 340, 345 (1991). In the case of a pantomime, original authorship requires the composition and arrangement of a related series of movements, gestures, and facial expressions organized into an integrated, coherent, and expressive whole.
The U.S. Copyright Office may register a pantomime, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of creative authorship that was created by the author of that work. The registration specialist will use objective criteria to determine whether a pantomime satisfies these requirements by reviewing the information provided in the application and by examining the deposit copy(ies), including the individual elements of the work as well as the pantomime as a whole. The specific criteria that the specialist will consider are set forth in Section 806.2 above. The specialist will not consider subjective criteria that have no bearing on whether the originality requirement has been met, such as the author’s intent, the aesthetic value, artistic merit, or intrinsic quality of the work, or the symbolic meaning or commercial impression of the work.
Examples of movements, gestures, and facial expressions that do not satisfy this requirement are discussed in Sections 806.5(A).
806.4(C) Human Performance Required The CoKpaylreimght Act protects “original works of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). To qualify as a work of authorship, a pantomime must involve “the real pantomime of real men.” , 222 U.S. at 61-62. Pantomimes performed by animals, robots, machines, or any other animate or inanimate object are not copyrightable and cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.
806.4(D) Pantomimes That Incorporate Uncopyrightable Movements, Gestures, and Facial Expressions As discussed in Section 806.5, stock gestures, common techniques, ordinary motor activities, and other uncopyrightable movements cannot be registered as separate and distinct works of authorship, even if they contain a substantial amount of creative expression. Nevertheless, uncopyrightable movements may be used as the building Chapter 800 : 90 12/22/2014 blocks for a pantomime, in much the same way that notes and short musical phrases provide the basic material for a composer. Pantomimes that incorporate stock gestures, ordinary moSteoer Taectllievri tvie. sD, oogrg eeven athletic exercises may be protected by copyright, provided that the work as a whole contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. , 110 U.S.P.Q.2d 1302, 1306 (D. Nev. 2013) (“While [defendant] is correct that magic tricks are not copyrightable,... the mere fact that a dramatic work or pantomime includes a magic trick, or even that a particular illusion is its centrEaxl afematpuler:e does not render it devoid of copyright protection”). • Waiting for Sam Irwin Williams created a complex pantomime titled, . At one point in the production the performer pretends to walk down a flight of stairs while using a partition to conceal his movements from the audience. While the overall production could be registered as a pantomime, the U.S. Copyright Office would reject a claim limited to this standard technique.
806.5 Uncopyrightable Pantomimes
The U.S. Copyright Office is charged with administering the provisions of the Copyright Act and with issuing regulations for the administration of the copyright system that are consistent with the statute. The Office has no authority to register claims to copyright in material that falls outside the scope of federal statutory protection. Some of the more common types of uncopyrightable movements are discussed in Sections 806.5(A) and 806.5(B).
806.5(A) De Minimis Movements As discussed in Section 806.1, pantomime is the art of imitating, presenting, or acting out situations, characters, or events through the use of movements, gestures, and facial expressions. Individual movements, gestures, or expressions by themselves are not copyrightable. Likewise, the U.S. Copyright Office cannot register a pantomime consisting of a few stock gestures, movements, or facial expreCsfs. ions with minor linear or spatial variations, such as pretending to be stuck inside an invisible box or using stiff arms and legs to suggest the movement of a mechanical doll. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a). 806.5(B) Ordinary Motor Activities, Functional Physical Activities, Competitive Events, Feats of Physical Skill or Dexterity, and the Like Choreography and pantomime are the only types of works comprised exclusively of bodily movements that are eligible for copyright protection under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act. Functional physical movements and ordinary motor activities — in and of themselves — do not represent the type of authorship that Congress intended to protect as choreography or pantomime. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37,607.
The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register a claim to copyright in functional physical movements that merely implement an idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which the Chapter 800 : 91 12/22/2014 movements may be described, explained, or illustrated. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). A work may be precluded from registration as a funcBtiikornaaml s’sy Ystoegma Coor lplergoec eosf sI nifd tiah,e L p.Pa.r vti. cEuvloalra tion mYoogvae, mLLeCn,ts and the order in which they are performed purportedly improve one’s health or physical or mental condition.
The Office cannot rSeegeister claims to copyright in athletic activities or competitive events, because they do not constitute copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a)(4) of the CopyErxigahmtp Alecst:. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37607. • Golf swings.
These types of activities are typically performed for the enjoyment of an audience. However, competitive activities are comprised of athletic maneuvers rather than artistic movements, gestures, or facial expressions, and the focus of the action often involves the movement of a ball or other inanimate object, rather than the movement of the performer’s body. Competitive activities lack the capacity for uniform performance because each contest usually involves a different set of maneuvers, they lack compositional arrangement because athletic movements are rarely organized into a coherent compositional whole, and any dramatic content involves the “drama” of the competition rather than a story that is told or a theme that is evoked by the players’ movements.
For similar reasons, the Office cannot register feats of physical skill or dexterity that do not involve the physical movement of a performer’s body in an integrated, coherent, and expressive compositional whole, such as magic acts, circus acts, juggling, fight sCef.quences, or the like.
NO. 28, at 95 n.13 (noting that magic, juggling, and acrobatics were not copyrightable under the 1909 Act).
Chapter 800 : 92 12/22/2014
806.6 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with pantomimes.
806.6(A) Pantomime Combined with a Literary Work or Musical Work If the claimant owns the copyright in a pantomime and the textual or musical accompaniment for that work, the music or text should be separately claimed in the application. If the claimant does not own the copyright in the accompaniment, that element of the work should be excluded from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
806.6(B) Capacity for Uniform Performance As discussed in Section 806.3, a pantomime may be embodied in a visually perceptible form, provided that the deposit copy(ies) identifies the precise movements, gestures, and facial expressions of the performer and provided that it is sufficiently detailed to serve as directions for the performance of the work.
If the deposit copy(ies) is not sufficiently specific or if it is so general and lacking in detail that the pantomime could not be performed therefrom, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse to register the work as a pantomime. In some cases, it may be possible to register a textual description as a literary work if the application asserts a claim in “text” and it may be possible to register a photograph or drawing as a work of the visual arts if the applicant asserts a claim in “artwork.” In both caseSse,e the registration would extend to the description, depiction, or illustration of the movements, but the movements themselves would not be registered as a pantomime. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. at 37607.
806.7 Application Tips for Pantomimes
When registering a claim in a pantomime using the online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Performing Arts” as the “Type of Work.” When registering a claim using a paper application, the applicant should complete Form PA. The applicant should provide the name of the author who created the pantomime authorship that appears in the work and the applicant should provide the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in that material.
The Performing Arts Division may accept a claim in “pantomime,” “mime,” or even “dumb show,” provided that the work is a pantomime under Section 102(a)(4) of the Copyright Act and provided that it contains a sufficient amount of original expression. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the box marked “Other” that appears in the Author Created field, and if applicable, also in the New Material Included field. When completing a paper application on Form PA, this information should be provided in space 2, and if applicable, also in space 6(b). For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections
618.4 and 621.8.
Chapter 800 : 93 12/22/2014
806.8 Deposit Requirements for Pantomimes
To register a pantomime with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should deposit a copy of the work that is sufficient to identify the applicant’s claim to copyright in the pantomime and to allow the Office to examine the work for copyrightable authorship. For a discussion of the deposit requirements for pantomimes, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(D).
807 Audiovisual Works
807.1 What Is an Audiovisual Work?
The Copyright Act defines audiovisual works as “works that consist of a series of related images which are intrinsically intended to be shown by the use of machines or devices such as projectors, viewers, or electronic equipment, together with accompanying sounds, if any, regardless of the nature of the material objects, such as films or tapes, in which the works are embodied.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
T• ypes of audiovisual works include:
• Motion pictures.
• Arcade games and videogames.
• Karaoke displays.
• Applications designed for mobile phones and tablets.
• Banner advertisements.
• Webinars.
• Slide presentations.
• Multimedia kits that have an audiovisual component.
807.2 Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Other Types of Works
807.2(A) Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Motion Pictures Motion pictures are a type of audiovisual work. In describing the categories of copyrightable authorship, Section 102(a)(6) of the Copyright Act draws a distinction between motion pictures and other audiovisual works. Likewise, the Office generally uses the term “audiovisual works” to refer to audiovisual works other than motion pictures, and assigns motion pictures to a separate team of registration specialists. For information on motion pictures, see Section 808.
Chapter 800 : 94 12/22/2014 807.2(B) Sounds Accompanying Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Sound Recordings There is a legal distinction between the “soundtrack” of an audiovisual work and a “sound recording.” The statutory definition of a sound recording specifically states that this category does not include “sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Thus, when registering a claim in the soundtrack for an audiovisual work, the applicant should state “sounds,” “soundtrack,” or “sounds accompanying an audiovisual work” in the application, rather than “sound recording.” For further information concerning sound recordings, see Section 803. 807.2(C) Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Visual Art Works Audiovisual works often include visual art works, namely pictorial and graphic images. Audiovisual works are distinguished from visual art works in that the images in an audiovisual woSreke (i) must be in a series, (ii) must be related, and (iii) must be intended to be shown by the use of a machine or device. Visual art works have no such requirements. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “audiovisual works”). For information regarding the copyrightability and registrability of pictorial and graphic works, see Chapter 900.
807.2(D) Audiovisual Works Distinguished from Literary Works Audiovisual works may include text and a screen display comprised solely of teSxet emay constitute an “image” within an audiovisual work. The statutory definition of a literary work specifically states that this category does not include audiovisual works. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (defining “literary works” as “works, other than audiovisual works”). Thus, continuous text, such as the text of a book, magazine, journal, or other literary work appearing on the screen of a device such as a tablet or karaoke machine would not be considered an audiovisual work.
For information regarding the copyrightability and registrability of literary works see Chapter 700.
807.3 Elements of Audiovisual Works
807.3(A) Visual Authorship Any kind of visually perceptible images, such as photographs, artwork, and text, or a combination thereof, may satisfy the requirement that an audiovisual work contain visually perceptible material. The series of related images may appear on succeeding screens (such as a slide presentation) or as images in motion (such as a videogame). 807.3(B) Series of Related Images See, e.g., Midway AM akneyu fealcetmureinntg oCfo a. uvt. hAorrtisch Iinpt ienr naant aioundailo, vIniscual work is that the images must have some connection to one another and must be displayed as a series. th ., 704 F.2d 1009, 1011 (7 Cir. 1983)
Chapter 800 : 95 12/22/2014 (construing series of related images “to refer to any set of images displayed as some kind of unit”). A slide presentation created as a cohesive work, for instance, is a series of images, while a single slide or unorganized group of random slides is not. 807.3(C) Intrinsic Use of Machine or Device A key element of an audiovisual work is that the images must be “intrinsically intended to be shown by the use of machines or devices.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “audiovisual works”). Such machines and devices include disc and video cassette players, electronic devices that play digital files, such as computers, tablets, and mobile phones, and machines with dedicated hardware, such as videogame consoles. For example, a slide show or slide presentation qualifies as an audiovisual work, in part, becaSuesee, iet. gr.e, qLueairdessi nag perro, Ijencct. ovr. BoMr cGo Mmupsuicte Pru tbol ivsiheiwng t.he series of images as intended. By contrast, a series of photographs intended to be displayed together on a wall does not. , 512 F.3d 522, 528 (9th Cir. 2008)
(concluding that a karaoke display is an audiovisual work because “the visual representation of successive portions of song lyrics” projected by the machine onto a television screen constitutes a series of related images and because a machine is required to display the lyrics on cue).
807.3(D) Single, Integrated Work The authorship in an audiovisual work generally is considered a single, integrated work and must be registered as a whole, with the possible exception of a computer program or musical score that was not created with the intention of being part of the audiovisual work. For this reason, the individual elements of authorship in an audiovisual work generally cannot be registered as separate works.
807.3(E) Aural Authorship An audiovisual work may, and often does, include aurally perceptible authorship in the form of recorded words, music, and sounds. Aurally perceptible authorship, however, is not a required element in a copyrightable audiovisual work. 807.3(E)(1) Soundtrack The term “soundtrack” refers to the accompanying sounds of an audiovisual work, which may include spoken text, sound effects, background music, or musical compositions. Generally, the soundtrack and the audiovisual work constitute a single, integrated work.
807.3(E)(2) Physical Integration of Sounds When sounds are present in an audiovisual work, they do not need to be physically integrated with the visual element in order to be considered “accompanying sounds.” Most contemporary audiovisual works contain physically integrated sounds. For example, the soundtrack of a motion picture or the sounds of a videogame are considered integrated sounds. By contrast, sounds are considered non-physically Chapter 800 : 96 12/22/2014 integrated if the images and the sounds are fixed on separate objects, such as a filmstrip with a separate compact disc containing the narration that accompanies the still images.
807.4 Fixation of Audiovisual Works
• Videogame discs and cartridges for consoles with dedicated hardware. Server hosted digital files.
807.5 Copyrightable Authorship in Audiovisual Works
An audiovisual work must contain a sufficient amount of original and creative human authorship tSoe eb eA tcaorpiy Graigmhetas bCloer. pT. hve. Ovmisuanal material, the aural material, and the flow of the work as a whole will be evaluated in determining whether the work can be registered. , 979 F.2d 242, 245 (D.C. Cir. 1992) (Ginsburg, J.) (stating that the Office should focus on “the flow of the game as a whole… ‘the entire effect of the game as it appears and sounds’…[and] the sequential aspect of the work”) (citations omitted).
807.5(A) Independent Creation An audiovisual work must originate from the author of that work to be protected by copyright. An audiovisual work that is merely copied from another source is not copyErxigahmtapblel:e .
807.5(B) Creative Expression An audiovisual work must contain a sufficient amount of creative expression in the form of a series of related images.
Chapter 800 : 97 12/22/2014 Example:
807.5(C) Human Authorship An audiovisual work must contain creative human authorship. An audiovisual work created through a purely mechanical process, or generated solely by preexisting softwareE ixsa nmoptl ceo: p yrightable.
807.6 Derivative Audiovisual Works
A new version of a preexisting audiovisual work also may qualify as a derivative work, provided that the revisions, additions, deletions, or other modifications, taken as a whole, cEoxnasmtitpultees :a new work of authorship.
Chapter 800 : 98 12/22/2014 When completing an application for a derivative work, the applicant should identify and exclude the preexisting material from the claim and describe the new authorship that the author contributed to the preexisting work. The applicant also should limit the claim if the derivative work contains material created by others that is not a part of the claim. For guidance on these procedures, see Chapter 600, Section 621. For general information regarding derivative works, see Chapter 500, Section 507.
807.7 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues involving certain types of audiovisual works.
807.7(A) Videogames 807.7(A)(1) Videogames Distinguished from Computer Programs Generally, a videogame contains two major components: the audiovisual material and the computer program. The audiovisual material of a videogame may be registered apart from the computer program that runs the game. When the audiovisual material and the computer program are both owned by the same entity, they may be registered together on one application.
An application to register a videogame should clearly state whether the claim extends to the computer program, the audiovisual material, or both components. If the authorship is described simply as “videogame,” the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the scope of the claim is unclear from the deposit material. For example, if the deposit material does not include source code for the computer program, the claim will extend only to the audiovisual material.
807.7(A)(2) One Videogame, Multiple Platforms Videogames are commonly released on several different platforms. Applicants often attempt to register each platform separately. Generally, when Stheee same work is published in different versions, the Office will issue separate registrations for each version only if they contain separable copyrightable material. Chapter 500, Section 512.
If there are copyrightable differences in the audiovisual material (or the computer program) for each platform, the Office may issue a separate registration for each version. In this situation, the deposit material for each version should show some of the differences. In addition, the applicant should confirm, either in the Note to Copyright Office field or in a cover letter, that the audiovisual material (or computer program) differs between versions. If the applicant does not provide such a statement, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether the versions contain copyrightable differences.
If the differences do not appear in the audiovisual content, but instead appear solely in the computer programming that is used to achieve compatibility with the hardware Chapter 800 : 99 12/22/2014 and/or software for a particular device, console, platform, or operating system, the applicant should register only one version of the audiovisual work. This version will cover the copyrightable content in the other versions. For guidance in registering multiple versions of a computer program that generates a videogame, see Chapter 700, Section 721.8.
NOTE:
807.7(B) Karaoke Displays Karaoke displays may be registered as audioSveiesual works if they contain a series of images other than scrolling preexisting lyrics. A display containing only scrolling preexistEinxga msopnlge: l y rics is not copyrightable. Section 807.2(D). A karaoke display combining original scenic views of Los Angeles, scrolling lyrics to the Jerry Newfeld song “I Love Cake,” and the melody of that song constitutes a copyrightable audiovisual work (provided that the use of the song and the images is lawful). 807.7(C) Apps for Computers, Tablets, or Mobile Phones Apps may constitute audiovisual works. Many apps contain a significant amount of preexisting artwork, such as icons. In such cases the preexisting material should be identified and excluded from the application, and the claim should be limited to the new copyrightable authorship. If the preexisting material has not been identified on the application, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to request that the claim be limited to the new copyrightable authorship. See The new copyrightable authorship should be described as “audiovisual material,” rather than “app” or “computer app.” Section 807.8(B).
807.7(D) Banner Advertisements Some banner advertisements are comprised of images and words that flash or scroll (using Java- or flash-based script) across a small window. Banner advertisements also may be comprised simply of images, text, and a link. The Office will consider the work as a whole to determine whether it contains sufficient copyrightable expression. When registering a banner advertisement with an online application the applicant should state “audiovisual material” in the Author Created/Other field, and if applicable, in the New Material Included/Other field.
As a general rule, applicants should not select the box marked “entire motion picture.” If the advertisement contains a copyrightable series of images, but does not impart an impression of motion, or if the work lacks sufficient authorship as a “motion picture,” Chapter 800 : 100 12/22/2014 the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant and request that the authorshEixpa bmep dleess:c ribed as “audiovisual material” rather than “entire motion picture.” Michael Williams submits an application to register his claim in a banner advertisement that he created for a local activist organization. The authorship is described as “audiovisual material.” The deposit consists of short, textual phrases that alternate and zoom in and out with a mouse click. Michael’s original song plays in the background. The claim to copyright in this work will be accepted because the work, as a whole, contains a sufficient amount of • copyrightable authorship.
807.7(E) Slide Presentations A slide presentation is a series of stills on a computer screen, videodisc, or videotape intended to be viewed as a single cohesive work, such as a PowerPoint presentation. If the work contains preexisting visual or aural material, that material should be identified and excluded from the claim, and the claim should be limited to the new copyrightable authorship.
807.8 Application Tips for Audiovisual Works
This Section provides basic information on how to complete the online and paper applications for an audiovisual work, as well as terms to use and terms to avoid when describing the authorship in such works.
For detailed information on how to complete an application, see Chapter 600. 807.8(A) Type of Work When registering a claim in an audiovisual work using an online application, the applicant should select “Motion Picture / AV Work” as the Type of Work. When using a paper application, the applicant should use Form PA.
Many works that contain audiovisual material also contain literary and visual arts authorship, and sometimes it is difficult to determine which type of work should be specified in the application. This is particularly true for CD-ROMs, multimedia works, and website content. As a general rule, the applicant should select the type of work that is appropriate for the predominant form of authorship in the works. For example, a Chapter 800 : 101 12/22/2014 videogame that is primarily audiovisual should be registered as a “Motion Picture / AV Work.” A CD-ROM that contains a collection of photographs should be registered as a visual art work. A website that predominantly contains text should be registered as a literary work.
807.8(B) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space When completing an online application, the applicant should describe the authorship that will be submitted for registration, either by checking one or more of the box(es) in the Author Created field or by providing an appropriate statement in the box marked “Other.” When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in the Nature of Authorship space. The applicant should only describe authorship that was created by the author(s) named in the application, and is contained in the deposit copy(ies).
The boxes in the Author Created field are typically used to describe the authorship in a motion picture. Therefore, the applicant should consider using the box marked Other to describe the authorship in an audiovisual work. As a general rule, the Office will accept the following statements, provided that they accurately describe t•h e copyrightable authorship being claimed:
• Audiovisual material.
• Computer program.
• Computer program including screen displays.
• Text and video clips in a website.
• Audiovisual material and computer program.
In describing the authorship, the applicant should avoid using unclear, non-specific terms such as “website” or “computer app.” The applicant should not refer to uncopyrightable or unregistrable aspects of the work, such aSse e“format” or “layout.” When registering a computer program, the applicant should not refer to the program’s functions, features, physical form, hardware, or algSoereithms. Chapter 700, Section 721.9(J). The applicant also should avoid using the term “sound recording” to describe the sounds or soundtrack of an audiovisual work. Sections 807.3(E)(2) and 807.2(B).
NOTE:
807.9 Deposit Requirements for Audiovisual Works
For information concerning the deposit requirements for audiovisual works, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.2(E).
For some types of audiovisual works, the applicant may deposit identifying material instead of submitting a complete copy of the work. If the applicant uses the term “audiovisual” to describe the authorship in the work, the registration specialist will examine the deposit copy(ies) for audio and visual material. If the applicant uses specific terms, such as “music” or “sounds,” the specialist will examine the deposit copy(ies) for that type of authorship. Thus, if the applicant submits identifying material in lieu of the entire work, the identifying material should contain the authorship that is specifically claimed in the application. Otherwise, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to discuss the extent of the claim.
808 Motion Pictures
808.1 What Is a Motion Picture?
The Copyright Act defines motion pictures as “audiovisual works consisting of a series of related images which, when shown in succession, impart an impression of motion, together with accompanying sounds, if any.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
808.2 Motion Pictures Distinguished from Other Types of Works
808.2(A) Motion Pictures Distinguished from Audiovisual Works Motion pictures are a subset of audiovisual works. Thus, an audiovisual work may or may not be a motion picture. It is possible for a series of related images to be embodied in a medium that is traditionally used for motion pictures, such as film or videotape, without imparting an impression of motion. In such cases, the work is considered an audiovisual work, but not a motion picture. For example, a series of related photographs or drawings embodied in film stock would not be considered a motion picture unless, when shown, the images give an impression of motion.
When an applicant asserts a claim in a “motion picture,” the registration specialist will examine the material deposited to determine if the images impart some kind of motion. If the material submitted contains only still images, the specialist will request that the applicant change the authorship statement to “audiovisual material.” NOTE:
808.2(C) Motion Pictures Distinguished from Underlying Works Sometimes an applicant submits a copy of a motion picture in order to register the “underlying work” that is recorded in the motion picture, such as the script, a musical work, choreography, pantomime, or artwork. In such cases, the motion picture is simply the medium used to “fix” the underlying work. The copyright owner of the underlying work may or may not be the copyright owner of the motion picture. If the copyright owner of the motion picture owns the rights in the underlying work, and the entire motion picture is being registered for the first time, the applicant should register all copyright claims in the motion picture and the underlying work(s) with one application.
If the copyright owner of an underlying work is not the same as the copyright owner of the motion picture, then the claim in the underlying work should be registered with a separate application.
The underlying work also should be excluded from an application to register a motion picture if the underlying work was registered prior to the completion of the motion picture or was published in advance of the motion picture.
808.3 Elements of Motion Pictures
808.3(A) Impression of Motion Required Motion pictures are audiovisual works that contain a series of images which are shown in a certain successive order in such a way that imparts the impression of motion. Such an impression of motion may be accomplished by action that is captured by the camera, such as the performance of one or more actors, or the movement of fire in a fireplace, by animation, or by incorporating certain cinematic techniques, such as panning (the movement of the camera from one set point to another in a horizontal plane) or zooming (a camera shot in which the magnification of the objects by the camera lens is increased or decreased).
Chapter 800 : 104 12/22/2014 808.3(B) Device Needed for Viewing reprinted in The series of related images are “by their nature, intended for showing by means of projectors or other devices.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 56 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5669; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 54 (1975). Such devices may include disc and cassette players, as well as electronic equipment and devices that play digital files, such as computers and cell phones.
808.3(C) Sound Not Required While moving images are reSqeeuired for a work to be considered a motion picture, sounds are not required. If the work contains sound, the soundtrack is considered an integral part of the motion picture. Section 808.4(J).
808.3(D) Single, Integrated Work A motion picture, including its production, direction, cinematography, performances, and editing, is a single, integrated work. Generally, a motion picture must be registered as a whole, with the possible exception of the screenplay and musical score. The individual elements that comprise a motion picture cannot be registered apart from the work as a whole. For example, one actor’s performance in a television show may not be registered apart from the rest of the motion picture.
808.4 Elements of Motion Picture Authorship
808.4(A) Production Production is an all-inclusive term for the various operations involved in movie making, particularly during the phase in which the principal photography occurs. Production authorship includes important decision-making about all aspects of the motion picture that affects the outcome of the final motion picture, including writing, directing, camera work, and editing.
808.4(B) Direction Direction refers to the creative aspects, both interpretive and technical, used in a motion picture production. Direction may include orchestrating the action in front of the camera, guiding the acting and dialog, controlling the camera position and movement, selecting the sound and lighting, and overseeing the editing, all of which contribute to the finished motion picture.
808.4(C) Cinematography Cinematography is the art of motion picture photography in which moving images are captured. The chief cinematographer for a motion picture often is called the director of photography.
808.4(D) Performance Performance refers to the acting, speaking, singing, or dancing in a motion picture. Chapter 800 : 105 12/22/2014 808.4(E) Animation Animation is the rapid display of a series of steil.lg images to create an illusion of motion. Animation can be produced with hand-drawn art, computer generated images (CGI), special effects, or three-dimensional objects ( ., puppets or clay figures), or a combination of these elements.
808.4(F) Screenplay or Script The screenplay is the written text upon which a motion picture production is based. The screenplay often is broadly interpreted during filming or taping, and rarely reaches the screen without modification.
808.4(G) Works That Precede a Screenplay or Script A screenplay or script is often preceded by a proposal, synopsis, and treatment. A discussion of these works is set forth below.
808.4(G)(1) Textual Proposal A proposal is a usually a text-based document specifically created to sell a motion picture or television concept to producers and/or investors. In addition to the text, these documents may contain a cover page with artwork and/or photographs, contact information, a proposed budget, and biographies of the writer(s), director, producer(s), and star actor(s).
808.4(G)(2) Synopsis A synopsis is a summary of the major plot points and description of the characters of a script or a motion picture. Generally, they are a page or two in length. 808.4(G)(3) Treatment A treatment is a document consisting of a summary of the major scenes of a proposed movie or television show and descriptions of the main characters, possibly including some dialog. A treatment is generally longer and more detailed than a synopsis. 808.4(H) Editing Editing is a part of the creative post-production process of filmmaking that involves working with raw footage, and selecting and combining shots into sequences to create a finished motion picture. For a discussion of editing as derivative motion picture authorship, see Section 807.2(B).
808.4(I) Musical Score The term “musical score” refers to music that accompanies a motion picture. Chapter 800 : 106 12/22/2014 808.4(J) Soundtrack The soundtrack refers to the accompanying sounds of a motion picture that may include dialog, sound effects, background music, Saened musical compositions. The soundtrack is an integral part of the motion picture and generally should be registered with the motion picture as a single, unified work. Motion Picture Soundtracks, 40 Fed. Reg. 12,500, 12,501 (Mar. 19, 1975). For exceptions to this rule and other related issues, see Sections 808.10(G) and 808.10(H) below.
808.5 Types of Motion Pictures
808.6 Fixation of Motion Pictures
Motion pictures are typically fixed in film, videotape, videodisc, or video files in a film, video, or digital format.
To be fixed, the motion picture must have been produced. Textual proposals, treatments, synopses, and screenplays of future motion pictures do not constitute fixations of motion pictures (although they may be fixations of text). 808.6(A) Film Format Film is a thin sheet or strip of flexible cellulose coated with a photosensitive emulsion. When the emulsion is sufficiently exposed to light it forms a latent image. Chemical processes can be applied to the film to create a visible image. The series of still images are then run through a projector and shown on a screen, creating the illusion of moving images. Films usually include an optical soundtrack, which is a visual representation of the sound waves for the spoken words, music, and other sounds intended to accompany the images. The soundtrack is located on a portion of the film that is not projected on the screen. Examples:
Chapter 800 : 107 12/22/2014 808.6(B)(1) Videodiscs A videodisc is a laser readable random-access disc containing both audio and video signals. VEixdaemopdliessc:s require dedicated players to be viewed. DVD Blu-ray disc 808.6(B)(2) Digital Video Files A digital video file contains audio and video signals that can be accessed using compatiEbxlea msopftlewsa: r e. A digital video file may be contained in a physical object. A CD-ROM or DVD-ROM A Digital Cinema Package (DCP)
808.6(B)(3) Videotape Videotape is a magnetic tape with a thin magnetizable coating on a long, narrow strip of plastic film containing recorded video and/or audio signals in an analog or digital form. Videotapes require dedicated players to be viewed.
Chapter 800 : 108 12/22/2014 Examples:
808.7 Copyrightable Authorship in Motion Pictures
808.7(A) Independent Creation A motion picture must originate from the author of that work to be protected by copyright. A motion picture that is merely copied from source is not copyrightable. 808.7(B) Creative Expression A motion picture must contain a sufficient amount of creative expression in the form of a series ofE sxeaqmupenletsi:a l images that convey motion. The applicant submits a video recording of a child’s birthday party. • The claim in motion picture will be registered.
808.7(C) Human Authorship A motion picture must contain creative human authorship. A motion picture created by a non-human author, created by a purely mechanical process, or generated solely by preexistEinxga msopftlews:a r e is not copyrightable.
808.8 Derivative Motion Pictures
A motion picture is considered a derivative work if it recasts, transforms, or adapts one or more preexisting works. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”). For example, a derivative motion picture may be based on a novel, a play, a painting, or other works of authorship. A new version of a preexisting motion picture may also qualify as a derivative work, provided that the revisions, additions, deletions, or other modifications, taken as a whole, constitute a new work of authorship. The author of a derivative motion picture must have permission to use the preexisting material if that mSaeteerial is protected by copyright, and the author must contribute a sufficient amount of new original authorship in order to register the new work as a derivative work. Chapter 300, Sections 311.2 and 313.6(B). When completing an application for a derivative motion picture, the applicant should identify and exclude the preexisting material from the claim and describe the new authorship that the author contributed to the preexisting work. The applicant also should limit the claim if the derivative motion picture work contains material created by others that is not a part of the claim. For guidance on these procedures, see Chapter 600, Section 621.
Common types of derivative work authorship in motion pictures are described in Sections 808.8(A) through 808.8(E). For general information regarding derivative works, see Chapter 500, Section 507.
808.8(A) Editing While every major motion picture includes editing as part of the authorship of the work as a whole, the term “editing” also may be used to describe the authorship involved in revising a preexisting motion picture, such as deleting scenes, reworking footage or the soundtrack, or adding new footage, artwork, sounds, or narration. For example, reworking a preexisting film for rerelease by making various cuts, adding outtakes, and adding new soundtrack material is a derivative work of the original film. Likewise, adding archival footage and photographs to a preexisting documentary is a derivative work of the original film.
808.8(B) Dubbed Soundtracks and Subtitled Motion Pictures When a work is first published abroad and later distributed in the United States, English subtitles are often added to the footage or the later version is dubbed into English. If the foreign version and the U.S. version are published on different dates, the subtitled or dubbed version is considered a derivative work that must be registered separately from the original film.
Chapter 800 : 110 12/22/2014 808.8(B)(1) Subtitles When completing an application for the foreign film the applicant should give the authorship, ownership, creation, and publication information for the original motion picture. In the application for the subtitled version the applicant should give the authorship, ownership, creation, and publication information for the subtitles and the preexisting motion picture should be excluded from the claim. 808.8(B)(2) Dubbed Soundtracks When completing an application for the foreign film the applicant should provide the authorship, ownership, creation, and publication information for the original motion picture. In the application for the dubbed version the applicant should give the authorship, ownership, creation, and publication information for the dubbed soundtrack and the preexisting motion picture should be excluded from the claim. 808.8(C) Closed and Open Captioning Television programs containing “closed captioning” enable the hearing-impaired population to read what the hearing audience can hear.
Creative authorship in closed captioning may include adapting, editing, and abridging the text that is spoken to make it fit onto a television screen. The text also may include references to particular sound effects and the musical background, as well as convey the actual sense of the dialog. Once the text has been adapted, it is encoded onto a DVD, videotape, or other storage medium.
With “open captioning,” the text is visible without the need for a special device. In some cases, the captioning is created simultaneously with the fixation, as in the case of a congressional hearing or judicial proceeding where a stenographer fixes and edits simultaneously.
808.8(D) Bonus Material Contained in DVD Applicants occasionally submit DVDs that contain bonus footage for a previously published or previously registered motion picture, such as outtakes from the original film and interviews with the director and actors. To register this type of work, the applicant should assert a claim in the “bonus footage” and should give the authorship, ownership, creation, and publication information for that material. The preexisting motion picture should be excluded from the claim. 808.8(E) Colorized Motion Pictures In 1987 the U.S. Copyright Office concluded that “some computer-colorized films may contain sufficient original authorship to justify registration,” and that the “general Chapter 800 : 111 12/22/2014 standard for determining whether the color added to a black and white motion picture is sufficient to merit copyright protection is the statutory standard that already applies to all derivative works.” Copyright Registration for Colorized Versions of Black and White Motion Pictures, 52 Fed. Reg. 23,443, 23,446 (June 22, 1987). Factors to consider •in determining whether the authorship in a colorized film is copyrightable include: Whether numerous color sections were made by a human author from a wide • selection of colors;
•T he applicant may use the following terms to assert a claim in a colorized film: • Colorization.
• Colorized version.
The applicant should give the authorship, ownership, creation, and publication information for the colorized film, and the preexisting black and white motion picture should be excluded from the claim.
When the Office registers a claim in colorization, the registration only extends to the new material, “that is, the numerous selections of color that are added to the original black and white film.” Copyright Registration for Colorized Versions of Black and White Motion Pictures, 52 Fed. Reg. at 23,446.
808.9 Compilations of Motion Pictures
A compilation of motion pictures is a work created by the selection and ordering of preexisting motion pictures. To be copyrightable, there must be sufficient originality in the selecEtxioanm, pcoleosr: d ination, and/or arrangement of the preexisting works. The owner of a syndicated television series submits an application to register a DVD containing the ten best shows from the series. The owner selected the shows and determined the order to include them on the DVD. If there is sufficient creative authorship, the Office • will register a claim in “compilation.”
A compilation also may result from the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of materialE wxaitmhipnle a: motion picture.
808.10 Registration Issues
This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with motion pictures.
808.10(A) Identifying the Author of a Motion Picture A number of people may be involved in making a motion picture, including the producer, director, writer, camera operator, editor, and others. In some cases, these individuals may jointly be co-authors of the work. But in most cases, an individual contributor is not considered the author of a motion picture under U.S. copyright law, because most motion pictures are created as a work made for hire. These issues are discussed below.
808.10(A)(1) Work Made for Hire Authorship As described in Section 801.7, a work made for hire is a work that is either (i) prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment, or (ii) specially ordered or commissioned for use in various types of works, including a motion picture. 17 U.S.C. § 101. When a work is “made for hire,” the employer or other party for whom the work was prepared is considered the author for copyright purposes. The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if it appears that the work maEdxea mfopr lhesir: e portion of the application has been completed incorrectly. An application for a major theatrical production names A&O Corporation as the author and the work made for hire question is answered “yes.” The production statement on the footage identifies Chapter 800 : 113 12/22/2014 the motion picture as “An A&O Corporation Production.” The • application will be accepted.
808.10(A)(2) Work Made for Hire Authorship and Foreign Motion Pictures The copyright laws of many foreign countries do not include a work made for hire provision. Therefore, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the applicant names an individual as the author of a foreign theatrical motion picture but does not indicate that the work was “made for hire.” 808.10(A)(3) Joint Authorship Under the Copyright Act, most motion pictures that are not works made for hire are considered joint works. As described in Section 801.6, a “joint work” is “a work prepared by two or more authors with the intention that their contributions be merged into inseparable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. For instance, the screenwriter, director, and cinematographer may be joint authors of a motion picture absent any agreement and assuming they each contributed a sufficient amount of original authorship to the work. The authors of a joint work are co-owners of the copyright in the entire work. In such cases, the authors’ contributions are not subject to separate registrations.
For a general discussion of joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505. Chapter 800 : 114 12/22/2014 808.10(A)(3)(a) Identifying the Authors of a Joint Work Generally, when a motion picture is a “joint work,” the applicant should name all of the authors of that work, although the Office will accept an application that names only the major author(s). The major authors of a motion picture are usually the producer or director. For certain works, the camera operator, animator, or performer also may be a major author, and an application that only specifies these forms of authorship may be acceptabElxea. m ples:
808.10(A)(3)(b) Clarifying Joint Authorship In some cases the applicant names two or more authors, but the motion picture does not appear to be a joint work. If so, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine whether the motion picture satisfies the statutory definition of a joint woErkx.a mples:
808.10(D) Missing Authorship Elements The applicant should describe the authorship that is included in the deposit copy that has been submitted to the Office. If the applicant includes a claim in an element that does not appear in the deposit, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicanEt xoarm mpaleys a: dd an annotation to the record to address the discrepancy. The applicant describes the work as “motion picture.” The deposit is merely a script. If it appears that a motion picture actually exists, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to resolve the variance. If it appears that a motion picture does not exist, the specialist may register the claim with an annotation, such • as: “Regarding authorship: Deposit contains script only.” The applicant submits a claim for a motion picture and includes a claim in “music.” The soundtrack appears to contain no music. The Chapter 800 : 116 12/22/2014 registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to locate the music, to determine if the copy is defective, or to ask if the term “music” should be removed from the application.
808.10(E) Redacted Screenplay for Motion Pictures in Production The Office will consider requests for special relief where the applicant wishes to submit a redacted version of a screenplay pending the publication of the motion picture. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 804.8(C). 808.10(F) Claims in Script with No Spoken Parts in the Motion Picture When an applicant includes a claim in “script” or “screenplay,” the registration specialist will assume that the work includes spoken parts, because this is the essence of most scripts. Occasionally, the Office receives scripts or screenplays that tell a story and include action, but do not contain any spoken parts. In this situation, the specialist may add an annotation to the record, such as: “Regarding authorship: Deposit contains no dialog” or “Regarding authorship: Deposit contains no spoken parts.” If the authorship is described solely as “script” or “screenplay” or if this is the sole contribution for one of the authors, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if the author(sE)x caomnptrleib: uted copyrightable authorship to the work. The applicant asserts a claim to copyright in “motion picture including screenplay.” The motion picture does not contain any words, although a story is clearly presented. The registration specialist will register the claim with an annotation, such as: “Regarding authorship: Deposit contains no dialog [or spoken parts].”
NOTE:
If the screenwriter independently created the script and then transferred the copyright to the party that owns the copyright in the motion picture, the script may be registered with the motion picture. In this situation, the screenwriter should be named as an aeu.gthor of the script, but not as a claimant. In addition, the applicant should provide a transfer statement that explains how the claimant obtained the copyright in the script ( ., “by written agreement”).
808.10(G)(2) Musical Compositions Contained in a Motion Picture Soundtrack A song or other musical composition may be incorporated into the soundtrack of a motion picture. The musical composition may be a preexisting work or it may be newly composed for the motion picture.
If the copyright in the motion picture and the copyright in the musical composition are separately owned, each work should be registered with a separate application. 808.10(G)(3) Separately Owned Sounds Contained in a Motion Picture Soundtrack In some cases, a recording of a song may be incorporated into the soundtrack of a motion picture. Often times the recording of the song is a previously published work and the copyright in the motion picture and the copyright in the recording are separately owned. If so, the motion picture and the sound recording should be registered with separate applications. When completing the application for the motion picture, the applicant should exclude the previously published sound recording from the claim by stating “sound recording” in the Material Excluded field or the Preexisting Work space, even though the recording is an integral party of the motion picture soundtrack. By contrast, if the recording of the song was first published in the motion picture, the recording is considered an integral part of the motion picture. As such, the applicant should submit one application covering both the motion picture and the recording of the song, rather than a separate application for the motion picture and the sound recording. 808.10(H) Issues Regarding Sound Recording Claims As discussed in Section 808.2(B), the term “sound recording” should not be used to describe authorship in a motion picture.
808.10(H)(1) Sounds Contained in One Format On occasion, an applicant submits a claim for a motion picture and mistakenly uses the term “sound recording” in the application. If it is clear from the registration materials that this term refers to the soundtrack of the motion picture rather than a separate sound recording, the registration specialist may register the claim with an annotation, such as: “Regarding authorship: Motion picture includes accompanying sounds, not a sound recording.”
Chapter 800 : 118 12/22/2014 808.10(H)(2) Sounds Contained in Two Different Formats As a general rule, the exact same recorded sounds cannot be registered as both a sound recording and as sounds accompanying a motion picture.
When the same sounds are published in different formats, such as a CD and a DVD, the applicant should decide whether to register the sounds as a sound recording or as sounds accompanying a motion picture. This determination may be based a number of factors, such as whether the copy or the phonorecord was registered or published before the motion picture. These issues are discussed in Sections 808.10(H)(2)(a) through 808.10(H)(2)(d).
808.10(H)(2)(a) Sounds Published on the Same Date If the same sounds are published on DVD and CD on the same day, and they contain the •sa me fixation of sounds:
808.10(H)(2)(b) Remixes If the sounds published on a CD are a remix of the sounds published in the motion picture, and if the publication date is the same for both works, the applicant may register both works with separate applications.
By contrast, if the motion picture was published before the CD, the claim in the remix should be limited to the new sound recording authorship that appears on the CD by stating “remixed sound recording” in the New Material Included field. In addition, the sounds from the motion picture should be excluded from the claim by stating “sounds from previously published motion picture” in the Material Excluded field. 808.10(H)(2)(c) Sounds Published on Different Dates If an applicant submits two applications for the same published sounds — one application for a motion picture submitted on a DVD and one application for a soundtrack album submitted on a CD — and if the applicant provides a different date of publication on each application, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
If the soundtrack album was published before the motion picture, the previously published album should be excluded from the claim in the motion picture. Chapter 800 : 119 12/22/2014 If the motion picture was published before the album and if the sounds on the album are taken directly from the motion picture soundtrack and have been reprocessed without change, the specialist will refuse to issue a separate registration for the album, because all of those sounds are covered by the registration for the motion picture. 808.10(H)(2)(d) Multimedia Kits A multimedia kit is a work that combines authorship in two or more forms of media (•e xcluding the container for the work). The authorship in a multimedia kit may include: Text Music Sounds Cinematography Photography Artwork Sculpture •T he forms of media in a multimedia kit may include:
• A phonorecord, such as an audio disc.
If the applicant submits an application for a multimedia kit that contains sounds fixed on a CD as well as sounds and video fixed on a DVD, and if the applicant asserts a claim in both “sound recording” and “motion picture,” the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if the CD and DVD contain the same fixation of sounds.
If the CD and DVD contain the same fixation, the specialist may ask the applicant to delete the term “sound recording” or replace it with the term “sounds” if they appear to be “sounds accompanying a motion picture” rather than a “sound recording.” By contrast, if the CD and DVD contain different fixations, the specialist may ask the applicant to exclude the motion picture soundtrack from the claim by revising the authorship statement to read “sound recording and motion picture excluCdirincugl saor u5n5d, s.” Copyright Registration for Multimedia Works For more information regarding the registration of multimedia kits, see (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ55.pdf).
Chapter 800 : 120 12/22/2014 808.10(I) Motion Pictures of Live Performances When a live performance is recorded on film, video, or other audiovisual medium, one work is captured and another work is created by the recording. For a musical performance, the work captured is the music and lyrics, if any. For a dramatic performance, the work captured is the dramatic work. In both instances, the work created by the recording is considered a motion picture, rather than a musical work or a dramatic work.
808.10(I)(1) Fixation of Live Musical Performances If a fixatioi.ne. of a live musical performance appears to be unlawful, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine whether it is an authorized fixation ( , a fixation made with the consent of the performer(s) and/or songwriter(s)).
808.10(I)(2) Fixation of Live Dramatic Performances As discussed in Section 808.2(C) a dramatic work, such as a stage play or musical, may be fixed in a motion picture and a motion picture may be used as the deposit copy for the dramatic work. Typically, the director of a stage production creates a concept for how a work should be realized on the stage, including the movements of the characters on stage. Concepts and ideas are not protected by copyright, and the ordinary movement of characters on a stage is not a copyrightable element. Therefore, the registration specialist will refuse to register a claim in bloSckeeing, stage business, staging, or stage directions for a dramatic work when these terms refer to the movement of actors or the manner or method of their acting. Sections 804.3(D)(1) and 804.3(D)(2). Likewise, if the applicant asserts a claim in the “motion picture,” the registration may cover the motion picture direction, but it will not cover the stage directions for the dramatic work.
808.10(J) Publication Issues The applicant should determine whether a motion picture has been published for registration purposes. The U.S. Copyright Office can provide general information about publication and the Office may ask for an explanation in certain cases, but the Office is not permitted to give specific legal advice. For more information on publication of copyrighted works, see Chapter 1900.
808.10(J)(1) Distribution to the Public A motion picture is distributed to the public when copies are sold or rented, or when film prints, videotapes, DVDs, or other formats are distributed to theaters, schools, or other organizations.
808.10(J)(2) Offering to Distribute An offering may constitute publication when copies of a motion picture are offered to a group of persons for the purpose of further distribution, public performance, or public display, regardless of whether the distribution, performance, or display actually occurs. Chapter 800 : 121 12/22/2014 For example, offering copies of a motion picture to a group of wholesalers, retailers, broadcasters, motion picture distributors, or exhibitors generally is considered publication. Likewise, the syndication of a television series generally is considered publication.
808.10(J)(3) Fixed Copies The statutory definition indicates that offering to distribute copies constitutes publication, provided that the copies exist when the offer is made. Offering to distribute copies before they exist or before they are ready for further distribution, public performance, or public display does not constitute publication. Thus, making an offer to distribute a motion picture or television show before or during the production of that work does not constitute publication, because the work is not completely fixed at the time of the offering. Once an offer has been made, however, a work is considered published once the work has been completed. In the case of an offer involving a television series that has not been completed, the publication date will be the same for the episodes that were completed as of the date that the offer was made and the publication date for the rest of the episodes will be the date that each episode is completed.
808.10(J)(4) Publication of Underlying Works The publication of a motion picture constitutes publication of all the underlying works used in tMhea lmjaoctki oPnr opdiuctcutiroen. sT Ihnucs. ,v a. UscArVe eCnoprpla.y, musical score, or other underlying work are published to the extent that they are embodied in a published motion picture. , 964 F. Supp. 1416, 1421 (C.D. Cal. 1997)
(stating that the publication of a film publishes all underlying works embodied in a film, including the screenplay).
808.10(K) Restored Copyrights in Foreign Motion Pictures If a motion picture published in a foreign country fell into the public domain in the United States for any reason (such as publication without a copyright notice) the copyright in that work may have been restored as of January 1, 1996 under the GATT-URAA amendment to the copyright law. For works of Canada and Mexico published between January 1, 1978 and before March 1, 1989, restoration may have occurred as of January 1, 1995 under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These topics are discussed in Sections 808.10(K)(1) and 808.10(K)(2). 808.10(K)(1) The 1994 Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
On DecemSebeer 8, 1994, the U.S. copyright law was amended in accordance with the intellectual property provisions of the 1994 Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA). Pub. L. No. 103-465, 108 Stat. 4809 (1994) (codified as amended at 17 U.S.C. §§ 104A, 1101). This amendment provides for the automatic restoration of copyrights in certain foreign works that are in the public domain in the United States, but are not in the public domain in their source country through the expiration of the term of protection. The earliest effective date of restoration is January 1, 1996. The restoration amendment is codified in Section 104A of the copyright law and it Chapter 800 : 122 12/22/2014 supersedes the NAFTA amendment discussed below. Works from treaty countries whose copyrights have been restored may be registered on Form GATT. For information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 2000, Section 2007. 808.10(K)(2) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) In 1993, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Canada, and Mexico was implemented. Under NAFTA, the United States agreed to restore copyrights in certain motion pictures which entered thSee peublic domain in the United States because they were published without a copyright notice in Mexico and Canada on or after January 1, 1978 and before March 1, 1989. NAFTA, U.S. – Can. – Mex., annex. 1705.7, Dec. 17, 1992,107 Stat. 2057, 32 I.L.M. 289 (1993). To benefit from this agreement, a copyright owner had to file a notice of intent to enforce the restored copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office between January 1, 1994 and January 1, 1995. The notice was then published by the U.S. Copyright Office in the Federal Register. Restoration was effective on January 1, 1995. A list ofS meeotion pictures restored under NAFTA was posted in the Federal Register, and on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/fedreg/1995/60fr8252.html. Copyright Restoration of Certain Motion Pictures in Accordance with the North American Free Trade Agreement: List of Titles for Which Statements of Intent to Restore Copyright Were Received, 60 Fed. Reg. 8252 (Feb. 13, 1995).
Although the period for filing these notices has expired, copyright owners who filed such notices may continue to file applications to register these restored works. If a notice of intent to enforce the reSsteoered copyright was not filed in a timely manner, the work may have been restored effective January 1, 1996 under the URAA/GATT provisions of the copyright law. Chapter 2000, Section 2007.
808.11 Application Tips for Motion Pictures
This Section provides basic information on how to complete the online and paper applications for a motion picture, as well as terms to use and terms to avoid when describing such works.
For detailed information on how to complete an application, see Chapter 600. 808.11(A) Type of Work When registering a claim in a motion picture using the online application, the applicant should select “Motion Picture/AV Work” as the Type of Work. When submitting a paper application, the applicant should use Form PA.
808.11(B) The Work Made for Hire Field / Space Before completing the application, it is important to determine whether part or all of the motion picture was “made for hire.” For general information concerning works made for hire for motion pictures, see Sections 808.10(A)(1) and 808.10(A)(2). For a detailed discussion of this topic, see Chapter 500, Section 506. Chapter 800 : 123 12/22/2014 When a work is “made for hire,” the employer or other party for whom the work was p• repared is the legal author.
For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 614. 808.11(C) The Author Created Field and the Nature of Authorship Space When completing an online application, the applicant should describe the authorship that will be submitted for registration, either by checking one or more of the box(es) in the Author Created field or by providing an appropriate statement in the box marked “Other.” When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in the Nature of Authorship space.
To register the entire work using the online application, the applicant may select the box marked “entire motion picture.” To describe individual elements of the motion picture, t•h e applicant may select one or more of the following boxes: Production/Producer Direction/Director Cinematography/Cinematographer Editing/Editing Script/Screenplay For a definition and discussion of these terms, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(C). The “Other” box may be used to describe other types of authorship, such as “music.” These same terms may be used when completing the Nature of Authorship space in the paper application.
Chapter 800 : 124 12/22/2014 For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618. 808.11(D) Unclear Authorship Terms Generally, items used in set design, scenery, props, and costumes, are regarded as useful articles. The copyright law does not protect the design or sStyeeling of useful articles. If a useful article incorporates any separable and soereig ainlsaol artwork, such as graphics, pictures, or sculpture, only the artwork may be protected. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works”); Chapter 900, Section 924. In such cases, the authorship should be specifically described, such as “artwork on scenery” or “soft sculpture” (in the case of an animal costume).
These types of works often raise special issues that generally are handled by the Visual Arts Division. Therefore, if the applicant combines this type of authorship with a motion picture claim, the registration specialist may ask the applicant to prepare separate applications for the motion picture and the visual arts work. For more information, see Chapter 900, Section 924.
808.11(E) Unacceptable Authorship Terms The applicant should not use the following terms in the authorship description for a •m otion picture: See Blocking, stage directions, staging, stage business. Sections 804.3(D) and • 808.10(I)(2). See Concept, idea, format, layout, titles, styles of lettering, credits, characters. 17 • U.S.C. § 102(b); 37 C.SFe.Re. § 202.1.
• Executive ProduceSre. e Section 808.10(B).
• Sound Recording. Sections 808.2(B) and 808.10(H). See Medical Imaging, such as Ultrasound, CAT-scan and x-rays. Chapter 900, Section 924.3(D).
808.12 Deposit Requirements for Motion Pictures
The deposit requirements for motion pictures are complex. For information on registration and mandatory deposit requirements for these types of works, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1509.2(F) and 1511.9(D).
Chapter 800 : 125 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
903.1 Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works .................................................................................................................. 6 903.2 Architectural Works ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 904 Fixation of Visual Art Works ......................................................................................................................................... 6 905 Copyrightable Authorship in Visual Art Works ..................................................................................................... 8 906 Uncopyrightable Material ............................................................................................................................................... 9 906.1 Common Geometric Shapes ........................................................................................................................................... 9 906.2 Familiar Symbols and Designs ................................................................................................................................... 11 906.3 Colors, Coloring, and Coloration ............................................................................................................................... 11 906.4 Typeface, Typefont, Lettering, Calligraphy, and Typographic Ornamentation....................................... 13 906.5 Spatial Format and Layout Design ........................................................................................................................... 14 906.6 Mechanical Processes and Random Selection ..................................................................................................... 14 906.7 Naturally Occurring and Discovered Material ..................................................................................................... 15 906.8 Functional and Useful Elements ............................................................................................................................... 16 907 Derivative Visual Art Works ....................................................................................................................................... 16 907.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Derivative Works ................................................................................................. 16 907.2 Permission to Use Preexisting Material ................................................................................................................. 17 908 Jewelry ................................................................................................................................................................................ 17 908.1 What Is Jewelry?.............................................................................................................................................................. 17 908.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Jewelry ..................................................................................................................... 18 908.3 Application Tips for Jewelry ....................................................................................................................................... 18 909 Photographic Works ...................................................................................................................................................... 19 909.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Photographs ........................................................................................................... 19 909.2 Subject Matter of Photographs .................................................................................................................................. 20 909.3 Photographic Reproductions, Digital Copying, and Editing ........................................................................... 20 Chapter 900 : 1 12/22/2014 910 Games .................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 911 Characters .......................................................................................................................................................................... 22 912 Cartoons, Comic Strips, and Comic Books ............................................................................................................. 23 913 Trademarks, Logos, and Labels ................................................................................................................................. 25 913.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Trademarks, Logos, and Labels ...................................................................... 25 913.2 Application Tips for Trademarks, Logos, and Labels ........................................................................................ 26 914 Catalogs .............................................................................................................................................................................. 26 915 Retrospective Books and Exhibition Catalogs ..................................................................................................... 28 916 Art Prints and Reproductions .................................................................................................................................... 28 916.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Art Prints and Reproductions ......................................................................... 28 916.2 Application Tips for Art Prints and Reproductions ........................................................................................... 29 916.2(A) Distinguishing Art Prints and Reproductions from the Source Work and Identifying Material ............................................................................................................................................... 29 916.2(B) Authorship Unclear ........................................................................................................................................................ 30 917 Installation Art ................................................................................................................................................................. 30 918 Maps ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 918.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Maps .......................................................................................................................... 30 918.2 Derivative Maps............................................................................................................................................................... 31 919 Models, Including Three-Dimensional Reproductions and Scientific Models ......................................... 31 919.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Models ...................................................................................................................... 31 919.2 Application Tips for Models ........................................................................................................................................ 32 920 Patterns, Stencils, and How-To Books .................................................................................................................... 32 920.1 Patterns for Making Articles ....................................................................................................................................... 33 920.2 Stencils and Templates ................................................................................................................................................. 33 920.3 How-To Books, Project Books, and Crafts-Making Books ............................................................................... 33 920.4 Application Tips for Patterns, Stencils, and How-To Books ........................................................................... 33 921 Graphs, Charts, and Tables .......................................................................................................................................... 34 922 Technical and Scientific Drawings ........................................................................................................................... 35 923 Architectural Works ...................................................................................................................................................... 35 923.1 Architectural Works Distinguished from Technical Drawings ..................................................................... 36 923.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Architectural Works ............................................................................................ 36 923.2(A) Standard Configurations .............................................................................................................................................. 37 Chapter 900 : 2 12/22/2014 923.2(B) Functional Features ....................................................................................................................................................... 37 923.2(C) Building Designs Created Before December 1, 1990 ........................................................................................ 37 923.3 Application Tips for Architectural Works ............................................................................................................. 38 924 Registration Requirements for Useful Articles ................................................................................................... 38 924.1 What Is a Useful Article? .............................................................................................................................................. 39 924.2 Separability Tests for Useful Articles ...................................................................................................................... 39 924.2(A) Physical Separability ..................................................................................................................................................... 40 924.2(B) Conceptual Separability ............................................................................................................................................... 40 924.2(C) Factors Not Relevant in Evaluating Separability ................................................................................................ 41 924.3 Specific Types of Useful Articles ............................................................................................................................... 41 924.3(A) Clothing Designs .............................................................................................................................................................. 41 924.3(A)(1) Fabric and Textile Designs Embodied in Clothing or Other Useful Articles ............................................. 42 924.3(A)(2) Costumes ............................................................................................................................................................................ 42 924.3(A)(3) Decorative Masks ............................................................................................................................................................ 43 924.3(B) Blank Forms ...................................................................................................................................................................... 43 924.3(C) Measuring and Computing Devices ......................................................................................................................... 44 924.3(D) X-Rays, Medical Imaging, and Non-Medical Echo Sonography ..................................................................... 45 Chapter 900 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 900 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
• For guidance in completing the fields/spaces of a basic application, see Chapter 600. • For guidance on the filing fee, see Chapter 1400.
902 Visual Arts Division The U.S. Copyright Office’s Visual Arts Division (“VA”) handles the examination and registration of all visual art works. The registration specialists in VA have experience reviewing a variety of visual art works and specialize in these particular types of work. 903 What Is a Visual Art Work? For purposes of registration, the U.S. Copyright Office defines visual art works as (i) pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works, and (ii) architectural works. Chapter 900 : 5 12/22/2014
903.1 Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works
The most common types of visual art works are pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works. T• hese types oef. gw.orks include:
• Fine art ( , painting and sculpture).
• Graphic art. e.g.
• Applied art ( , art applied to an article).
• Photographs.
• Prints and art reproductions.
• Maps, globes, and other cartographic materials.
• Charts and Diagrams.
• Models.
• Technical drawings, including arceh.git.ectural plans. Works of artistic craftsmanship ( , textiles, jewelry, glassware, table service patterns, wall plaques, toys, dolls, stuffed toy animals, models, and the separable artistic features of two dimensional and three dimensional useful articles). 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works”). For information concerning specific types of pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works, see Sections 908 through 923.
Congress made it clear that pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works are subject to an important limitation, namely that useful articles and functional elements of pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works are not copyrightable unless they are physically or conceptually separable from the functional or useful elements of the work. For a definition and discussion of “useful articles,” see Section 924.
903.2 Architectural Works
The Copyright Act protects certain architectural works, which are defined as “the design of a building as embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including a building, architectural plans, or drawings.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. An architeIdctural work “includes the overall form as well as the arrangement and composition of spaces and elements in the design, but does not include individual standard features.” . For detailed information concerning architectural works, see Section 923.
904 Fixation of Visual Art Works A visual art work must be “fixed” in a “tangible medium of expression” to be eligible for copyright protection. 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). The authorship may be new or may consist of Chapter 900 : 6 12/22/2014 registrable derivative authorship. The basic requirement is that the work must be embodied in some form that allows the work to be “perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated for a period of more than a transitory duration.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “fixed”). The U.S. Copyright Office will register visual art works that are •e mbodied in a wide variety of forms, including:
• Canvas.
• Paper.
• Clay.
• Stone.
• Metal.
• Prints.
• Collages.
• Photographic film.
• Digital files.
• Holograms and individual slides.
• Art reproductions.
• Diagrams, patterns, and models.
While most visual art works are fixed by their very nature (e.g., a sculpture, a painting, or a drawing), there are some works that may not be sufficiently fixed to warrant registration. Specifically, the Office cannot register a work created in a medium that is not intended to exist for more than a transitory period, or in a medium that is constantly changing.
Most visual art works satisfy the fixation requirement, because the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material submitted with the application usually indicate that the work is capable of being perceived for more than a transitory duration. However, the fact that uncopyrightable material has been fixed through reproduction does not make the underlying material copyrightable. For example, a photograph of a fireworks display may be a copyrightable fixation of the photographic image, but the fireworks themselves do not constitute copyrightable subject matter. Similarly, a textual description of the Chapter 900 : 7 12/22/2014 idea for a painting may be a copyrightable fixation of the text, but it is not a fixation of the painting described therein.
As a general rule, applicants do not have to submit an original or unique copy of a visual art work in order to register that work with the Office. In most cases, applicants may submit photographs or other identifying materials that provide the Office with a sufficient representation or depiction of the work for examination purposes. When completing an application, applicants should accurately identify the work that is being submitted for registration, particularly when submitting identifying material. For example, if the applicant intends to register a sculpture and submits a photograph of the sculpture as the identifying material, the applicant should expressly state “sculpture” in the application. Otherwise, it may be unclear whether the applicant intends to register the photograph or the sculpture shown in the photograph. Before submitting identifying material for a published visual art work, applicants should consult the best edition requirements, which are liCstiercdu ilna rt h7eB “: BBeesstt EEddiittiioonn oSft aPtuebmliesnhte”d Cseotp fyorrigthh tined A Wppoernksd fixo rB t htoe PCaorllte 2ct0i2on osf otfh teh Oe fLfiicber’asr rye ogfu lations. The Best Edition SCtoantgermesesn t is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf). For specific deposit requirements for different types of visual art works, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.3. 905 Copyrightable Authorship in Visual Art Works The U.S. Copyright Office may register a visual art work (i) if it is the product of human authorship, (ii) if it was independently created (meaning that the work was not merely copied from another source), and (iii) if it contains a sufficient amount of original pictorial, graphic, sculptural, or architectural authorship. The Office reviews visual art works consistent with the general principles set forth in Chapter 300 (Copyrightable Authorship: What Can Be Registered), as well as the guidelines described in this Chapter.
In the case of two-dimensional works, original authorship may be expressed in a variety of ways, such as the linear contours of a drawing, the design and brush strokes of a painting, the diverse fragments forming a collage, the pieces of colored stone arranged in a mosaic portrait, among other forms of pictorial or graphic expression. In the case of three-dimensional works, original authorship may be expressed in many ways, such as carving, cutting, molding, casting, shaping, or otherwise processing material into a three-dimensional work of sculpture.
Likewise, original authorship may be present in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of images, words, or other elements, provided that there is a sufficient amount of creative expression in the work as a whole.
In all cases, a visual art work must contain a sufficient amount of creative expression. Merely bringing together only a few standard forms or shapes with minor linear or spatial variations does not satisfy this requirement.
Chapter 900 : 8 12/22/2014 The Office will not register works that consist entirely of uncopyrightable elements (such as those discussed in Chapter 300, Section 313 and Section 906 below) unless those elements have been selected, coordinated, and/or arranged in a sufficiently creative manner. In no event can registration rest solely upon the mere communication in two- or three-dimensional form of an idea, method of operation, plan, process, or system. In each case, the author’s creative expression must stand alone as an independent work apart from the idea which informs it. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). For more information on copyrightable authorship, see Chapter 300 (Copyrightable Authorship: What Can be Registered).
906 Uncopyrightable Material Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act states that copyright protection only extends to “original works of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). Works that have not been fixed in a tangible medium of expression, works that have not been created by a human being, and works that are not eligible for copyright protection in the United States do not satisfy this requirement. Likewise, the copyright law does not protect works that do not constitute copyrightable subject matter or works that do not contain a sufficient amount of original authorship.
The U.S. Copyright Office will register a visual art work that includes uncopyrightable material if the work as a whole is sufficiently creative and original. Some of the uncopyrightable elements that are commonly found in visual art works are discussed in Sections 906.1 through 906.8 below. For a general discussion of uncopyrightable material, see Chapter 300, Section 313.
906.1 Common Geometric Shapes
The Copyright Act does not protect common geometric shapes, either in two- dimensional or three-dimensional form. There are numerous common geometric shapes, including, without limitation, straight or curved lines, circles, ovals, spheres, triangles, cones, squares, squares, cubes, rectangles, diamonds, trapezoids, parallelograms, pentagons, hexagons, heptagons, octagons, and decagons. Generally, the U.S. Copyright Office will not register a work that merely consists of common geometric shapes unless the author’s use of those shapes results in a work that, as a whoElexa, ims psulefsf:i ciently creative.
Chapter 900 : 10 12/22/2014 The registration specialist will register this claim because it combines multiple types of geometric shapes in a variety of sizes and colors, culminating in a creative design that goes beyond the mere display of a few geometric shapes in a preordained or obvious arrangement.
906.2 Familiar Symbols and Designs
Familiar symbols and designs are not protected by the Copyright Act. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a). Likewise, the copyright law does not protect mere variations on a familiar symbol or design, either in two or three-dimensional form. For representative examples of symbols or designs that cannot be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, see Chapter 300, Section 313.4(J).
A work that includes familiar symbols or designs may be registered if the registration specialist determines that the author used these elements in a creative manner and that the workE xaas ma pwlehso: l e is eligible for copyright protection. Francis Ford created a sketch of the standard fleur de lys design used by the French monarchy. The registration specialist may refuse to • register this claim if the work merely depicts a common fleur de lys. Samantha Stone drew an original silhouette of Marie Antoinette with a backdrop featuring multiple fleur de lys designs. The registration specialist may register this work because it incorporates an original, artistic drawing in addition to the standard fleur de lys designs.
906.3 Colors, Coloring, and Coloration
Mere coloration or mere variations in coloring alone are not eligible for copyright protection. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a).
Merely adding or changing one or relatively few colors in a work, or combining expected or familiar pairs or sets of colors is not copyrightable, regardless of whether the changes are made by hand, computer, or some other process. This is the case even if the coloration makes a work more aesthetically pleasing or commercially valuable. For example, the Office will not register a visual art work if the author merely added relatively few colors to a preexisting design or simply created multiple colorized versions of the same basic design. Copyright Registration for Colorized Versions of Black and White Motion Pictures, 52 Fed. Reg. 23,443, 23,444 (June 22, 1987). Likewise, the Office generally will not register a visual art work if the author merely applied colors to aid in the visual display of a graph, chart, table, device, or other article. The Office understands that color is a major element of design in visual art works, and the Office will allow an applicant to include appropriate references to color in an application. For instance, if an applicant refers to specific colors or uses terms such as “color,” “colored,” “colors,” “coloring,” or “coloration,” the registration specialist Chapter 900 : 11 12/22/2014 generally will not reject the claim if the work contains a sufficient amount of creative authorshEixpa amspidlees f: r om the coloration alone.
906.4 Typeface, Typefont, Lettering, Calligraphy, and Typographic Ornamentation
As a general rule, typeface, typefont, lettering, calligraphy, and typographic ornamentatiSoene aidre not registrable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a), (e). These elements are mere variations of uncopyrightable letters or words, which in turn are the building blocks of expression. . The Office typically refuses claims based on individual alphabetic or numbering characters, sets or fonts of related characters, fanciful lettering and calligraphy, or other forms of typeface. This is true regardless of how novel and creative the shape and form of the typeface characters may be. A typeface character cannot be analogized to a work of art, because the creative aspects of the character (if any) cannot be separEaxtaedm fprloems: the utilitarian nature of that character. Felicia Frost creates a font called “Pioneer Living” with embellishments that evoke historical “Wanted: Dead or Alive” posters. The registration specialist will refuse to register this font because it is a utilitarian method of writing without any separable • elements that are copyrightable.
The Office may register a computer program that creates or uses certain typeface or typefont designs, but the registration covers only the source code that generates these designs, not the typeface, typefont, lettering, or calligraphy itself. For a general discussion of computer programs that generate typeface designs, see Chapter 700, Section 723.
To register the copyrightable ornamentation in typeface, typefont, lettering, or calligraphy, the applicant should describe the surface decoration or other ornamentation and should explain how it is separable from the typeface characters. The applicant should avoid using unclear terms, such as “typeface,” “type,” “font,” “letters,” “lettering,” or similar terms.
906.5 Spatial Format and Layout Design
As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will not accept vague claims in “format” or “layout.” The general layout or format of a book, a page, a website, a webpage, a poster, a form, etc., is not copyrightable, because it is merely a template for expression and does not constitute original expression in and of itself. If the applicant uses the terms “layout” and/or “format” in the application, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to clarify the claim. Copyright protection may be available for the author’s original selection and/or arrangement of specific content if it is sufficiently creative, but the copyErxigahmt pdloees:s not extend to the organization without that particular content. Loretta Leonard published a series of books on bird watching. Each book has a two-inch right margin and a half-inch left margin, with the text appearing in two columns of differing lengths. Loretta submits an application to register the template for this layout. The registration specialist will refuse to register this claim because the layout of these books does not contain a sufficient amount of • originality to be protected by copyright law. Condo Living Fred Foster publishes a one-page newsletter titled that provides information for residents of his condominium complex. Each issue contains the name of the newsletter, a drawing of the sun rising over the complex, two columns reserved for text, and a box underneath the columns reserved for photographs. Fred attempts to register the layout for his newsletter. The registration specialist will reject the claim in layout, but may register the illustration if it is sufficiently creative.
906.6 Mechanical Processes and Random Selection
The copyright law only protects works of authorship that are created by human beings. Works made through purely mechanical processes or with an automated selection and arrangement are not eligible for copyright protection. The U.S. Copyright Office will Chapter 900 : 14 12/22/2014 refuse to register a claim in a work that is created through the operation of a machine or process Ewxiathmopulte :a ny human interaction, even if the design is randomly generated. Megan Mott developed linoleum flooring with a random confetti design. The design was created by a purely mechanical process that randomly distributed material on the surface of the linoleum. The registration specialist will refuse to register this design because it was produced by a mechanical process and a random selection and arrangement.
906.7 Naturally Occurring and Discovered Material
Because human authorship is required for copyright protection, the U.S. Copyright Office will not register naturally occurring objects or materials that are discovered in nature. This includes natural objects or materials with standard wear or acute breaks or fissures resulting from weather conditions or other natural phenomena, such as water currents, wind, rain, lightning, sunlight, heat, or cold. Similarly, the Office will refuse to register a work that is created through naturally occurring processes or events, such as the resulting visual appearance of an object or liquid when different chemical elements interact Ewxiathm epalecsh: other.
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906.8 Functional and Useful Elements
The copyright law does not protect useful articles, utilitarian designs, or any functional portion of a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work. However, the decorative ornamentation on a useful article may be registrable if it is separable from the functional aspects of that article. For example, a lamp is a considered a useful article, because it has an intrinsic utilitarian function, namely, to provide lighting. By contrast, a three-dimensional floral design affixed to the base of a lamp or a two-dimensional garden design painted on a lamp shade does not have a useful purpose. The U.SF. abrica, CInocp. yvr. iEglh Dt oOrfafidcoe Cmoarpy register those design elements if they are separable from the functional aspects of the lamp and if they are sufficiently original and creative. ., 697 F.2d 890, 893 (9th Cir. 1983) (“if an article has any intrinsic utilitarian function, it can be denied copyright protection except to the extent that its artistic features can be identified separately and are capable of existing independently as a work of art”).
For a general discussion of the legal standard for evaluating useful articles, see Section 924.
907 Derivative Visual Art Works
907.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Derivative Works
A derivative visual art work is a work based on or derived from one or more preexisting works. A derivative work may be registered if the author of that work contributed a sufficient amount of new authorship to create an original work of authorship. The new material must be original and copyrightable in itself.
Example•s of visual art works that may be registered as derivative works include: • Sculptures based on drawings.
• Photocopies and digital scans of works.
Mere reproductions of preexisting works.
For a general discussion of the legal standard for determining whether a derivative work contains a sufficient amount of original expression to warrant registration, see Chapter 300, Section 311.
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907.2 Permission to Use Preexisting Material
Authors often incorporate material created by third parties into their visual art works, such as a third party photograph that is used in a collage or third party clip art that is used in a logo. Generally, if the third party material is protected by copyright, the applicant must exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8. However, the applicant does not have to disclaim uncopyrightable elements, such as letters of the alphabet or geometric shapes. The U.S. Copyright Office generally does not investigate the copyright status of preexisting material or investigate whether it has been used lawfully. However, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine whether permission was obtained where a recognizable preexisting work has been incorporated into a visual art work. The applicant may clarify the lawful use of preexisting material by including a statement to that effect in the Note to Copyright Office field of the online application or in a cover letter submitted with the paper application. If it becomes clear that preexisting material was used unlawfully, the registration specialist will refuse to register Ethxea mclpaliem: .
For more information on derivative works incorporating third party content, see Chapter 300, Section 313.6(B).
908 Jewelry Jewelry designs are typically protected under the U.S. copyright law as sculptural works, although in rare cases they may be protected as pictorial works. This Section discusses certain issues that commonly arise in connection with such works.
908.1 What Is Jewelry?
For purposes of copyright registration, jewelry includes any decorative article that is intended to be worn as a personal adornment, regardless of whether it is hung, pinned, or clipped onto the body (such as necklaces, bangles, or earrings) or pinned, clipped, or sewn onto clothing (such as brooches, pins, or beaded motifs). Jewelry also includes jeweled and beaded designs that are applied to garments and accessories (such as hatpins, hairpins, hair combs, and tiepins). However, when these types of works are fixed onto clothing and/or accessories, they may be registered only if Chapter 900 : 17 12/22/2014 they are physically or conceptually separable from the clothing and/or accessories. For a discussion of this issue, see Section 924.3(A).
908.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Jewelry
Jewelry designs may be created in a variety of ways, such as carving, cutting, molding, casting, or shaping the work, arranging the elements into an original combination, or decorating the work with pictorial matter, such as a drawing or etching. The U.S. Copyright Office may register jewelry designs if they are sufficiently creative or expressive. The Office will not register pieces that, as a whole, do not satisfy this requirement, such as mere variations on a common or standardized design or familiar symbol, ddesei mgnins immaisde up of only commonplace design elements arranged in a common or obvious manner, or any of the mechanical or utilitarian aspects of the jewelry. Common designs include solitaire rings, simple diamond stud earrings, plain bangle bracelets, simple hoop earrings, among other commonly used designs, settings, and gemEsxtoanmep cleust:s .
908.3 Application Tips for Jewelry
When preparing the identifying material for a jewelry design (which may consist of photographs or drawings) the applicant should include all of the copyrightable elements that the applicant intends to register. This is important because the registration specialist can examine only the designs that are actually depicted in the identifying material. If the applicant wants the registration to cover more than just the face of a jewelry design, the identifying material should depict the design from different angles. Additionally, if the applicant wants the registration to cover part of the design or details that are relatively small, the applicant should make sure that those portions are clearly visible in the identifying material.
When evaluating a jewelry design for copyrightable authorship, the registration specialist will consider the design as a whole, rather than the component elements of the design. In making this determination, the specialist may consider the following a• spects of a jewelry design: e.g The shapes of the various elements ( ., gemstones, beads, metal pieces, etc.). Chapter 900 : 18 12/22/2014 The use of color to create an artistic design (although color alone is generally • insufficient). e.g.
The following aspects of jewelry generally are not copyrightable and are not considered i•n analyzing copyrightability: i.e • Faceting of individual stones ( ., gem-cutting).
• Purely functional elements, such as a clasp or fastener. Common or symmetrical arrangements.
As a general rule, if the shape or decoration of a particular element contains enough authorship to support a registration, the specialist will register the claim. If not, the specialist will consider other factors, such as the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of elements, as well as the degree of symmetry. When evaluating the copyrightability of a jewelry design, the specialist may consider the number of elements in the design. More elements may weigh in favor of copyrightability, although a work containing multiple elements may be uncopyrightable if the elements are repeated in a standard geometric arrangement or a commonplace design. A work containing only a few elements may be copyrightable if the decoration, arrangement, use of color, shapes, or textures are sufficient to support a claim. 909 Photographic Works The U.S. copyright law protects photographs as pictorial works. This Section discusses certain issues that commonly arise in connection with such works.
909.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Photographs
As with all copyrighted works, a photograph must have a sufficient amount of creative expression to be eligible for registration. The creativity in a photograph may include the photographer’s artistic choices in creating the image, such as the selection of the subject matter, the lighting, any positioning of subjects, the selection of camera lens, the placemeEnxta omf tphlee: camera, the angle of the image, and the timing of the picture. The Office receives ten applications, one from each member of a local photography club. All of the photographs depict the Washington Monument and all of them were taken on the same afternoon. Although some of the photographs are remarkably similar in perspective, the registration specialist will register all of Chapter 900 : 19 12/22/2014 the claims, because each photographer selected the angle and positioning of his or her photograph, among other creative choices.
909.2 Subject Matter of Photographs
To be eligible for copyright protection, the subject of the photograph does not need to be copyrightable. A photograph may be protected by copyright and registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, even if the subject of the photograph is an item or scene that is uncopyrEigxhatmabpllee :o r in the public domain.
909.3 Photographic Reproductions, Digital Copying, and Editing
Although most photographs warrant copyright protection, the U.S. Copyright Office will not register photographs that do not display a sufficient amount of creative expression. A photograph that is merely a “slavish copy” of a painting, drawing, or other public domain or copyrighted work is not eligible for registration. The registration specialist will refuse a claim if it is clear that the photographer merely used the camera to copy the source work without adding any creative expression to the photo. Similarly, merely scanning and digitizing existing works does not contain a sufficient amount of creativitEyx taom wpaler:r a nt copyright protection.
The Office often receives applications to register preexisting works that have been restored to their original quality and character. Merely restoring a damaged or aged photograph to its original state without adding a sufficient amount of original, creative authorship does not warrant copyright protection.
The registration specialist will analyze on a case-by-case basis all claims in which the author used digital editing software to produce a derivative photograph or artwork. Typical technical alterations that do not warrant registration include aligning pages and columns; repairing faded print and visual content; and sharpening and balancing colors, tint, tone, and the like, even though the alterations may be highly skilled and may produce a valuable product. If an applicant asserts a claim in a restoration of or touchups to a preexisting work, the registration specialist generally will ask the Chapter 900 : 20 12/22/2014 applicant for details concerning the nature of changes that have been made. The specialist will refuse all claims where the author merely restored the source work to its original or previous content or quality without adding substantial new authorship that was not present in the original.
The specialist may register a claim in a restored or retouched photograph if the author added a substantial amount of new content, such as recreating missing parts of the photograph or using airbrushing techniques to change the image. As a general rule, applicants should use terms such as “photograph” or “2-D artwork” to describe this type of authorship, and should avoid using terms such as “digital editing,” “touchup,” “scannedE,x”a “mdipglietisz: e d,” or “restored.”
910 Games Games often include both copyrightable and uncopyrightable elements. The copyrightable elements of a game may include text, artwork, sound recordings, and/or audiovisual material. These elements may be protectable if they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship. Uncopyrightable elements include the underlying ideas for a game and the methods for playing and scoring a game. These elements cannot be registered, regardless of how unique, clever, or fun they may be. When completing an application for this type of work, applicants should describe the specific elements of the game that the applicant intends to register, such as the text, the artwork on a playing board, and/or the original sculptural elements of game pieces. Applicants should not assert a claim in “game” or “game design,” because it is generally Chapter 900 : 21 12/22/2014 understood that the game as a whole encompasses the ideas underlying the game. For the same reason, applicants should not assert a claim in the methods for playing the game. Examples:
For information on how to register purely literary aspects of a game, see Chapter 700, Section 714. For information concerning the deposit requirements for games, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1509.1(B) and 1509.3(A)(7).
911 Characters The original, visual aspects of a character may be protected by copyright if they are sufficiently original. This may include the physical attributes of the character, such as facial features and specific body shape, as well as images of clothing and any other visual elements.
The U.S. Copyright Office will register visual art works that depict a character, such as drawings, sculptures, and paintings. A registration for such works extends to the particular authorship depicted in the deposit material, but does not extend to unfixed characteristics of the character that are not depicted in the deposit. Nor does it cover the name or the general idea for the character.
When completing an application to register such works, the applicant should use an appropriate term to describe the authorship embodied in the deposit material, such as “2-D artwork,” “photograph,” or “text.” Applicants should not refer to or assert claims in Chapter 900 : 22 12/22/2014 “character,” “character concept, idea, or style,” or a character’s generalized personality, conduct, temperament, or costume. If the applicant uses these terms, the registration specialist may ask the applicant to remove them from the claim. Likewise, if the deposit material contains a well-known or recognizable character, the specialist may ask the applicant to exclude that preexisting material from the claim if the applicant fails to completEe xtahme Lpilmes:i tation of Claim portion of the application. Charles Crest creates a sketch of a field mouse with a straw hat and a mischievous grin. He intends to use the sketch in an animated film. He files an application that asserts a claim in “two-dimensional artwork” and “character.” The registration specialist may ask Charles to limit the claim to the artwork and to remove the term • “character” from the application.
In some cases it may be possible to register a number of cartoons, comic strips, or comic books with one application and one filing fee. If all the works are unpublished it may be possible to register them as an unpublished collection. If all the works were physically bundled together by the claimant for distribution to the public as a single, integrated unit, and if all the works were first published in that integrated unit it may be possible to register them using the unit of publication option. However, the works cannot be aggregated simply for the purpose of registration; instead they must have been first distributed to the public in the packaged unit. If all of the works were first published as a contribution to a periodical, such as a newspaper or magazine, it may be possible to register the contributions as a group. For detailed information concerning unpublished collections, the unit of publication option, and the group registration option for contributions to periodicals, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1106, 1107, and 1115. Comic books are typically created by multiple authors, and the issues surrounding the authorship and ownership of the various contributions can be complex. In some cases, the creators may prepare their contributions on a work for hire basis as employees or pursuant to a freelancer work made for hire agreement. In some cases, the comic book may be a joint work. In other cases, different authors may createi .dei.f,ferent aspects of the comic book, with some aspects originating from the publisher and other aspects originating from one or more individual, nonemployee authors ( derivative works). For example, the publisher may claim ownership of the characters and the basic story, and may hire others to create the artwork, text, and/or lettering for particular issues. Then a freelance or staff contributor may contribute coloring and editing. If all of the work is done on a work made for hire basis, the authorship is clearly owned by the publisher, and as such the publisher should be named as the claimant. If multiple authors contributed to the comic book as individual authors (not as joint authors or under a work made for hire agreement), and if it is unclear from the face of the deposit copy(ies) which author created what authorship and on what basis, the applicant should provide that information in the Author Created field of the oen.gline application or the Nature of Authorship space of the paper application. Such claims may require multiple separate applications to register the derivative authorship ( ., an application for the pencil drawings and a separate application for the coloring of the preexisting drawings).
In some cases, comic book publishers license the use of another party’s characters and stories. In other cases, the publisher creates the stories, but the characters have been licensed. In such cases, the applicant should exclude the licensed characters and/or stories from the claim by stating “licensed character” or “licensed character and storyline” in the Material Excluded / Preexisting Materials field/space. The claimant should not name the licensor of the preexisting characters and/or stories as an author of the new text and artwork in the comic book.
The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant if the authorship or ownership information provided in the application is unclear or inconsistent with other statements in the application, the deposit copy(ies), or industry practice. In addition, the Chapter 900 : 24 12/22/2014 specialist may question whether a given work is a collective work or joint work, rather than a work consisting of separately owned contributions or works. The Office will not register mere reprints, reissues, re-inks/letters/colors, or previously published, or previously registered comic books, unless the author contributed new copyrightable authorship in adapting or changing the preexisting content.
913 Trademarks, Logos, and Labels
913.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Trademarks, Logos, and Labels
A visual art work that is used as a trademark, logo, or label may be registered if it satisfies “the requisite qualifications for copyright.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.10(b). The authorship in the work may be pictorial, graphic, or in rare cases sculptural, or the work may contain a combination of these elements. When reviewing an apIdp.lication to register a trademark, logo, or label the U.S. Copyright Office will examine the work to determine if it embodies “some creative authorship inI idt.s delineation or form.” § 202.10(a). However, the Office will not consider whether the work has been or can be registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. § 202.10(b). The copyright law covers the creative aspects of a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, regardless of whether the work has been used or is capable of being used as an indicator of source. Unlike trademark law, copyright law is not concerned with consumer confusion and a trademark, logo, or label may be eligible for copyright protection regardless of whether the work is distinctive or whether consumers may be confused by the use of that work. In other words, a visual art work may be distinctive in the trademark sense, even if it does not qualify as a work of original authorship in the copyright sense.
The Office typically refuses to register trademarks, logos, or labels that consist of only t•h e following content:
• Wording.
• Mere scripting or lettering, either with or without uncopyrightable ornamentation. • Handwritten words or signatures, regardless of how fanciful they may be. • Mere spatial placement or format of trademark, logo, or label elements. • Uncopyrightable use of color, frames, borders, or differently sized font. Mere use of different fonts or functional colors, frames, or borders, either standing alone or in combination.
Chapter 900 : 25 12/22/2014 Example:
913.2 Application Tips for Trademarks, Logos, and Labels
When completing an application for a trademark, logo, or label, applicants should describe the pictorial, graphic, or sculptural authorship that the author contributed to the work. Applicants should avoid using vague terms, such as “trademark design,” “trade dress design,” “mark,” “logo,” “logotype,” or “symbol.” Likewise, applicants should avoid using the following terms which may be questioned by the registration specialist: “composite work,” “collective work,” “selection and arrangement,” “look and feel,” “distinctive,” “distinctiveness,” “totality of design,” or “total concept and feel.” 914 Catalogs For purposes of copyright registration, catalogs are considered compilations of information or collective works that contain written descriptions and/or pictorial depictions of two or three-dimensional products. Catalogs generally contain copyrightable pictorial and/or literary authorship, and they also may contain copyrightable authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of copyrightable or uncopyrightable elements.
The photographs within a catalog may be registered together with the catalog as a whole (i) if the photographs and the catalog were created by the same author, or (ii) if the copyright claimant owns all of the rights in the photographic authorship and compilation authorship that the author contributed to the catalog. However, a claim in the photographs does not extend to the actual works or objects depicted in those images.
A catalog may be registered as a compilation of photographs or a collective work consisting of photographs if there is a sufficient amount of creative expression in the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the images. However, a catalog is not coAnscicdoerrded a compilation of the works or objects depicted in those photographs, nor is it considered a collective work consisting of the works or objects depicted therein. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. 37,605, 37,606 (June 22, 2012). As a result, a registration for a catalog generally does not extend to the works or objects shown in that work, even if they are eligible for copyright protection and even if the claimant owns all of the rights in those works or objects. Instead, the registration extends only to the pictorial authorship involved in creating the images, and the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging those images within the catalog as a whole.
Chapter 900 : 26 12/22/2014 By contrast, if the applicant submits photographs or pictorial illustrations of a two- or three-dimensional work (as opposed to a catalog depicting a two- or three-dimensional work), the registration may cover the pictorial or sculptural authorship that the author contributed to that work if it is clear that the photographs or illustrations are being used as identifying material for the work depicted therein and that the applicant is not attempting to register the authorship involved in creating those images. As a general rule, it is not possible to register a group of pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works with one application, one filing fee, and a submission of identifying material. Instead, the applicant generally must submit a separate claim for each work. However, t•h ere are two limited exceptions to this rule.
For a general discussion of compilations and collective works, see Chapter 500, Sections 508 and 509. For detailed information concerning unpublished collections and the unit of publication option, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1106 and 1107. Chapter 900 : 27 12/22/2014 915 Retrospective Books and Exhibition Catalogs Retrospective books are published books that review or look back on the career of a visual artist. They typically contain both new and preexisting authorship. The new authorship is usually prepared expressly for the retrospective book and may include elements such as an introduction, critical essays, photographs, annotated bibliographies, chronological timelines, and the like.
As for the visual artist’s works, retrospective books usually contain (i) works that were published before they appeared in the new book, and (ii) other works that have never been sold or otherwise published or publicly exhibited before they appeared in the new book.
When a previously unpublished work is first published in a retrospective book or exhibition catalog, the fact that the work has been published will affect the subsequent registration options for that work. For this reason, artists may want to consider registering their pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works prior to authorizing their depiction in a retrospective book or exhibition catalog. To register a retrospective book, the applicant should limit the claim to the new content that was prepared specifically for the book, such as new artwork, essays, photographs, indexes, chronologies, bibliographies, or the like. Any artwork that was previously registered, published, or in the public domain should be excluded from the claim using the procedures described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8. In all cases, the applicant should anticipate that the registration specialist will raise questions about the ownership and first publication provenance of artwork depicted in a retrospective book. Therefore, when completing the application, the applicant should provide as much information about those works as possible. 916 Art Prints and Reproductions
916.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Art Prints and Reproductions
A reproduction of a work of art or a two-dimensional art print may be protected as a derivative work, but only if the print or reproduction contains new authorship that does not appear in the original source work. This category includes hand painted reproductions (typically on canvas); plate, screen, and offset lithographic reproductions of paintings; Giclée prints; block prints; aquaprint; artagraph; among other forms of expression.
Making an exact copy of a source work is not eligible for copyright protection, because it is akin to a purely mechanical copy and includes no new authorship, regardless of the process used to create the copy or the skill, craft, or investment needed to render the copies. For the same reason, a print or reproduction cannot be protected based solely on the complex nature of the source work, the apparent number of technical decisions needed to produce a near-exact reproduction, or the fact that the source work has been rendered in a different medium. For example, the U.S. Copyright Office will not register the following types of prints and reproductions:
Chapter 900 : 28 12/22/2014 • Reproductions of purely textual works.
• Mere scans or digitizations of texts or works of art. Reproductions in which the only change from the original work is a change in the • printing or manufacturing type, paper stock, or other reproduction materials. • Preservation and restoration efforts. e.g Any exact duplication, regardless of the medium used to create the duplication ( ., hand painting, etching, etc.).
The Office will register any new and creative authorship that is fixed in a print or reproduction. However, the registration specialist will not assume that all such works embody new, registrable authorship. In addition, the specialist will communicate with the applicant if the application refers to a new process previously unknown to the Office, or if it appears that the author made no more than a high quality copy of the source work.
916.2 Application Tips for Art Prints and Reproductions
916.2(A) Distinguishing Art Prints and Reproductions from the Source Work and Identifying Material To register an art print or a reproduction of a work of art, the applicant should fully describe the new authorship that the author contributed to the source work. As a general rule, the terms “2-D artwork” or “reproduction of work of art” may be used to describe the authorship involved in recasting, transforming, or adapting the source work. When completing an online application the applicant should provide this information in the Author Created field. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in the Nature of Authorship space. In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a clear description of the new authorship that the author contributed to the art print or reproduction using specific terms that distinguish the new authorship from the source work. This information may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field or in a cover letter. Doing so may avoid the need for correspondence that could delay the examination of the application. The applicant should not refer to the authorship in the source work that has been recast, transformed, or adapted by the author of the print or reproduction. Likewise, the applicant should not refer to the type of identifying material that the applicant intends to submit to the Office. For example, if the applicant intends to register a lithographic reproduction of a preexisting painting, the applicant should clearly describe the new artwork that the author contributed to that reproduction. The author should not refer to the preexisting painting that is depicted in the lithograph. If the applicant intends to submit a photograph of the lithograph as the identifying material for the claim, the applicant should not refer to the reproduction as a “photograph.” If the applicant states Chapter 900 : 29 12/22/2014 “photograph” the registration specialist may assume that the applicant intends to register the authorship involved in taking the photograph of the lithograph, rather than the authorship involved in creating the reproduction of the preexisting painting. 916.2(B) Authorship Unclear Applicants should not use vague terms to describe the new authorship that the author contributed to an art print or reproduction. Likewise, applicants should not use terms that merely describe the tools or methods that the author used to create the work, such as “computer print,” “computer reproduction,” “block print,” “offset print,” “print,” or “photoengraving,” because this suggests that the applicant may be asserting a claim in an idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery.
If the author merely painted over areas of the source work, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if it appears that the applicant is attempting to register the authorship (if any) involved in restoring the source work to its original condition.
917 Installation Art The U.S. Copyright Office generally discourages applicants from using the term “installation art” in applications to register visual art works. Applicants use this term for a wide variety of artistic endeavors and it has many broad, ambiguous meanings. Because this term is unclear, the registration specialist will communicate with applicants if they describe a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work as “installation art.” Instead, applicants should identify any copyrightable content in the work and should describe that content using terms such as “sculpture,” “painting,” “photographs,” or the like. This is true even if the overall installation itself is a registrable work of authorship. In such cases the applicant should use accepted terms to describe the work, such as “a series of sequentially and thematically related photographs interspersed with drawn and painted images to create a larger work of authorship.” 918 Maps Maps may be protected under the copyright law as pictorial works or sculptural works, depending on whether the work contains two- or three-dimensional authorship. Indeed, maps were among the first works that were eligible for copyright protection under the 1790 Act. This Section discusses certain issues that commonly arise in connection with such works.
918.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Maps
Maps are cartographic or visual representations of an area. Examples include terrestrial maps and atlases, marine charts, celestial maps, as well as three-dimensional works, such as globes and relief models. A map may represent a real or imagined place, such as a map in a book or videogame that depicts a fictional country. Chapter 900 : 30 12/22/2014 The U.S. Copyright Office will register maps, globes, and other cartographic works if they display a sufficient amount of original pictorial or sculptural authorship. The Office may register an original selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of cartographic features, such as roads, lakes, or rivers, cities, or political or geographic boundaries. But to be copyrightable, the work as a whole must be creative and it must not be intrinsically utilitarian. In making this determination, the Office will not consider the amount of effort required to create the work, such as surveying or cartographic field work.
918.2 Derivative Maps
Maps are often based on one or more preexisting works. A derivative map may be eligible for registration if the author added a sufficient amount of new authorship to the preexisting material, such as depictions of new roads, historical landmarks, or zoning boundaries.
If the map contains an appreciable amount of material that has been previously published, previously registered, material that is in the public domain, or material that is owned by a third party, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim and should limit the claim to the new copyrightable authorship that the author contributed to the derivative map. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8.
The Office will refuse to register a derivative map if the work does not contain a sufficient amount of new authorship. For instance, “[a]dditions to … preexisting maps such as colorD, sahraddeinn vg., Panetde rlasbels using standard fonts and shapes fall within the narrow category of works that lack even a minimum level of creativity” required for registration. , 488 F.3d 277, 287 (4th Cir. 2007). Reprints of public domain maps or previously published materials are not registrable. Similarly, maps that consist solely of public domain elements, common elements, or elements that contain no original compilation authorship are not registrable, such as an outline map of the United States containing nothing more than the names of the state capitals. 919 Models, Including Three-Dimensional Reproductions and Scientific Models For purposes of copyright registration, a model is a three-dimensional replica or depiction of an object or design, such as a model car or a model of an architectural design. Models are typically protected under U.S. copyright law as sculptural works, although they also may include pictorial or graphic elements. This Section discusses certain issues that commonly arise in connection with such works.
919.1 Copyrightable Authorship in Models
Models may be renditions of either artistic or utilitarian objects. Some models are exact or substantially similar copies of the item they depict, while others are merely interpretative copies.
A model of a useful article or a model of an architectural work generally is protectable if it includes a substantial amount of original authorship and if it contains some original Chapter 900 : 31 12/22/2014 differences from the object depicted. The copyright law protects models if there are distinguishable, creative differences in shape, line, perspective, or details between the model and the depicted object. The amount of effort, time, monetary expense, technical skill, or craft that the author contributed to the model is irrelevant to this determination. The complexity of the depicted object is also irrelevant. A model of a relatively simple object may be copyrightable if the author exercised sufficient creativity in rendering that object as a model. However, the Office will not register a model simply because it depicts an object that is extremely complex.
The copyright law does not protect models that are exact copies of the source work, regardless of how much skill or labor was involved in creating the replica. Merely reducing or enlarging the size of the source work or producing the source work in a new medium is not sufficient to warrant copyright protection. Likewise, the copyright law does not protect models if the differences between the model and the source work were dictated by manufacturing or material requirements.
919.2 Application Tips for Models
To register a three-dimensional model or a model containing a combination of two- and three-dimensional authorship, the applicant should describe the work as a “sculpture” in the Author Created field (when completing an online application) or in the Nature of Authorship space (when completing a paper application using Form VA). Applicants may use the terMmo n“rae Lpirsoaduction of work of art” to describe a model that is a three-dimensional interpretation of a preexisting work of art, such as a three- dimensional model of the . If the model is an original, sculptural interpretation of an uncopyrightable object that is not a work of art, such as a truck, a train, or the letter “G,” applicants should use the term “sculpture” rather than the term “reproduction of work of art.”
In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a clear description of the creative authorship that the author contributed to the model using specific terms that distinguish the model from the object depicted. This information may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field or in a cover letter. Doing so may avoid the need for correspondence that could delay the examination of the application. If the work described in the application is a model of a work that is protected by copyright, the applicant should describe the new material that the author contributed to the model and should exclude the preexisting material from the claim in the appropriate fields or spaces of the application. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8. Such statements are encouraged, but not required, if the work described in the application is a model of an uncopyrightable object.
920 Patterns, Stencils, and How-To Books Pattern books contain specific instructions on how to make various items, such as knitwear and toys, while how-to books typically contain instructions on how to perform various techniques. Stencils provide outlines and shapes that may be used for other purposes, such as a stencil of leaves that may be used for painting a border on a wall. Chapter 900 : 32 12/22/2014 This Section discusses certain issues that commonly arise in connection with such works.
920.1 Patterns for Making Articles
The drawings and text in a pattern book may be copyrightable, if they are sufficiently original. This may include textual instructions, technical diagrams that demonstrate cutting, stitching, weaving, or other techniques required by the pattern, as well as illustrations of the completed items.
A registration for a pattern book generally does not extend to individual pattern pieces that may be used to create a useful article, such as shapes that may be traced and used to make a sleeve for a dress, because they have an intrinsic utilitarian function. Nor does the registration extend to any useful article that may be created with the pattern, such as an item of clothing. For a general discussion of useful articles, see Section 924.
920.2 Stencils and Templates
Stencils and templates are patterns for tracing, trimming, or cutting designs or other items depicted by the stencil or template. The Office may register stencils or templates that contain a sufficient amount of original pictorial or graphic artwork or original compilations of such artwork, such as a stencil book that contains original, artistic images of animals, trees, and automobiles. However, the Office will refuse to register stencils consisting of common figures, symbols, or other uncopyrightable material, including any standard arrangements thereof.
920.3 How-To Books, Project Books, and Crafts-Making Books
A how-to book explains how to perform certain skills and techniques. These types of works generally do not contain pattern pieces or parts, because they are intended to teach a craft or technique rather than provide instructions on making a specific item. How-to books typically contain text, photographs, and technical diagrams, which may be protected by copyright law if they are sufficiently creative. However, the “project” or “craft” as a whole — even if it is original — is merely an idea that is not copyrightable. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). The Office will reject nonspecific claims in project ideas or project design.
920.4 Application Tips for Patterns, Stencils, and How-To Books
To register a pattern, stencil, or how-to book, the applicant should describe the copyrightable content in the deposit using terms such as “text, “2-D artwork,” “photograph,” or “technical drawing,” as applicable. Applicants should not assert a claim in “pattern,” “project,” “activity,” or “craft.”
If the deposit copy(ies) identify the author or designer of the projects, crafts, or designs and if that author is not named in the application, the applicant should explain how the claimant acquired ownership of the copyright by checking the work made for hire box “yes” (if the work qualifies as a work made for hire) or by including an Chapter 900 : 33 12/22/2014 appropriate transfer statement. For guidance in completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 614 and 620.
In no case will a registration for two-dimensional artwork, three-dimensional sculpture, or technical drawing cover an uncopyrightable item that results from the deposit copy(ies) or the pattern pieces that may be used to make that item. 921 Graphs, Charts, and Tables The copyright law does not protect blank graphs, charts, and tables that are designed for recording information and do not in themselves convey indfeo rmminaitmioins. These types of works are not copyrightable, because they are a functional means for expressing ideas, methods, or techniques, and typically they contain only a amount of authorship. Indeed, they rarely contain any authorship other than that necessary to implement the underlying method, techniquSeee, or idea. For the same reasons, the ideas for graphs, charts, and tables or the overall design of a graphing, charting, or tabling method or template are not copyrightable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(c). The U.S. CopyrighSte eO ifdfice will not register a blank graph, chart, or table if the claim is based solely on standard color variations, such as the mere addition of only a few standard colors. . § 202.1(a). However, the Office will register any copyrightable expression presented in a graph, chart, or table, such as a copyrightable compilation of data, facts, or information. Additionally, the Office will register sufficiently expressive text that describes, explains, and/or interprets a particular graphing, charting, or tabling method.E xamples:
When the Office registers a technical or scientific drawing, the registration covers only the drawing itself and does not “extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery, regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). Likewise, a registration for a technical drawing does not provide copyright protection for the dEexsaigmnp alnesd: manufacture of the item depicted in the drawing. 17 U.S.C. § 113(b). e.g.
923 Architectural Works The Copyright Act protects “architectural works.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a)(8). As discussed in Section 903.2, the statute defines an architectural work as “the design of a building as embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including a building, architectural plans, or drawings.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. An arcIhdi.tectural work “includes the overall form as well as the arrangement and composition of spaces and elements in the design, but does not include individual standard features.”
Chapter 900 : 35 12/22/2014 The U.S. Copyright Office will register an architectural work if it is sufficiently original and if it has been embodied in a tangible medium of expression, such as a constructed building or architectural plans or drawings. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c).
923.1 Architectural Works Distinguished from Technical Drawings
An architectural work ( , the building itself) and a technical drawing for an architectural work are separate works. If the applicant intends to assert a claim in a technical drawing and the architectural work depicted therein, the applicant should file an application to register the architectural work and a separate application to register the technical drawing as a pictorial work or an architectural drawing, even though the deposit copy(ies) for both applications may be the same. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(4). A registration for a technical drawing covers the drawing itself, but it does not cover the architectural work depicted therein. Although a technical drawing may be protected by copyright, the copyright owner cannot prevent a third party from using that drawing to construct an actual building. This is due to the fact that the copyright in a work that portrays a useful article does not give the owner of that work the right to control “the making, distribution, or display of the useful article.” 17 U.S.C. § 113(b). By contrast, when an architectural drawing is registered as an architectural work, the registration covers the architectural work depicted in those drawings, and the registration may be used in an infringement action involving the unauthorized reproduction of that work in any matEerxiaaml opbleje: ct (including the construction of an actual building). Tina Thorn submits a set of drawings and asserts a claim in “drawings for a building.” The registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, because it is unclear whether Tina intends to register the drawings or the architectural work depicted therein.
923.2 Copyrightable Authorship in Architectural Works
The U.S. Copyright Office may register an architectural work if it is a habitable structure that is stationary, intended to have permanence, and intended for human occupancy. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(b)(2). Examples of works that satisfy this requirement include houses, office buildings, churches, museums, gazebos, and pavilions. By contrast, the Office will refuse to register bridgeIsd,. cloverleaves, dams, walkways, tents, recreational vehicles, or boats (although a house boat that is permanently affixed to a dock may be registrable as an architectural work). § 202.11(d)(1).
The Copyright Act protects “the overall form [of an architectural work] as well as the arrangement and composition of spaces and elements in the design,” but it does not protect interior design, such as the selection and placement of furniture, lighting, paint, or similar items. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “architectural work”). However, a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural representation of an interior design may be registered if it is sufficiently original.
Chapter 900 : 36 12/22/2014 Examples:
Archibald Arnold designs a moveable, fast-food kiosk for use in shopping malls and attempts to register the kiosk as an architectural work. The registration specialist will refuse to register the claim, because the kiosk is not permanent and stationary. Arlinda Atkins designs a condominium complex with a large, complex parking structure and intricate landscape design. She attempts to register each aspect of this design as an architectural work. The registration specialist will register the condominium design if it is sufficiently original, but will ask the applicant to remove the reference to the parking structure and landscape design.
923.2(A) Standard Configurations The U.S. Copyright Office will not register standard configurations of spaces, such as a square bathroom or one-room cabin. Likewise, the Office will not register claims in the individual standard features of an architectural work, such as windows, doors, and other staple buEixldaminpgl ceo: mponents. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(d). Stacey Stone designs a motel comprised of a central hall with uniformly shaped rectangular rooms. The registration specialist will refuse to register this claim because it is a standard configuration of space.
923.2(B) Functional Features The U.S. Copyright Office will not register purely functional elements of an architectural work, suEcxha amsp inlen: o vations in architectural engineering or construction techniques. Fulton Fowler designed a house with a solar-powered hot water heater and an earthquake-resistant bracing system. He filed an application to register each element of his design. The registration specialist may register the overall design as an architectural work if it is sufficiently original, but the specialist will ask the applicant to remove the references to the heater and bracing system. 923.2(C) Building Designs Created Before December 1, 1990 The Copyright Act does not protect building designs published or constructed before December 1, 1990. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(d)(3)(i). Likewise, the statute does not protect designs for unconstructed buildings that were embodied in unpublished plans or Chapter 900 : 37 12/22/2014 drawings on December 1, 1990 if the design remained unconstructed as of December 31, 2002. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(d)(3)(ii).
The Office will refuse to register these types of designs as an architectural work. The plans, drawings, or models for such works may be registered as a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, but the registration for such works does not extend to a building constructed from the plan, drawing, or model.
923.3 Application Tips for Architectural Works
To register an architectural work using the online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Visual Arts” in the field marked “Type of Work.” To register an architectural work with a paper application, the applicant should use Form VA. The title of the building should be provided in the Title field/space and the date of construction for the building, if any, should be provided in the Year of Completion fields/spaces. If the building has not been constructed, the applicant should state “not yet constructed” in the Title field/space following the title of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(3).
If the architectural work has been published, the applicant should provide the date and nation of first publication in the Publication field/space. An architectural work is deemed published “when underlying plans or drawings of the building or other copies of the building design are distributed or made available to the general public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending. Construction of a building does not itself constitute publication for purposes of registration, unless multiple copies are constructed.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(5).
The applicant should check the box marked “architectural work” in the Author Created field when completing an online application or in the Nature of Authorship space when completing a paper application.
An application may cover only one architectural work, regardless of whether the work is published or unpublished. The U.S. Copyright Office will not register multiple architectural works as a group of related works or as an unpublished collection. If the applicant intends to register variations on a single plan, such as a plan for tract housing, the applicant must submit a separate application for each house model with all accompanying floor plan options, elevations, and styles that are applicable to that particular model. 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(2).
For information concerning the deposit requirements for architectural works, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.3(D).
924 Registration Requirements for Useful Articles As discussed in Section 906.8, “useful articles” are not protected by copyright law. However, the purely ornamental or decorative pictorial, graphic, or sculptural features of a useful article may be registered if they can be identified separately from, and are capable of existing as works of authorship independently of, the utilitarian aspects of that article. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works”). This Chapter 900 : 38 12/22/2014 Section explains what types of works are considered useful articles and how to determine if they contain sufficiently separable elements to warrant registration.
924.1 What Is a Useful Article?
The Copyright Act defines a useful article as “an article having an intrinsic utilitarian function that is not merely to portray the appearance of the article or to convey information.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. An item or object is considered a useful article if it performs any inherent or intrinsic utilitarian function other than to inform, entertain, or portray its appearance to human beings. Examples of useful articles include automobiles, household appliances, furniture, lighting fixtures, work tools, dinnerware, food, clothing, shoes, personal computers, and carrying cases for laptops. Id The statute also states that “[a]n article that is normally part of a useful article is considered a ‘useful article.’” . For example, the bezel on a wristwatch or the handle on a casket would be considered useful articles, because they are inherently useful and because they are typically used as part of a larger useful article. The mechanical or utilitarian aspects of a three-dimensional work of applied art are not copyrightable. For example, the serrated edge of a knife cannot be registered, even if the pattern of the serration is original.
A work of authorship that does not have an intrinsic utilitarian purpose is not considered a useful article, even if that work could potentially be used in a functional manner. For example, a sculpture does not become a useful article simply because it could be used as a doorstop or paperweight.
924.2 Separability Tests for Useful Articles
Sections 101 and 102(a) of the Copyright Act provide the guiding principles for determining whether the decorative or ornamental features of a useful article may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Section 102(a)(5) of the Act states that the copyright law protects “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works,” which are defined by section 101 to include “two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art” as well as “works of artistic craftsmanship insofar as their form but not their mechanical or utilitarian aspects are concerned.” The statute also states that “the design of a useful article . . . shall be considered a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, only if, and only to the extent that, such design incorporates pictorial, graphic, or sculptural features that can be identified separately from, and are capable of existing independently of, the utilitarian aspects of the article.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “pictorial, graphic and sculptural works”). When examining a useful article, the Office must determine whether the article contains any pictorial, graphic, or sculptural features that are separable from its utilitarian function. If the article does not contain any features that can be separated from its utilitarian function, the Office will refuse to register the claim, because Congress has made it rceleparrin ttheadt itnhe Copyright Act does not cover any aspect of a useful article that cannot be separated from its functional elements. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 55 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5668-69. If the Office determines that the work contains one or more features that can be separated from its functional elements, Chapter 900 : 39 12/22/2014 the Office will examine those features to determine if they contain a sufficient amount of original authorship to warrant registration.
The Office will register claims to copyright in useful articles only on the basis of separately identifiable pictorial, graphic, or sculptural features. These features should be capable of independent existence apart from the overall shape of the useful article. The Office uses two tests to determine if the useful elements of an article are separable from the copyrightable elements: the physical and conceptual separability tests. These tests are discussed in Sections 924.2(A) and 924.2(B).
924.2(A) Physical Separability The useful elements of an article will be considered separable from the copyrightable elements if the copyrightable elements could be physically removed without altering the useful aspects of the article. This is known as the physical separability test. Physical separability means that the useful article contains pictorial, graphic, or sculptural features that can be physically separated from the article by ordinary means while leaving tEhxea umtpillieta: rian aspects of the article completely intact. A sufficiently creative decorative hood ornament on an automobile. 924.2(B) Conceptual Separability The U.S. Copyright Office applies the conceptual separability test only if it determines that the useful article contains pictorial, graphic, or sculptural features that cannot be physically separated from that article.
Conceptual separability means that a feature of the useful article is clearly recognizable as a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, notwithstanding the fact that it cannot be physically separated from the article by ordinary means. This artistic feature must be capable of being visualized — either on paper or as a free-standing sculpture — as a work of authorship that is independent from the overall shape of the useful article. In other words, the feature must be imagined separately and independently from the useful article without destroying the basic shape of that article. A pictorial, graphic, or sculptural feature satisfies this requirement only if the artistic feature and the useful article could both exist side by side and be perceived as fully realized, separate works — one an artistic work and the other a useful article. For example, the carving on the back of a chair or an engraving on a vase would be considered conceptually separable, because one could imagine the carving or the engraving as a drawing on a piece of paper that is entirely distinct from the overall shape of the chair and the vase. Even if the carving or the engraving was removed the shraepper ionft ethde i nchair and the vase would remain unchanged, and both the chair and the vase would still be capable of serving a useful purposeE. Hxa.Rm. pRl E e P s.: N O. 94-1476, at 55 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5668-69. Artwork printed on a t-shirt, beach towel, or carpet.
Chapter 900 : 40 12/22/2014 • A colorful pattern decorating the surface of a shopping bag. • A drawing on the surface of wallpaper.
Merely analogizing the general shape of a useful article to a work of modern sculpture or an abstract sculpture does not satisfyS ethee E csoqnucireep, tIunac.l vs.e Rpianrgaebrility test, because it does not provide an objective basis for visualizing the artistic features and the useful article as separate and independent works. , 591 F.2d 796, 804 (1978) (D.C. Cir. 1978) (agreeing with the Office’s determinations tehea at l“stoh Ien ohvaeler,a Ilnl cd.e vs. iSgtna orbr uzz cToonbfaicgcuor,a Itniocn of a utilitarian object, even if it is determined by aesthetic as well as functional considerations , is not eligible for copyright”); ., 739 F.3d 446, 449 (9th Cir. 2014) (finding that the Office’s interpretation of conceptual separability is entitled to deference, stating that “[c]ourts have twisted themselves into knots trying to create a test to effectively ascertain whether the artistic aspects of a useful article can be identified separately from and exist independently of the article’s utilitarian function”).
The fact that a useful article could have been designed differently or the fact that an artistic feature is not necessary to or dictated by the utilitarian aspects of that article is irrelevant to this analysis. If the feature is an integral part of the overall Ssheea pe or cgoennetoraulrl yof the useful article, that feature cannroetp brein ctoedn siindered conceptually separable because removing it would destroy the basic shape of the useful article. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 55 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5668-69. 924.2(C) Factors Not Relevant in Evaluating Separability In assessing whether certain elements are physically or conceptually separable from the utilitarian functions of a useful article, registration specialists do not consider the following: (i) the aesthetic value of the design; (ii) the factr tehparti nthteed a irnticle could have been designed differently; or (iii) the amount of effort or expense that went into the making of the design. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 55 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5668-69.
924.3 Specific Types of Useful Articles
924.3(A) Clothing Designs Clothing such as shirts, dresses, pants, coats, shoes, and outerwear are not eligible for copyright protection because they are considered useful articles. This is because clothing Spereo vides utilitarian functions, such as warmth, protection, and modesty. As a result, the U.S. Copyright Office will not register a claim in clothing or clothing designs. Registrability of Costume Designs, 56 Fed. Reg. 56,530, 56,531 (Nov. 5, 1991).
Chapter 900 : 41 12/22/2014 924.3(A)(1) Fabric and Textile Designs Embodied in Clothing or Other Useful Articles e.g.
Although the copyright law does not protect the shape or design of clothing, and although fabric and textiles have useful functions ( , providing varying degrees of warmth and protection), designs imprinted in or on fabric are considered conceptually separable from the utilitarian aspects of garments, linens, furniture, or other useful articles. Therefore, a fabric or textile design may be registered if the design contains a sufficienEt xaammopulne:t of creative expression.
924.3(A)(2) Costumes See generally Costumes are considered useful articles, because they provide the useful function of clothing the human body. Registrability of Costume Designs, 56 Fed. Reg. 56,530 (Nov. 5, 1991) (discussing the Office’s policy and several federal court decisions on the registrability of costume designs).
As with all useful articles, the registration specialist will examine costumes to determine if they contain two- or three-dimensional design elements that are separable from the costume itself, and to determine if those separable elements contain a sufficient amount of creative expression.
The fact that a costume may be intended primarily for ornamentation and show, and secondarily for covering the body, does not change the fact that the costume is a useful article. Whole- or partial-body costumes are considered useful articles and are subject to the separability test, even if they depict a person or thing, or illustrate cultural, historicaElx, oarm opclceus:p ational garb or dress.
924.3(A)(3) Decorative Masks Decorative masks are masks that may be worn as part of a costume or displayed as a decorative adornment. An ornamental or decorative head or face mask may be registered if it contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable pictorial, graphic, or sculptural authorship. However, the registration for a mask does not extend to any functional or mechanical aspects of the work, such as clasps, straps, snaps, locks, or air vents.
Unlike body costumes, federal courts and the U.S. Copyright Office generally do not consider head andSe fea cgee nmearsakllsy to be useful articles. Therefore, when a registration specialist examines a mask for copyrightable authorship, the specialist will not apply the separability test. Registrability of Costume Designs, 56 Fed. Reg. 56,530 (Nov. 5, 1991). If the mask is combined with a costume or other useful article, the specialisEtx wamillp alsek: the applicant to exclude those functional elements from the claim. Dinah Dunn submits a claim to register a nose mask in the shape of a pig snout. The mask would not be considered a u sSeefeu Ml aarstqiculeer ade Nbeocvaeultsye, Iint cd.o ve. sU nnoiqt upee Irnfodrumst rai eust, iIlnitca.rian function, and it may be eligible for registration if it is sufficiently creative. , 912 F.2d 663, 671 (3d Cir.
924.3(B) Blank Forms The U.S. Copyright Office will not register blank forms that are designed for recording information and do not in themselves convey information, regardless of how they are described in an application. 37 ICd.F. .R. § 202.1(c). Examples of blank forms include time cards, graph paper, account books, diaries, bank checks, scorecards, address books, report forms, and order forms.
Blank forms are not copyrightable, because they are utilitarian and they are not separable from the ideas, procedures, processes, systems, methods, concepts, principles, or discoveries that they are intended to record or implement. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). Likewise, the Office will refuse to register claims that are based solely on the arrangement, spacing, or juxtaposition of text matter, because this type of material falls within the realm of uncopyrightable ideas or concepts. Registration of Claims to Copyright; Notice of Termination of Inquiry Regarding Blank Forms, 45 Fed. Reg. 63,297 (Sept. 24, 1980). However, a registration specialist may register literary or visual arts content that has beeSne ea iddded or applied to a blank form if it is copyrightable, such as artwork that decorates the form or literary elements that describe or explain how to complete the form. . at 63,298.
Chapter 900 : 43 12/22/2014 Examples:
924.3(C) Measuring and Computing Devices Devices that are purely intended to compute, measure, and record data are useful articles. This includes any printed material on a device that provides the user with useful information, such as lines, numbers, symbols, colors, categories, and markings. Common examples of such devices include slide rulers, wheel dials, depth gauges, dive computers, echo-sounders, and perpetual calendar designs. These types of dSeeveices do not contain expressive authorship and are merely designed to calculate and produce facts, data, or other useful information. As such, they are not copyrightable. 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(d).
Textual or artistic material that explains or illustrates a device and its use may be protectable if it is sufficiently creative, as long as it does not perform the actual useful function of the device. For example, an instruction manual with significant text and pictures that shows how to use a device may be registrable. However, the registration for that work would extend only to the descriptive or illustrative authorship and would not extend to the concept, physical design, and use of the device itself. When asserting a claim in an instructional manual or other text or images that explain or illustrate a device, applicants should use terms that specifically describe the expressive, nonfunctional authorship that the author contributed to the work, such as “text of description of device,” “text of instructions,” “technical diagrams,” or “photographs of device.”
Chapter 900 : 44 12/22/2014 Applicants should avoid using the terms “device,” “equipment,” “sculpture,” “artwork,” “design,” “housing,” or “container” to refer to content that appears on the face or surface of the device. Applicants should avoid using the terms “format,” “layout,” and “compilation” to refer to the overall design features or to the overall combination of content on the face or surface of the device. Applicants also should avoid using vague terms, such as “two-dimensional artwork” or “entire work.” 924.3(D) X-Rays, Medical Imaging, and Non-Medical Echo Sonography Generally, the U.S. Copyright Office will not register medical x-rays or imaging, regardless of whether they are claimed on an application as photographs, images, artwork, or graphics. These types of images are considered useful articles, because they have an intrinsic utilitarian function, and the skill or craft used to create the images (if any) is dictated by that functional purpose. The following is a nonexhaustive list of such w• orks:
• Medical x-rays.
• Magnetic resonance imaging.
• Echocardiography.
• Echo mammography.
• Varieties of ultrasound.
• Iodinated ultra venous imaging.
• Angiography.
• Electrocardiography.
• Three-dimensional computed tomography.
• Positron emission tomography.
• Electroencephalography imaging.
For the same reasons, the Office will not register surveys of water and land masses that are captured by the data that echo-sounders and similar equipment produce. When x-rays or other medical images are used to illustrate a literary work, such as medical textbooks, excavation training guides, and journal articles, the Office may accept a claim in a “compilation of images,” “text and illustrations,” “text and illustrative diagrams,” or “text and figures.” The registration for such works will cover the text and the copyrightable compilation authorship, but not the underlying x-rays or medical images.
Chapter 900 : 45 12/22/2014 Similarly, applicants may use terms such as “illustrations,” “figures,” or “illustrative diagrams” to describe x-rays or medical images that have been modified with words, abbreviations, symbols, or color indicators, such as arrows, markers, or pointers that illustrate topics discussed in the accompanying literary work. In such cases, the Office may register the modified image as a technical drawing if it is sufficiently creative, but the Office will not accept a claim in the underlying image itself. When elements of color and the like are used to facilitate the medical use of x-rays or other images, the Office will refuse to register the claim based on the fact that the image is a useful article. There may be rare situations where x-rays or medical imaging may be registered if they are separable from the utilitarian function of the image, or if the imaging technology was used solely for artistic purposes. For such artistic uses of x-ray or imaging technologies, the sole artistic purpose must be recognizable from the deposit copy(iesE)x, aanmdp mlesu:s t be conceptually separable and sufficiently creative. Xavier Xander files an application for an x-ray of a broken arm and describes his authorship as a “photograph.” The registration • specialist will refuse to register the claim.
Chapter 900 : 46 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1002.1 Website .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 1002.2 Website Content ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 1002.3 Hypertext .............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 1002.4 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) ....................................................................................................................... 5 1002.5 Cascading Style Sheets ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 1002.6 Databases .............................................................................................................................................................................. 6 1003 Identifying the Authors of a Website ......................................................................................................................... 7 1003.1 Distinguishing Between Individual Authors, Joint Authors, and Works Made for Hire ......................... 7
1003.2 Distinguishing Between Authorship and / or Ownership When the Owner
of a Website Hires a Third Party to Create Content for That Site ................................................................... 7 1003.3 Copyrightable Content Contained in or Added to a Website ............................................................................ 8 1003.4 User Generated Content (UGC) ..................................................................................................................................... 8 1004 Identifying the Owner of Website Content .............................................................................................................. 9 1005 Transfer of Ownership by Terms of Service ......................................................................................................... 10 1006 Copyrightable Subject Matter .................................................................................................................................... 10 1006.1 Literary Works ................................................................................................................................................................. 11 1006.1(A) HTML Code ........................................................................................................................................................................ 12 1006.1(B) Databases ........................................................................................................................................................................... 13 1006.2 Visual Art Works ............................................................................................................................................................. 13 1006.3 Works of the Performing Arts .................................................................................................................................... 13 1006.4 Compilation Authorship ............................................................................................................................................... 14 1007 Uncopyrightable Material ............................................................................................................................................ 14 1007.1 Ideas for Websites, Website Operation, or Website Structure ...................................................................... 15 1007.2 Domain Names and URLs ............................................................................................................................................ 15 1007.3 Hypertext Links ............................................................................................................................................................... 15 1007.4 Layout and Format ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 1000 : 1 12/22/2014 1008 Registration Issues ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 1008.1 The Scope of a Registration for Website Content ............................................................................................... 17 1008.2 Unclaimable Material Must Be Excluded from the Claim ................................................................................ 17 1008.3 Publication Issues ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 1008.3(A) What Constitutes Publication? .................................................................................................................................. 18 1008.3(B) Reproduction and Distribution Distinguished from Performance and Display ..................................... 19 1008.3(C) The Authorization Requirement ............................................................................................................................... 20 1008.3(D) Implied Nonexclusive License or Authorization ................................................................................................. 21 1008.3(E) Intermediate or Buffer Copies Made in the Course of Streaming ................................................................ 22 1008.3(F) Determining the Publication Status of a Work Made Available Only Online ........................................... 23 1008.4 Identifying the Work(s) That May Be Included in the Claim ......................................................................... 24 1008.5 Identifying the Specific Version That May Be Included in the Claim .......................................................... 25 1008.6 Distinguishing Between Published and Unpublished Content...................................................................... 26 1008.6(A) Published Website Content ......................................................................................................................................... 26 1008.6(B) Unpublished Website Content ................................................................................................................................... 27 1008.7 Statutory Damages ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 1009 Application Tips for Websites and Website Content ........................................................................................ 28 1009.1 Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 28 1009.2 Title of This Work ........................................................................................................................................................... 29 1009.3 Year of Completion ......................................................................................................................................................... 30 1009.4 Date and Nation of First Publication ....................................................................................................................... 31 1009.4(A) Date of Publication ......................................................................................................................................................... 32 1009.4(A)(1) Date of First Publication for the Original Version of a Work ......................................................................... 33 1009.4(A)(2) Date of First Publication for Subsequent Versions of a Work ....................................................................... 33 1009.4(A)(3) Content Published Online and in Hard Copy Form ............................................................................................ 34 1009.4(B) Nation of First Publication .......................................................................................................................................... 34 1009.5 Name of Author ............................................................................................................................................................... 34 1009.6 Author Created / Nature of Authorship Statements ......................................................................................... 35 1009.6(A) Acceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Website or Website Content ................... 36 1009.6(B) Unclear Terminology for an Application to Register Website Content ..................................................... 37 1009.6(C) Unacceptable Terminology for an Application to Register a Website or Website Content ............... 38 Chapter 1000 : 2 12/22/2014 1009.7 Claimant ............................................................................................................................................................................. 39 1009.8 Limitation of Claim ......................................................................................................................................................... 39 1010 Deposit Requirements for Website Content......................................................................................................... 41 1010.1 Deposit Requirements for Registration ................................................................................................................. 41 1010.2 Deposit Requirements for Works Published Online and in Hard Copy Format ..................................... 43 1010.3 Deposit Requirements for Unpublished Works and Works Published Solely Online .......................... 43 1010.4 Uploading Large Files or Large Numbers of Files to the Electronic Registration System .................. 45 1010.5 The Deposit Material Must Match the Material Claimed in the Application ............................................ 45 1010.6 Deposit Requirements for Specific Types of Website Content ...................................................................... 46 1010.6(A) The Initial Version of a Published Website ........................................................................................................... 46 1010.6(B) Subsequent Versions of a Published Website ...................................................................................................... 46 1010.6(C) Revised Website Content ............................................................................................................................................. 47 1010.6(D) Compilations ..................................................................................................................................................................... 47 1010.6(E) HTML Code ........................................................................................................................................................................ 47 1010.6(F) Computer Programs Contained or Embedded Within a Website ................................................................ 47 1010.6(G) Databases Contained or Embedded Within a Website ..................................................................................... 47 1010.6(H) Electronic Serials ............................................................................................................................................................ 48 1010.7 Mandatory Deposit ......................................................................................................................................................... 48 1010.8 Special Relief from the Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................... 48 Chapter 1000 : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
• For guidance in completing the fields/spaces of a basic application, see Chapter 600. • For guidance on the filing fee, see Chapter 1400.
• For a discussion of literary works, see Chapter 700.
• For a discussion of works of the performing arts, see Chapter 800. For a discussion of visual art works, see Chapter 900.
1002 Definitions This Section provides a brief definition for many of the terms that are used throughout this Chapter.
1002.1 Website
For purposes of copyright registration, the U.S. Copyrii.eght Office defines the registrable content of a “website” as a webpage or set of interconnected webpages, including a homepage, located on the same computer or server ( ., fixed together on that computer or server), and prepared and maintained as a collection of information by a person, group, or organization.
Members of the public access the information and other works on a website by using a uniform resource locator (“URL”) that is organized under a particular domain name. Each URL address or file-path leads to a distinct webpage or file resource. When the Chapter 1000 : 4 12/22/2014 user opens a webpage with a browser application, the user’s computer retrieves data from the URL and the browser assembles, coordinates, and arranges the data for presentation as a screen display based on a set of layout instructions from the hypertext markup language (“HTML”), style sheet, or other markup language for that page. The actual content of the website may be embedded in the HTML code or may be contained in a file retrieved by the markup language.
A key element of a website is that the user can browse through the content on the site by scrolling through each webpage, by using internal hypertext links, or by using a search feature. This is in contrast to a database, which does not disclose the underlying content to the user but instead requires a search query to find and access particular information contained within the database that matches the parameters of each query.
1002.2 Website Content
For purposes of copyright registration, “website content” is material that is perceptible to the users of a particular website. This may include literary or textual works (such as news articles or literature) that are visibly displayed on a website, works of the performing arts (such as music, sound recordings, motion pictures, other audiovisual works and computer games) that are displayed or performed on a website, and two- dimensional visual art works (such as drawings, photographs, or illustrations) that are displayed on a website.
A work that is perceptible to the user only by downloading or separia.etely purchasing that particular work is not considered part of the website for registration purposes and must be registered separately. Likewise, externally linked content ( ., content residing on another website or another server) is not considered part of the website’s content for registration purposes.
1002.3 Hypertext
Hypertext consists of text or graphics displayed on a webpage that allow the user to link to other content or webpages. As ai. eg.e,neral rule, these links are dynamic addresi.see.,s that redirect the user to a particular part of the same page (in the manner of a bookmark), another page within the website ( an internal linki.e), or an external website ( an external link). In some cases, the external link may be an “inline” link that presents the external content within a frame on the linking site ( ., “framing” the content).
1002.4 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)
Hypertext markup language (“HTML”) is the standard markup language used in the design of websites. HTML establishes the format and layout of text and graphics when a user views a website by instructing the user’s browser to present material in a specified manner. HTML may be hand-coded, but it is often generated by web design software programs. For registration purposes, HTML code is not considered a computer program. For a definition and discussion of computer programs, see Chapter 700, Section 721. Chapter 1000 : 5 12/22/2014
1002.5 Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets (“CSS”) are a method of presenting structured documents. They are used to format and layout the organization and a uniform presentation of webpages written in a markup language, such as HTML.
1002.6 Databases
For purposes of copyright registration, the U.S. Copyright Office defines a “database” as a compilation of digital information comprised of data, information, abstracts, images, maps, music, sound recordings, video, other digitized material, or references to a particular subject or subjects. In all cases, the content of a database must be arranged in a systematic manner and it must be accessed solely by means of an integrated •in formation retrieval program or system with the following characteristics: • A query function must be used to access the content.
Websites are not considered databases for the purpose of copyright registration. Generally, users may access all the content on a website by browsing through the pages of the website or its hierarchical structure. By contrast, users generally cannot access the content of a database in its entirety. Instead, users retrieve specific data, data sets, or other content from the database by using a query function that fetches content that meets the particular criteria provided by the user. Whereas the content of a website is wholly displayed online, the data contained within a database is displayed only to the extent that it matches a particular query that a specific user enters into the information retrieval system. Not all search functions qualify as information retrieval programs or systems. For instance, a website may provide a search feature to assist users in locating particular information on the site, but this does not transform the website into a database because the search feature is not the sole entry point for accessing the underlying data or files.
For additional information concerning databases, see Chapter 700, Section 727. Chapter 1000 : 6 12/22/2014 1003 Identifying the Authors of a Website
1003.1 Distinguishing Between Individual Authors, Joint Authors,
and Works Made for Hire Websites often contain multiple types of copyrightable content, including literary works, visual art works, and performing arts works. The authors of the content may include visual artists, web designers, bloggers, coders, musicians, singer songwriters, among others. These authors may be individual contributors to the website, multiple authors who contributed to a group project, or employees of a company. When an individual creates a work of authorship,S geeenerally he or she is considered the author of that work. If two or more individuals create a work, they are considered joint authors and the work is considered a joint work. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “joint work”). When an individual creates a work duSreineg the course of his or her employment, that individual is not considered the author; the employer is considered the author and the work is considered a work made for hire. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work made for hire”).
For a definition and detailed discussion of joint works and works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Sections 505 and 506.
1003.2 Distinguishing Between Authorship and / or Ownership When the Owner
of a Website Hires a Third Party to Create Content for That Site When an employee of a business or other organization designs or creates content for the employer’s website while acting within the scope of his or her employment, the employee’s contribution is considered a work made for hire. In such cases, the employer is considered the author and the copyright owner of the website and the copyrightable content created by the employee.
In many cases, an individual, organization, or company will hire another individual or entity to create a website. In such cases, the hired individual or entity is considered an independent contractor and any authorship created by the independent contractor is authored and owned by that individual or entity. This is the case even if the hiring party paid the independent contractor to create the website, much like a bride and groom that hired a photographer to take pictures at their wedding. In such cases, the photographer is considered the author and the owner of the copyright in the photographs, even though the bride and groom paid the photographer for his or her time and purchased copies of the photographs. Likewise, the author and owner of the copyright in a website may be distinct from the owner of the tangible copies of that website content, notwithstanding the fact that the hiring party purchased those copies or paid for the web designer’s services.
In such cases, the independent contractor always remains the author of the work created. That individual or entity may transfer ownership of the exclusive rights comprising the copyright only by means of a signed, written agreement that transfers or exclusively licenses those rights to another party.
Chapter 1000 : 7 12/22/2014 Example:
For further information on issues involving the ownership of a website or website content, see Section 1004.
1003.3 Copyrightable Content Contained in or Added to a Website
Websites often contain contributions that constitute separate and independent works in themselves, such as text, photographs, videos, sound recordings, and the like. In such cases, the website is typically a form of collective work in which a number of component works are selected, coordinated, and/or arranged into a collective whole, while the components works typically are contributions to the collective work. The creator of the website may be the author and owner of the website as a whole, while another party or parties may be the author(s) and owner(s) of particular works contained within the site. In many cases, multiple applications may be required to register the copyright in all the works contained within a website, unless there has been a valid transfer of ownership for the copyright interest in each of the component works (assuming those works were not previously published or registered).
1003.4 User Generated Content (UGC)
Many websites allow users to post content that they created, such as comments, reviews, photographs, or videos. This type of material is known as user generated content (“UGC”).
As a general rule, the user is the author of any original expression that he or she creates and posts to a website, and the user owns the copyright in that material unless he or she transfers ownership of all the exclusive rights to the website owner pursuant to a valid, signed, written transfer of ownership.
For more information on ownership issues involving UGC, see Section 1005. Chapter 1000 : 8 12/22/2014 1004 Identifying the Owner of Website Content For purposes of copyright registration, the owner of website content is either (i) the author of the content or (ii) a copyright owner that owns all the exclusive rights in that content. When completing an application to register website content, the owner of the content should be identified in the application as the “claimant.” Although the author of the content or the copyright owner of that content are the only parties who are entitled to claim ownership of the copyright in that material, an application to register that claim may be signed and submitted by any of the parties listed in Chapter 400, Section 402. The author of website content may be named as a claimant even if the author transferred some or all of the exclusive rights in that content to another party. A copyright owner that owns all of the exclusive rights in website content may be named as a claimant, provided that the copyright in that content was transferred to the owner pursuant to a valid signed, written agreement. If the website contains content authored by a third party and if the copyright in that content has not been fully transferred to the claimant, the applicant should expressly exclude that content from the claim. If an individual, company, or organization hires an independent contractor to design a website and/or create copyrightable content for the website, the hiring party may have a contractual or implied right to use the website and/or the content for the purpose for which it was intended. However, the hiring party does not own the copyright in that content and cannot be named as a claimant unless there was a valid transfer of ownershEixpa imn pthlees :c opyright from the independent contractor to the hiring party. Trashy Productions LLC operates a fashion blog called “OneGirlsTrash;” Jake Rag is an employee of the company. Jake shot a video of street fashion and uploaded it to the company’s website. Jake submitted an application to register the video as a “motion picture,” naming Trashy Productions as the author and claimant with the work made for hire box checked “yes.” The registration • specialist will register the claim.
1009.7 and Chapter 600, Sections 619 and 620. For information on the procedure for excluding third party material from a claim, see Section 1009.8 and Chapter 600, Section 621.
Chapter 1000 : 9 12/22/2014 1005 Transfer of Ownership by Terms of Service In some cases, an individual author may be asked to accept the terms of service for a website before the author uploads UGC to that site. If the terms of service state that the website becomes the owner of all the exclusive rights in any works that are laSwefeu lly uMpeltoraodpeodli ttaon t hRaetg sioitnea, lt hInef oarumthaotrio mn aSyy sbtee mdes evm. Aemd etroi chaanv eH tormanes Rfeerarletyd N oewtwneorrskh, iIpn co.f the copyright in that UGC through a written, digitally-signed transfer agreement. , 722 F.3d 591 (4th Cir. 2013).
While this issue has not been addressed by many courts, at present the U.S. Copyright Office will accept an application that names the owner of a website as the claimant for UGC that has been uploaded to that site, but only if the applicant identifies the authors of that content in the application and confirms that the authors transferred their rights to the claimant. The Office encourages applicants to name all the authors of the UGC that is claimed in the application. However, if the content was created by a large number of authors, the Office will accept an appleic.gation that provides representative names of some of the authors and the number of additional authors who contributed to the content that is included in the claim ( ., “B.F. Pierce, John McIntyre, Hank Blake, Walter O’Reilly, and 14 others”). In any claim of ownership involving a “click-through” agreement or terms of service agreement, the claimant must know and have a record of the names of the authors who transferred ownership of all the exclusive rights to the claimant. To verify this requirement, the registration specialist may request additional information from the applicant. In such cases, the specialist will not accept transfers from anonymous, pseudonymous, or unidentified authors as a valid transfer of ownership.
1006 Copyrightable Subject Matter Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act states that copyright protection only extends to “original works of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a). To satisfy this requirement, a work must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression, it must be created by a human being, it must constitute copyrightable subject matter, and it must contain a sufficient amount of creative expression.
A website in and of itself is not explicitly recognized as copyrightable subject matter, although it may contain copyrightable subject matter that falls within one or more of the categories of authorship set forth in Section 102(a), and/or it may qualify as a compilation, a collective work, or a derivative work. A website is merely a medium of fixation for works of original authorship, but it is not a work of authorship in and of itself. In other words, it is a vehicle for the dissemination of content, which may or may not be copyrightable. Like any medium for copyrightable expression, such as a book, DVD, or CD-ROM, it is the content of the website—not the medium of expression—that comprises the copyrightable authorship that may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. W• ebsites may contain three layers of potentially copyrightable authorship: Websites contain content that is made perceptible on the website’s pages in the form of text or digital files. Websites usually contain multiple forms of content, such as text, computer programs, photographs and other two-dimensional artwork, Chapter 1000 : 10 12/22/2014 musical works, sound recordings, dramatic works, and motion pictures or other audiovisual works. Website content may be registered if it constitutes copyrightable subject matter and if it contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. The Office applies the same rules when examining these types of works, regardless of whether they are made available on a website or other online medium • or whether they are made available in a hard copy format. Websites may contain compilation authorship. Specifically, there may be authorship in the way in which the copyrightable text and/or digital files are selected, coordinated, and/or arranged on a particular webpage, or the way in which the pages of the overall website are selected, coordinated, and/or arranged, such as the manner or hierarchy in which the pages are connected or linked to each other. In many cases, the author or claimant of the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement may not be the same as the author of the individual elements within the website. If the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement is sufficiently creative, the website may be registered as a compilation, collective work, or • derivative work.
Websites are somewhat unique as vehicles for the dissemination of content. Unlike a tangible object, such as a printed magazine or a roll of film, websites are not static containers for content. They are dynamic containers that may change over time as often and to the extent that the website owner wishes. In addition, websites are not linear from beginning to end, but rather may be browsed in many varied ways. Although websites are dynamic, copyright protection in the United States extends only to fixed works of authorship that fall under the categories provided in Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act. The Office will register a claim in website content only as it exists at the time that the application is received. The Office will not register a claim in website content as it may exist in the future if that content has not been fixed yet. For information concerning specific types of website content, see Sections 1006.1 through 1006.4. For general information on what constitutes copyrightable subject matter and copyrightable authorship, seeChapter 300, Sections 307 and 308. For general information concerning compilations, collective works, and derivative works, see Chapter 300, Sections 311 and 312, and Chapter 500, Sections 507, 508, and 509.
1006.1 Literary Works
Websites typically contain some text or literary authorship. Websites also may include specific types of literary works, such as poems, short stories, news articles, blog entries, databases, and computer software. This type of website content may be claimed Chapter 1000 : 11 12/22/2014 in an application if it is sufficiently creative. However, a claim in text or literary authorship does not extend to titles, short phrases, standard navigational text, or other insufficiently creative or functional elements.
1006.1(A) HTML Code HTML code may be registered as a literary work if the code was created by a human being (rather than a website design program) and if it contains a sufficient amount of creative expression. The claim may include the HTML code underlying an entire website or it may be limited to specific webpages. In all cases, the HTML code must not contain any previously published or previously registered material, and the claimant must own all of the exclusive rights in the code.
The Office will not register HTML code as a computer program, because HTML does not constitute source code. HTML code is a markup language that merely formats the text and files on a webpage in much the same way that the codes in a word processing program format the characters and spaces in a document. Unlike computer programs that are hand-coded by programmers using computer programming languages, HTML code is frequently generated by website design software that provides templates or WYSIWYG (“What You See Is What You Get”) functionality. If the website design software automatically creates the HTML code, the website designer is not considered the author of the resulting markup language. By analogy, when an author creates a document using a word processing program, the author may insert text, spaces, and paragraphs, choose the font and the size of the letters, and select the color of these elements, but those decisions do not constitute copyrightable authorship. In such cases, the author of the document cannot assert a claim in the codes generated by the word processing program, because those codes were created by the program itself. The same is true for HTML code that is automatically generated by website design software. The HTML code for a website typically contains any text that is viewable on the site, because the HTML code formats, colors, sizes, and lays out the text on each webpage. If an applicant intends to register the text within a website, the applicant should submit the text as it is rendered on the webpage; there is no reason to submit the HTML code. To register a claim in HTML code the applicant must submit copy(ies) of the entire code. The applicant may not rely on the regulations governing computer programs, which allow applicants to submit only a portion of the source code. i.e.
A registration for HTML code and/or accompanying text will extend to the original text that is embedded in the code ( , the series of letters and numbers, interspersed with file names and/or text). However, it will not extend to the formatting and layout of text or digital files on a webpage that may be dictated by the HTML code or style sheets. A claim in a computer program may cover the screen displays and other content generated by the program, but a claim in HTML code does not extend to the screen displays or any content of the files referred to in the code. For information concerning the practices and procedures for registering computer programs see Chapter 700, Section 721.
Chapter 1000 : 12 12/22/2014 1006.1(B) Databases As discussed in Section 1002.6, a website is not considered a database for the purpose of copyright registration. The mere fact that a website contains a database of information or the fact that the information on a website is searchable does not transform the website into a database. For these reasons, the group registration option for database updates cannot be used to register websites or webpages, and at present there is no group registration option for website revisions that have been made over a period of time. If a website contains a database as part of its website content, the database may be registered as a literary work if it contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. The Office applies the same rules when examining this type of work, regardless of whether the database is made available through a website or in a hard copy format. For information concerning the practices and procedures for registering a database, see Chapter 700, Section 727. For information concerning the group registration option for database updates, see Chapter 1100, Section 1117.
1006.2 Visual Art Works
Websites typically contain visual art works, such as photographs, graphic designs, drawings, illustrations, and other two-dimensional works. This type of website content may be registered if it is sufficiently original.
A visual art work may be registered on an individual basis if the claimant is the author of that website content or owns all the exclusive rights in that content. In the alternative, the two-dimensional visual arts content contained in a website may be registered as a collective work if the author selected, coordinated, and/or arranged that content and if the claimant is the author of the collective work or owns all the exclusive rights in that work.
Creative pictorial authorship that is contained in a standard design feature, such as a background, button, banner, or template may be copyrightable if it is sufficiently creative. However, a claim in the pictorial authorship contained on a website does not extend to the standard placement of features on the webpages, such as elements that are part of the template, including mere coloration, the use of borders, or the selection of typeface and fontE. xample:
1006.3 Works of the Performing Arts
Works of the performing arts that are perceptible on webpages may be registered if they are sufficiently original, including musical works, sound recordings, dramatic works, choreographic works, pantomimes, motion pictures, and other audiovisual works.
Chapter 1000 : 13 12/22/2014 A work of the performing arts may be registered on an individual basis if the claimant is the author of that website content or owns all the exclusive rights in that content. In the alternative, the performing arts content contained in a website may be registered as a collective work if the author selected, coordinated, and/or arranged that content and if the claimant is the author of the collective work or owns all of the exclusive rights in that work.
1006.4 Compilation Authorship
The Copyright Act defines a “compilation” as “a work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated, or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
The content of a website may qualify as a compilation if there is a sufficient amount of creative expression in the selection, coordination and/or arrangement of the content as a whole. For example, there may be “selection” authorship involved in choosing the material or data that will be included in the website. There may be coordination authorship involved in classifying, categorizing, ordering, or grouping the content. In addition, there may be arrangement authorship involved in determining the placement or arrangement of the content within the website as a whole. To register a claim to copyrighte i.ng a compilation the applicant should state “compilation of __________” and should specify the type of website content that the author selected, coordinated, and/or arranged ( ., “compilation of text” or “compilation of text and photographs”). A registration for a compilation may cover each type of authorship if it is sufficiently creative, but it does not cover any content that appears within the website unless thEaxta cmopnltee:n t is copyrightable and is specifically claimed in the application. Camilla Beret is the owner of a dating website called “Switch and Bait.” Camilla did not create the individual listings that are posted on the site, but she selected the fields that are included within each listing and she created the arrangement of listings, headings, graphics, and photographs within the website as a whole. If the selection and arrangement is sufficiently creative, the registration specialist may register Camilla’s authorship as a “compilation of text, graphics, and photographs.”
For general information regarding compilations, see Chapter 500, Section 508. For information regarding compilation authorship, see Chapter 300, Section 312. For information regarding the practices and procedures for registering a claim in a compilation, see Chapter 600, Section 618.6 and 621.8(D). 1007 Uncopyrightable Material A registration for a claim in website content does not extend to any uncopyrightable material contained within a website. In particular, the U.S. Copyright Office will refuse to register website content that does not constitute copyrightable subject matter or Chapter 1000 : 14 12/22/2014 content that lacks a sufficient amount of original authorship. Examples of u• ncopyrightable material include, but are not limited to, the following: • Ideas, such as plans for future websites.
• Functional design elements.
• Domain names and hypertext links.
• The layout, format, or “look and feel” of a website.
See Common, unoriginasel em aaltseorial, such as names, icons, or familiar symbols. 17 U.S.C. § 102(b); 37 C.F.R. § 202.1.
This type of material is discussed in Sections 1007.1 through1007.4. For a general discussion of uncopyrightable material, see Chapter 300, Section 313.
1007.1 Ideas for Websites, Website Operation, or Website Structure
Section 102(b) of the Copyright Act specifically states that copyright protection for an original work of authorship does not “extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery… regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(b). For example, copyright protection does not extend to the ideas for a website, nor does it extend to any ideas or concepts for the visual or operational design of a website, its user interface, or the hyperlink structure of the site.
1007.2 Domain Names and URLs
A domain name or URL is the addSreees sF efoisrt aP wubelbicsaitteio onrs ,w Inecb. pva. gReu.r Iat li sT ethleep ohnolnien eS ervice eCqouivalent of a mailing address or phone number. These elements are facts that are not eligible for copyright protection.
1007.3 Hypertext Links
A hypertext link is generally a URL or bookmark within a website. These elements are not copyrightable, because they are essentially addresses or facts and because they are simply a method for accessing content within a website. Although a URL or bookmark in and of itself would not be protected by copyright, the creative text or graphic that embodies a hypertext link may be copyrightable if that text or graphic contains a sufficient amount of original authorship. Chapter 1000 : 15 12/22/2014
1007.4 Layout and Format
The copyright law does not protect the overall look and feel of a website. It only protects the specific copyrightable expression found on a website on a given date. i.e., As a general rule, the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of particular content on a webpage may be copyrightable if it is sufficiently creative. However, the layout ( spatial placement) or format of a webpage is not copyrightable in and of itself, regardless of how many elements are used in the layout or format. For example, a claim based on the border width for a webpage, the placement of some banner, and a placeholder for blocks of unspecified text or images would not be registrable. By contrast, a claim based on a particular banner, text, and images that are arranged in a creative manner may be eligible for registration, but the claim would extend only to that selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of those particular elements. It would not extend to other elements that have been arranged in the same or similar way. The U.S. Copyright Office will not register the format and layout of a website because it would impede the very purpose of copyright—to promote creativity—by limiting the ways in which creativity may be expressed. After conducting a formal rulemakii.neg, the Office determined that it cannot register the overall formi.aet or layout of a book or other printed publication, including the choice of style and size of typeface, leading ( ., the space between lines of type), the placement of the folio ( ., page numbers), the arrangement of type on the pages, or the placement, spacing, and juxtaposition of textual and illustrative matter in the work. The Office cannot register these elements because they fall within the realm of uncopyrightable ideas. If the Office registered claims in format or layout it would extend protection to the idea itself, because there are only a limited number of ways to organizeS ceoentent within a publication. Barring these types of claims thus serves the goal of copyright by ensuring that these building blocks of expression are available to all creators. Registration of Claims to Copyright: Notice of Termination of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Registration of Claims to Copyright in the Graphic Elements involved in the Design of Books and Other Printed Publications, 46 Fed. Reg. 30,651, 30,653 (June 10, 1981).
For the same reason, the Office will not register the standard arrangement or placement of the common elements and features on a webpage. The decision to add or place a banner, border, frame, sign-in box, title, footer, video screen, text blocks, or other elements in certain positions cannot be registered in the absence of specific copyrightable content in those elements, because these types of choices do not constitute original authorship. For instance, an original banner may be registered as a pictorial work if it is sufficiently creative, but the registration will not extend to the placement of that banner because there are a limited number of ways to layout that type of content on a webpage.
Style sheet languages, such as Cascading Style Sheets, are merely methods of formatting and laying out the organization of documents written in a markup language, such as HTML. Because procedures, processes, and methods of operation are not copyrightable, the Office generally will refuse to register claims based solely on CSS. For a general discussion of layout and format, see Chapter 300, Section 313.3(E) and Chapter 900, Section 906.5.
Chapter 1000 : 16 12/22/2014 1008 Registration Issues Claims in website content are often delayed because the application contains inaccurate or incomplete information and/or because there are discrepancies between the statements provided in the application and the information or material contained in the deposit copy(ies). This Section discusses issues that commonly arise in connection with the registration of such works.
1008.1 The Scope of a Registration for Website Content
A• registration for website content extends only to the following material: • Material that contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable expression, • Material that is original to the author named in the application, • Material that is owned by the claimant named in the application, • Material that is expressly described in the application, and Material contained in the deposit accompanying the application.
1008.2 Unclaimable Material Must Be Excluded from the Claim
As with any type of work, a registration for website content does not extend to any unclaimable material that may be contained within that content. For purposes of registration, unclaimable material includes material that is not owned by the claimant, material that is in the public domain, or material that was previously published or previously registered.
If the deposit contains an appreciable amount of previously published, previously registered, public domain, or third party material, the applicant must expressly exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8. Asserting a claim in previously published material is one of the most common mistakes that applicants make when completing an application to register website content. The U.S. Copyright Office has a longstanding practice of precluding previously published material from a claim in a collective work or derivative work, even if the author of the collective work or derivative work is the author of the previously published material and owns all of the rights in that material. The Office requires applicants to disclaim previously published material for several reasons. Historically, publication affected the duration of the copyright in a work, and it continues to be implicated in the duration of works made for hire, anonymous works, and pseudonymous works. Obtaining information about the date and nation of first publication may be necessary to determine if a particular work is eligible for copyright protection in the United States or if the work is subject to the mandatory deposit requirement for works published in this country. In addition, this information may be necessary to determine if the applicant satisfied the applicable deposit requirements. To register a published work an applicant generally must submit the best edition for that type of work, unless the Office’s regulations explicitly allow for the submission of identifying material. Finally, this Chapter 1000 : 17 12/22/2014 longstanding practice clarifies the date of publication for a particular work, which may assist the courts in assessing the copyright owner’s eligibility for statutory damages and attorney’s fees in an infringement action.
1008.3 Publication Issues
1008.3(A) What Constitutes Publication? distribution copies phonorecords to the public Publication is defined in the U.S. Copyright Act as: “[T]he of to a group of opre rsons of a work by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending. The offering to distribute copies or phonorecords for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display, constitutes publication.” 17 UI.Sd.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”) (emphases added). The statute also states that “[a] public performance or display of a work does not in itself constitute publication.” .
To perform or display a work “publicly” means “(1) to perform or display it at a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is gathered; or (2) to transmit or otherwise communicate a performance or display of the work to a place specified by clause (1) or to the public, by means of any device or process, whether the members of the public capable of receiving the performance or display receive it in the same place or in separate places and at the same time or at different times.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “to perform or display a work ‘publicly’”).
Although, in the vernacular, the term “published” has acquired broad meaning, it has a much narrower meaning as a term of art within the Copyright Act. Moreover, publication was part of the copyright law long before the internet became a means of public communication and dissemination. While technological developments have blurred this traditional concept, the U.S. Copyright Office interprets publication in a manner consistent with congressional intent and with appreciation for the current factual and legal distinctions that may inform the assessment of this issue. Specifically, the Office views publication in light of the statutory definition of “publication,” the legislative history for the Copyright Act, and a host of business practices premised on divisible exclusive rights.
1008.3(B) Reproduction and Distribution Distinguished from Performance and Display The statutory definition makes clear that publication requires (i) the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending, or (ii) an offer to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display. 17 U.S.C. § 101.
As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office considers a work “published” when it is made available online if the copyright owner authorizes the end user to retain copies or phonorecords of that work. For example, the fact that a work is expressly authorized for reproduction or download by members of the public or is expressly authorized for distribution by the public creates a reasonable inference that copies or phonorecords have been distributed and that publication has occurred. Likewise, the Office generally considers a work “published” when the copyright owner makes copies or phonorecords available online and offers to distribute them to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display. For instance, the fact that a sound recording has been offered for distribution to multiple online streaming or download services, or the fact that a photographer offered a photograph to multiple stock photo companies or website for purposes of further distribution or public display creates a reasonable inference that an offer to distribute to a group of persons has been made and that publication has occurred. It may seem odd that allowing the whole world to view or hear a work does not constitute publication of a work, but the statutory definition is clear that the public performance or public display of a work does not, in and of itself, constitute publication. A mere display or performance is not a distribution, because the end user does not reprinted in explicitly embraced the concept of divisibility of the exclusive rights of copyright when it enacted the 1976 Act. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 123 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5738-39. Chapter 1000 : 19 12/22/2014 See retain a “copy” or “phonorecord” of the work, as defined under the Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “copies” and “phonorecords”). As a general rule, the Office does not consider a work to be published if it is merely displayed or performed online, unless the author or copyright owner clearly authorized the reproduction or distribution of that work, or clearly offered to distribute the work to a group of intermediaries for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display.
1008.3(C) The Authorization Requirement A critical element of publication is that the distribution of copies or phonorecords to the public must be authorized by the copyright owner. To be considered published, the copyright owner must expressly or impliedly authorize users to make retainable copies or phonorecords of the work, whether by downloading, printing, or by other means. A distribution or offer to distribute that has not been authorized by the copyright owner does not constitute publication. Thus, the mere fact that a work is disclosed on the internet does not “publish” the work. The end user’s technical capacity to copy, capture, save, or otherwise reproduce a work in and of itself does not imply that the copyright owner authorized the distribution or publication of that work, unless there is an express or implied-in-fact authorization that supports such an inference. Likewise, the fact that it may be possible for an end user to reproduce or distribute a work that has been authorized only for public display or public performance online does not mean that publication has occurred.
An unauthorized reproduction or distribution online may constitute copyright infringement or may be a fair use in certain circumstances, even if there are no technological protection measures preventing the use of that work. While a fair use may be lawful, it is not considered an authorized reproduction or distribution that publishes the copyright owner’s work. Similarly, an infringing reproduction or distribution does not constitute publication, even if the unauthorized copies or phonorecords are dispersed among large number of people. While it is often a simple matter to determine whether a distribution of tangible copies was authorized by the copyright owner, it is not always factually clear whether the The term “copies” is used interchangeably in this Chapter to refer to both “copies” and “phonorecords,” which are defined in Section 101 of the Copyright Act. Chapter 1000 : 20 12/22/2014 placement of works online is intended to be an authorized distribution of those works or merely an authorized public performance or public display. The answer to this question may vary for different types of works or vary based on the way in which works are placed online. For instance, posting a sound recording online for authorized downloading by the public may well provide evidence of publication, whereas making a sound recording available for streaming would not constitute publication, because the work is only intended to be publically performed. Similarly, posting an article on a news website that authorizes users to download articles or email them to a friend may support a finding of publication for that particular article, whereas posting the entire news website online would not constitute publication because the website as a whole is intended only for public display. Indeed, there would appear to be little basis for inferring that a copyright owner authorized a user to copy and/or distribute an entire website absent some indication to the contrary. Because publication is premised on authorized distribution, it is ultimately for the author ore t.ghe copyright owner to determine whether a work is authorized for distribution or is limited to public performance or public display. eT.ghis choice may be express ( ., an express statement that the works on a website may be downloaded or that they are available only for online display) or implied in fact ( ., a website that provides a download option or a website that only provides a streaming option). Authors and copyright owners who wish to clarify the publication status of their works should provide express information about what they are, or are not, authorizing others to do with their works. For instance, explicitly authorizing downloading or reproduction of all the content on a website would indicate that the works posted on that site have been published. Implicitly authorizing downloading or transmission of copies of works by offering copies for sale, free downloading, or transmission to others via email also may suggest that works subject to that implicit authorization have been published. By contrast, clearly stating that the content on a particular is available only for public display or public performance with an express prohibition on the reproduction, distribution, or transmission of any of that content would indicate that the works on that site are unpublished.
1008.3(D) Implied Nonexclusive License or Authorization To assess the publication status of works placed online, it may be necessary to clarify the scope of any implied license purportedly granted by the copyright owner of those works. Courts have found that an implied, nonexclusive license or authorization may exist where the circumstances and the parties’ conduct reflected their intent or understanding that the work would be used for a specific purpose. Courts have considered a wide variety of factors in determining whether a Enfofnecetxsc lusive, iAmsspolcieiadt elisc,e Innsce. v m. Caoyh eexnist. In some cases, the grant of a license may be implied by objective conduct that “supports a finding that an implied license existed.” , 908 F.2d 555, 558 n.8 (9th Cir. 1990) (finding an implied license where the author created special effects for a horror movie and stated that the footage would be used for this purpose in both a written agreement and in its application to register the footage). In other cases, a license may be implied by the totality of the Chapter 1000 : 21 12/22/2014 See, e.g., Falcon Enterprises, Inc. v. Publishers Service, Inc. parties’ conduct. , 438 Fed.
App’x. 579, 581 (9th Cir. 2011) (holding that the parties’ conduct demonstrated the existence of an ongoing nonexclusive, implied license where the plaintiff received a fee each time he sent copyrighted images to the publisher for publication over a period of several years). However, eSxepe rJeoshsn osor ne xvp. Jloicniet slimits on use may supersede an implied license, particularly if the copyright owner conveys those limits before the work is delivered to the licensee. , 149 F.3d 494, 500-501 (6th Cir. 1998) (finding no implied license where architect presented the client with proposed contracts containing an express provision stating that the drawings could not be used without his agreement or without appropriate compensation).
A variety of factors may be relevant in determining whether a copyright owner published website content by impliedly authorizing users to make copies of that •co ntent. Examples of factors that may be considered include the following: Whether there are indications on the website or webpage relevant to the work indicating that the copyright owner intends for the work to be distributed to the user via download, saving, printing, or emailing, such as the presence of a • “download,” “save,” or “email” button for a particular work. Whether the copyright owner expressly reserved copyright rights in the work or explicitly prohibited the reproduction or distribution of the work in whole or in • part.
As discussed above, the U.S. Copyright Office does not consider a work “published” when it is made available online through a public performance or public display unless the copyright owner authorizes the end user to retain copies of that work. The fact that the user’s computer or other device makes intermediate copies, buffer copies, or other temporary digital copies during a performance or display of that work is irrelevant to this determination. Authorizing the performance or display of a work does not necessarily mean that the copyright owner authorized the end user to retain copies of Chapter 1000 : 22 12/22/2014 the work. While temporary copies may or may not be fixed in the user’s computer or other device for a period of more than transitory duration, they are purely functional copies made solely for the purpose of facilitating the technological delivery of the performance or display. Typically the copyright owner does not intend for the user to permanently retain those copies on his or her computer, and any further use of those copies would be unauthorized by the owner.
Moreover, temporary copies made in the course of browsing websites do not reproduce the entire site, but only the pages displayed in the user’s web browser. When a website and its content are posted online, the copyright owner presumably gives users an implied license to create temporary copies for the purpose of viewing that content in a browser. But it is doubtful that an implied license would extend to authorizing the permanent reproduction of an entire website or its contents without clear authorization from the copyright owner.
1008.3(F) Determining the Publication Status of a Work Made Available Only Online The applicant — not the U.S. Copyright Office — must determine whether a particular work is published or unpublished. This determination should be based on the facts that exist at the time the application is filed with the Office. As a general rule, the Office will accept the applicant’s representation that website content is published or unpublished, unless that statement is implausible or is contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or in the Office’s records or by information that is known to the registration specialist.
In making this determination, the applicant may wish to consider the following general •g uidSetlrineaems: ed-only content : Streaming is a performance, which, in and of itself, does not constitute a distribution of copies, because, as a practical matter, the user does not receive a copy. If a work is made available on a website only by streaming and not • fEoxrp dreosws naluotahdo,r iitz aist inoont tpou dbolwisnhleoda. d content : If a work is expressly made available for download the work is deemed published, because a distribution occurs each time a user downloads a copy, such as when MP3s of a sound recording are offered for sale on a website or where a copy of software or a publication can be obtained by • cDloicwkninloga odnin ag “ odro rwenprlooaddu cntoiown” e bxuptrteosnsl yo rp sriomhiiblaitre ldink. : If a work is posted and displayed on a website and if there is a notice on the webpage, in the terms of service for the site, or in another obvious place stating that the work and/or all content on the site may not be downloaded, printed, or copied (or other statement to that effect), that work(s) may be deemed unpublished, because any copies that may be downloaded, printed, or otherwise distributed to the user have not been authorized by the • Wcooprykr ipgohstt eodw wneitrh. out the authority of the copyright owner : The fact that a work was posted on a website without authorization from the copyright owner has no impact Chapter 1000 : 23 12/22/2014 on whether the work is published or unpublished (even if the work may be downloaded or printed from the site), because the copyright owner did not • Iamutphlioerdiz leic tehnes ework’s availability on the website in the first instance. : If a work is posted on a website and there is no evident statement in the terms of service for the site, on the webpage where the work is displayed, or elsewhere stating that the work may be downloaded, copied, forwarded, and/or printed it may be unclear whether the copyright owner authorized the distribution of that work. If downloading, reproducing, or retransmitting is facilitated in some manner by the website, there may or may not be an implied license to distribute the • wWoorrkk, mina wdeh aicvha cilaasbel et hine ewleocrtkr omnaicy a onrd m haayr dn coot pbye fcoornmsaidt.ered published. If the same work is posted online and distributed in tangible copies, such as CDs, DVDs, or in printed formats, the work will be deemed published, even if it has not been published online. For complete certainty, authors or copyright owners may register website content as an unpublished work before it is distributed or placed online. Likewise, if a website has not been posted online yet and if all of the content contained in the site has never been distributed, the website may be registered as an unpublished work. A registration for an unpublished work secures the statutory benefits for a work, such as the availability of statutory damages and attorney’s fees for infringements that occur after the effective date of the registration for that work (regardless of whether the work is subsequently published).
1008.4 Identifying the Work(s) That May Be Included in the Claim
To register a claim with the U.S. Copyright Office the applicant should begin by identifying the work(s) of authorship that will be included in the claim. This is especially critical for websites, because they typically contain a number of discrete works of authorship. Each work may present unique registration issues that the applicant may need to consider when preparing the application and the deposit material. For example, if the website contains a number of works that are owned by different parties, it may be necessary to submit a separate application for each work. Separate applications may be necessary if the applicant determines that the works have been published and that each work was published on a different date. Likewise, separate applications may be necessary if the applicant intends to register multiple versions of the same work and if the applicant determines that the versions were published on successive dates. Indeed, every work that is added to a website potentially may qualify as a derivative work or a new contribution to a collective work. In such cases, a separate application and separate publication date may be required for each date that new content was uploaded to the website and authorized for distribution to the public. By contrast, if the website qualifies as a collective work it may be possible to register the entire site with one application, provided that the claimant owns the copyright in the site as a whole. It also may be possible to register the entire site together with the component works contained therein if the claimant is the author of or owns the copyright in those works. However, it is important to note that a website claimed as a Chapter 1000 : 24 12/22/2014 collective work will only be eligible for one award of statutory damages no matter how many discrete works within the website may be infringed. 17 U.S.C. § 504(c)(1). For information concerning the registration options for collective works and contributions to collective works, see Chapter 500, Section 509.
If the applicant determines that a website is unpublished, it may be possible to register the works that appear on site as an unpublished collection, such as an unpublished collection of photographs, an unpublished collection of articles, or an unpublished collection of blog posts. In other cases, it may be possible to register a number of works with one application by using one of the group registration options, such as the option for registering a group of published photographs or a group of contributions to periodicals, provided that the applicant satisfies the eligibility criteria for that option. For information concerning these registration options, see Chapter 1100 (Registration for Multiple Works).
1008.5 Identifying the Specific Version That May Be Included in the Claim
Many websites are frequently updated and may change significantly over time. A website may add content every hour, day, week, month, or year. To register a claim with the U.S. Copyright Office it is important to identify the specific version of the work(s) that will be included in the claim.
For information concerning the procedure for excluding unclaimable material, see Section 1009.8. For a general discussion of issues involving the registration of different versions of a work, see Chapter 500, Section 512.
Chapter 1000 : 25 12/22/2014
1008.6 Distinguishing Between Published and Unpublished Content
Published and unpublished website content is treated differently for the purposes of registration. Sections 1008.6(A) and 1008.6(B) discuss some of the issues that should be considered when asserting a claim in published or unpublished content. For guidance in determining whether website content is published or unpublished, see Section 1008.3. 1008.6(A) Published Website Content If the applicant determines that the content has been published, the applicant may register all of the copyrightable material that was first published on the date of publication specified in the application. If the content contains copyrightable material that was published before that date, the applicant must exclude that previously published material from the claim.
When preparing an application to register content that appears on a published website, t•h e applicant should do the following:
• Identify the content that the applicant intends to register. • Identify the year that the content was created.
• Identify the year teh.agt. the content was completed. • Identify the date ( , month, day, and year) that the content was first published. Prepare an appropriate deposit containing a complete copy of the content in the form in which it was first published.
The date of first publication specified in the application must be limited to a single date, and a registration for published website content only covers the content that was first published on that date. Therefore, the deposit should contain a copy of the content as it existed on the date of publication that is specified in the application. If the publication date specified in the application is not the same as the publication date for the content reflected in the deposit, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, which will delay the examination of the claim.
If an author or copyright owner determines that a website has been published, that party is encouraged to preserve and maintain a copy of the website as it existed on each day that copyrightable authorship is added or incorporated into the website. This will ensure that a proper deposit may be prepared and submitted to the Office in the event that the author, the copyright owner, or other authorized party decides to register the website or the content contained therein. It also may provide critical evidence in the event there is an infringement dispute involving that content. As discussed in Chapter 200, Section 202, the date of publication may be crucial in determining whether a copyright owner is able to seek statutory damages and attorney’s fees in an infringement action.
If the applicant determines that a website has been published, it may be beneficial to register the initial version of the content that appeared on the site on the date that the Chapter 1000 : 26 12/22/2014 site was first published. If the applicant takes this approach, the registration will cover that content as it existed on the date of publication specified in the initial application, provided that the content (i) is contained within the deposit, (ii) is owned by the claimant named in the application, and (iii) has not been previously published or previously registered with the Office.
If the applicant subsequently submits an application to register subsequent versions of the website, the registration will cover the new or revised material that was first published on the date specified in the subsequent application. As a general rule, the applicant should submit a separate application for each separately published update or revision to the website that the applicant wishes to register. If this is impracticable, the applicant may decide to seek one or more strategic registrations that cover the published content that is most valuable to the claimant. 1008.6(B) Unpublished Website Content If the applicant determines that the content was placed online solely for the purpose of public display or public performance, the work may be deemed unpublished. If so, the applicant may register all of the copyrightable material that appears on the website as of the date that the application is submitted, provided that the material (i) is reflected in the deposit, (ii) is owned by the claimant named in the application, and (iii) has not been previously published or previously registered with the Office. If the website contains an appreciable amount of previously published, previously registered material, or material that is owned by a third party, the applicant must exclude that material from the claim. If copyrightable material is subsequently added to the website, the applicant may seek a new registration for the new or revised material when the claimant determines that further protection is desirable.
In some cases, it may be possible to register a number of unpublished works with one application. Specifically, an applicant may register a number of unpublished works as an unpublished collection, provided that the works are combined and assembled in an orderly form with a single title, and provided that the claimant is the same for all the elements and at least one author contributed copyrightable authorship to all of those elements. For a detailed discussion of this option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106. It also may be possible to register a website as an unpublished collective work, provided that the site contains a sufficiently creative selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of content. For a detailed discussion of collective works, see Chapter 500, Section 509.
1008.7 Statutory Damages
In determining whether to register the content of a website separately or together the applicant should consider the potential impact on the copyright owner’s ability to seek damages in the event that a third party infringes that content. It is possible to register vast amounts of material that appear together on a website with one application if the content qualifies as a compilation, a collective work, or contribution to a collective work. It also may be possible to register an updated version of a website that contains vast amounts of new or revised content if it qualifies as a derivative version of the original website. However, derivative works, compilations, and collective works are considered one work for purposes of calculating statutory Chapter 1000 : 27 12/22/2014 See damages. 17 U.S.C. § 504(c)(1) (“For the purposes of this subsection, all the parts of a compilation or derivative work constitute one work.”); 17 U.S.C. § 101 (“The term ‘compilation’ includes collective works.”). Consequently, registering a number of self- contained works that appear on a website together as a compilation, collective work, or derivative work may have significant consequences in a copyright infringement action. For example, when a website consisting predominantly of photographs is registered as a compilation, a court may issue only one award of statutory damages for all the photographs covered by that registration. That is not necessarily the case, however, if the photographs are (i) unpublished and are registered as an unpubSleisehed collection (if no selection or arrangement is claimed), or (ii) are published and are registered using the group registration option for groups of published photographs. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4), (b)(10). Thus, if the applicant only intents to register individual works on a website, such as an unpublished collection of photographs the applicant may want to include a statement in the application that the claimant claims no authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of works within the website. When completing an online application this statement may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. When completing a paper application it may be provided in a cover letter.
For information concerning unpublished collections and the group registration options for published photographs, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1106 and 1116. For a discussion of derivative works, compilations, and collective works, see Chapter 500, Sections 507 through 509. For a general discussion of publication issues involving website content, see Section 1008.3.
1009 Application Tips for Websites and Website Content This Section provides basic information on how to complete an online application or paper application for a website or website content, as well as terms to use and terms to avoid when describing the authorship in such works.
For detailed information on how to complete an application, see Chapter 600.
1009.1 Type of Work
Many websites contain multiple forms of authorship, including text, images, artwork, musical works, sound recordings, videogames, computer programs, audiovisual works, among other types of works. Identifying the type of work that will be submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office is the first step in completing an application. The Register of Copyrights has prescribed six classes of works that may be registered with the Office. The applicant should select the class of work that is most appropriate for the type of content that the applicant intends to register. When completing an online application, the applicant should select the appropriate class from the drop down menu marked Type of Work. When completing a paper application, the applicant should use •th e fLoirtmer athrya tW hoarsk bs:e en designated for the type of content that appears in the work. When completing an online application, the applicant should select “Literary Work” if the content primarily contains nondramatic text, such as articles, blog entries, or the like, or if the content primary consists of computer Chapter 1000 : 28 12/22/2014 programs, databases, compilations of information, or other works that are • eWxoprrkess soef dth ien Vniusmuabl eArrst so:r other verbal or numerical symbols or indicia. When completing an online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Visual Arts” if the content primarily contains or consists of pictorial or graphic material, such as artwork, images, drawings, illustrations, photographs, or the like. When completing a paper application, the applicant should • uWsoer Fkos romf t VheA .P erforming Arts:
select “motion picture / audiovisual material” or should use Form PA. When completing an online application, the applicant should select “Motion Picture / AV Work” if the content primarily contains or consists of motion pictures or other audiovisual works. When completing a paper • aSpinpglliec aSteiroina,l tIhsseu aep:plicant should use Form PA. When completing an online application, the applicant should select “Single Serial Issue” if the content consists of a single issue of a serial publication, such as a newsletter that is published and distributed online or via email as a self-contained, downloadable work. When completing a paper application, the applicant should use Form SE.
If the content contains more than one type of authorship, the applicant should select the option that is appropriate for the predominant form of authorship that appears in the deposit copy(ies) or phonorecord(s). For example, the applicant should select “literary work” to register a blog that mostly consists of text, even if the blog contains some images that accompany the text. By contrast, the applicant should select “work of the visual arts” to register a library of photographs or a website that primarily consists of clip art.
For additional guidance in selecting the appropriate type of work, see Chapter 600, Section 609.2.
1009.2 Title of This Work
The applicant should provide the title of the content that will be submitted for registration, including any subtitles. When completing an online application, the Chapter 1000 : 29 12/22/2014 applicant should provide this information on the Title screen in the field marked Title of This Work. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 1 of the application.
The Office strongly encourages applicants to provide a title for each work that will be submitted. Interested parties typically search for works by title and it may be extremely difficult to find a particular work if the applicant fails to provide that information in the application. If the author has not selected a formal title for the content, the applicant may provide a descriptive title that identifies the author of the content, the type of content that the author created, or other pertinent information that can be reasonably identifieEdx ianm ap sleeas:r ch of the U.S. Copyright Office’s online database. Zehra Salim owns a website called “Zehra's Art Store,” which sells art supplies. Zehra created a logo for the site that features a paint brush superimposed on a compass. To register this logo the applicant may provide a descriptive title, such as “Logo artwork for Zehra's Art Store,” “Paint brush / compass logo for Zehra's Art • Store,” or the like.
The electronic registration system will accept titles consisting of Roman letters and/or Arabic numerals, but it will not accept a title that has been underlined. When providing a URL as the title for a website, the applicant may include the suffix that identifies for top level domain name for the site, such as .com, .net, or .org, but applicants should not include tEhxea pmrpelfeixs:e s“www,” “http://” or other generic introductory phrases. • PetSupplies.com.
For additional guidance in completing the title field/space of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 610.
1009.3 Year of Completion
The applicant must identify the year that the author completed the website or website content that the applicant intends to register. The applicant should only provide a year of completion for the specific version that will be submitted for registration. The Chapter 1000 : 30 12/22/2014 applicant should not provide a year of completion for any other version that will not be submitted to the Office.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the year of completion on the Publication/Creation screen; when completing a paper application the applicant should provide this information in space 3(a). For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611. The year of completion may vary depending on the type of content that the applicant intends to register. If the content is a discrete work contained on a website, the year of completion is typically the year that the author completed that work in its final form. If the applicant intends to register multiple works that were created over a period of more than year, the applicant may provide the year of completion for the most recent work that will be submitted for registration.
If the applicant intends to register the collective authorship in the website as a whole, the year of completion may vary depending on whether the website is published or unpublished. If the website has been published, the yi.eear of completion must precede or be the same as the date of first publication for the specific content that is claimed in the application. If the website is deemed unpublished ( ., a site that is authorized only for public display or public performance), the Office will accept any year of completion that precedes the date that the application was submitted. If the applicant intends to register content that is if.ree.quently revised or updated, such as a news website or blog, the applicant should provide the year of completion for the content that is reflected in the deposit copy(ies) ( , the most recent year that is reflected in the deposit material). If the applicant provides a year of completion for an earlier version of the website, but does not submit a deposit containing that version, or provides a year of completion for any other content that is not contained in the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant, which will delay theE xeaxmamplien:a tion of the claim.
1009.4 Date and Nation of First Publication
When completing an application, the applicant — not the U.S. Copyright Office — must determine whether the work is published or unpublished. This may be difficult when the applicant intends to register a website or website content. Often times, the website as a whole maey.g b.,e viewed as an unpublished work, but the particular content that appears on the site may be deemed published if it has been explicitly authorized for distribution ( with a button that enables users to “download” website content, an Chapter 1000 : 31 12/22/2014 icon that invites users to “save” website content, or a feature that allows users to transmit content by email or other means).
As a general rule, the Office will accept the applicant’s representation that a work is published or unpublished, unless that statement is implausible or is contradicted by information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or in the Office’s records or by information that is known by the registration specialist. If the applicant determines that the work has been authorized for distribution to the public, the applicant must identify the date and nation of first publication for that work. In most cases, the date of first publication is the date that the work was posted online with the authorization of the copyright owner.
If the applicant intends to register multiple works and if those works were published on successive dates, the applicant generally should submit a separate application with a separate date of publication for each work. Likewise, separate applications and separate publication dates may be required if the applicant intends to register multiple versions of the same work and if each version was distributed on a different date. Indeed, every work that is added to a website may constitute a derivative work or a contribution to a collective work, and a separate application and separate publication date may be required for each date that new material has been authorized for distribution on that site. In some cases the applicant may need to limit the claim to each individual work that was added to the website on a particular date, while in other cases the applicant may need to exclude previously published material that was distributed on the website on an earlier date.
By contrast, if the applicant determines that the work was placed online solely for the purpose of public display or public performance, the work may be deemed unpublished. An application for an unpublished work may cover all of the copyrightable material contained in the deposit copy(ies) that is owned by the copyright claimant, provided that the material has not been previously published or previously registered with the Office. As discussed in Section 1008.6(B), it may also be possible to register a number of unpublished works with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copies if the applicant satisfies the requirements for registering the works as an unpublished collection. If the applicant subsequently decides to register unpublished material that was added to the website at a later date, the applicant may seek a new registration for the new material when the copyright owner determines that further protection is desirable. 1009.4(A) Date of Publication When completing an online application, the applicant will be asked to provide publication information on the Publication / Completion screen. If the applicant determines that the work has been published, the applicant should select “yes” in the drop down menu marked “Has this work been published?” In addition, the applicant should provide the month, day, and year that the work was published for the first time. Specifically, the applicant should provide the date that the work was first distributed or the date that the work was offered to a group of persons for the purpose of further distribution, performance, or display (whichever is earlier). As a general rule, the applicant should only provide a date of first publication for the specific version that will Chapter 1000 : 32 12/22/2014 be submitted for registration. The applicant should not provide a date of publication for any other version of the work that will not be submitted to the Office. If the applicant determines that the work is unpublished, the applicant should select “no” on the Publication / Completion screen.
When completing a paper application the applicant should provide the date of first publication in space 3(b) under the heading marked “Date and Nation of Publication of This Particular Work.” If the work has not been published, space 3(b) should be left blank. For additional guidance concerning this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 612.
1009.4(A)(1) Date of First Publication for the Original Version of a Work If the applicant intends to register a work that was published on the original version of a website, the applicant generally should provide the month, day, and year that the work was firstE pxoasmtepdle o: n that site.
1009.4(A)(2) Date of First Publication for Subsequent Versions of a Work If the applicant intends to register a revised version of a published website, the applicant generally should provide the month, day, and year that the revised content was firstE pxoamstepdle o: n that site.
Chapter 1000 : 33 12/22/2014 1009.4(A)(3) Content Published Online and in Hard Copy Form e.g If the applicant determines that the work was published both online and in hard copy form ( ., in physical copies or phonorecords), the applicant should provide the date that the work was first published, regardless of whether the first publication occurred online or in hard copies.
1009.4(B) Nation of First Publication If the applicant determines that the work has been published, the applicant must identify the nation of first publication. The Office may use this information to determine if the work is eligible for protection under U.S. copyright law. When completing an online application the applicant should identify the country where the work was first published by selecting one of the countries listed in the drop down menu marked Nation of first publication. When completing a paper application, the application should provide this information on space 3(b) next to the heading marked Nation. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 612.
As a general rule, the nation of first publication is the country where copies or phonorecords of the work were first published with the authorization of the copyright owner. This determination may be difficult we.hgen the applicant intends to register a website or website content, because the law in this area is unsettled. If the website was directed at users in a particular country ( ., a website written entirely in Danish with a domain name ending in the suffix .dk), that country could be deemed the nation of first publication for purposes of copyright registration. The location of the server where the work resides and/or the scope of the intended audience may also be relevant to this issue.
Upon request, the Office will provide the applicant with general information about the Copyright Act and the legislative history for the statute, including the statutory definition of publication and the provisions concerning nation of publication. However, the Office will not give specific legal advice on whether a work has or has not been published within a particular country. Instead, the Office leaves this determination to the applicant and the courts, because they are in a better position to assess the complete facts in any particular situation.
1009.5 Name of Author
The applicant should identify all of the authors who created or co-created the copyrightable content that is claimed in the application. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the author’s full name on the Authors screen. If the content was created by an individual, the applicant should provide that person’s full name in the field marked Individual Author. If the content was created by or on behalf of a legal entity, such as a corporation, partnership, or other organization, the applicant should provide that entity’s name in the field marked Organization. If the works were created by more than one author, the applicant Chapter 1000 : 34 12/22/2014 should complete the relevant fields, click the Save button, and then repeat this process for the other authors.
If the author created the content as a work made for hire, the applicant should select “yes” in response to the question “Is this author’s contribution a work made for hire?” (For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.) If the content was created by an employee acting within the scope of his or her employment, the employer should be named as the author (not the employee). If the content was specially ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire, the person or organization that ordered or commissioned the work should be listed as the author (rather than the individual who actually created the work). NOTE:
In all cases, the applicant should provide the author’s country of citizenship or domicile. The Office may use this information to determine if the work is eligible for protection under U.S. copyright law. If the applicant fails to provide this information, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. If the author’s citizenship or domicile is unknown, the applicant may select “not known” from the drop down menu. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide the author’s full name and his or her country of citizenship and/or domicile on space 2(a). If the content was created by more than one author, the applicant should provide this information for the other authors on spaces 2(b) and 2(c). If the content was created by more than three authors, the applicant should provide this information on Form CON. If the content qualifies as an anonymous work or pseudonymous work, the applicant may check the appropriate boxes that appear on the Authors screen of the online application or in space 2 of the paper application. For a definition and discussion of anonymous works and pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, Sections 615.1 and 615.2. For additional guidance in providing the Author’s Name, see Chapter 600, Section 613.9. For guidance in providing the author’s citizenship and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617.
1009.6 Author Created / Nature of Authorship Statements
To register a website or website content the applicant must identify the copyrightable authorship that will be submitted for registration and the applicant must assert a claim to copyright in that authorship. If the content was created by a single author, the applicant should clearly identify the copyrightable authorship that the author contributed to that work. If the content was created or co-created by two or more authors, the applicant shouldd cel emairnlyim idisentify the copyrightable authorship that each author contributed to work. However, the applicant should not describe any uncopyrightable material or elements that appear in the content. Chapter 1000 : 35 12/22/2014 When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Authors screen. Specifically, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes in the Author Created field that accurately describe the author’s contribution to the content. If none of these terms fully describe the content that will be submitted for registration, the applicant should provide a more specific description in the field marked “Other.” For guidance on completing this field, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(A). When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in the space marked Nature of Authorship. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(B).
NOTE:
Sound recording • Performance AudiPorvoisduuaclt cioonn tent:
• Audiovisual work Motion picture For a definition and discussion of these terms, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(C). To register a computer program or a database that is contained or embedded within a website, the applicant should follow the instructions set forth in Chapter 700, Sections 721.9(F) and 727.3(D).
To register a derivative work, the applicant should describe the new material that the author contributed to the website using appropriate terms, such as “new photographs,” “updated text,” “revised artwork,” “additional music,” or the like. If the applicant intends to register the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the content that appears on a website, the applicant may use any of the terms listed below, provided that they accurately describe the copyrightable authorship that appears in the deposit copy(ies). In most cases, the Office will accept combinations or variant forms of these terms, unless they are contradicted by information provided in t•h e deposit copy(ies) or elsewhere in the registration materials. e.g., Compilation of [specify material that has been selected, coordinated, and/or • arranged, “compilation of text and artwork”].
For additional guidance in registering compilation authorship, see Chapter 600, Section 618.6.
NOTE:
If the applicant asserts a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable features of a website, the registration specialist may annotate the application to indicate that the registration does not extend to the uncopyrightable features. If the applicant expressly asserts a claim to copyright in any feature of the website that is uncopyrightable, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the claim appears to be based solely on those features. Examples of unacceptable terms include •th e following or any combination of the following:
1009.7 Claimant
The applicant must provide the name and address of the owner or co-owners of the copyrightable authorship that is claimed in the application. This party is known as the copyright claimant. The claimant(s) may be the author(s) of the work, or a party that owns all of the exclusive rights that initially belonged to the author of that work. If the author and the claimant are not the same person, the applicant should provide a brief statement that explains how the claimant acquired the rights that initially belonged to the author.
When completing an online application the applicant should provide this information on the Author and Claimant screens; when completing a paper application the applicant should provide this information on spaces 2 and 4. For guidance on completing these portions of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 613 and 619. Website owners frequently assume that they own the copyright in code or other content that was created for them by an independent contractor, because the owner paid for the content or paid the contractor to create that material. In such cases, the website owner does not own the content unless the contractor agreed to create the content pursuant to a work made for hire agreement or executed a written agreement that assigned the copyright in that material to the website owner. Likewise, a website owner cannot assert a claim in website content if the owner merely owns a physical copy of that content Eoxr ammeprleelsy: has a nonexclusive license to use that material. Kari Crow is a web designer who created an illustration for a gardening website. Kari is not an employee of the website owner and she did not transfer ownership of the copyright to that party. Therefore, the applicant should name Kari Crow as the author and claimant for this illustration. If Kari contributed multiple illustrations • to the website, each illustration must be registered separately. Dizzy Dog LLC owns and operates a website that sells dozens of beats for use on hip hop tracks. The company employs two producers who created these beats for the website. Dizzy Dog LLC should be named as the author and claimant for each work, and in each case the work made for hire box should be checked “yes.”
1009.8 Limitation of Claim
As discussed in Section 1008.1, a registration for a website or website content covers the copyrightable material that was created by the author(s) named in the application that is owned by the claimant named in the application, provided that the material is expressly described in the application and is contained in the deposit copy(ies). A registration for a website or website content does not cover any material that has been previously published or previously registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Nor does it cover material that is in the public domain or material that is not owned by the copyright claimant. If the website contains an appreciable amount of previously Chapter 1000 : 39 12/22/2014 published material, previously registered material, public domain material, or third •p artPyr mevaitoeursilayl ,p tuhbel iasphpedli cmanatt esrhiaolu:ld exclude that material from the claim. Frequently applicants submit websites or website content that contain previously published material, but fail to exclude that material from the claim. If the deposit copy(ies) contain material, that was published on any day or twenty-four period prior to the date of first publication specified in the application, the applicant should exclude that material using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(B). When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the previously published material on the Limitation of Claim screen in the Material Excluded field. When completing a paper application, the applicant should identify this material in space 6(a) under the heading marked • PPrreeveixoiustsilny gr eMgaistteerrieadl. material : If the deposit copy(ies) contain material that has been previously registered, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim (regardless of whether the material is published or unpublished). Specifically, the applicant should provide the registration number and year of registration for the previously registered material in the Previous Registration field of the online application or in space 5 of the paper application. For guidance in completing this • Cpoonrttieonnt oofw tnheed a bpyp ali ctahtiirodn p, asertey Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F). : If the deposit copy(ies) contain content that is owned by someone other than the claimant, the applicant should exclude that content from the claim (regardless of whether the content is published or unpublished). When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the third party content in the Material Excluded field. When completing a paper application the applicant should provide this information in space 6(a). For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections • 6P2ub1l.7ic adnodm 6a2in1 .m8(aBte).r ial : If the deposit copy(ies) contain material that is in the public domain, the applicant should identify that material in the Material Excluded field of the online application or in space 6(a) of the paper application. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 621.7 and 621.8(B).
In addition, the applicant should identify the new copyrightable material that the author contributed to the website or the website content. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Limitation of Claim screen. Specifically, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes in the New Material Included field that accurately describes the author’s contribution. If none of these terms fully describe the new material that the author contributed to the website, the applicant should provide a more specific description in the field marked Other. For guidance on completing this field, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(C)(1). When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 6(b) under the heading marked Material Added to This Work. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 621.8(C)(2). Chapter 1000 : 40 12/22/2014 NOTE:
As a general rule, the information that the applicant provides in the New Material Included field should be identical to the information that the applicant provides in the Author Created field. Likewise, the information that the applicant provides in space 6(a) of the paper application should be identical to the information that that the applicant provides in space 2 under the heading marked Nature of Authorship. The applicant should only identify the new material created by the author(s) named in the application that is owned by the copyright claimant. The applicant should not mention any material that is not owned by the claimant, material that will not be submitted for registration, or material that does not appear in the deposit copy(ies). If there is anything in the registration material that casts doubt on the accuracy of the claim, thEex raemgipslter:a tion specialist may communicate with the applicant. Alexander Temple writes a blog called “Don’t Tread On Me.” The blog contains musings about politics, together with photographs created by the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and other federal government agencies. Alexander submits an online application to along with printouts from his blog. In the application, Alexander asserts a claim in his “website,” but he fails to complete the Limitation of Claim screen. The registration specialist will ask the applicant to describe the new material that he contributed to this site by checking the boxes marked “text” and “compilation” in the Author Created field and the New Material Included field. The photographs appear to be in the public domain, because they were created by employees of the U.S. government. Therefore, the specialist will ask the applicant to exclude that material from the claim by checking the box marked “photographs” in the Material Excluded field.
1010 Deposit Requirements for Website Content This Section provides basic information concerning the deposit requirements for registering a website or website content. For detailed information concerning these requirements, see Chapter 1500.
For information concerning mandatory deposit, see Section 1010.7.
1010.1 Deposit Requirements for Registration
To register a website or website content, the applicant must submit a deposit containing the copyrightable content that is claimed in the application. Chapter 1000 : 41 12/22/2014 When examining the deposit for a website or website content, the U.S. Copyright Office will apply the same rules that apply to any other type of work. For example, the registration specialist will consider the type of authorship that is claimed in the application, whether the work is published or unpublished, and whether the applicant satisfied the applicable deposit requirements for that type of work. If the work is unpublished, the deposit copy may include all of the content that is owned by the copyright claimant as of the date that the application is submitted. If the work has been published, the deposit copies should include the content as it existed on the date of first publication specified in the application, and the claim should be limited to the content that was first published on the date.
The deposit must contain a complete copy of all the copyrightable authorship that is claimed in the application or appropriate identifying material (if identifying material is an acceptable form of deposit for that type of work). For example, to register an entire website, the applicant should submit a deposit containing all the authorship that the applicant intends to register, regardless of the number of pages or screens that appear on the site. To register a particular work contained on a website, the applicant should submit an appropriate deposit for that type of work. To register the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging works on a website, the applicant must submit a deposit that adequately displays the compilation authorship that is claimed in the application.
In all cases, the applicant must submit fixed copy(ies) or phonorecord(s) of the work that the applicant intends to register. The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept a link to a website or other online source that merely provides access to content that continually changes.
The fixed copy(ies) or phonorecord(s) should be submitted in a format that allows the registration specialist to perceive the actual content and context where the work appears on a given website or webpage. In other words, the deposit should show how the content would be perceived when a user accesses that content in the online environment. The applicant should not submit separate files or folders containing unassembled content or content that has been disassociated from the website or webpage where it originally appeared.
As the technological means of fixing and normalizing websites and their content evolve into easier solutions and standardized formats, the Office will seek to provide additional guidance on the fixation of websites. At the present time, the PDF format standard is the preferred means for submitting websites and website content. For information concerning this format and the methods for submitting the deposit to the Office, see Section 1010.3.
As a general rule, a registration for a website or for website content does not cover any authorship or works that are not included in the deposit. However, there is a limited exception to this rule. A registration for a computer program or database may cover the entire work, even if the applicant submits only a portion of the source code for that program or a representative selection of the records from the database. For information Chapter 1000 : 42 12/22/2014 concerning the deposit requirements for these types of works, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1509.1(C) and 1509.1(D).
The registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if the deposit appears incomplete. If the work is relatively short (based on the number of printed pages or downloaded pages that will be submitted), the applicant should submit the entire website and should provide a brief statement confirming that the deposit contains the complete site. This may avoid the need to communicate with the applicant to determine whether the entire work has been submitted. When completing an online application, the applicant may provide this information in the Note to Copyright Office field. When completing a paper application, the applicant may provide this information in a cover letter.
1010.2 Deposit Requirements for Works Published Online and in
Hard Copy Format e.g., If the work was published both online and in a hard copy form ( paper, discs, film, or other physicaSlelye tangible media), the applicant generally should submit two complete copy(ies) or phonorecord(s) of the work as it was first published in the hard copy format. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(1). For example, if a novel was published simultaneously as both an ebook and a hardcover book, the applicant must submit two complete copies of the hardcover edition. For information concerning the deposit requirements for works published in hard copy formats, see Chapter 1500, Sections
1507.1 and 1508.2.
For certain types of works, the applicant must comply with the best edition requirements. The criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular woCrikrc aurlea r l7iBst:e Bde isnt Ethdeit “ioBne sotf EPduibtiloisnh eSdta Ctoepmyernigth” tseedt Wforotrhk sin fo Arp tpheen Cdoilxle Bc ttioo nPsa orft t2h0e2 L oibf rtahrey O offf ice’s rCeognuglraetsiosns. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
1010.3 Deposit Requirements for Unpublished Works and Works
Published Solely Online In most cases, the applicant does not need to satisfy the best edition requirements in order to register a website or to register a work that has been published solely online (although as discussed in Section 1010.6(H), there is a limited exception to this rule for electronic serials). Instead, the applicant may submit an electronic copy of the work, provided that the applicant submits the deposit in an acceptable file format. A current list of acceptable file formats is posted on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file-types.html. In the alternative, the applicant may submit identifying material that adequately represents the authorship claimed in the application.
The preferred formats and methods for submitting the deposit for an unpublished work o• r a Uwpolorka dthinagt eisle pcutrbolnisihc efidle sso tloe ltyh oe nelliencetr, oinn iocr rdeegri sotfr patrieofne rseynstceem, a:re as follows: When submitting an online application through the electronic registration system, the applicant may upload a PDF-A, PDF file, PDF package, or PDF portfolio that contains all of the Chapter 1000 : 43 12/22/2014 website content that is claimed in the application. Any audio or audiovisual content should be submitted in separate files. The deposit also should include a note that identifies the URL(s) where such files reside. For guidance in uploading the files, • sSeueb mcoipttyinrigg ehlte.gcotrvo/neicco f/ilfeasq b.hyt mmal.i l, by courier, or by hand delivery: When submitting an online application or a paper application, the applicant may deposit a PDF-A file, PDF file, PDF package, or PDF portfolio that contains all of the website content that is claimed in the application. Any audio or audiovisual content claimed should be submitted in separate files. All of the files should be burned onto a computer disc, and the deposit should include a note that identifies the URL(s) where the files reside. The disc may be delivered to the Office by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery. • FIdoern gtiufiydinagn cme aotne rtihails procedure, see Chapter 1500, Section 1508.3 through 1508.5. : When submitting an online application or a paper application, the applicant may deposit a printout of all the pages of the website that are claimed in the application, along with a disk or other appropriate media containing any audio or audiovisual content that is included in the claim. In the alternative, the applicant may deposit identifying material in the format that is most appropriate for the type of authorship that is claimed in the application, provided that the identifying material includes all of the authorship being claimed. For example, the applicant may submit paper printouts for websites that contain text and artwork, but do not contain sound, music, or audiovisual elements. The applicant may submit audio or audiovisual files for websites containing sound, music, or audiovisual elements. A site map may be used as the identifying material for a claim based on the organization of the pages within a website. However, a claim based on the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of audio or audiovisual files cannot be included in the claim unless the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the audio or audiovisual files is provided. In all cases, identifying material may be delivered to the Office by upload, by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery. For guidance on this procedure, see Chapter 1500, Section 1508.3 through 1508.5. NOTE:
Chapter 1000 : 44 12/22/2014 Examples:
1010.4 Uploading Large Files or Large Numbers of Files to the Electronic
Registration System The electronic registration system has a sixty minute “time out” feature that limits the size and the number of files that may be submitted during each upload session. These limits vary depending on the connection speed of the applicant’s computer. The maximum size for files submitted with a typical modem is 11.3 MB, while the maximum size for files submitted with a typical broadband connection is 170 MB. If the applicant intends to upload a large number of files, the Office encourages the applicant to submit the deposit in one or more compressed ZIP files. If the applicant intends to upload a very large file, the Office encourages the applicant to compress the deposit in a ZIP file or to separate the deposit into two or more smaller files. Alternatively, the applicant may upload the deposit during two or more upload sessions; information concerning this procedure is available on the Office’s website at copyright.gov/eco/faq.html.
If the applicant is unable to upload the deposit with these options, then as discussed in Section 1010.3, the applicant may fix the deposit copy(ies) on a disc and deliver it to the Office by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery, together with a shipping slip that connects the deposit with the online application.
1010.5 The Deposit Material Must Match the Material Claimed in the Application
Frequently, applicants seek to register published website content, but fail to deposit the content that existed on the website as of the date of publication specified in the application. In some cases, the applicant provides the date that the website was first published, but instead of depositing the content that appeared on the site as of that date, the applicant deposits the content that appeared on the website on the date that the Chapter 1000 : 45 12/22/2014 application was filed. In other cases, the applicant intends to register the most recent version of a website, but instead of providing the date of first publication for that version, the applicant provides the date that the website first appeared on the internet. To register material from the initial version or any subsequent version of a published website, the applicant must deposit an acceptable copy or phonorecord of the specific version that the applicant intends to register and the applicant must provide the correct date of first publication for that version. If the date of publication specified in the application does not match the version reflected in the deposit copy(ies), the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine if the correct vEexrasmiopnl ehsa: s been submitted.
1010.6 Deposit Requirements for Specific Types of Website Content
1010.6(A) The Initial Version of a Published Website To register the initial version of a published website, the applicant should submit the relevant webpages as they existed on the date that the initial version was first published.
1010.6(B) Subsequent Versions of a Published Website To register subsequent versions of a published website, the applicant should submit the relevant webpages as they existed on the date that the subsequent version was first published.
Chapter 1000 : 46 12/22/2014 1010.6(C) Revised Website Content To register new text, new photographs, new artwork, or other content that has been added, modified, or revised on a website, the applicant should submit a complete copy or phonorecord of the new material. The deposit should contain all of the new copEyxraigmhptaleb:l e material that is described in the application. Artifax, LLC added a new page to its website that describes the company’s products and services. Artifax submits an application to register the “new text” and “new illustrations” that appear on this webpage, along with a PDF file containing the new content. The registration specialist will register the claim.
1010.6(D) Compilations If the applicaSnete aFsesiestr tPsu ab clilcaaimtio inns ,t hInec s. evl. eRcutiroanl ,T ceoloeprdhionnaet iSoenr,v aicned C/oo.r, Ianrcr.angement of material within a website, the compilation authorship must be fully represented in the deposit. that it display , 499 U.S. 340, 358 (1991) (“Originality requires only that the author make the selection or arrangement independently . . . and some minimal level of creativity) (emphasis added). For instance, the Office may register a website that contains a compilation of photographs, provided that the author’s selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of images is evident in the claim. If the author’s contribution is unclear, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. 1010.6(E) HTML Code To register the HTML code for a website, the applicant must deposit the entire HTML code. 1010.6(F) Computer Programs Contained or Embedded Within a Website To register a computer program that is contained or embedded within a website, the applicant must submit the appropriate deposit material for that type of work. For a discussion of the deposit requirements for computer programs, including derivative computer programs and programs that contain trade secret material, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(C).
1010.6(G) Databases Contained or Embedded Within a Website To register a database that is contained or embedded within a website, the applicant must submit the appropriate deposit material for that type of work. For a discussion of the deposit requirements for a single-file or multi-file database, see Chapter 1500, Section 1509.1(D). For a discussion of the deposit requirements for registering a group of updates or revisions to a database, see Chapter 1100, Section 1117.6.
Chapter 1000 : 47 12/22/2014 1010.6(H) Electronic Serials As a general rule, the applicant does not need to satisfy the best edition requirements in order to register a website or to register a work that has been published solely online. However, there is a limited exception to this rule for electronic serials published in the United States on or after February 24, 2010. If the U.S. Copyright Office has determined that an electronic serial is subject to the mandatory deposit requirement, the applicant must submit two complete copies of the best edition in order to register that serial with the Office. For a definition of “electronic serial” and a discussion of the mandatory deposit requirements for such works, see Section 1010.7.
1010.7 Mandatory Deposit
Mandatory deposit is a statutory requirement for the benefit of the national collection of the Library of Congress. Section 407 of the Copyright Act states that the owner of copyright or the owner of the exclusive right of publication in a work published in the United States shall deposit two copies or phonorecords of the work within three months after publication. 17 U.S.C. § 407(a).
The mandatory deposit requirement generally does not apply to works published in the United States that are available only online. However, there is a limited exception to this rule. Electronic serials published on or after February 24, 2010 are Sseuebject to mandatory deposit if the U.S. Copyright Office issues a written demand for a copy or phonorecord of that work for the use or disposition of the Library of Congress. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.19(c)(5), 202.24(a).
For purposes of mandatory deposit, an “electronic serial” is defined as “an electronic work published in the United States and available only online, issued or intended to be issued on an establishedI dschedule in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designations, without subsequent alterations, and intended to be continued indefinitely.” . § 202.19(b)(4).
For additional information concerning the mandatory deposit requirements for electronic serials, see Chapter 1500, Section 1511.6.
1010.8 Special Relief from the Deposit Requirements
In many cases, the applicant may not possess a complete copy of the content that was posted on a particular website when it was first published, due to a lack of archival preservation on the internet. If prior versions of a website are no longer available, the applicant may request special relief from the deposit requirements. For information concerning the procedure for requesting special relief from the deposit requirements for registration or the mandatory deposit requirements, see Chapter 1500, Sections
1508.8 and 1511.8.
Chapter 1000 : 48 12/22/2014 The U.S. Copyright Office may grant a request for special relief in certain situations and at its discretion. However, the applicant should be aware that prevailing in a copyright infringement action requires proof that the plaintiff’s work and the defendant’s work are substantially similar. If the content of a website has not been adequately preserved, the copyright owner may be unable to demonstrate what existed on that website at a particular point in time, even if the Office registered that content under a grant of special relief.
Chapter 1000 : 49 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1104.1 What Is a Group Registration? ...................................................................................................................................... 8 1104.2 Group Registration Options ........................................................................................................................................... 9 1104.3 Registration Requirements ............................................................................................................................................ 9 1104.4 The Scope of a Group Registration ........................................................................................................................... 10 1104.5 Group Registrations Distinguished from Registrations for Unpublished Collections .......................... 10 1105 Cancellation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 11 1106 Unpublished Collections .............................................................................................................................................. 11 1106.1 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 11 1106.2 Registration Requirements ......................................................................................................................................... 12 1106.3 Completing the Application ........................................................................................................................................ 13 1106.3(A) Registration Process Overview ................................................................................................................................. 13 1106.3(B) Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1106.3(C) Title ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 1106.3(D) Publication / Completion............................................................................................................................................. 16 1106.3(E) Authors ............................................................................................................................................................................... 17 1106.3(F) Author Created / Nature of Authorship ................................................................................................................. 18 1106.3(G) Claimants / Transfer Statement ................................................................................................................................ 18 1106.3(H) Limitation of Claim ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 1106.3(I) Rights and Permissions Information....................................................................................................................... 19 1106.3(J) Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration ........................................................ 20 1106.3(K) Special Handling .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 1106.3(L) Certification ...................................................................................................................................................................... 20 1107 The Unit of Publication Option .................................................................................................................................. 20 Chapter 1100 : 1 12/22/2014 1107.1 What Is a Unit of Publication? .................................................................................................................................... 21 1107.2 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 22 1107.3 Registration Requirements ......................................................................................................................................... 23 1107.4 Completing the Application ........................................................................................................................................ 24 1107.4(A) Registration Process Overview ................................................................................................................................. 24 1107.4(B) Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 25 1107.4(C) Title ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 1107.4(D) Publication / Completion............................................................................................................................................. 26 1107.4(E) Authors of the Component Works............................................................................................................................ 27 1107.4(F) Manufacturer, Publisher, Producer, Packager, or Creator of the Unit of Publication........................... 27 1107.4(G) Author Created / Nature of Authorship ................................................................................................................. 28 1107.4(H) Claimants / Transfer Statement ................................................................................................................................ 29 1107.4(I) Limitation of Claim ......................................................................................................................................................... 29 1107.4(J) Rights and Permissions Information....................................................................................................................... 30 1107.4(K) Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration ........................................................ 30 1107.4(L) Special Handling .............................................................................................................................................................. 30 1107.4(M) Certification ...................................................................................................................................................................... 30 1108 Warnings ............................................................................................................................................................................ 31 1109 Group Registration of Serials ..................................................................................................................................... 31 1109.1 What Is a Serial? .............................................................................................................................................................. 32 1109.2 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 32 1109.3 Application Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 33 1109.4 Filing Fee Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 34 1109.5 Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 34 1109.5(A) Serials Subject to the Complimentary Subscription Requirement .............................................................. 34 1109.5(B) Serials Not Subject to the Complimentary Subscription Requirement ...................................................... 35 1109.5(C) One Complete Copy of Each Issue ............................................................................................................................ 35 1109.6 When May an Application for a Group Registration Be Filed? ...................................................................... 36 1109.7 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Serials ............................................................................ 36 1109.7(A) Type of Group ................................................................................................................................................................... 36 1109.7(B) Title ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Chapter 1100 : 2 12/22/2014 1109.7(C) ISSN Numbers .................................................................................................................................................................. 37 1109.7(D) Nation of First Publication / Author’s Citizenship or Domicile .................................................................... 37 1109.7(E) Volume, Number, Issue Date, and Date of Publication ..................................................................................... 37 1109.7(F) Author / Claimant ........................................................................................................................................................... 38 1109.7(G) Rights and Permissions Information....................................................................................................................... 38 1109.7(H) Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration ........................................................ 39 1109.7(I) Special Handling .............................................................................................................................................................. 39 1109.7(J) Certification ...................................................................................................................................................................... 39 1109.8 Submitting the Deposit ................................................................................................................................................. 40 1110 Group Registration of Daily Newspapers .............................................................................................................. 41 1110.1 What Is a Daily Newspaper? ....................................................................................................................................... 41 1110.2 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 41 1110.3 Application Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 42 1110.4 Filing Fee Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 42 1110.5 Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 42 1110.5(A) Newspapers Subject to the Microfilm Deposit Requirement......................................................................... 42 1110.5(B) Newspapers That Are Not Subject to the Microfilm Deposit Requirement ............................................. 43 1110.6 The Timeliness Requirement ..................................................................................................................................... 44 1111 Group Registration of Daily Newsletters ............................................................................................................... 44 1111.1 What Is a Daily Newsletter? ........................................................................................................................................ 45 1111.2 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 45 1111.3 Application Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 46 1111.4 Filing Fee Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 46 1111.5 Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 46 1111.5(A) One Complete Copy of Each Issue ............................................................................................................................ 46 1111.5(B) Microfilm or Complimentary Subscriptions ......................................................................................................... 46 1111.6 The Timeliness Requirement ..................................................................................................................................... 47 1112 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Daily Newspapers and Daily Newsletters (Form G/DN) ....................................................................................................................... 48 1112.1 Space 1: Title of this Newspaper / Newsletter .................................................................................................... 48 1112.2 Space 2: Author / Claimant ......................................................................................................................................... 48 1112.3 Space 3: Date of Publication for the First and Last Issues in the Group .................................................... 49 Chapter 1100 : 3 12/22/2014 1112.4 Certification ...................................................................................................................................................................... 50 1112.5 Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration ........................................................ 50 1113 ePrint Newspapers, Newsletters, and Other Serials ......................................................................................... 50 1114 Newspapers, Newsletters, or Other Serials That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements.................................................................................................................... 51 1115 Group Registration for Contributions to Periodicals ........................................................................................ 51 1115.1 What Is a Contribution to a Periodical? ................................................................................................................. 52 1115.2 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 52 1115.3 Application Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 53 1115.4 Filing Fee Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 53 1115.5 Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 53 1115.6 When May an Application for a Group Registration Be Filed? ...................................................................... 54 1115.7 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Contributions to Periodicals ................................ 55 1115.7(A) Form TX, Form VA, and Form PA .............................................................................................................................. 55 1115.7(B) Space 1: Title of this Work .......................................................................................................................................... 55 1115.7(C) Space 2(a): Name of Author ........................................................................................................................................ 55 1115.7(D) Space 3(a): Year in which Creation of This Work Was Completed .............................................................. 55 1115.7(E) Space 4: Copyright Claimant(s) ................................................................................................................................. 56 1115.8 Form GR/CP ...................................................................................................................................................................... 56 1115.8(A) Space A: Identification of Application ..................................................................................................................... 56 1115.8(B) Space B: Registration for Group of Contributions .............................................................................................. 56 1115.9 Contributions That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements .............................................. 57 1116 Group Registration of Published Photographs .................................................................................................... 57 1116.1 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 57 1116.2 Application Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 60 1116.3 Filing Fee Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 60 1116.4 Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 61 1116.5 When May an Application for a Group Registration Be Filed? ...................................................................... 62 1116.6 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Published Photographs .......................................... 63 1116.6(A) Form VA .............................................................................................................................................................................. 63 1116.6(A)(1) Space 1: Title of this Work .......................................................................................................................................... 63 1116.6(A)(2) Space 2(a): Name of Author / Nature of Authorship ........................................................................................ 63 Chapter 1100 : 4 12/22/2014 1116.6(A)(3) Space 3(a): Year in Which Creation of This Work Was Completed ............................................................. 64 1116.6(A)(4) Space 3(b): Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work ............................................... 64 1116.6(A)(5) Space 4: Copyright Claimant(s) / Transfer ........................................................................................................... 65 1116.6(A)(6) Spaces 5 through 9 ......................................................................................................................................................... 65 1116.6(B) Form GR/PPh/CON ........................................................................................................................................................ 65 1116.6(B)(1) Space A: Identification of Author and Claimant .................................................................................................. 66 1116.6(B)(2) Spaces B & C: Copyright Registration for a Group of Published Photographs ........................................ 66 1116.7 Photographs That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements................................................. 67 1117 Databases ........................................................................................................................................................................... 67 1117.1 What Is a Database? ....................................................................................................................................................... 68 1117.2 The Scope of a Group Registration for a Database ............................................................................................. 68 1117.3 Eligibility Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 69 1117.4 Application Requirements .......................................................................................................................................... 70 1117.5 Filing Fee Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 71 1117.6 Deposit Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 71 1117.6(A) Databases That Do Not Consist Predominantly of Photographs .................................................................. 71 1117.6(B) Databases That Predominantly Consist of Photographs ................................................................................. 73 1117.6(C) Descriptive Statement ................................................................................................................................................... 73 1117.7 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Databases..................................................................... 76 1117.7(A) Space 1: Title .................................................................................................................................................................... 76 1117.7(B) Spaces 2: Name of Author / Nature of Authorship ............................................................................................ 77 1117.7(C) Space 3(a): Year in which Creation of This Work Was Completed .............................................................. 78 1117.7(D) Space 3(b): Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work ............................................... 79 1117.7(E) Space 4: Copyright Claimant(s) ................................................................................................................................. 79 1117.7(F) Spaces 5 & 6: Previous Registration / Derivative Work or Compilation ................................................... 79 1117.7(G) Space 8: Certification ..................................................................................................................................................... 79 1117.7(H) Spaces 7 & 9: Correspondent and Mailing Address for the Certificate ...................................................... 80 1117.8 Effective Date of Registration for a Group of Revisions or Updates to a Database .............................. 80 1117.9 Databases That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements ...................................................... 80 1118 Serials, Daily Newspapers, and Daily Newsletters at a Glance ...................................................................... 81 1119 Photographs at a Glance ............................................................................................................................................... 83 Chapter 1100 : 5 12/22/2014 Chapter 1100 : 6 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
− Daily newsletters.
− Contributions to periodicals.
− Published photographs.
Database updates and revisions.
1102 Registration as a Single Work: The Unpublished Collection Option The U.S. Copyright Office has established an administrative procedure that allows an applicant to register a number of unpublished works with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copies. This is known as the “unpublished collection” option. A registration issued under this option covers each work that is submitted for registration. It may also cover the compilation authoSresehip (if any) involved in selecting the works and assembling them into a collective whole, provided that the applicant expressly claims that authorship in the application. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B). When no selection, coordination, or arrangement is claimed, the Office considers each work to be individually registered for purposes of statutory damages. For additional information concerning this option, see Section 1106. Chapter 1100 : 7 12/22/2014 1103 Registration as a Single Work: The Unit of Publication Option The U.S. Copyright Office has established an administrative procedure that allows an applicant to register a number of works that were packaged or physically bundled together as a single unit by the claimant and first published on the same date. This is known as the “unit of publication” option.
A registration issued under this option covers each work in the unit that is owned by the copyright claimant.
A unit of publication is different from the unpublished collection option in that the works in the unit cannot be aggregated simply for the purpose of registration, but rather must have been first distributed to the public in the packaged unit. Moreover, a unit of publication is not a compilation of works, but rather a package of distinct and separate copies or phonorecords that are distributed to the public as a bundled unit. A unit may, however, contain a compilation or collective work, such as a CD of sound recordings packaged with cover art and liner notes, etc.
For additional information concerning this option, see Section 1107. 1104 Group Registration The U.S. Copyright Office has established administrative procedures that allow an applicant to register multiple works in certain limited categories with one application and one filing fee. This procedure is known as a group registration. Where applicable, this may be the most convenient and cost effective way to register multiple works of authorship.
The applicant must decide whether group registration is the optimal means of registering the works at issue. Group registration options have particular requirements, and in some cases, limitations. For example, applicants who avail themselves of these options should recognize that a registration for a group of related works provides less detailed information about the various works in the group. The applicant should weigh the costs and benefits of these various options in determining whether to register a work on an individual basis or as a group.
1104.1 What Is a Group Registration?
When Congress enacted the Copyright Act of 1976, it authorized the Register of Copyrights to establish “the administrative classes into which works are to be placed for purposes of deposit and registration, and the nature of the copies or phonorecords to be deposited in the vaIrdious classes specified.” 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(1). In addition, Congress gave the Register the discretion to “require or permit... a single registration for a group of related works.” .
As the legislative history explainsr,e aplrloinwteindg i n“a number of related works to be registered together as a group represent[ed] a needed and important liberalization of the law.” H.R.
REP. NO. 94-1476, at 154 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5770. Congress recognized that requiring separate applications “where related works or parts of a work are published separately” may impose “unnecessary burdens and expenses on authors Chapter 1100 : 8 12/22/2014 Id See id and other copyright owners.” . In some cases, requiring separate applications and a separate filing fee may cause copyright owners to forego registration altogether. . If copyright owners do not submit their works for registration, the public record will not contain any information concerning those works. This diminishes the overall value of the registration record and may deprive the public of historical and cultural artifacts that might otherwise be included in the collections of the Library of Congress. To address these concerns, the Office asked the public forS seueggestions and comments concerning the types of related works that might be suitable for group registration, as well as the requirements that should govern each group. Part 202 — Registration of Claims to Copyright, 43 Fed. Reg. 763, 765 (Jan. 4, 1978).
1104.2 Group Registration Options
The U.S. Copyright Office currently offers group registration options for the following t•y pes of works:
• Serials.
• Daily newspapers.
• Daily newsletters.
• Contributions to periodicals.
• Published photographs.
The Office’s decision to provide registration options for groups of related works is entirely discretionary, except for the group registration option for contributions to periodicals, which is mandated by Section 408(c)(2) of the Copyright Act.
1104.3 Registration Requirements
An applicant must satisfy certain requirements to obtain a group registration. The specific requirements for each group registration option are discussed in Sections 1109 (serials), 1110 (daily newspapers), 1111 (daily newsletters), 1115 (contributions to periodicals), 1116 (published photographs), and 1117 (databases). Based on its longstanding experience, the U.S. Copyright Office has determined that examining groups of related works imposes administrative costs and burdens on the Office. To process these claims in an efficient and cost effective manner, the Office may strictly apply the requirements for these group registration options. Moreover, the Office does not allow or provideS feoer group registration for works that are not listed in Section 1104.2 or groups of related works that do not satisfy the requirements set forth in Sections 1109 through 1117. Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serials, 55 Fed. Reg. 50,556, 50,556 (Dec. 7, 1990). Chapter 1100 : 9 12/22/2014 If the Office determines that the relevant requirements have not been met, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant and explain why the works cannot be registered as a group and how the claim may be amended. The specialist may instruct the applicant to prepare a separate application, filing fee, and deposit for each work and submit them for registration on an individual basis, or the specialist may refuse to register the claim.
1104.4 The Scope of a Group Registration
A group registration covers the copyrightable authorship in each work that is submitted for registration.
With the exception of a group registration of databases, a group registration does not cover the selection and arrangement of the works, because the group itself is not a work of authorship. The group exists solely for the purpose of facilitating the registration of the individual works specified in the application. Although an applicant may exercise some judgment in selecting and combining the works within the group, these decisions do not constitute copyrightable authorship. Instead, the selection of works is based solely on the regulatory requirements for the relevant group registration option, and the combination of those works is merely an administrative accommodation that exists solely for the purposes of registration and the convenience of the applicant. Ordinarily, the U.S. Copyright Office will not accept an application that attempts to register the group itself as a collective work or an application that asserts a compilation claim in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the works included within a group. However, there are two exceptions to this rule. As discussed in Section 1109.7(F), a registration for a group of serials covers the compilation authorship involved in creating each issue as a whole, and as discussed in Section 1117.7(B), an applicant must assert a compilation claim when seeking a group registration for the updates and revisions to an automated database.
1104.5 Group Registrations Distinguished from Registrations for
Unpublished Collections In determining whether to register multiple works with one application the applicant should consider the potential impact on the copyright owner’s ability to seek damages in the event that a third party infringes those works.
When an applicant registers a number of works using the unpublished collection option, the claimant may assert a claim in the copyrightable selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the collection as a whole. This may have significant consequences in a copyright infringement action. When a compilation claim has been asserted, the copyright owSneeer may be entitled to claim only one award of statutory damages in an infringement action, even if the defendant infringed all of the works covered by the registration. 17 U.S.C. § 504(c)(1) (stating that a copyright owner may be entitled to recover “an award of statutory damages for all infringements involved in the action, with respect to any one work” and “[f]or the purposes of this subsection, all the parts of a compilation or derivative work constitute one work”). That is not necessarily the case if the claimant does not explicitly assert a compilation claim. In such cases, the registration will extend to each individual work in the unpublished collection that is Chapter 1100 : 10 12/22/2014 copyrightable, and the copyright owner may be entitled to a separate award of statutory damages for each work. Thus, if the applicant intents to register a number of individual works (but does not intend to register the collection as a whole), the applicant may want to include a statement in the application that the claimant claims no authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of works included within the collection. When completing an online application this statement may be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. When completing a paper application it may be provided in a cover letter. However, unless selection, coordination, and/or arrangement is specifically claimed in the application the Office will presume that the claim is solely in the individual works in the unpublished collection.
Copyright owners who use a group registration option may be entitled to claim a separate award of statutory damages for each work that is covered by the registration, because a group registration covers each work that is submitted for registration (rather than the group as a whole). However, there is an exception to this rule. As discussed in Section 1117, a group registration for a database covers the updates or revisions that were added to the database during the period specified in the registration. Copyright owners that use this option are entitled to claim only one award of statutory damages in a copyright infringement action, because the updates or revisions to a database are derivative compSileaet iiodns, and as noted above, the statute expressly states that “all the parts of a compilation or derivative work constitute one work” when calculating statutory damages. .
1105 Cancellation The U.S. Copyright Office may cancel a group registration or a registration for an unpublished collection or a unit of publication if the Office subsequently determines that the applicant failed to comply with the relevant requirements for these options. The practices and procedures for cancelling a registration are discussed in Chapter 1800, Section 1806.
1106 Unpublished Collections This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s current practices and procedures for registering a number of works using the unpublished collection option. This option is a registration accommodation for creators that incentivizes timely registration. NOTE:
1106.1 Eligibility Requirements
An applicant may register multiple unpublished works with one application and one filing fee, provided that the following conditions have been met: Chapter 1100 : 11 12/22/2014 All of the copyrightable elements that are otherwise recognizable as self-contained • works must be unpublished.
• The elements must be assembled in an orderly form.
• The applicant must provide a single title for the collection as a whole. All of the elements must be created by the same author, or if the elements were created by multiple authors, at least one of the authors must have contributed • copyrightable authorship to each work in the collection. The copyright claimant for all of the elements and the collection as a whole must be See the same person or organization.
Works that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered as an unpublished collection.
In particular, an applicant cannot use this option to register a number of published and unpublished works. If any of the works have been published, the applicant should not include those works in the claim. For a definition and discussion of publication, see Chapter 1900.
At the present time, there is no limit on the number of works that may be registered with the unpublished collection option.
The application should expressly state that the applicant is seeking to register a number of works as an unpublished collection.
An applicant may register a number of works as an unpublished collection (i) if the claimant is the author of those works or (ii) if the same author created all of the works and if the claimant acquired the copyright in those works through a transfer of ownership. In all cases, the claimant must own the copyright in all the component works that are claimed in the application. If any of the works are not owned by the claimant, the applicant should exclude those works from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(B).
1106.2 Registration Requirements
In addition to satisfying the eligibility criteria discussed in Section 1106.1, the applicant must submit a completed application, a deposit consisting of all of the works in the collection, and the correct filing fee in order to register a number of works with the unpublished collection option.
The applicant may submit an online application through the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system, or in the alternative, the applicant may submit a paper application using Forms TX, VA, PA, or SR. The Office strongly encourages applicants to use the electronic registration system rather than a paper application because online Chapter 1100 : 12 12/22/2014 applications are less costly and more efficient for both the applicant and the Office. For guidance on completing the online application or the paper application, see Section 1106.3.
For guidance on submitting the deposit copy, see Chapter 1500, Section 1508. For information concerning the methods for paying filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections
1403.3 through 1403.5.
1106.3 Completing the Application
This Section provides guidance for completing an application to register multiple works with the unpublished collection option.
Applicants should inform the U.S. Copyright Office that the applicant is seeking to register a number of works as an unpublished collection. When completing the online application, the applicant should provide this information in the Note to Copyright Office. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in a cover letter. If the registration specialist determines that the component works are eligible for registration as an unpublished collection, the specialist will add a statement to that effect to the certificate of registration and the online public record for the claim.
If the applicant does not expressly request registration under the unpublished collection option, the specialist will communicate with the applicant if the specialist determines that this is the only means for registering the works with one application. In such cases, the specialist will ask the applicant for permission to register the works as an unpublished collection. If the applicant agrees, the specialist will add a statement to that effect to the certificate of registration and the online public record for the claim. 1106.3(A) Registration Process Overview When completing an online application, the applicant must provide a “yes” or “no” answer to three questions concerning the work(s) that the applicant intends to register. The •q uestions include:
Works registered under the unpublished colleic.eti.on option are not considered “one work,” even though they may be treated as a single work for registration purposes under Section 202.3(b)(4) of the regulations ( , for the purpose of registering the works with one application). Therefore, if the applicant answers the box marked “yes,” the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. This may delay the examination of the application. In addition, the Office may assign a later effective date of registration to the registration.
NOTE:
1106.3(B) Type of Work When completing an online application, the applicant should select the class of work that is most appropriate for the works that the applicant intends to register and the authorship that appears in those works, namely, the predominant type of authorship that the author contributed to the work. These classes are listed under a drop down menu marked Type of Work. Identifying the class of works that will be submitted for registration is also the first step in completing a paper application. The Office has prescribed five basic classes of works that may be registered with a paper application, and each class has its own paper form.
In all cases, the applicant should use the application that is most appropriate for the type of authorship that appears in the majority of the works that will be submitted for r•e gisLtirteartiaorny. W37o rCk.Fs.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(ii)(A) n.3. : When completing an online application, the applicant should select “Literary Work” in the Type of Work field if the works primarily contain nondramatic text, such as poems, short stories, or the like. When completing a paper • aWpoprlkicsa otifo tnh,e t Vhies uaaplp Alirctasnt should use Form TX. : When completing an online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Visual Arts” in the Type of Work field if the works primarily contain pictorial, graphic, or sculptural content, such as photographs, Chapter 1100 : 14 12/22/2014 drawings, illustrations, models, or the like. When completing a paper application, • tWheo rakpsp olfi ctahnet P sehrofourlmd uinsge AFrotrsm VA. : When completing an online application, the applicant should select “Work of the Performing Arts” in the Type of Work field if the works primarily contain music, lyrics, drama, choreography, or other content that is intended to be performed for an audience. When completing a paper application, the • aSpoupnlidc aRnetc sohrdoiunlgds complete Form PA.
There is an exception to this rule. If the applicant intends to register a work that contains sound recording authorship, the applicant must select Sound Recording or must use Form SR, regardless of whether sound recording is the predominant form of authorship in the rest of the works.
For additional guidance in selecting the appropriate type of work, see Chapter 600, Section 609.2.
1106.3(C) Title As discussed in Section 1106.1, the applicant must provide a title for the collection as a whole. If the works were created by the same author, the applicant may provide a descriptive title that identifies the author, the type of works that the author created, and the year or years that the works were created, such as “Robert Smith’s Poems (2010- 2011).” If the works were created by multiple authors, the applicant may provide a title that identifies the general subject matter of the works and the year or years that the works were created, such as “Sketches at the Zoo (2005-2006).” If the applicant intends to register a number of unpublished songs that appear on the same album, the title of the album may be provided as the title for the unpublished collection as a whole. Chapter 1100 : 15 12/22/2014 The Office strongly encourages applicants to provide a title for each work that will be submitted for registration. Interested parties typically search for works by title, and it may be extremely difficult to find a particular work if the applicant fails to provide that information in the application. Moreover, a few courts have ruled that a registration does not cover a work unless the title of that work appears on the certificate of registration, although other courts have reached the opposite conclusion. When completing an online application, the title for the collection as a whole should be provided on the Title screen as the “Title of work being registered.” The title of each work that will be submitted for registration should be provided in the Contents Titles field. If the applicant provides these titles in the application, they will appear on the certificate of registration and the online public record under the heading Contents Title. When completing a paper application, the title for the collection as a whole should be provided in space 1 under the heading marked Title of This Work. The title of the works that will be submitted for registration should be provided using Form CON. If the applicant provides this information in the application, the title of each work may be included in the certificate of registration and the online public record unless the applicant provides a substantial number of titles on Form CON. In all cases, the titles of the works should be listed in the same order that they appear in the deposit copy.
If the applicant fails to provide a title for the collection, the registration specialist may use the title for the first work as the title for the collection as a whole. This title will appear in the certificate of registration and the online public record as the primary title for the collection.
If the applicant fails to provide a title for each work in the application, the registration record will contain only the title for the collection as a whole. However, it may be possible to add the title for each work to the registration record at a later date by filing an application for supplementary registration. For a discussion of this procedure, see Chapter 1800, Section 1802.6(C).
For additional guidance in completing the title field/space of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 610.2 and 610.4.
1106.3(D) Publication / Completion As discussed in Section 1106.1, all of the elements in the works must be unpublished. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Publication/Completion screen. Specifically, the applicant should select “no” in the drop down menu marked “Has this work been published?” When completing a paper application, the portion of the application marked “Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work” should be left blank.
When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the year that the works were completed on the Publication/Completion screen in the field marked Year of Completion (Year of Creation). When completing a paper application, the applicant Chapter 1100 : 16 12/22/2014 should identify the year that the author completed the works on space 3(a) under the heading “Year in which creation of this work was completed.” If the works were created over a period of thirteen months or more, the applicant should provide the year of completion for the most recent work that will be submitted for registration.
For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611.1.
1106.3(E) Authors As discussed in Section 1106.1, all of the elements in the works must be created by the same author, or if the elements were created by more than one author, at least one of the authors must have contributed copyrightable authorship to each element. For these reasons, the applicant must identify all of the authors who created or co-created any of the elements, even if a particular author did not contribute copyrightable authorship to all of those elements.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the author’s full name on the Authors screen. If the works were created by more than one author, the applicant should complete the relevant fields, click the Save button, and then repeat this process for the other authors.
In addition, the applicant should provide the author’s country of citizenship or domicile. If the applicant fails to provide this information, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. If the author’s citizenship or domicile is unknown, the applicant may select “not known” from the drop down menu. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide the author’s full name and his or her country of citizenship and/or domicile on space 2(a). If the works were created by more than one author, the applicant should provide this information for the other authors on spaces 2(b) and 2(c). If the works were created by more than three authors, the applicant should provide this information on Form CON. For guidance in providing the Author’s Name, see Chapter 600, Section 613.9. For guidance in providing the author’s citizenship and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617. If all of the works qualify as anonymous or pseudonymous works, the applicant may check the appropriate boxes that appear in the anonymous/pseudonymous fields/spaces. For a definition and discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, Sections 615.1 and 615.2.
For guidance concerning the Year of Birth and Year of Death fields/spaces, see Chapter 600, Section 616.
Chapter 1100 : 17 12/22/2014 1106.3(F) Author Created / Nature of Authorship If the works were created by a single author, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the author contributed to each work that will be submitted for registration.
If the works were created or co-created by two or more authors, the applicant should identify the elements that the authors created, and for each author, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that he or she contributed to those elements. If any of the authors created or co-created some—but less than all—of the elements in the works, the applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that each author contributed to those elements.
If any selection, coordination, and/or arrangement is claimed, the applicant must assert that claim in the application. It should be noted that asserting such a claim will render the collection a “collective work,” which will affect the amount of damages that may be recovered in an infringement action.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Authors screen in the field marked Author Created. Specifically, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes on the Author Created screen that accurately describe the author’s contribution to each work. For guidance on completing this field, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(A). For guidance on asserting a claim in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the works, see Chapter 600, Section 618.6. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in the space marked Nature of Authorship. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(B).
1106.3(G) Claimants / Transfer Statement See To register a number of works using the unpublished collection option, the applicant should provide the name and address of the copyright claimant. 17 U.S.C. § 409(1). For purposes of copyright registration, the copyright claimant must be (i) an author or co-author of all of tSheee elements in the collection, or (ii) a person or organization that owns all of the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author or co-authors of those elements. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3). No other party is entitled to be named as a copyright claimant.
As discussed in Section 1106.1, the claimant for all of the elements and the claimant for the collection as a whole must be the same person or organization. An author may be named as the copyright claimant, provided that he or she contributed copyrightable authorship to all of the elements and created the collection as a whole. Likewise, an author who contributed copyrightable authorship to all of the elements may be named as the copyright claimant, even if other co-authors co-created one or more of those elements.
In the alternative, a person or organization that owns all of the rights that initially belonged to the author may be named as the copyright claimant, but only if that party Chapter 1100 : 18 12/22/2014 owns the copyright in all of the elements and the copyright in the collection as a whole. If the claimant does not own the copyright in one or more of the elements, those elements should be removed from the application, or they should be excluded from the claim using the procedure set forth in Chapter 600, Section 621.8. In some cases, multiple parties may be named as the copyright claimant. For example, if the applicant intends to register a number of joint works, the co-authors of those works could be named as co-claimants, provided that they jointly created all of the elements in the works. Likewise, two or more parties may be named as co-claimants, provided that they co-own the copyright in all of the works.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the claimant’s full name and address on the Claimants screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 4 of the application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 619.12. If the author(s) and the claimant or co-claimants named in the application are not the same person, the applicant should provide a brief transfer statement that explains how the claimant or co-claimants obtained the copyright in the works submitted for registration. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Claimants screen in the field marked Transfer Statement. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 4 under the heading marked Transfer. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 620.9.
1106.3(H) Limitation of Claim As discussed in Section 1106.1, all of the elements in the works must be unpublished, and the copyright claimant for all of the elements and the collection as a whole must be the same person or organization. If any of the works contain an appreciable amount of material that has been previously published, material that is not owned by the copyright claimant, or material that is in the public domain, the applicant should remove those works from the application or should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Sections 621.8(B).
If any of the works contain an appreciable amount of material that has been previously registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F). 1106.3(I) Rights and Permissions Information When completing an online application, the applicant may provide the name, address, and other contact information for the person and/or organization who should be contacted for permission to use the works that are registered with the unpublished collection option.
For guidance in completing this portion of the online application, see Chapter 600, Section 622.1. At the present time there is no space for this information on the paper applications.
Chapter 1100 : 19 12/22/2014 1106.3(J) Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration The applicant should provide the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address (if any) for the person or persons who should be contacted if the Office has questions or concerns regarding the application. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Correspondent screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 7(b) under the heading “Person to contact for correspondence about this claim.” The Office will send all communications concerning the application to this person at the address provided in the registration record.
In addition, the applicant should provide the name and address where the certificate of registration should be sent. When completing an online application, this information should be provided on the Mail Address screen. When completing a paper application, this information should be provided in space 9 of the application under the heading “Certificate will be mailed in window envelope to this address.” For guidance in completing the Correspondent field/space, see Chapter 600, Section 622.2. For guidance in providing the mailing address for the certificate, see Chapter 600, Section 622.4.
1106.3(K) Special Handling Special handling is a procedure for expediting the examination of an application. The U.S. Copyright Office offers this service in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for the expedited issuance of a certificate of registration. The Office charges an additional fee for this service. For a detailed discussion of this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 623. 1106.3(L) Certification The application must be certified by one of the author(s) named in the application, by the copyright claimant named in the application, by a party that owns one or more of the exclusive rights in the works, or by a duly authorized agent of one of the foregoing parties. No other person or entity is entitled to certify an application. The person who certifies the application certifies that the information provided in the application is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application, or in any written statement filed in connection with the application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e). For guidance in completing the Certification field/space, see Chapter 600, Section 624. 1107 The Unit of Publication Option This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s current practices and procedures for registering a number of works that were packaged or physically bundled together and first published as a single unit on the same date.
Chapter 1100 : 20 12/22/2014
1107.1 What Is a Unit of Publication?
A unit of publication is a package of separately fixed elements and works that are physically bundled together for distribution to the public as a single, integrated unit, and all of the works are first published in that integrated unit. A group of self-contained works may qualify as a unit of publication under the following •ci rcumstances:
• There is a title for the unit as a whole that identifies it as a single, integrated unit. The component works and any uncopyrightable elements are packaged or physically bundled together as a single, integrated unit, such as a bound volume and dust jacket; a compact disc with liner notes and cover art; a multimedia kit • containing a book, a compact disc, and a set of stickers; a board game; or the like. The component works are distributed to the public as a single, integrated unit (as opposed to being packaged or physically bundled simply for distribution to intermediaries, such as wholesalers, distributors, or retailers). Representative examples of works that may be distributed in a single, integrated unit i•n clude the following:
• A package of greeting cards.
• A CD packaged with cover art and a leaflet containing lyrics. • A board game with playing pieces, game board, and instructions. • A book published with a CD-ROM.
• A multimedia kit containing a book, a compact disc, and a poster. A multi-DVD package with multiple disks containing a motion picture, trailers, and • deleted scenes from the motion picture.
• A box set of music CDs.
• A videogame containing a disc, instructions, and pamphlet. A package containing a computer program and a user’s manual. In all cases, the unit must contain an actual copy or phonorecord of the self-contained works. A unit that merely contains a representation of the works does not satisfy this requirement. For example, a box of jewelry containing an actual necklace and an actual set of earrings that are sold to the public as a single, integrated unit would be considered a unit of publication. By contrast, a catalog that merely contains photographs of necklaces and earrings that are offered for sale would not be considered a unit of publication, even if members of the public may order these items from the catalog either on an individual basis or as a set. At best, the catalog could only be used to register a Chapter 1100 : 21 12/22/2014 claim in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the photographs, rather than the actual items depicted in those images.
Moreover, the self-contained works must be distributed to the public as an integral part of the unit. A unit that merely offers works to the public without distributing actual copies or phonorecords does not satisfy this requirement. Likewise, a unit that merely offers, distributes, or sells works to wholesalers, distributors, retailers, or other intermediaries for the purpose of further distribution, public performance, or display does not satisfy this requirement. For instance, when a record company bundles a compilation of tracks together with cover art and liner notes, and distributes them to the public as an album, the album would qualify as a unit of publication, regardless of whether the tracks are distributed on physical phonorecords or as a package of files for digital download. By contrast, when a record company distributes tracks to the public on an individual basis or licenses its entire catalog to a streaming website to facilitate the public performance of those tracks, neither the tracks nor the catalog would qualify as a unit of publication.
1107.2 Eligibility Requirements
An applicant may register a group of separately fixed works with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copies, provided that the following conditions have b• een met:
• All of the copyrightable elements must be recognizable as self-contained works. All of the works claimed in the application must be first published as a single unit on • the same date.
See The copyright claimant for all of the works claimed in the unit must be the same. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(A).
In addition, the claimant in the unit must be the person or entity that physically bundled the works and elements together into the integrated unit. Works that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered with the unit of publication option.
In particular, an applicant cannot use this option to register a number of published and unpublished works. An applicant cannot use this option if the works were published on different dates. An applicant cannot use this option if the works were published in different units or first distributed as separate, individual works. (For a definition and discussion of publication, see Chapter 1900.) Moreover, the unit cannot be created merely for the purpose of registration; instead it must have been distributed to the public as a single, integrated unit.
The application should expressly state that the applicant is seeking to register a number of works with the unit of publication option.
Chapter 1100 : 22 12/22/2014 An applicant may use this option to register the component works within a unit of publication if the claimant is the author of those works or acquired the copyright in those works through a transfer of ownership, provided that the claimant manufactured, produced, published, packaged, or otherwise created the single, integrated unit as a whole. In other words, the unit of publication option may be used only if the claimant packaged the unit as a whole. Moreover, the claimant must own the copyright in all the component works that are claimed in the application. If the unit contains component works that are not owned by the claimant, the applicant should exclude those works from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(B). Although a single, integrated unit may constitute or contain one or more collective works, the unit of publication option is not the appropriate means for registering a collective work or the component works contained therein when the collective work is not bundled with separately fixed elements. For example, a book of photographs and the images contained therein may be registered as a collective work if the claimant owns the copyright in both the images and the authorship involved in creating the book as a whole. In such cases, there should be no need to rely on the unit of publication option. Moreover, the unit of publication option should not be viewed as a group registration option for registering contributions to published collective works. In other words, it is not an accommodation for “published collections” that mirrors the accommodation described in Section 1106 for unpublished collections. If the applicant is unable to register the component works with the unit of publication option, the applicant may register those works on an individual basis. Specifically, the applicant may prepare a separate application, filing fee, and deposit copies for each component work and may submit these items using the online application or a paper application. See As discussed in Chapter 500, Section 510, the Office generally issues only one registration per work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6). Therefore, when an applicant registers a number of self-contained works with the unit of publication option, the applicant cannot add additional works to that registration at a later date. Likewise, the applicant cannot register the component works within a unit of publication and then obtain separate registrations for those works, unless the applicant satisfies one or more of the exceptions set forth in Chapter 500, Sections 510.2 or 510.3. Works that are excluded from the claim must be registered separately as individual works.
1107.3 Registration Requirements
To register a number of works with the unit of publication option, the applicant must submit a completed application, an appropriate deposit, and the correct filing fee. The applicant may submit an online application through the electronic registration system, or in the alternative, the applicant may submit a paper application using Forms TX, VA, PA, or SR (but not Form SE). The Office strongly encourages applicants to use the electronic registration system rather than a paper application because online applications are more efficient for both the applicant and the Office. For guidance on completing the online application or the paper application, see Section 1107.4. Chapter 1100 : 23 12/22/2014 If the unit was first published in the United States, the applicant should submit two complete copies or phonorecords of the best edition of the unit. If the unit was first published in another countrSye,e the applicant generally should submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the unit as first published or one complete copy or phonorecord of the best edition of the unit. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(iii), (iv). For a definition and discussion of the best edition requirements, see Chapter 1500, Section 1504. As a general rule, a copy or phonorecord of a published work is considered “complete” if it includes S“aeell elements comprising the applicable unit of publication of the work, including elements that, if considered separately, would not be copyrightable subject matter.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(ii).
For guidance on submitting the deposit copies, see Chapter 200, Section 204.3 and Chapter 1500, Section 1508.
For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5.
1107.4 Completing the Application
This Section provides guidance for completing an application to register multiple works with the unit of publication option.
Applicants should inform the U.S. Copyright Office that they are seeking to register a number of self-contained works under the unit of publication option. When completing the online application, the applicant should provide this information in the Note to Copyright Office. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in a cover letter. If the registration specialist determines that the component works are eligible for registration under the unit of publication option, the specialist will add a statement to that effect to the certificate of registration and the online public record for the claim.
If the applicant does not expressly request registration under the unit of publication option, the specialist will communicate with the applicant if the specialist determines that this is the only means for registering the component works with one application. In such cases, the specialist will ask the applicant for permission to register the component works under the unit of publication option. If the applicant agrees, the specialist will add a statement to that effect to the certificate of registration and the online public record for the claim.
1107.4(A) Registration Process Overview When completing an online application, the applicant must provide a “yes” or “no” response to three questions concerning the work(s) that the applicant intends to regis•t er. The questions include:
Chapter 1100 : 24 12/22/2014 Yes or No: Are you the only author and owner of the work (or the agent of the individual author who is also the only owner)? Check “NO” to this question if the work was created by multiple individuals (such as, multiple performers, artists, writers) or if any part of this work was prepared as a “work made for hire” for • another entity.
Works registered under the unit of publicationi. eo.ption are not considered “one work,” even though they may be treated as a single work for registration purposes under Section 202.3(b)(4) of the regulations ( , for the purpose of registering the works with one application). Therefore, if the applicant checks the box marked “yes,” the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. This may delay the examination of the application.
NOTE:
1107.4(B) Type of Work When completing an online application, the applicant should select the class of work that is most appropriate for the works that the applicant intends to register and the authorship that appears in those works. These classes are listed under a drop down menu marked Type of Work. Identifying the class of works that will be submitted for registration is also the first step in completing a paper application. The Office has prescribed five basic classes of works that may be registered with a paper application, and each of these classes has its own paper form.
For guidance in completing this portion of the online application or guidance in selecting an appropriate paper application, see Section 1106.3(B) above. 1107.4(C) Title The applicant should provide the primary title of the unit of publication that will be submitted for registration (including any subtitles), even though the “unit” itself is not a work. The applicant should provide this information in the Title of This Work field of the online application.
The titles of the self-contained works that appear within the unit of publication, if any, may be provided in the Contents Title field. If the applicant provides these titles in the application, they will appear on the certificate of registration and the online public record under the heading Contents Title.
Chapter 1100 : 25 12/22/2014 Applicants are encouraged to provide a title for each work that is submitted for registration. If a work is known by a particular title, interested parties likely will use that title to search for the work, and it may be extremely difficult to find a particular work if the applicant fails to provide that information in the application. The total number of characters that may be provided in the Contents Title field is limited. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide one title in the field, then click the Save button, and then repeat this process in order to prevent loss of data due to space limitations.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide the title for the unit of publication and/or the title(s) of the works contained therein in space 1 of the application. If additional space is needed, the applicant may provide the titles using Form CON. If the applicant provides this information in the application, the title of each work may be included in the certificate of registration and the online public record unless the applicant provides a substantial number of titles on Form CON. In all cases, the titles of the works contained within the unit of publication should be listed in the application in the same order that they appear in the deposit copies. For additional guidance in completing the title field/space of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 610.2 and 610.4.
1107.4(D) Publication / Completion When registering a number of works with the unSiete of publication option, all of the works submitted for registration must be packaged or physically bundled together in a single unit and first distributed to the public as a unit. Section 1107.2. When completing an online application, the applicant will be asked to provide the date of publication on the Publication/Completion screen. Specifically, the applicant should select “yes” in the drop down menu marked “Has this work been published?” In the field marked “Date of First Publication,” the applicant should provide the specific month, day, and year that the unit was distributed to the public for the first time. If the applicant indicates that the works have been published, but fails to provide the specific month, day, and year that publication occurred, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should enter the month, day, and year of first publication on space 3(b) under the heading “Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work.”
When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the year that the component works were completed on the Publication/Completion screen in the field marked Year of Completion (Year of Creation). When completing a paper application, the applicant should identify the year that the author completed the component works on space 3(a) under the heading “Year in which creation of this work was completed.” If the component works were created over a period of thirteen months or more, the Chapter 1100 : 26 12/22/2014 applicant should provide the year of completion for the most recent work that will be submitted for registration.
For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611.1.
1107.4(E) Authors of the Component Works As discussed in Section 1107.2, an applicant may register the component works within a unit of publication if the claimant is the author of those works or if the claimant has acquired the copyright in those works through a transfer of ownership. In all cases, the applicant should identify the author or authors of the component works that will be submitted for registration. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the full name of each author on the Authors screen. If the works were created by more than one author, the applicant should complete the relevant fields, click the Save button, and then repeat this process for the other authors. The applicant should provide the country of citizenship or domicile for each author named in the application. If the applicant fails to provide this information, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. If the author’s citizenship or domicile is unknown, the applicant may select “not known” from the drop down menu.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should identify the author or co- authors of the component work(s) in space 2 under the heading marked Name of Author. If the component works were created by three or more authors, the applicant may identify the other authors on Form CON.
For guidance in providing the name(s) of the author(s) of the component works, see Chapter 600, Section 613.8. For guidance in identifying works created by large numbers of authors, see Chapter 600, Section 613.10(F). For guidance in providing the author’s citizenship and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617. If the works contained within the unit of publication qualify as anonymous or pseudonymous works, the applicant may check the appropriate boxes that appear in the anonymous/pseudonymous fields/spaces. For a definition and discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, Sections 615.1 and 615.2. For guidance concerning the Year of Birth and Year of Death fields/spaces, see Chapter 600, Section 616.
1107.4(F) Manufacturer, Publisher, Producer, Packager, or Creator of the Unit of Publication An applicant may register the component works contained within a unit of publication, provided that the claimant manufactured, produced, published, packaged, or otherwise created the single, integrated unit. In other words, the unit of publication option may be used only if the claimant packaged the unit as a whole. Chapter 1100 : 27 12/22/2014 When completing the online application, the applicant should provide a brief statement in the Note to Copyright Office field indicating that the claimant is the manufacturer, producer, publisher, packager, or other creator of the unit as a whole. When completing a paper application, the applicant may provide this information in a cover letter. If the registration specialist determines that the single, integrated unit is eligible for registration under the unit of publication option, the specialist will add this information to the certificate of registration and the online public record for the claim. 1107.4(G) Author Created / Nature of Authorship The applicant should provide a brief statement that describes the component works that will be submitted for registration.
If the same author created all the component works within the unit, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes in the Author Created field that accurately describe those self-contained works. For example, if the unit of publication consists of a CD-ROM containing a computer program, a user’s manual, and cover artwork, the applicant should check the boxes marked “computer program,” “text,” and “artwork.” If the unit of publication consists of an album containing music, lyrics, sound recording, artwork, and liner notes, the applicant should check the boxes marked “music,” “lyrics,” and “sound recording” and in the box marked Other the applicant should state “artwork” and “text of liner notes.”
If the component works were created by different authors, the applicant should provide •th e following information in the online application:
(ii) a person or organization that owns all of the rights under copyright that initially belonged to the author or co-authors of those works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3). No other party is entitled to be named as a copyright claimant. If the same person(s) or organization(s) created all the component works within the unit that are claimed in the application, the applicant may name the author or co- authors as the copyright claimant. In the alternative, the applicant may provide the name of the person or organization that acquired the copyright in those works through a transfer of ownership.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the claimant’s full name and address on the Claimants screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 4 of the application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 619.12. If the author(s) and the claimant or co-claimants named in the application are not the same person, the applicant should provide a brief transfer statement that explains how the claimant or co-claimants obtained the copyright in the component works. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Claimants screen in the field marked Transfer Statement. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 4 under the heading marked Transfer. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 620.9.
1107.4(I) Limitation of Claim As discussed in Section 1107.2, all of the works in a unit of publication must be physically bundled together by the claimant in a single, integrated unit, they must be first published on the same date, and the claimant for all of those works must be the same person or organization.
A claimant may use the unit of publication option only if that party packaged the unit as a whole. Moreover, the unit of publication option cannot be used to register any of the works in the unit that have been previously published or any works that are not owned by the copyright claimant (although such works may be registered separately). If the unit contains previously published material or third party material, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(B). The excluded works must be registered separately as individual works.
Chapter 1100 : 29 12/22/2014 If the unit contains material that has been previously registered with the Copyright Office, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedure described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F).
1107.4(J) Rights and Permissions Information When completing an online application, the applicant may provide the name, address, and other contact information for the person and/or organization who should be contacted for permission to use the works that are registered with the unit of publication option.
For guidance in completing this portion of the online application, see Chapter 600, Section 622.1. At the present time, there is no space for this information on the paper applications.
1107.4(K) Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration The applicant should provide the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address (if any) for the person or persons who should be contacted if the Office has questions or concerns regarding the application. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Correspondent screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 7(b) under the heading “Person to contact for correspondence about this claim.” The Office will send all communications concerning the application to this person at the address provided in the registration record.
In addition, the applicant should provide the name and address where the certificate of registration should be sent. When completing an online application, this information should be provided on the Mail Address screen. When completing a paper application, this information should be provided in space 9 of the application under the heading “Certificate will be mailed in window envelope to this address.” For guidance in completing the Correspondent field/space, see Chapter 600, Section 622.2. For guidance in providing the mailing address for the certificate, see Chapter 600, Section 622.4.
1107.4(L) Special Handling Special handling is a procedure for expediting the examination of an application. The U.S. Copyright Office offers this service in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for the expedited issuance of a certificate of registration. The Office charges an additional fee for this service. For a detailed discussion of this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 623. 1107.4(M) Certification The application must be certified by one of the author(s) named in the application, by the copyright claimant named in the application, by a party that owns one or more of Chapter 1100 : 30 12/22/2014 the exclusive rights in the works, or by a duly authorized agent of one of the foregoing parties. No other person or entity is entitled to certify an application. The person who certifies the application certifies that the information provided in the application is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application, or in any written statement filed in connection with the application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e). For guidance in completing the Certification field/space, see Chapter 600, Section 624. 1108 Warnings Works registered under the unit of publication option or the unpublished collection option may contain copyrightable and uncopyrightable material. As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will issue a registration if some of the works set forth in the deposit copy(ies) contain a sufficient amount of original authorship. If the registration specialist determines that the deposit copy(ies) contain material that is copyrightable and material that is clearly uncopyrightable, he or she may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. However, the specialist may send the applicant a written communication warning that the registration does not cover the uncopyrightable material. If the deposit copy(ies) contain a relatively small number of works or if it is relatively easy to identify the uncopyrightable material, the specialist may identify the uncopyrightable material in his or her written communication. If the deposit copy(ies) contain a large number of works or if it is difficult or impractical to identify the uncopyrightable material, the specialist may or may not provide representative examples of the copyrightable and uncopyrightable material. This communication will be sent to the address or email address provided in the Correspondent portion of the application. The specialist will place a copy of the communication in the registration record, and the certificate of registration and the online public record will indicate the presence of correspondence in the file. Warnings are intended to put the applicant, the claimant, the courts, and the general public on notice that the registration does not necessarily cover all of the works or every element of the works submitted for registration. They also indicate that the Office did not necessarily examine each work or each element of the works for copyrightable authorship.
1109 Group Registration of Serials This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s current practices and procedures for registering a group of serials.
For guidance on registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712. For information concerning the group registration options for daily newspapers and daily newsletters, see Sections 1110 and 1111. For an overview of the similarities and differences between the group registration options for serials, daily newspapers, and daily newsletters, see Section 1118. For information concerning the group registration option for contributions to periodicals, see Section 1115. Chapter 1100 : 31 12/22/2014 See generally Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serial Issues Filed Electronically, 77 Fed. Reg. 66,920 (Nov. 8, 2012); Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serials, 55 Fed. Reg. 50,556 (Dec. 7, 1990).
1109.1 What Is a Serial?
For purposes of this group registration option, a serial is defined as a work that is issued or intended to be issued on an established schedule in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designations that are intended to beS eceontinued indefinitely. Examples include periodicals, newspapers, magazines, newsletters, journals, bulletins, annuals, the proceedings of societies, and other similar works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(v).
1109.2 Eligibility Requirements
A group of serials may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that the •fo llowing conditions have been met:
• Each issue in the group must be a serial as defined in Section 1109.1. • The group must contain at least two issues.
• The claim to copyright must be limited to the collective work. • Each issue must be a work made for hire.
• Each issue must be created no more than one year prior to publication. The serial must be published at an interval of a week or longer, such as a weekly, • biweekly, or monthly publication. e.g.
• All of the issues must be published in the same calendar year. The Library of Congress must receive two complimentary copies promptly after See publication of each issue of the serial.
Serials that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered using this group registration option.
Chapter 1100 : 32 12/22/2014 The regulation establishing this option became effective on January 7, 1991. Serials published before that date are not eligible for group registration. The Copyright Act defines a collective work as “a work, such as a periodical issue, anthology, or encyclopedia, in which a number of contributions, constituting separate and independent works in themselves, are assembled into a collective whole.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. As discussed above, each issue in the group must be an essentially all-new collective work that has been published for the first time. In other words, the issues included in the group cannot be derivative versions of a previously published issue or a serial that is frequently modified, updated, or adapted, such as a website. B• y definition, a collective work contains two distinct forms of authorship: The compilation authorship in creating the serial, which involves selecting, coordinating, and arranging a number of separate and independent works and • assembling them into a collective whole; and The authorship in the separate and independent works included within the serial, such as an article or photograph.
Both forms of authorship may be registered using the group registration option for serials, proi.vei.ded that (i) the contributions and the collective work as a whole were created by the author named in the application, and (ii) the author and the claimant are the same ( , the author owns the copyright in that material). A group registration only covers material created and owned by the author/claimant named in the application. It does not cover material created by authors who are not named in the application or contributions that are not owned by the copyright claimant. In particular, the Office will not accept an application that purports to register articles, photographs, or other contributions created by a person who transferred the copyright in his or her work to the author/claimant.
As discussed above, the group must contain at least two issues and all of the issues must be published within a three-month period during the same calendar year, but otherwise there is no limit on the number of issues that may be included within each group. If the applicant is unable to register a particular issue using the group registration option for serials, the applicant may submit a separate application for that issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
1109.3 Application Requirements
A group of serials may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office byS seuebmitting an online application through the Office’s electronic registration system. In the alternative, the applicant may submit a paper application using Form SE/Group. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(v).
Chapter 1100 : 33 12/22/2014 The Office strongly encouSreaeges applicants to use the electronic registration system rather than Form SE/Group, because online applications are more efficient for both the applicant and the Office. Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serial Issues Filed Electronically, 77 Fed. Reg. 66,920, 66,921 (Nov. 8, 2012). For guidance on completing the online application and Form SE/Group, see Section 1109.7.
1109.4 Filing Fee Requirements
1109.5 Deposit Requirements
This Section discusses the deposit requirements for registering a group of serials. 1109.5(A) Serials Subject to the Complimentary Subscription Requirement The deposit requirement for this group registration option varies depending on whether the Library of Congress has selected the serial for its collections. If the serial has never been registered using the group registration option, the applicant should contact the Copyright Acquisitions Division (“CAD”) to determine whether the Library has selected the serial for its collections. Specifically, the applicant may provide the title of the serial, the name of the publisher, the International Standard Serial Number (“ISSN”) that has been assigned to the serial (if any), and the name, address, email, and phone number for the applicant using the form posted on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/mandatory/cad_comment.html). If the Library chooses to include the serial in its collections, CAD will notify the applicant in writing. When submitting an online application, the applicant should transcribe the content of this communication in the Note to Copyright Office field. When submitting an application for group registration using Form SE/Group the applicant should attach a copy of this communication to the application.
If the Library has selected the serial for its collections, the applicant muSste eprovide the Library with two complimentary subscriptions, and the applicant must submit a letter confirming that two complimentary subscriptions have been provided. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.3(b)(6)(ii), 202.20(c)(2)(xvii). The letter should identify the title of the serial, the name of the publisher, and the volume, number, and issue date for the first issue that will be delivered to the Library under the subscription. Both the letter and the subscription copies should be sent to the following address: Library of Congress Group Periodicals Registration 101 Independence Avenue SE Chapter 1100 : 34 12/22/2014 Washington, DC 20540-4161 Providing an ongoing, complimentary subscription and promptly delivering the subscription copies to the Library after the publication of each issue is a mandatory requirement for serials that have been selSeeceted by the Library. Providing complimentary subscriptions also satisfies the mandatory deposit requirements set forth in Section 407 of the Copyright Act. Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serials, 55 Fed. Reg. 50,556, 50,556 (Dec. 7, 1990). Applicants whose serials have been selected may not use this group registration option unless they provide complimentary subscriptions, and the privilege of using this option may be revoked if an applicant fails to deliver complimentary subscription copies on a prompt and regular basis. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(iv).
1109.5(B) Serials Not Subject to the Complimentary Subscription Requirement Providing coSmeeplimentary subscriptions is a mandatory requirement for registering a group of serials, but only if the Library of Congress has selected the serial for its collections. Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serial Issues Filed Electronically, 77 Fed. Reg. 66,920, 66,921 (Nov. 8, 2012). The U.S. Copyright Office has adopted an interim practice for serials that have not been selected by the Library that alloCwirsc auplaprl i6c2abn,t Cs otop ysruigbhmti Rt eognies tcroamtiopnle ftoer cao Gpyro oufp e oafc hSe irsisaule iInss tuhees group without providing a complimentary subscription. For information concerning this procedure, see at 2.
1109.5(C) One Complete Copy of Each Issue In all cases, the applicant must submit one complete copy of each issue that is included in the group along with the application.
If the applicant submits a paper application using Form SE/Group, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the best edition of each issue. For a definition and discussion of the best edition requirements, see Chapter 1500, Section 1504. If the applicant submits an online application, the applicant may submit an electronic copy or a physical copy of each issue, although the U.S. Copyright Office strongly encourages applicants to submit electronic copies whenever possible. Specifically, the applicant should submit (i) one complete copy of each issue in a digital format that complies with the requirements set forth in sections 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(B) and 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(C) of the regulations or (ii) one complete copy of the best edition of each issue.
SFeoer guidance on submitting the deposit copy, see Section 1109.8. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.3(b)(6)(v)(A)(3), (b)(6)(v)(B)(3), and 202.20(c)(2)(xvii). Chapter 1100 : 35 12/22/2014
1109.6 When May an Application for a Group Registration Be Filed?
The U.S. Copyright Office will register a group of serials published within a three-month period during the same calendar year, provided that the applicant complies with the requirements set forth in Sections 1109.2 through 1109.5. The Office strongly encourages applicants who use this group registration option to submit the application, deposit copies, and filing fee within three months after the date of publication for the earliest serial in the group.
1109.7 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Serials
This Section provides guidance for registering a group of serials with an online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE/Group. 1109.7(A) Type of Group To register a group of serials with an online application, the applicant should begin by clicking the phrase “Register a Group Claim,” which appears on the home page of the electronic registration system.
The applicant should identify the type of group that he or she intends to register. For a group of serials, the applicant should select “Serial Issues” from the drop down menu that appears on the Type of Group screen.
1109.7(B) Title The applicant should provide the title of the serial exactly as it appears on the deposit copies, including any subtitle(s). When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Title screen in the field marked Serial Title. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 1 of Form SE/Group.
The applicant should complete the field marked Previous/Alternative Title in the online application (i) if the serial was previously published under a different title, (ii) if the serial is known by a different title or by a title that is written in a different language, or (iii) if a person would likely search for the serial in the U.S. Copyright Office’s records under a different title. As a general rule, a subtitle is not considered a Previous or Alternative Title.
Applicants cannot provide titles for the various articles, photographs, illustrations, or other contributions that appear within each issue when submitting an application for a group registration (regardless of whether the application is submitted through the electronic registration system or with a paper application submitted on Form SE/Group). If the applicant would like to include this information in the registration record, the applicant must submit a separate application for each issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
Chapter 1100 : 36 12/22/2014 1109.7(C) ISSN Numbers If an International Standard Serial Number (“ISSN”) has been assigned to the serial, the applicant should provide this information on the Title screen of the online application. Specifically, the applicant should select ISSN from the drop down menu marked ISN Type and the applicant should provide the relevant number in the field marked International Standard Number.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information in space 1 under the heading marked ISSN.
For a general discussion of ISSN numbers, see Chapter 600, Section 612.6(C). 1109.7(D) Nation of First Publication / Author’s Citizenship or Domicile When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the country where the issues were first published by selecting one of the countries listed in the drop down menu marked Nation of First Publication. The U.S. Copyright Office will use this information to determine whether the issues are eligible for copyright protection in the United States. If the applicant fails to provide a nation of first publication, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system. If the nation of first publication is unknown, the applicant may select “unknown” from the drop down menu.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide the nation of first publication or the author’s country of citizenship or domicile in space 2 of Form SE/Group if the work was created by a foreign author or if the work was first published outside the United States.
For a definition and discussion of the nation of first publication, see Chapter 600, Section 612. For a definition and discussion of the author’s citizenship and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617.
1109.7(E) Volume, Number, Issue Date, and Date of Publication When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the volume, number, and issue date (if any) that appears on the deposit copy for each issue in the group. This information should be provided on the Title screen. In addition, the applicant should provide the date of publication (month, day, and year) for each issue. If the applicant fails to provide a date of publication, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 1 of Form SE/Group. The issues that are included in the group should be listed in the application in chronological order.
When completing an online application, the applicant should state “No previous registration under identical title” in the Note to Copyright Office field if this is the first time that the serial has been submitted for registration using the group registration option. If the applicant received a written communication from CAD indicating that the Chapter 1100 : 37 12/22/2014 See Library has or has not included the serial in its collections, the applicant should transcribe that statement in the Note to Copyright Office field. Section 1109.5(A). When completing a paper application on Form SE/Group, the applicant should check the box marked “No previous registration under identical title” if this is the first time that the serial has been submitted for registration using the group registration option. If the applicant received a written commSueneication from CAD indicating that the Library has or has not included the serial in its collections, the applicant should attach a copy of that communication to the application. Section 1109.5(A).
For a general discussion of publication issues, see Chapter 600, Section 612. 1109.7(F) Author / Claimant As discussed in Section 1109.2, all of the issues in the group must be created by the same author(s), the copyright in each issue must be owned by the same copyright claimant(s), and the author(s) and the claimant(s) must be the same person or organization.
When completing an online application, the applicant should provide the author/claimant’s full name and the author/claimant’s address on the Author/Claimant screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information on space 2 of Form SE/Group.
The applicant does not need to describe the material that the author created, because by definition, a registration for a group of sSeereials only covers (is) eteh ea lcsoontributions created by the author named in the application and (ii) the compilation authorship involved in creating the collective work as a whole. Section 1109.2; Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration Options, 73 Fed. Reg. 23,390, 23,391-92 (Apr. 30, 2008) (“[A] description of new matter within a work … is no longer explicitly required on the group registration form because many of the group options require that the works included in the grouping be ‘essentially new’ with respect to their authorship.”).
If the serial contains articles, photographs, or other contributions that were created by an author who transferred the copyright in his or her work to the claimant, the applicant cannot register those contributions using the group registration option for serials. Instead, the applicant should prepare a separate application for each issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
1109.7(G) Rights and Permissions Information When completing an online application, the applicant may provide the name, address, and other contact information for the person and/or organization who should be contacted for permission to use the issues that are included in the group. Providing this information is optional, and an application will be accepted even if this portion of the application is left blank.
Chapter 1100 : 38 12/22/2014 For guidance in completing this portion of the online application, see Chapter 600, Section 622.1. Currently there is no space for this information on Form SE/Group. 1109.7(H) Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration The applicant should provide the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address (if any) for the person or persons who should be contacted if the U.S. Copyright Office has questions or concerns regarding the application. When completing an online application, the applicant should provide this information on the Correspondent screen. When completing a paper application, the applicant should provide this information under the heading marked “Person to contact for correspondence about this claim.” As a general rule, the Office will send all communications to this person at the address provided in the registration record. In addition, the applicant should provide the name and address where the certificate of registration should be sent. When completing an online application, this information should be provided on the Mail Address screen. When completing a paper application, this information should be provided under the heading marked “Certificate will be mailed in window envelope to this address.”
For guidance in completing the Correspondent field/space, see Chapter 600, Section 622.2. For guidance in providing the mailing address for the certificate, see Chapter 600, Section 622.4.
1109.7(I) Special Handling Special handling is a procedure for expediting the examination of an application. The U.S. Copyright Office offers this service in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for the expedited issuance of a certificate of registration. The Office charges an additional fee for this service. For a detailed discussion of this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 623. 1109.7(J) Certification The application must be certified by the author/claimant named in the application or a duly authorized agent of the author/claimant. No other person or entity is entitled to certify an application.
The person who certifies the application certifies that the information provided in the application is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application, or in any written statement filed in connection with the application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e). When completing an online application, the applicant will be asked to certify the application on the Certification screen. Specifically, the applicant should provide the first and last name of the individual who is certifying the application in the space marked Name of Certifying Individual and should check the box that reads, “I certify that I am the author, copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive rights, or the authorized agent of the author, copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive rights of this work and Chapter 1100 : 39 12/22/2014 See that the information given in this application is correct to the best of my knowledge.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2S)e(eii). There is no need to date the certification in an online application; the date will be added automatically when the application is received by the U.S. Copyright Office. Online Registration of Claims to Copyright, 72 Fed. Reg. 36,883, 36,887 (July 6, 2007).
When completing Form SE/Group, the applicant should sign and date the application in the space marked “Handwritten signature.” The first and last name of the person who signed the application should be typed or printed on the space marked “Typed or printed name.”
1109.8 Submitting the Deposit
As discussed in Section 1109.5, the applicant must submit one complete copy of each issue that is included in the group, regardless of whether the applicant submits an online application or a paper application and regardless of whether the serial is subject to the complimentary subscription requirement.
When completing an online application, the applicant may upload an electronic copy of each issue through the electronic registration system. The file for each issue should not exceed 170 megabytes, and each file should be uploaded sequentially in chronological order. When all of the issues in the group have been uploaded, the applicant should click the “upload complete” button. Additional information concerning the Library’s current preferences for file-level format and specifications are posted on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file-types.html).
In the alternative, the applicant may submit a physical copy of each issue in the group, or the applicant may submit a disc containing an electronic copy of each issue. The deposit copies may be delivered by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery to the Public Information Office. In all cases, the deposit copies must be submitted together with the shipping slip that is generated by the electronic registration system. Failure to include a shipping slip may prevent the Office from connecting the deposit copies with the online apSpeliecation and may require the applicant to resubmit the deposit, which in turn, may change the effective date of registration for the group registration. Chapter 600, Section 625.2(D). Deposit copies submitted without shipping slips will not be returned.
Packages that are delivered to the U.S. Copyright Office by mail or by courier will be irradiated to destroy possible contaminants, such as anthrax. This process may damage CD-ROMs or other compact discs. To avoid this result, applicants are strongly encouraged to send these types of materials in boxes rather than envelopes. Additional information concerning the recommended procedure for delivering deposits to the Office by mail or by courier is posted on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/mail.html).
When completing a paper application the applicant should submit a package containing a complete copy of each issue together with the completed application and the correct filing fee. For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1100 : 40 12/22/2014 Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5. The package may be delivered by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery to the Public Information Office. 1110 Group Registration of Daily Newspapers This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s current practices and procedures for registering a group of daily newspapers.
The regulation governing the group registration of daily newspapers became effective on September 1, 1992. Newspapers published before that date are not eligible for this group registration option.
For guidance on registering a single issue of a newspaper as a single serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712. For information concerning the group registration options for serials and daily newsletters, see Sections 1109 and 1111. For a general overview of the similarities and differences between the group registration options for serials, daily newspapers, and daily newsletters, see Section 1118. For information concerning the gSreoe ugpe nreergaislltyration option for contributions to periodicals, see Section 1115. see also reprin Rteedg iisntration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Daily Newspapers, 57 Fed. Reg. 39,615 (Sept. 1, 1992); H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 154 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5770 (citing “the various editions or issues of a daily newspaper” as an example of a group of related works that might qualify for group registration).
1110.1 What Is a Daily Newspaper?
For purposes of this group registration option, a daily newspaper is defined as a serial that has been selected by the Newspaper Section of the Serials and Government Publications Division for the collections of the Library of Congress. The papers that have been selected by the Library are listed in a policy document titled “Newspapers Received Currently in the Library of Congress.” Generally speaking, the newspapers on this list (i) are mainly designed to be a primary source of written information on current events, either local, national, or international in scope, (ii) contain a broad range of news on all sSuebejects and activities and are not limited to any particular subject matter, and (iii) are intended for either the general public or a particular ethnic, cultural, or national group. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(ii). For a definition of the term serial, see Section 1109.1.
1110.2 Eligibility Requirements
A group of daily newspapers may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided t•h at the following conditions have been met:
• Each issue in the group must be a daily newspaper as defined in Section 1110.1. Each issue must bear the same title.
Chapter 1100 : 41 12/22/2014 All of the issues must bear issue dates within the same calendar month and the same calendar year, and the group must contain all of the issues published within that • month.
Newspapers that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered using this group registration option.
If the applicant is unable to register a particular issue using the group registration option for daily newspapers, the applicant may submit a separate application for that issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
1110.3 Application Requirements
Currently, an application to register a group of daily newsletters must be submitted on Form G/DN. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(B). For guidance on completing Form G/DN, see Section 1112.
1110.4 Filing Fee Requirements
The applicant must submit the correct filing fee for this group registration option. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(E). The current fee is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Form G/DN (daily newspapers and qualified newsletters)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
1110.5 Deposit Requirements
This Section discusses the deposit requirements for registering a group of daily newspapers.
1110.5(A) Newspapers Subject to the Microfilm Deposit Requirement The deposit requirement for this group registration option varies depending on whether the Library of Congress has selected the newspaper for its collections. If the newspaper has been selected by the Library, the applicant must submit one complete copyi .oe.f the final edition of each issue that was publiSseheed in the month specified in the appsleieca atlisoon on 35mm silver halide microfilm containing a positive print of each issue ( , black text printed on a white background). 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(D); 37 C.F.R. pt. 202, app. B, ¶ X.A.1.
Chapter 1100 : 42 12/22/2014 If two or more daily editions were published on a particular day, the applicant may submit the final edition together with the earlier editions, provided that the earlier editions and the final edition were published within the same metropolitan area. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(D). Applicants may not cSoeme bidin.e national or regional editions that were published outside a given metropolitan area. Instead, each national or regionalE exdaimtiopnle ss:h ould be registered as a separate group. • Providence Post The morning edition and final edition of the could • be registered as a single group. New York Examiner The Manhattan, Long Island, and Sussex editions of the • could be registered as a single grSohuopw. Biz Daily The East Coast and West Coast editions of could not be registered as a single group, although they could be registered as two separate groups.
Submitting a microfilm deposit is a requirement for this group registration option if the title has been selected by the Library, and it will relieve the publisher of any mandatory deposit requirements set forth in Section 407 of the Copyright Act for the issues submitted on microfilm.
Microfilm may be delivered to U.S. Copyright Office by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery to the Public Information Office. Packages that are delivered to the Office by mail or by courier will be irradiated to destroy possible contaminants, such as anthrax. This process may damage microfilm. To avoid this result, applicants are strongly encouraged to send microfilm in boxes rather than envelopes. Additional information concerning the recommended procedure for delivering deposits to the Office by mail or by courier is posted on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/mail.html). 1110.5(B) Newspapers That Are Not Subject to the Microfilm Deposit Requirement Providing microfilm is a requirement for registering a group of daily newspapers if the Library of Congress has selected the paper for its collections. A few years after the U.S. Copyright Office created this group registration option, a number of applicants began to submit newspapers that had not been selected by the Library. These applicants went through the time and expense of submitting archival- quality microfilm deposits, even though their works did not appear on the list of “Newspapers Received Currently in the Library of Congress.” The Office has adopted an interim practice that allows groups of newspapers that have not been selected by the Library to be registered without a 35mm silver halide microfilm deposit. Specifically, the interim practice allows an applicant to submit (i) complete print copies of the first and last issues of the month specified in the application, or (ii) print copies of the first section of the first and last issues of the month, or (iii) print copies of the first page of the first and last issues of the month. Chapter 1100 : 43 12/22/2014
1110.6 The Timeliness Requirement
As discussed in Section 1110.2, the U.S. Copyright Office must receive a comSepeleted application, the correct filing fee, and the correct deposit copies within three months after the date of publication for the last issue that is included in the group. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(F). For example, if the last issue was published on November 30, 2013, and if the Library of Congress has selected the newspaper for its collections, the Office m• ust receive the following items by February 28, 2014: • A completed application on Form G/DN.
If the application, deposit, and filing fee are not received by the deadline, the Office will refuse to register the newspapers as a group.
If the applicant is unable to register a particular issue using the group registration option for newspapers, the applicant may submit a separate application for that issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
1111 Group Registration of Daily Newsletters This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s current practices and procedures for registering a group of daily newsletters.
The regulation governing the group registration of daily newsletters became effective on September 1, 1992. Newsletters published before that date are not eligible for this group registration option.
For guidance on registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712. For information concerning the group registration options for serials and daily newspapers, see Sections 1109 and 1110. For a general overview of the similarities and differences among the group registration options for serials, daily newspapers, and daily newsletters, see Section 1118. For information concerning the group registration oSepet igoenn feorra clloyntributions to periodicals, see Section 1115. Registration of Claims to Copyright; Group Registration of Daily Newsletters, 64 Fed. Reg. 29,522 (June 1, 1999); Registration of Claims to Copyright; Group Registration of Daily Newsletters, 60 Fed. Reg. 15,874 (Mar. 28, 1995). Chapter 1100 : 44 12/22/2014
1111.1 What Is a Daily Newsletter?
For purposes of this group registration option, a daily newsletter is defined as a serial that is published and distributed online, by mail, by fax, on any other medium, including but not limited to, paper, cassette tape, diskette, or CD-ROM. (The term “serial” is defined in Section 1109.1.) The serial must be routinely published at least two days per week, and it must contain news or inforSmeeation that is chiefly of interest to a special group, such as trade associations, professional associations, corporate in-house groups, schools, collegSeese, churches, or the like. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(i). Newsletters are typically sold by subscription, but they are not sold on newsstands or through other retail outlets. Registration of Claims to Copyright; Group Registration of Daily Newsletters, 60 Fed. Reg. 15,874, 15,875 (Mar. 28, 1995).
1111.2 Eligibility Requirements
A group of daily newsletters may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided t•h at the following conditions have been met:
• Each issue in the group must be a daily newsletter as defined in Section 1111.1. • The group must contain at least two issues.
• Each issue must bear the same title.
• Each issue must be a work made for hire.
Newsletters that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered using this group registration option.
If the applicant is unable to register a particular issue using the group registration option for newsletters, the applicant may submit a separate application for that issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
Chapter 1100 : 45 12/22/2014
1111.3 Application Requirements
Currently, an application to register a group of daily newsletters must be submitted on Form G/DN. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(viii). For guidance on completing Form G/DN, see Section 1112.
1111.4 Filing Fee Requirements
For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
1111.5 Deposit Requirements
This Section discusses the deposit requirements for registering a group of daily newsletters.
1111.5(A) One Complete Copy of Each Issue In all cases, the applicant must submit one complete copy of each newsletter issue that is includSeede in the group (in addition to submitting a copy of each issue on microfilm or providing a complimentary subscription as discussed in Section 1111.5(B) below). 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vi)(A).
If the newsletter is published in a tangible format, the applicant should submit one complete print copy of each issue.
If the newsletter is published exclusively online, the applicant should submit (i) one complete printout of each issue, or (ii) a disc or CD-ROM containing a complete copy of each issue together with a printout of the first and last issues in the group. Packages that are delivered to the U.S. Copyright Office by mail or by courier will be irradiated to destroy possible contaminants, such as anthrax. This process may damage CD-ROMs or other compact discs. To avoid this result, applicants are strongly encouraged to send these types of materials in boxes rather than envelopes. Additional information concerning the recommended procedure for delivering deposits to the Office by mail or by courier is posted on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/mail.html).
1111.5(B) Microfilm or Complimentary Subscriptions If the applicant receives an express written request from the Copyright Acquisitions Division of the Library of Congress (“CAD”), the applicant may be required to provide the Library with up to two complimentary subscriptions of the edition that is most suitable for its needs. Alternatively, the applicant may be required to submit one complete copy of the final edition of each issue that was published in the month Chapter 1100 : 46 12/22/2014 i.e.
specified in the applicatioSne.e Specifically, the applicant may bsee er eaqlsuoired to submit 35mm silver halide microfilm containing a positive print of each issue ( , black text printed on a white background). 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vi)(B); 37 C.F.R. pt. 202, app. B, ¶ X.A.1. In all cases, a copy of the communication from CAD should be submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office along with the application. Providing microfilm or a complimentary subscription is a requirement for using this group registration option if the applicant received a written request from CAD before the application was submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office. Applicants who have not received a written request from CAD are not required to pSreoevide subscriptions or microfilm, although as discussed in Section 1111.5(A) they are required to submit one complete copy of each issue that is included in the group. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vi)(B).
Subscription copies or microfilm should be delivered to the address specified in the request from CAD. Packages that are delivered to the U.S. Copyright Office by mail or by courier will be irradiated to destroy possible contaminants, such as anthrax. This process may damage microfilm. To avoid this result, applicants are strongly encouraged to send microfilm in boxes rather than envelopes.
Submitting microfilm or providing complimentary subscriptions for the purpose of obtaining a group registration will relieve the publisher of any mandatory deposit requirements set forth in Section 407 of the Copyright Act for issues submitted in this manner.
1111.6 The Timeliness Requirement
As discussed in Section 1111.2, the U.S. Copyright Office must receive a comSepeleted application, the correct filing fee, and the correct deposit copies within three months after the date of publication for the last issue that is included in the group. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vii). For example, if the last issue was published on October 20, 2013, and if the Copyright Acquisitions Division instructed the applicant to submit the newsletter on m• icrofilm, the Office must receive the following items by January 20, 2014: • A completed application on Form G/DN.
If the application, deposit, and filing fee are not received by the deadline, the Office will refuse to register the newsletters as a group.
If the applicant is unable to register a particular issue using the group registration option for newsletters, the applicant may submit a separate application for that issue Chapter 1100 : 47 12/22/2014 using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
1112 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Daily Newspapers and Daily Newsletters (Form G/DN)
This Section provides instructions for completing Form G/DN. Currently, this form must be used to register a group of daily newspapers or daily newsletters.
1112.1 Space 1: Title of this Newspaper / Newsletter
In space 1 of the application, the applicant should provide the title of the newspaper or newsletter exactly as it appears on the deposit copies. In addition, the applicant should identify the total number of issues that have been submitted for registration. As discussed in Sections 1110.2 and 1111.2, the title that appears on each issue in the group must be the same. e.g. e.g.
If a month and year date ( , October 2013) or an edition number ( , Vol. 217, No. 1) appears on the deposit copies, the applicant should provide this information in space 1 under the headings marked “Month and year date on copies” and “Edition.” If an International Standard Serial Number (“ISSN”) has been assigned to the newspaper or newsletter, the applicant should provide this information in space 1 of the application under the heading marked “ISSN.” For a general discussion of ISSN numbers, see Chapter 600, Section 612.6(C).
If this is the first time that the newspaper or newsletter has been submitted for registration using the group registration option, the applicant should check the box marked “If no previous registration under identical title check here.” If the applicant received a written communication from CAD indicating that the Library has or has not included the newsletter in its collections, the applicant should attach a copy of that communication to the application. See Section 1111.5(B). Currently, applicants cannot provide titles for the various articles, photographs, illustrations, or other contributions that appear within each issue when submitting an application for a group registration. If the applicant would like to include this information in the registration record, the applicant should submit a separate application for each issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. For information concerning the procedures for registering a single issue of a serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712.
1112.2 Space 2: Author / Claimant
As discussed in Sections 1110.2 and 1111.2, all the issues in the group must be created by the same author(s), the copyright in each issue must be owned by the same copyright claimant(s), and the author(s) and the claimant(s) must be the same person or organization.
Chapter 1100 : 48 12/22/2014 In space 2 of the application, the applicant should provide the full legal name and address for the author/claimant. In addition, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes in space 2 that accurately describe the material that the author created. The options include text, editing, and compilation. For a definition and discussion of these terms, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(C).
As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office may accept a claim in text or editing if the author contributed a sufficient amount of written expression to each issue. The Office may accept a claim in compilation if there is a sufficient amount of creative expression in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of material that appears in each issue. If these terms do not fully describe the copyrightable authorship that the applicant intends to register, the applicant should provide a more specific description in the space marked Other.
The applicant may register the articles, photographs, illustrations, or other contributions that appear in the newspaper or newsletter, provided that they were created by the author/claimant for the issue as a whole. As a general rule, applicants should use the terms text, photographs, or artwork to describe this type of authorship. The applicant should only check the boxes that describe the authorship created and owned by the author/claimant named in the application. The applicant should not assert a claim in material created by authors who are not named in the application or material that is not owned by the copyright claimant. In particular, the Office will not accept an application that purports to register articles, photographs, or other contributions created by a person who transferred the copyright in his or her work to the author/claimant.
If the information provided in space 2 is contradicted by the information provided elsewhere in the registration materials, a member of the Office’s staff may communicate with the applicant.
1112.3 Space 3: Date of Publication for the First and Last Issues in the Group
As discussed in Sections 1110.2 and 1111.2, all the issues in the group must be published within the same month and the samSee ecalendar year. In space 3 of the application, the applicant should provide the date of publication (month, day, and year) for the first issue and the last issue in the group. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(C), (b)(9)(viii).
If the applicant fails to provide the month, day, and year of publication or if the publication dates specified in the application do not match the publication dates or issue dates (if any) that appear on the deposit copies, a member of the Office’s staff may communicate with the applicant.
For a general discussion of publication issues, see Chapter 600, Section 612. Chapter 1100 : 49 12/22/2014
1112.4 Certification
The application for group registration muSste ebe certified and dated by the author/ claimant or duly authorized agent of the author/claimant. No other person or entity is entitled to certify an application. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c). A handwritten signature should be provided under the heading marked “Handwritten signature” and the first and last name of the person who certified the application should be typed or printed on the space marked “Typed or printed name.” The person who certifies Form G/DN certifies that the information provided in the application is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application or in any written statement filed in connection with the application is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e).
1112.5 Correspondent / Mailing Address for the Certificate of Registration
The applicant should provide the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address (if any) for the person or persons who should be contacted if the U.S. Copyright Office has questions or concerns regarding the application. The applicant should provide this information under the heading marked “Person to contact for correspondence about this claim.”
The person named in this space is known as the “Correspondent.” As a general rule, the Office will send all communications to this person at the address provided in the registration record.
In addition, the applicant should provide the address where the certificate of registration should be sent. This information should be provided under the heading marked “Certificate will be mailed in window envelope to this address.” For further guidance concerning this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 622.2 and 622.4.
1113 ePrint Newspapers, Newsletters, and Other Serials As discussed in Sections 1109, 1110, and 1111, each issue in a group of newspapers, newsletters, or other serials must be an essentially all-new collective work or an all-new issue that has been published for the first time. Issues that do not satisfy this requirement are not eligible for group registration. In particular, an issue cannot be a derivative version of a previously published issue or a publication that is frequently modified, updated, or adapted, such as a newspaper or newsletter website. Likewise, the group registration options cannot be used to register a translation of a previously published issue.
Although these group registration options do not apply to frequently updated websites, an electronically printed (“ePrint”) newspaper, newsletter, or other serial may be eligible for a group registration, provided that it satisfies the relevant registration requirements set forth in Sections 1109, 1110, and 1111. For purposes of these group registration options, an ePrint newspaper, newsletter, or serial is an issue that is Chapter 1100 : 50 12/22/2014 published and distributed online or via email as a self-contained, downloadable work, such as aE xdaigmitpalle v: ersion of a tangible newspaper, newsletter, or other serial. Copyright Notices The Office publishes an electronic newsletter for its staff titled that contains articles and photographs concerning recent developmeCnotpsy wriigthhtin N tohteic Oesffice. Copies of this newsletter are distributed to staff via email on a monthly basis. If the Office decided to publish at least two times per week it could be considered an ePrint newsletter, because each issue is published as a self-contained work and the content of each issue does not change once it has been distributed.
1114 Newspapers, Newsletters, or Other Serials That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements If a daily newspaper or daily newsletter is not eligible for the group registration options described in Sections 1110 or 1111, it may be possible to register these works as a group of serials, provided that the applicant satisfies the relevant requirements for that group registration option. For guidance on this group registration option, see Section 1109. For a general overview of the similarities and differences between the group registration options for serials, daily newspapers, and daily newsletters, see Section 1118. If a particular issue of a newspaper, newsletter, or other serial is not eligible for the group registration options described in Sections 1109 through 1111, the applicant may register that issue on an individual basis. Specifically, the applicant may p rseepe are a saelspoarate application, filing fee, and deposit for each issue using the online application or a paper application submitted on Form SE. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vi)(C); Registration of Claims to Copyright; Group Registration of Daily Newsletters, 64 Fed. Reg. 29,522, 29,523 (June 1, 1999). For guidance on how to register a single issue of a newspaper, newsletter, or other serial publication, see Chapter 700, Section 712. 1115 Group Registration for Contributions to Periodicals Section 408(c)(2) of the Copyright Act directs the Register of Copyrights to establish a procedure “specifically permitting a single registration for a group of works by the same individual author, all first published as contributions to periodicals, including newspapers, within a twelve-month period, on the basis of a single deposit, application, and registration fee….” 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(2).
For a general overview of the similarities and differences between the options for registering a group of contributions to periodicals, a group of published photographs, and a group of unpublished works, see Section 1119.
For guidance on registering a daily newspaper, daily newsletter, or other types of serials, see Sections 1109 through 1111.
Chapter 1100 : 51 12/22/2014
1115.1 What Is a Contribution to a Periodical?
For purposes of this group registration option, a contribution to a periodical is defined as a separate and independent work that has been published in a periodical. Examples include an article published in a newspaper, a photograph published in a magazine, an illustration published in a journal, and other similar works. A periodical is defined as a collective work that is issued or intended to be issued on an established schedule in successive issues that are intended to be continued indefinitely. In most cases, each issue will bear the same title, as well as numerical or chronological designations. Examples include newspapers, magazines, newsletters, journals, bulletins, annuals, the proceedings of societies, and other similar works.
1115.2 Eligibility Requirements
A group of contributions that has been published in a periodical may be registered with t•h e U.S. Copyright Office, provided that the following conditions have been met: • All of the contributions in the group must be created by the same author. • The author must be an individual.
• The contributions cannot be a work made for hire.
• Each contribution must be first published as a contribution to a perioed.gical. Each contribution must be published within a twelve-month period ( ., January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010, February 1, 2011 through January 31, 2012, • September 15, 2013 through September 14, 2014, etc.). If the contributions were published before March 1, 1989, each contribution must bear a separate copyright notice, the notice must contain the copyright owner’s name (or an abbreviation by which the owner can be recognized or a generally known alternative designation for the owner), and the name that appears in each See notice must be the same.
(Jan. 5, 1978).
Chapter 1100 : 52 12/22/2014
1115.3 Application Requirements
In all other cases, the applicant should use the form that is most appropriate for the type o• f auFtohromrs ThXip: that appears in the majority of the contributions in the group. The applicant should complete Form TX if the contributions primarily contain nondramatic text, such as articles, news stories, columns, features, reviews, • eFdoritmor ViaAl:s, essays, fiction, verse, quizzes, puzzles, advertising copy, or the like. The applicant should complete Form VA if the contributions primarily contain pictorial or graphic material, such as photographs, drawings, illustrations, cartoons, comic strips, prints, paintings, art reproductions, charts, diagrams, maps, • pFoicrtmor PiaAl :advertisements, or the like.
If the contributions contain more than one type of authorship the applicant should select the form that is appropriate for the predominant form of authorship in the contributions. For example, if most of the contributions contain a substantial amount of nondramatic text combined with a few photographs, the applicant should use Form TX. If most of the contributions contain illustrations with a small amount of nondramatic text, the applicant should use Form VA. If the types of authorship are roughly equal, the applicant may use any form that is appropriate for the type of authorship that appears in the majority of the contributions.
For guidance on completing Form GR/CP and Forms TX, VA, and PA, see Section 1115.7.
1115.4 Filing Fee Requirements
For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
1115.5 Deposit Requirements
This Section discusses the deposit requirements for registering a group of contributions to periodicals.
Chapter 1100 : 53 12/22/2014 In all cases, the applicant must submit one complete copy of each contribution that is included in the group. This requirement may be satisfied by submitting any of the f•o llowing:
• One copy of the entire issue of the periodical that contains the contribution. • One copy of the entire section of a newspaper that contains the contribution. • Tear sheets or proof copies of the contribution.
• A photocopy of the contribution.
• A photocopy of the entire page from the periodical that contains the contribution. The entire page from the periodical that contains the contribution, which has been • cut or torn from the periodical.
• The contribution cut or torn from the periodical.
1115.6 When May an Application for a Group Registration Be Filed?
The U.S. Copyright Office will register all of the contributions created by the same individual and published within a twelve-month period, provided that the applicant complies with the requirements set forth in Sections 1115.2 through 1115.5. Although an application for a group registration may be filed any time before the coSepeyrights expire, a contribution typically must be registered within three months after publication to seek statutory damages and attorney’s fees in an infringement action. 17 U.S.C. § 412. Therefore, the Office strongly encourages applicants who use this group registration option to submit the application, deposit copies, and filing fee within three months after the date of publication for the earliest contribution in the group. Chapter 1100 : 54 12/22/2014
1115.7 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Contributions
to Periodicals 1115.7(A) Form TX, Form VA, and Form PA To register a group of contributions to periodicals the applicant must complete Form TX, Form VA, or Form PA. As discussed in Section 1115.3, the applicant should use the form that is most appropriate for the type of authorship that appears in the majority of the contributions in the group.
This Section provides guidance for completing spaces 1 through 4 of these forms. For guidance concerning spaces 5 through 9, see Chapter 600, Sections 621, 622.2, 622.4, and 624.
1115.7(B) Space 1: Title of this Work In space 1 of the application the applicant should write “See Form GR/CP, attached.” The rest of this space should be left blank.
1115.7(C) Space 2(a): Name of Author As discussed in Section 1115.2, all of the contributions in the group must be created by the same author and the author must be an individual. The applicant should provide the author’s full name and the author’s nationality and/or domicile in space 2(a). For a definition and discussion of nationality and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617. If all of the contributions in the group qualify as anonymous or pseudonymous works, the applicant may check the appropriate boxes that appear in the anonymous/pseudonymous space. For a definition and discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, Sections 615.1 and 615.2. As discussed in Section 1115.2, the contributions cannot be a work made for hire. Therefore, the work made for hire box should be checked “no.” In the Nature of Authorship space the applicant should describe the material that the author created. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 618.
1115.7(D) Space 3(a): Year in which Creation of This Work Was Completed The applicant should provide the year of completion for the last contribution that is included in the group. This information should be provided in space 3(a) of the application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611.
As discussed in Section 1115.8(B), the application should provide publication dates for each contribution using Form GR/CP. Therefore, space 3(b) of Form TX, VA, or PA may be left blank.
Chapter 1100 : 55 12/22/2014 1115.7(E) Space 4: Copyright Claimant(s)
As discussed in Section 1115.2, the copyright claimant for all of the contributions must be the same person or organization. The applicant should provide the claimant’s full name and address in space 4 of the application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 619.
1115.8 Form GR/CP
This Section provides guidance on completing Form GR/CP. As discussed in Section 1115.3, the applicant must complete and submit this form along with Form TX, Form VA, or Form PA.
1115.8(A) Space A: Identification of Application In space A of the application, the applicant should check one of the boxes marked TX, PA, or VA, depending on whether the applicant intends to submit Form GR/CP together with Form TX, Form VA, or Form PA.
The applicant should provide the name of the individual who created the contributions that are included in the group, and the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in those contributions. The names provided in these spaces should be identical to the names that the applicant provided in spaces 2(a) and 4 of Form TX, Form VA, or Form PA. 1115.8(B) Space B: Registration for Group of Contributions Section 408(c)(2)(B) states that contributions to periodicals may be registered as a group, provided that “the application identifies each work separately, including the periodical containing it and its date of first publication.” 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(2)(B). When completing Form GR/CP, the applicant should provide a title for each contribution that is included in the group. If the title of the contribution appears in the periodical the applicant should provide that title exactly as it appears on the deposit copies. For each contribution, the applicant should provide the title of the periodical where the contribution was published for the first time, along with the volume, number, and issue date (if any) for that periodical and the page number(s) (if any) where the contribution appeared.
In addition, the applicant should provide the date of first publication (month, day, and year) for the periodical and the name of the country where the periodical was published for the first time. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 612.
If the author sent any of the contributions to a syndicate, clearinghouse, or other distributor before they were published in a periodical, the applicant should notify the U.S. Copyright Office in a cover letter.
1115.9 Contributions That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements
Photographers who are unable to register their works as a contribution to a periodical may be able to use the group registration option for published photographs. For guidance on this group registration option, see Section 1116. If the contributions have not been published yet, it may be possible to register them as a collection of unpublished works. For a discussion of this option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106.
For a general overview of the similarities and differences between the options for registering a group of contributions to periodicals, a group of published photographs, and a group of unpublished works, see Section 1119.
Alternatively, the applicant may register a particular article, photograph, illustration, or other contribution on an individual basis. Specifically, the applicant may prepare a separate application, filing fee, and deposit for each contribution and may submit these items through the electronic registration system or with a paper application. 1116 Group Registration of Published Photographs This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s practices and procedures for registering a group of published photographs.
For information concerning the group registration option for contributions to periodicals, see Section 1115. For information concerning the option for registering a collection of unpublished photographs, see Chapter 1100, Section 1106. For a general overview of the similarities and differences between the options for registering a group of published photographs, a group of contributions to periodicals, or a group of Suenep guebnliesrhaeldly photographs, see Section 1119. Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Photographs, 66 Fed. Reg. 37,142 (July 17, 2001).
1116.1 Eligibility Requirements
A group of published photographs may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that the following conditions have been met:
Chapter 1100 : 57 12/22/2014 • All the works in the group must be photographs.
• All the photographs must have been created by the same individual. If any of the photographs in the group were created as a work made for hire, the applicant me.ugs.t provide (i) the name of the photographer and (ii) the name of the photographer’s employer or the party who specially ordered or commissioned the • photographs ( , XYZ Corporation, employer for hire of John Doe). The copyright claimant for each photograph must be the same person or • organization.
• All the photographs in the group must be published. e.g. All the photographs must be published within the same calendar year ( , January 1, 2010 through May 31, 2010; February 15, 2011 through July 20, 2011; October 7, • 2012 through October 21, 2012, etc.).
The applicant may submit a typed list clearly specifying the date of publication for each photograph in the group.
Chapter 1100 : 58 12/22/2014 The applicant may list the publication dates on Form GR/PPh/CON, provided that the applicant submits a paper application rather than an online application.
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(i)-(vi), (viii)-(ix).
Photographs that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered using this group registration option.
In particular, applicants cannot use this procedure to register a groSuepe of photographs that includes both publisrheepdr ianntedd u innpublished photographs. Another key requirement is that all the photographs must be taken by the same photographer. H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 153-54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5769-70 (stating that “a group of photographs by one photographer” may qualify as a “group of related works” under Section 408(c)(1) of the Copyright Act).
If the photographs were created as a work made for hire, the applicant may use this group registration option, provided that all the photographs in the group were taken by thi.ee. same individual. In other words, if a studio hired five photographers pursuant to a work made for hire, the studio must separate its photographs into five separate groups ( , one group for each photographer) and submit a separate application for each group. Applicants who provide a specific date of publication for each photograph may use any method discussed above, provided that the Office is able to identify the relevant date for each image in the group. As long as the applicant selects a method that clearly satisfies this requirement, the application will be accepted.
If the applicant provides a range of publication dates in the paper application or a specific date of publication in an online or paper application, that information will be included in the certificate of registration and the online public record. If the applicant provides a range of publication dates in the application and identifies the specific date of publication in the deposit copies, the Office will retain the deposit material for the full term of the copyright. In all other cases, the deposit copies may be discarded within ten years after the effective date of registration. The date of publication for each photograph may appear in the online public record if the applicant submits the claim through the electronic registration system and provides publication dates in the online application. Publication dates will not appear in the Chapter 1100 : 59 12/22/2014 online public record if the applicant submits a paper application, although they will appear in the certificate of registration if the applicant provides that information on Form GR/PPh/CON. For information concerning the application requirements for Stheies ggernoeurpa lrleygistration option, see Section 1116.2 below. Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Published Photographs, 70 Fed. Reg. 15,587 (Mar. 28, 2005); Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Photographs, 65 Fed. Reg. 26,162 (May 5, 2000).
1116.2 Application Requirements
The U.S. SCeoepyright Office has established a pilot program for applicants who wish to register a group of published photographs using the electronic registration system. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(xi). Before completing an online application, the applicant must contact the Visual Arts Division at (202) 707-8202 to coordinate the filing and to obtain proper guidance concerning the information that should be included in the application and the proper method for submitting the deposit copies. Applicants will be permiSteteed to file an online application for a group of published photographs only if they obtain authorization from the Visual Arts Division and follow the instructions from the Division. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 76 Fed. Reg. 4,072, 4,075 (Jan. 24, 2011).
As discussed in Section 1116.1, the applicant may provide a date of publication for each photograph by completing Form VA and Form GR/PPh/CON. If the applicant uses Form GR/PPh/CON, the applicant may include up to 750 photographs in the group. Form GR/PPh/CON improves the quality of the registration record by providing specific information about each photograph, such as the date of publication. This information will be incorporated into the certificate of registration, which means that it will be more accessible to the general public. Moreover, if the claim isS reeegistered within five years after the date of publication, there is a legal presumption that the photographs were published on the dates specified in Form GR/PPh/CON. 17 U.S.C. § 410(c). For gSueeid gaennceer aolnly completing Form GR/PPh/CON, see Section 1116.6(B). Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Published Photographs, 70 Fed. Reg. 15,587 (Mar. 28, 2005); Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Photographs, 66 Fed. Reg. 37,142 (July 17, 2001).
1116.3 Filing Fee Requirements
The current fee for registering a group of published photographs with an online application is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule under the heading Chapter 1100 : 60 12/22/2014 “Online registration of groups of published photographs (pilot program, see sl-39)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
The current fee for registering a group of published photographs with a paper application is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Form GR/PPh/CON (published photographs) (up to 750 published photographs can be identified on Form GR ⁄ PPh/CON with a single filing fee)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5.
1116.4 Deposit Requirements
This Section discusses the deposit requirements for registering a group of published photographs.
In all cases, the applicant must submit one copy of each photograph in the group and all t•h e photographs must be submitted in the same format. The options include: Digital images stored on one or more CD-ROMs (including CD-RWs) or DVD-ROMs • in one of the following formats: JPEG, GIF, TIFF, or PCD. Unmounted prints measuring at least three inches by three inches and no more than • twenty inches by twenty-four inches.
• Contact sheets.
• Slides with each slide containing a single image. e.g A format in which the photograph was published ( ., clippings from newspapers or • magazines).
These formats are listed in the order of preference for the Library of Congress’s collections, and applicants are encouraged to select a format as close to the top of the list as possible.
If the photographs were published between January 1, 1978 and March 1, 1989, the applicant may be required to submit a copy that shows how each photograph was first Chapter 1100 : 61 12/22/2014 published, including the copyright notice (if any) that appeared on or in connection with the photograph. For general information concerning the notice requirements for works published during this period, see Chapter 2200. For information concerning the notice requirements for works published as a contribution to a collective work, see Chapter 2200, Section 2207.2.
Packages that are delivered to the U.S. Copyright Office by mail or by courier will be irradiated to destroy possible contaminants, such as anthrax. This process may damage CD-ROMs or other compact discs. To avoid this result, applicants are strongly encouraged to send these types of materials in boxes rather than envelopes. Additional information concerning the recommended procedure for delivering deposits to the Office by mail or by courier is posted on the Office’s website S(weew gwen.ceorpayllryight.gov/mail.html).
1116.5 When May an Application for a Group Registration Be Filed?
The U.S. Copyright Office will register all the photographs taken by the same photographer and published within the same calendar year, provided that the applicant complies with the requirements set forth in Sections 1116.1 through 1116.4. Although an application for a group registration may be filed any time before the copyrights expire, a photograph must be registered in a timely manner in order to seek statutory damages and attorney’s fees in an infringement action. Specifically, a copyright owner typicalSlyee may seek these remedies if the photograph was registered (i) before the infringement commenced or (ii) within three months after the first publication of that work. 17 U.S.C. § 412. Therefore, the Office strongly encourages aSpepelicants who use this group registration option to submit the application, deposit copies, and filing fee within three months after the earliest publication date in the group. Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Photographs, 65 Fed. Reg. 26,162, 26,164 (May 5, 2E0xa0m0)p. l e:
There is another incentive for applicants who promptly register their photographs with the Office. As discussed in Section 1116.1, applicants who submit a group of Chapter 1100 : 62 12/22/2014 photographs within three months after publication may provide a range of publication dates without providing a specific date of publication for each image, however, this information may need to be established in any infringement action.
1116.6 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Published Photographs
This Section provides guidance for registering a group of published photographs using Form VA and Form GR/PPh/CON.
As discussed in Section 1116.2, the U.S. Copyright Office has established a pilot program for applicants who wish to register groups of published photographs through the electronic registration system. Applicants must contact the Visual Arts Division for authorization to use the online application and for guidance in completing the application and submitting the deposit copies.
1116.6(A) Form VA 1116.6(A)(1) Space 1: Title of this Work In the space marked Title of This Work the applicant should provide a descriptive title for the group as a whole. If the applicant fails to complete this portion of the application or fails to provide a descriptive title, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
The applicant may provide a title that identifies the photographer and the year that the photographs were published, such as “John Smith’s published photos 2001.” In the alternative, the applicant may provide a title that identifies the photographer and describes the general subject matter of the photographs, such as “Jane Smith’s wedding photos.”
The applicant should not provide “Untitled,” “No Title,” or the like. Interested parties typically search for works by title, and it may be extremely difficult to find a group of photographs that has been registered under a non-descriptive title. In the space marked Previous or Alternative Titles the applicant should state “Group Registration / Published Photos” and provide the number of photographs in the group. 1116.6(A)(2) Space 2(a): Name of Author / Nature of Authorship As discussed in Section 1116.1, all the photographs in the group must be created by the same photographer.
The applicant should provide the photographer’s full name and his or her nationality and/or domicile in space 2(a). For a definition and discussion of nationality and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617.
If the photographer is “doing business as” an unincorporated organization, the photographer and the organization are considered the same legal entity. In this situation, the photographer should be named as the author and the work made for hire Chapter 1100 : 63 12/22/2014 box should be checked “no.” The name of the unincorporated organization should not be provided in space 2. If the applicant wishes to include this information in the registration record, the photographer’s d.b.a. should be provided in a cover letter. The registration specialist will add the name of the photographer’s d.b.a. to the certificate of registration and the online public record. In addition, the d.b.a. may be added as an index term if it is likely that users may use that term to search for the photographer’s works.
By contrast, if the photographs were created as a work made for hire, the applicant should check the “yes” box that appears under the heading “Was this contribution to the work a ‘work made for hire’?” In space 2(a) the applicant should provide (i) the name of the photographer and (ii) the name of the photographer’s employer or the party who speciallyE oxardmeprleed: or commissioned the photographs. Matte & Glossy Studio LLC, employer for hire of Moises Da Gama. In the Nature of Authorship space the applicant should check the box marked “photograph.” All of the other boxes should be left empty. If the applicant attempts to register any other type of authorship, the registration specialist will ask the applicant to remove that authorship from the claim.
1116.6(A)(3) Space 3(a): Year in Which Creation of This Work Was Completed The applicant should identify the year in which the photographer created the most recent photograph in the group. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611.
1116.6(A)(4) Space 3(b): Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work To register a group of published photographs the applicant must provide publication dates for each photograph in the group.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a specific date of publication for each photograph in the group.
If all the photographs were published on the same date, the applicant should enter that date on line 3(b) of the application, including the month, day, and year. If the applicant cannot determine the exact date of publication, the applicant may provide a qualified statement, such as “approximately,” “on or about,” “on or before,” “not later than,” or the like. The registration specialist will add this statement to the registration record with an annotation, such as: “Regarding publication: Applicant states ‘On or about April 13, 2008.’”
NOTE:
Alternatively, the applicant may provide a range of publication dates ( , February 16, 2010 through February 24, 2010) instead of providing a specific date of publication for each photograph, provided that all the photographs were published within three months before the date that the U.S. Copyright Office received the application, deposit copies, and filing fee. The range of dates should be provided in space 3(b) of the application.
As discussed in Section 1116.1, all the photographs in thee. ggroup must be published within the same calendar year. If the applicant states that the photographs were published over a period of two or more calendar years ( ., October 21, 2012 through February 15, 2013), the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. The applicant should not provide any date of publication that occurs in the future. 1116.6(A)(5) Space 4: Copyright Claimant(s) / Transfer As discussed in Section 1116.1, the copyright claimant for all of the photographs must be the same person or organization. The applicant should provide the claimant’s full name and address in space 4 of the application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 619.
If the person named in space 2(a) is not the same person named in space 4, the applicant should provide a brief transfer statement in space 4 that explains how the claimant obtained the copyright in these photographs. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 620.9.
1116.6(A)(6) Spaces 5 through 9 See Spaces 5 and 6 of the application should be left blank. Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration Options, 73 Fed. Reg. 23,390, 23,391-92 (Apr. 30, 2008). For guidance in completing spaces 7, 8 and 9, see Chapter 600, Section 622.4, 622.2 space 7, and 624.
1116.6(B) Form GR/PPh/CON Form GR/PPh/CON may be used to provide titles, publication dates, and other identifying information for each photograph in the group. Completing this form is optional, although it does provide certain advantages that are discussed in Section 1116.2.
If the applicant uses Form GR/PPh/CON, the form must be submitted together with Form VA.
Chapter 1100 : 65 12/22/2014 The applicant may include up to fifteen photographs on a single sheet of Form GR/PPh/CON. If the group contains more than fifteen photographs, the applicant should complete and submit additional sheets. The applicant may submit up to fifty sheets of Form GR/PPh/CON with each application. Thus, if the applicant uses this form, the gSreoe ugpe nmeruasltl ycontain no more than 750 photographs. Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Published Photographs, 70 Fed. Reg. 15,587 (Mar. 28, 2005).
1116.6(B)(1) Space A: Identification of Author and Claimant In space A of Form GR/PPh/CON, the applicant should provide the name of the individual who created the photographs and the name of the claimant who owns the copyright in those photographs. The names provided in these spaces should be identical to the names that the applicant provided in spaces 2(a) and 4 of Form VA. 1116.6(B)(2) Spaces B & C: Copyright Registration for a Group of Published Photographs In space B of Form GR/PPh/CON, the applicSaenet should provide a title for each photograph in the group. The Office will accept a title consisting solely of numbers and/or letters, such as 1812 or THX-1138. Chapter 600, Section 610.6(C). However, the applicant should not provide “Untitled,” “No Title,” or the like, because interested parties typically search for works by title and it may be impossible to locate a photograph in the record if no title has been provided. The applicant should provide the date of first publication for each photograph (including the month, day, and year) and the name of the country where each photograph was first published. The applicant should provide a separate entry for each photograph, even if multiple photographs were published on the same date. For guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Sections 612 and 617. The applicant may provide a brief description of each photograph in the space marked Description of Photograph. For example, if the photograph was published in a periodical, the applicant may provide the title of the periodical where the photograph was published, along with the volume, number, and issue date (if any) for that periodical and the page number(s) (if any) where the photograph appeared. e.g As discussed in Section 1116.1, all the contributions must be published within a twelve- month period ( ., March 25, 2003 through March 24, 2004). Ideally, the photographs should be listed in Form GR/PPh/CON in chronological order. The photographs that are submitted to the Office should be labeled in such a way that each photograph can be cross-referenced with the information that appears in Form GR/PPh/CON. For example, the applicant may number a particular entry using the box marked “number” and then write that number on the back of the corresponding photograph (if the applicant submits prints or slides) or incorporate that number into the file name for the corresponding photograph (if the applicant submits digital images). For guidance in completing space C, see Chapter 600, Section 622.4. Chapter 1100 : 66 12/22/2014
1116.7 Photographs That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements
If the applicantS iese unable to use this group registration option, it may be possible to register a group of photographs by using the group registration option for contributions to periodicals. Section 1115.
Alternatively, the applicant may register a particular photograph on an individual basis. Specifically, the applicant may prepare a separate application, filing fee, and deposit for each photograph and may submit these items through the electronic registration system or with a paper application. For guidance on registering an individual photograph, see Chapter 900, Section 909.
1117 Databases This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s current practices and procedures for registering a group of updates or revisions to a database. This group registration option may be used to register a specific version of a database that existed on a particular date and/or the subsequent updates or revisions to that database within a three-month period. It may be used to register a group of updates or revisions to a single-file or a multi-file database, regardless of whether prior versions of the database have been registered before.
This Section also discusses the Office’s current practices and procedures for registering updates or revisions to a database that predominantly consists of photographs. As discussed above, the Office allows applicants to register groups of photographs, provided that certain requirements have been met. The procedures for registering a group of published photographs are discussed in Section 1116, the procedures for registering photographs that have been published as a contribution to a periodical are discussed in Section 1115, while the procedures for registering a group of unpublished photographs are discussed in Chapter 1100, Section 1106. Individual photographers may use any of these options to register their images, but they cannot use the group registration option for photographic databases, even if their images have been included in a database that consists predominantly of photographs. The group registration option for photographic databases is only available for database owners, such as stock photography agencies and other copyright owners that wishS eteo register the authorship involved in creating the database, as well as the photographs within the database that were authored by or transferred to the copyright claimant. Deposit Requirements for Registration of Automated Databases that Predominantly Consist of Photographs, 77 Fed. Reg. 40,268, 40,269 & n.1 (July 9, 2012).
Databases pose special problems for the Office because they are constantly changing and the updates or revisions typically contain small increments of information. Due to the processing costs and administrative burdens involved with examining these types of works, the Office applies this regulation narrowly and does not apply this group registration option to other groups of related works. In particular, this option cannot be Chapter 1100 : 67 12/22/2014 used to register the updates or revisions to a website or a computer program. While a website may be used to access a database and a computer program may be used to manipulate the information within a database, these works are not databases as defined iSne eS egcetnioerna 1ll1y17.1 below.
1117.1 What Is a Database?
Following an extensive rulemaking, the U.S. Copyright Office concluded that a database created or published on a particular date and any subsequent updates and revisions to that database may qualify as a “group of related works” under Section 408(c)(1) of the Copyright Act. The Office explained that “factors such as [the] size, complexity and technoloSgeiecal characteristics” of these works, as well as their “rapidly changing content” “distinguish the automated database from other groups of related works.” Registration of Claims to Copyright, Registration and Deposit of Databases, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,177, 13,178 (Mar. 31, 1989).
For purposes of copyright registration, a database is defined as a compilation of digital information comprised of data, information, abstracts, images, maps, music, sound recordings, video, other digitized material, or references to a particular subject or subjects. In all cases, the content of a database must be arranged in a systematic manner, and it must be accessed solely by means of an integrated information retrieval program •o r system with the following characteristics:
• A query function must be used to access the content.
As a general rule, databases are considered machine-readable works beSceaeuse they are fixed or published in optical discs, magnetic tapes, or similar storage media, and as a result they cannot be perceived without the aid of a machine or device. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii).
1117.2 The Scope of a Group Registration for a Database
The legislative history for the Copyright Act states that “computer data bases” may be protected by copyright “to the extent that they incorporate authorship in the programmer’s expression of original ideas, as distinguished from the ideas Chapter 1100 : 68 12/22/2014 reprinted in themselves.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 54 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5667. Specifically, a database and/or the updates or revisions to that database may c•o ntain the following forms of authorship:
Each form of authorship may be registered using the group registration option for databases, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of original expression and provided that the claimant owns the copyright in that material. A group of updates or revisions should be submitted for group registration only if the updates or revisions meet the statutory standard for an original work of authorship. If they do not “satisfy the original work of authorship standard for copyright protection, then no new registration is necessary or warranted.” Registration of Claims to Copyright, Registration and Deposit of Databases, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,177, 13,179 (Mar. 31, 1989). “Where the Office deteIdrm. ines that only a few minor revisions have been made in the representative deposit, registration will be subject to question, and absent more justification, will be denied.”
1117.3 Eligibility Requirements
An applicant may use this group registration option to register a group of updates or •re visions to a database, provided that the following conditions have been met: • The updates or revisions must be original works of authorship. • The updates or revisions must be added to a database as defined in Section 1117.1. • All the updates or revisions to the database must have the same general title. • The subject and general content of the updates or revisions must be similar. • The organization of the updates or revisions must be similar. All the updates or revisions must be owned by the same copyright claimant. In addition, the applicant must satisfy the following conditions if the database is unpublished:
Chapter 1100 : 69 12/22/2014 The database and/or the updates or revisions to the database must be fixed solely in • machine-readable copies.
•If the database has been published, the applicant must satisfy the following conditions: The database and/or the updates or revisions must be published solely in machine- • readable copies.
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(i)(A)-(F).
Databases, updates, or revisions that do not satisfy these requirements cannot be registered using this group registration option.
1117.4 Application Requirements
There is a limited exception to this rule. A databSaeese that consists predominantly of photographs and/or the updates or revisions to that database may be registered with an online application as a result of a pilot project. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(ii)(A). Before completing an online application, the applicant must contact the Visual Arts Division at (202) 707-8202 to coordinate the filing and to obtain proper guidance concerning the information that should be included in the application and the proper method for submitting the deposit copies. Applicants will be permitted to file an online application for a database that consists predominantly of photographs only if they obtain Chapter 1100 : 70 12/22/2014 See authorization from the Visual Arts Division and follow the instructions from the Division. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 76 Fed. Reg. 4,072, 4,075 (Jan. 24, 2011).
1117.5 Filing Fee Requirements
The current fee for registering a group of updates or revisions to a database using a paper application is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Group automated database updates (paper application only)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
The current fee for registering a database that predominantly consists of photographs using an online application is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Online registration of groups of published photographs (pilot program, see sl-39)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5.
1117.6 Deposit Requirements
This Section discusses the deposit requirements for registering a database and/or a group of updates or revisions to that database. All applicants must comply with these requirements, regardless of whether they intend to register the updates or revisions for a single-file database or a multi-file database.
These requirements are intended to alleviate some of the administrative burdens involved with examining a group of related works. In developing these requirements, the Office also considered the unique factors that distinguish databases from other types of works, such as “frequent updates; incremental changes, which are sometimes minor; the absence of a hard-copy record of the changes in general; and the tendency to commingle copyrightable and uncopyrightable matter.” Registration of Claims to Copyright, Registration and Deposit of Databases, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,177, 13,178-79 (Mar. 31, 1989).
1117.6(A) Databases That Do Not Consist Predominantly of Photographs This Section discusses the deposit requirements for a database that does not consist predominantly of photographs.
In all cases, the applicant should prepare and submit a brief statement that describes the database. The specific requirements for this descriptive statement are discussed in Section 1117.6(C).
The applicant does not need to submit a complete copy of the entire database. Instead, the applicant should gather a representative portion of the database using one of the methods discussed below and should submit one copy of that material to the U.S. Chapter 1100 : 71 12/22/2014 See Copyright Office in a form that is visually perceptible without the aid of a machine or device. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D).
As discussed in Section 1117.3, all the updates or revisions in the group must be created or published within a three-month period within the same calenSdeaer year. The applicant should select a representative date from that three-month period and gather fifty pages or fifty data records that appeared in the database on that date. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(5). The pages or records should be marked to show the copyrightable updates or revisions that were created or published on the selected date. The applicant does not need to specify every copyrightable change that appears in these pages Soere records. However, the applicant should identify a sufficient amount of new material to demonstrate that the updates or revisions constitute an original work of authorship. Registration of Claims to Copyright, Registration and Deposit of Databases, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,177, 13,178-79 (Mar. 31, 1989). Alternatively, the applicant may select a representative date from the three-month period, and gather fifty pages or fifty data records that appeared in the database on that date. The pages or records must consist entirely of new copyrightable material that was created or published on the selected date. In addition, the applicant shouSlede sidu.bmit a cover letter confirming that the pages or records are comprised entirely of new copyrightable material that was created or published on the same date. In all cases, the applicant should write the name of the database on the first page or the first record that is included in the deposit material.
If the database has been fixed in a CD-ROM and if the group of updates or revisions can be discerned from that format, the applicant may submit one complete copy of the entire CD-ROM package, including a complete copy of any accompanying operating software and instructional manual. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix). If the registration specialist is unable to access the CD-ROM or unable to determine whether new copyrightable material was added to the database during the three-month period specified in the application, he or she will ask the applicant to submit a representative portion of the database using one of the methods discussed above.
If the database has been fixed or published in a CD-ROM and if the Office previously issued a group registration for that database, the applicant may submit a CD-ROM containing subsequent updates or revisions to that same database, provided that the descriptive statement (i) identifies the new material that was added to the database during the period specified in the application, and (ii) confirms that the updates or revisions are similar to the updates or revisions specified in the previous registration. Packages that are delivered to the U.S. Copyright Office by mail or by courier will be irradiated to destroy possible contaminants, such as anthrax. This process may damage CD-ROMs or other compact discs. To avoid this result, applicants are strongly encouraged to send these types of materials in boxes rather than envelopes. Additional information concerning the recommended procedure for delivering deposits to the Office by mail or by courier is posted on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/mail.html.)
Chapter 1100 : 72 12/22/2014 1117.6(B) Databases That Predominantly Consist of Photographs This Section discusses the minimum deposit requirements for a database that consists predominantly of photographs. In some cases, the Visual Arts Division may ask the applicant to submit additional deposit material, particularly when the claim is submitted using the electronic registration system. For specific guidance, applicants should contact the Visual Arts Division at (202) 707-8202. In all cases, the applicant should prepare and submit a brief statement that describes the database. The specific requirements for this descriptive statement are discussed in Section 1117.6(C).
If the applicant intends to register the phSoetoegraphs that were added to the database during the period specified in the application, the applicant must submit a copy of each photograph that is included in the claim. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(8). The applicant may submit the photographs using one of the formats described in Section 1116.4. In the alternative, the applicant may upload the photographs in an electronic format, provided that the applicant (i) obtains permission to use the electronic registration system from the Visual Arts Division, and (ii) submits the online application and the deposit copies after consulting with, and under the supervision of, that Division. If the applicant intends to register the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the photographs that appear in the database, but does not intend to register the individual photographs, the applicant should submit a representative pSeoer tgioenne orfa tllhye database using one of the methods described in Section 1117.6(A). Deposit Requirements for Registration of Automated Databases That Predominantly Consist of Photographs, 76 Fed. Reg. 5,106 (Jan. 28, 2011); Registration of Claims to Copyright, 76 Fed. Reg. 4,072 (Jan. 24, 2011). 1117.6(C) Descriptive Statement In all cases, the applicant must submit a brief typed or printed statement containing the f•o llowing information:
• The title of the database.
• The name and address of the copyright claimant.
Chapter 1100 : 73 12/22/2014 If the database contains a copyright notice, the descriptive statement should provide the f•o llowing information:
The following is a representative example of a descriptive statement for a group of u• pdaTtietlse aonf dD raetvaibsaiosen:s for a multi-file database: • Name and Addres sR oefa Cl oEpsytaritgeh Dt aCtlaabimasaen ftor the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. : RealtorTrack, LLC, 102 Independence • DAvesecnruipet SioEn, Wof aDsahtianbgatosen, DC 20559. : This is a multi-file database containing real estate listings. • ANlal mfilee so fa Drea utapfdilaeted minute-by-minute. A description of each datafile appears below. − Content:: Active Listings.
Chapter 1100 : 74 12/22/2014 − Origin:
: Changes involving the properties referenced in the − NAcattiuvree L oifs tCihnagns gdeast:afile are made on a daily basis. e.g Updates are arranged to reflect days on the market, changes in list price, or change in the status of the property ( ., under • Name ofc Doanttaraficlet, sold, etc.).
− Content : Statistics.
: This file includes statistics, such as the number of listings taken, − Osorlidg iunnder contract, expired, etc.
: Statistics are compiled from the Active Listings file by the claimant’s − cNoummpbuetre orf s Ryescteomrd.s − Frequency of Chang: e1s5:0.
− Nature of Changes Statistics for the current year are updated each night. : Updates are arranged chronologically and by subject • Copyrighmt aNtotetirc. e : The following copyright notice is displayed at sign-on screen: Copyright 2013 RealtorTrack LLC.
Chapter 1100 : 75 12/22/2014
1117.7 Completing the Application: Group Registration of Databases
This Section provides guidance for registering a database and/or a group of updates or revisions using Forms TX, VA, PA, or SR.
The U.S. Copyright Office has established a pilot program for applicants who wish to register databases that consist predominantly of photographs using the electronic registration system. As discussed in Section 1117.4, applicants must contact the Visual Arts Division for authorization to use the online application and for guidance in completing the application and submitting the deposit copies. As discussed in Section 1117.3, the updates or revisions in the group must be created or published within a period of three months or less. The application may be submitted on the last day of this period or anytime thereafter (regardless of whether the applicant uses the online registration system or a paper application). However, if the application is received before the last day of the period specified in the application, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant.
1117.7(A) Space 1: Title The applicant should provide the title of the database on space 1 of thein asperptl itchaet itoitnle of tuhned dear ttahbea hseeading marked Title of This Work. The title should be provided together with the following statement: “Group registration for database titled [ ].”
As discussed in Section 1117.3, all the updates or revisions in the group must be created or published within a three-month period within the same calendar yearin. sTehrits f piresrt idoadt e isnh othueld p ebrei osdpecifieinds oernt stphaec lea s1t odfa tyh ien atphpe lpiceartioiodn under the heading marked Title of This Work, preferably in the following format: “Updates and revisions from [ ] to [ ].”
As discussed in Section 1117.6(A), the applicant should select a representative date from the period specified in the Title of This Work space, and submit fifty pages or fifty data records that were added to the database onin tsheartt dmaotne.t hT,h dea ayp, apnlidc ayneta srhould provide that date in space 1 under the heading marked Publication as a Contribution, preferably in the folloew.gin. g format: “Representative Date: [ ].” In addition, the applicant should specify the frequency that updates or revisions are made to the database ( , daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
If the applicant is unable to submit fifty records from a specific date, the applicant may submit a selection of records that were addinesde rtto mthoen dtha(tsa)b, adsaey (osn), manudlt yipelaer d haetrees. In this situation, the applicant may provide a range of dates in space 1, preferably in the following format: “Representative Dates: [ ].”
NOTE:
Chapter 1100 : 76 12/22/2014 1117.7(B) Spaces 2: Name of Author / Nature of Authorship In space 2(a) the applicant should provide the full name of the author who created the updates or revisions for the database, as well as the author’s country of citizenship and/or domicile.
If the updates or revisions were created by more than one author, the applicant may list the other authors on spaces 2(b) and 2(c) or on Form CON, although providing this information is optional.
If the updates or revisions were created as works made for hire, the applicant should check the box marked “yes” that appears under the heading “was this contribution to the work a ‘work made for hire’?”
For guidance in providing the Author’s Name, see Chapter 600, Section 613.9. For guidance in providing the author’s citizenship and domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617. For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506. The applicant should identify the copyrightable authorship that the author contributed to the updates or revisions. The applicant should provide this information in space 2(a) under the heading marked Nature of Authorship.
The Office may accept any of the terms listed below, provided that they accurately describe the copyrightable authorship that appears in and is supported by the deposit copy. In most cases, the Office will accept combinations or variant forms of these terms, unless they are contradicted by information provided in the deposit copies or elsewhere •in the registration materials.
• Compilation of data.
• Compilation of database information.
• Compilation of photographs.
• Compilation of artwork.
• Compilation and text.
• Revised and updated compilation.
NOTE:
The authorship that the applicant intends to register should be clearly identified in the application and the claim to copyright in that authorship should be clearly stated. If the claim is unclear, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant or may Chapter 1100 : 77 12/22/2014 refuse registration. Examples of unclear terms include the following or any combination o• f the following:
• Data dictionary.
• Data insertion.
• Data layout or format.
• Data manipulation.
If the applicant asserts a claim in both the copyrightable and uncopyrightable features of the database, the registration specialist may annotate the application to indicate that the registration does not extend to the uncopyrightable features. If the applicant asserts a claim to copyright in any storage medium or any feature of the database that is uncopyrightable, the specialist may communicate with the applicant or may refuse registration if the claim appears to be based solely on those features. Examples of unacceptable terms i•n clude the following or any combination of the following: • Database design.
• Database interface.
• Database structure.
For additional guidance in completing the Nature of Authorship space, see Chapter 600, Section 618.4(B).
1117.7(C) Space 3(a): Year in which Creation of This Work Was Completed In space 3(a) the applicant should provide the year that the author completee.dg .the updates or revisions that are included in the group. If the updates or revisions were completed over a three-month period that falls within two calendar years ( , December 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011), the applicant should provide the year of completion for the most recent update or revision in the group. As a general rule, the applicant should only provide a year of completion for the specific updates or revisions that will be submitted for registration. The applicant should not provide a year of completion for the first version of the database or any updates or revisions that are not included in the group.
For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611. Chapter 1100 : 78 12/22/2014 1117.7(D) Space 3(b): Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work If the updates or revisions have been published, the applicant should provide the last date (month, day, and year) that updates or revisions were published during the time period specified in the Publication as a Contribution space. If the updates or revisions have not been published, this portion of the application should be left blank. For a general discussion of publication issues, see Chapter 600, Section 612. 1117.7(E) Space 4: Copyright Claimant(s)
As discussed in Section 1117.3, the copyright in the updates and revisions must be owned by the same claimant. The applicant should provide the claimant’s full name and address in space 4 of the application. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 619.
If the author(s) and the claimant named in the application are not the same person, the applicant should provide a brief transfer statement that explains how the claimant obtained the copyright in the updates or revisions in the group. This information should be provided in space 4 under the heading marked Transfer. For guidance on completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 620.9. 1117.7(F) Spaces 5 & 6: Previous Registration / Derivative Work or Compilation If the updates or revisions contain an appreciable amount of material that has been previously registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedures described in Chapter 600, Section 621.8(F). If the updates or revisions contain an appreciable amount of material that has been previously published, material that is not owned by the copyright claimant, or material that is in the public domain, the applicant should exclude that material from the claim using the procedures described in Chapter 600, Sections 621.8(A) through 621.8(C). If the updates or revisions do not contain previously registered material, previously published material, public domain material, or material owned by a third party, this portion of the application may be left blank.
1117.7(G) Space 8: Certification The applicant should certify and date the application on space 8 under the heading marked “Handwritten signature.” The first and last name of the person who certified the application should be typed or printed on the space marked “Typed or printed name and date.” In addition, the applicant should check one of the boxes indicating whether he or she is an author of the work, the copyright claimant, an owner of one or more of the exclusive rights in the works, or a duly authorized agent of one of the foregoing persons. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(i).
The application should be certified and submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office on or after the last date specified in space 1 of the application under the heading marked Title of This Work. If the application is certified or submitted before the last date specified in the Chapter 1100 : 79 12/22/2014 Title of This Work space, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant.
For additional guidance in completing the Certification space, see Chapter 600, Section 624.
1117.7(H) Spaces 7 & 9: Correspondent and Mailing Address for the Certificate For guidance in completing the Correspondent space, see Chapter 600, Section 622.2. For guidance in providing the mailing address for the certificate, see Chapter 600, Section 622.4.
1117.8 Effective Date of Registration for a Group of Revisions or Updates
to a Database As discussed in Section 1117.3, all the updates or revisions in the group must be created or published within a three month period within the same calendar year. As discussed in Section 1117.7, the application may be submitted on the last day of this period or anytime thereafter.
The U.S. Copyright Office will assign an effective date of registration based on the date that the Office received the application, filing fee, and the deposit material, which are later determined by the Register of Copyrights or by a court of competent jurisdiction to be accepEtxaabmlep floer: registration. 17 U.S.C. § 410(d). Farmers & Mechanics Bank submitted an application to register the updates and revisions that were made to its database between January 1, 2010 and March 31, 2010. The Office received the application and the filing fee on May 1, 2010, along with a printout containing fifty records from the database. On May 2, 2010, the Office received the descriptive statement for this claim. The Office will issue a group registration with an effective date of registration of May 1, 2010.
For a general discussion of effective date of registration, see Chapter 600, Section 625.
1117.9 Databases That Do Not Satisfy the Group Registration Requirements
If the applicant is unable to use this group registration option, it may be possible to register the database as it existed on a particular date. A registration for a specific version of a database does not cover any subsequent updates or revisions that may be made to the database (regardless of whether the database is published or unpublished). For information on the practices and procedures for obtaining a registration for a specific version of a single-file or multi-file database, see Chapter 700, Section 727. Chapter 1100 : 80 12/22/2014 1118 Serials, Daily Newspapers, and Daily Newsletters at a Glance This Section provides an overview of the similarities and differences between the group registration options for serials, daily newspapers, and daily newsletters. For information concerning the specific requirements for these group registration options, see Sections 1109 (serials), 1110 (daily newspapers), and 1111 (daily newsletters).
Group Serials Daily Newspapers Daily Newsletters Registration Requirements Type of work Each issue must be a Each issue must be a Each issue must be a serial, as defined in newspaper, as defined newsletter, as defined in Section 1109.1 in Section 1110.1 Section 1111.1 Are the issues new? Each issue must be all- Each issue must be all- Each issue must be all- new collective work that new collective work new collective work that has been published for that has been published has been published for the first time for the first time the first time Publication Each issue must be Each issue must be Each issue must be published published published Frequency of publication The serial must be The newspaper must be The newsletter must be published at intervals of published at least two published at least two a week or longer times a week times a week Number of issues in the group The group must include The group must include The group must include at least two issues all the issues published all the issues published within the calendar within the calendar month specified in the month specified in the application application Number of months covered by the group The group may include All the issues must be All the issues must be up to three months of published within the published within the issues same calendar month same calendar month Publication within the same calendar year All the issues must be All the issues must be All the issues must be published within the published within the published within the same calendar year same calendar year same calendar year Chapter 1100 : 81 12/22/2014 Group Serials Daily Newspapers Daily Newsletters Registration Requirements Publication within one year after creation Each issue must be n/a n/a created no more than one year prior to publication Title All the issues must be All the issues must be All the issues must be published under the published under the published under the same title same title same title Author The author for all the The author for all the The author for all the issues must be the same issues must be the same issues must be the same person or organization person or organization person or organization Claimant The claimant for all the The claimant for all the The claimant for all the issues must be the same issues must be the same issues must be the same person or organization person or organization person or organization Work made for hire Each issue must be a Each issue must be a Each issue must be a work made for hire work made for hire work made for hire Claim to copyright The claim to copyright The claim to copyright The claim to copyright must be limited to the may include the may include the authorship involved in authorship involved in authorship involved in creating the serial as a creating the newspaper creating the newsletter whole as a whole and/or the as a whole and/or the authorship involved in authorship involved in creating the creating the contributions to the contributions to the newspaper newsletter Application requirements The applicant may use The applicant must The applicant must the online application or submit a paper submit a paper a paper application application using Form application using Form submitted on Form G/DN G/DN SE/Group Chapter 1100 : 82 12/22/2014 Group Serials Daily Newspapers Daily Newsletters Registration Requirements Examination copies The applicant must The applicant may The applicant must submit one complete submit one complete submit one complete copy of each issue in the copy of each issue in the copy of each issue in the group group, or copies of the group first and last issues, or copies of the first section from the first and last issues, or copies of the first page from the first and last issues Complimentary subscriptions The applicant may be n/a The applicant may be required to provide required to provide complimentary complimentary subscriptions to the subscriptions to the Library of Congress Library of Congress Microfilm n/a The applicant may be The applicant may be required to provide required to provide microfilm to the Library microfilm to the Library of Congress of Congress Filing deadline n/a The application must be The application must be submitted within three submitted within three months after the date of months after the date of publication for the last publication for the last issue in the group issue in the group 1119 Photographs at a Glance This Section provides an overview of the similarities and differences between the option for registering a group of published photographs, the option for registering a group of contributions to periodicals, and the option for registering a number of unpublished works. For information concerning the specific requirements for the group registration options for published photographs and contributions to periodicals, see Sections 1115 and 1116. For information concerning the specific requirements for the option for unpublished works, see Section 1106.
Chapter 1100 : 83 12/22/2014 Registration Group Registration of Group Registration of Unpublished Requirements Published Photographs Contributions to Collections Periodicals Type of work Each work must be a The application may The application may photograph include any type of work include any type of work Application requirements The applicant may use The applicant must The applicant may use the online application or submit a paper the online application or a paper application application using Form a paper application submitted on Form VA TX, VA, or PA together with Form GR/CP Number of photographs in the application If the applicant submits No limit on the number No limit on the number Form GR/PPh/CON, the of works that may be of works that may be applicant may include up included in the included in the to 750 photographs in application application the group. If the applicant does not use this form, there is no limit on the number of photographs that may be included.
Author All the photographs must All the works must be All the elements in the be taken by the same created by the same collection must be photographer author created by the same author, or if the elements were created by multiple authors, one author must contribute copyrightable authorship to each element Claimant The claimant for all the The claimant for all the The claimant for all the photographs must be the works must be the same elements in the same person or person or organization collection must be the organization same person or organization Work made for hire The photographs may be The works cannot be The works may be created as a work made created as a work made created as a work made for hire for hire for hire Publication All the photographs must All the works must be All the works must be be published published unpublished Chapter 1100 : 84 12/22/2014 Registration Group Registration of Group Registration of Unpublished Requirements Published Photographs Contributions to Collections Periodicals Publication within a twelve-month period All the photographs me.ugs.,t All the works must be n/a be published within the peu.gb.lished within a same calendar year ( twelve-month period January through ( , January 1, 2010 December 2011; through December 31, February through June 2010; February 1, 2011 2012; September through January 31, 2012;
Medium of publication The photographs may be All the works must be n/a first published in any first published as a medium contribution to a periodical Copyright notice If the photographs were If the works were n/a published before March published before March 1, 1989, each photograph 1, 1989, each work must must bear an appropriate bear an appropriate copyright notice copyright notice Chapter 1100 : 85 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1204.1 Fixation in a Semiconductor Chip Product .............................................................................................................. 5 1204.2 Originality ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6 1204.3 Protectable Expression .................................................................................................................................................... 6 1204.4 Eligibility Based on Nationality of Owner or Nation of First Commercial Exploitation ........................ 6 1204.5 Registration.......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 1204.5(A) Registration Required Within Two Years of First Commercial Exploitation.............................................. 7 1204.5(B) Effective Date of Registration ....................................................................................................................................... 7 1204.5(C) Benefits of Registration ................................................................................................................................................... 7 1205 IDnee Mliginibimle iMs ask Works ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 1205.1 Authorship..................................................................................................................................................... 8 1205.2 Claim Received More Than Two Years After the Date of First Commercial Exploitation ...................... 8 1206 Term of Protection ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 1207 Exclusive Rights in Mask Works .................................................................................................................................. 8 1207.1 Limitation on Exclusive Rights: Reverse Engineering ......................................................................................... 9 1207.2 Limitation on Exclusive Rights: First Sale ................................................................................................................ 9 1208 Ownership in Mask Works ............................................................................................................................................. 9 1208.1 Transfer of Ownership and Licensing of Rights in Mask Works ..................................................................... 9 1208.2 Recordation of Documents Related to Transfer and Licensing of Rights..................................................... 9 1208.3 Ownership by the U.S. Government and Its Employees ................................................................................... 10 1209 Notice .................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 1209.1 Content of Notice ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 1209.2 Location of Notice ........................................................................................................................................................... 10 1210 Registration Procedures .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 1200 : 1 12/22/2014 1210.1 Registration in Most Complete Form Required .................................................................................................. 11 1210.2 What to File: Required Elements for Registration ............................................................................................. 11 1210.2(A) Form MW ........................................................................................................................................................................... 11 1210.2(B) Filing Fee ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11 1210.2(C) Deposit of Identifying Material .................................................................................................................................. 12 1211 Who May File Form MW?............................................................................................................................................. 12 1212 Completing the Application ........................................................................................................................................ 12 1212.1 Space 1: Title of this Work .......................................................................................................................................... 12 1212.1(A) Symbols in the Title ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 1212.1(B) Descriptive Titles ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 1212.1(C) Title for More Than One Mask Work Given .......................................................................................................... 13 1212.1(D) Variance Between the Title in Space 1 and Titles/Numbers Appearing on the Deposit..................... 13 1212.2 Space 2: Nature of Deposit .......................................................................................................................................... 13 1212.2(A) Space 2 Is Blank or Incomplete ................................................................................................................................. 13 1212.2(B) No Numeric Totals Required ...................................................................................................................................... 14 1212.2(C) Variance in Number of Chips...................................................................................................................................... 14 1212.2(D) Chips Deposited for Non-Commercially Exploited Mask Work .................................................................... 14 1212.2(E) Variance in Number of Plots ..................................................................................................... V ...
e ..
r ..
s ..
a ............... 14 1212.2(F) Space 2 Refers to a “Composite Plot,” but Individual Layer Plots Deposited (or )............ 14
1212.3 Space 3: Name(s) and Address(es) of Current Owner(s) ................................................................................ 14 1212.3(A) Omission of Name of Owner(s) ................................................................................................................................. 14 1212.3(B) Omission of Address ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 1212.3(C) More Than One Current Owner in Space 3 ........................................................................................................... 15 1212.4 Space 4: Citizenship or Domicile of Current Owner(s) .................................................................................... 15 1212.5 Space 5: Derivation of Ownership ............................................................................................................................ 15 1212.5(A) Neither Box “a” Nor “b” Is Checked .......................................................................................................................... 15 1212.5(B) Both Boxes “a” and “b” Are Checked ....................................................................................................................... 15 1212.5(C) Acquisition of Rights by Transfer (Box “b”) ......................................................................................................... 15 1212.6 Space 6: Date and Nation of First Commercial Exploitation .......................................................................... 16 1212.6(A) Incomplete Date of First Commercial Exploitation ........................................................................................... 16 1212.6(B) Date but No Nation Provided ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 1200 : 2 12/22/2014 1212.6(C) Nation but No Date Provided ..................................................................................................................................... 16 1212.6(D) Future Date of First Commercial Exploitation..................................................................................................... 16 1212.6(E) Applicant Left Space 6 Blank, but Completed Space 7...................................................................................... 17 1212.7 Space 7: Citizenship or Domicile of Owner at the Time of First Commercial Exploitation ................ 17 1212.8 Space 8: Nature of Contribution ................................................................................................................................ 17 1212.8(A) Description Indicates That the Mask Work Is “Original” or “Entirely New” ............................................ 17 1212.8(B) Mask Work Is Based on or Incorporates a Preexisting Mask Work ............................................................ 17 1212.8(C) Description Limits the Claim with No Indication of Preexisting Material ................................................ 18 1212.8(D) Description Clearly Presents a Claim in the Functions or Uses of the Semiconductor Chip Product Embodying the Mask Work ............................................................................. 18 1212.8(E) Description Contains Technical Terminology ..................................................................................................... 18 1212.9 Space 9: Contact Person for Correspondence about the Claim ..................................................................... 18 1212.10 Space 11: Certification .................................................................................................................................................. 18 1212.10(A) Signature Required ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 1212.10(B) Dispersed Signature....................................................................................................................................................... 19 1212.10(C) “Typed Signature” Space Hand Printed or Blank ............................................................................................... 19 1212.10(D) Certification Date ............................................................................................................................................................ 19 1212.11 Space 12: Mail Certification To .................................................................................................................................. 19 1213 Preparing the Deposit Material ................................................................................................................................. 19 1213.1 ID Material for Commercially Exploited Mask Works ...................................................................................... 20 1213.2 ID Material for Commercially Exploited Mask Works Containing Trade Secrets .................................. 20
1213.3 ID Material for Mask Works That Have Not Been Commercially Exploited:
Mask Work Contains More Than Twenty Percent of Intended Final Form .............................................. 21 1213.4 Mask Works Not Commercially Exploited Containing Trade Secrets......................................................... 21
1213.5 Mask Works Not Commercially Exploited: Mask Work Contains Less Than
Twenty Percent of Intended Final Form ................................................................................................................ 21 1213.6 Special Relief from Deposit Requirements for Mask Works .......................................................................... 22 1213.7 Deposit Retention ........................................................................................................................................................... 22 1214 Submitting the Application, Filing Fee, and Identifying Material ................................................................ 22 1215 Special Handling .............................................................................................................................................................. 23 1216 Correction or Amplification of a Completed Registration............................................................................... 23 1217 Reconsideration of Refusals to Register ................................................................................................................ 23 Chapter 1200 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 1200 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
1202 What Is a Mask Work? A “‘mask work’ is “a series of related images, however fixed or encoded — (A) having or representing the predetermined, three-dimensional pattern of metallic, insulating, or semiconductor material present or removed from the layers of a semiconductor chip product; and (B) in which series the relation of the images to one another is that each image has the pattern of the surface of one form of the semiconductor chip product.” 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(2).
1203 Mask Work Protection Distinguished from Copyright Protection sui generis Mask works are not protected by copyright law. Instead, Congress enacted the SCPA to provide protection for mask works. The legal requirements for mask work protection differ from those for copyright protection in terms of eligibility, ownership rights, registration procedures, term, and remedies for rights violations. 1204 Protectable Mask Works A mask work is protectable under Chapter 9 of the Copyright Act if it (i) is fixed in a semiconductor chip product, (ii) contains protectable expression, (iii) is original, (iv) meets the required criteria for eligibility, and (v) is registered. 17 U.S.C. § 902.
1204.1 Fixation in a Semiconductor Chip Product
One required element for protection of a mask work is that the mask work must be fixed in a semiconductor chip product. A mask work is “fixed” in a semiconductor chip product “when its embodiment in the product is sufficiently permanent or stable to permit the mask work to be perceived or reproduced from the product for a period of more than transitory duration.” 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(3).
A “semiconductor chip product” is defined as “the final or intermediate form of any product — (A) having two or more layers of metallic, insulating, or semiconductor material, deposited or otherwise placed on or etched away or otherwise removed from, a piece of semiconductor material in accordance with a predetermined pattern; and (B) intended to perform electronic circuitry functions.” 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1). Chapter 1200 : 5 12/22/2014
1204.2 Originality
A mask work must be original to be protectable. The House Report on the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984 provides that a mask work is “original” if it is the independent creation of an author and was not copied from another source. H.R.
REP. NO. 98-781, at 17 (1984). The mask work cannot consist solely of “designs that are staple, commonplace, or familiar in the semiconductor industry, or variations of such designs, combined in a way that, considered as a whole, is not original.” 17 U.S.C. § 902(b)(2).
1204.3 Protectable Expression
A mask work must contain protectable expression. Protectable expression in a mask work extei.ne.ds to the three-dimensional images or patterns formed on or in the layers of metallic, insulating, or semiconductor material and fixed in a semiconductor chip product, , the “topography” of the “chip.”
Although these images or patterns are purely functional features, they are nevertheless protected, provided that a mask work is neither dictated by a particular electronic function nor results from one of only a few available design choices that will accomplish that function.
Protection for mask works does not “extend to any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery” associated with a mask work, “regardless of the form in which it is described, explained, illustrated, or embodied in such work.” 17 U.S.C. § 902(c).
1204.4 Eligibility Based on Nationality of Owner or Nation of First
Commercial Exploitation Any original mask work fixed in a semiconductor chip product by or under the authority of the mask work owner is eligible for protection if it meets one of the following criteria:
1. On the date the mask work is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office or the date the mask work is first commercially exploited anywhere in the world, whichever o• ccurs first, the owner of the mask work is:
2. The mask work is first commercially exploited in the United States; or 3. The mask work comes within the scope of a Presidential proclamation extending protection to mask works of nationals and domiciliaries of a foreign country and to works first commercially exploited in that country, on the basis of a finding that mask works protected under Chapter 9 of the U.S. Copyright Act are also protected Chapter 1200 : 6 12/22/2014 in the particular foreign country, either under the principle of reciprocity or under the principle of national treatment.
17 U.S.C. § 902(a).
To “commercially exploit” a mask work means “to distribute to the public for commercial purposes a semiconductor chip product embodying the mask work; except that the term includes an offer to sell or transfer a semiconductor chip product only when the offer is in writing and occurs after the mask work is fixed in the semiconductor chip product.” 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(5).
NOTE:
1204.5 Registration
Applicants must register a claim in a mask work to secure the protections discussed below in Section 1207. For detailed information on how to register a claim in a mask work see Sections 1210 through 1214 below.
1204.5(A) Registration Required Within Two Years of First Commercial Exploitation To secure protection of a mask work for the entire ten-year term, owners must register their works with the U.S. Copyright Office within two years of the date on which the mask work is first commercially exploited, otherwise protection will be lost. 17 U.S.C. § 908(a). For example, a claim in a mask work that was first commercially exploited on March 15, 2013 must be received in the U.S. Copyright Office prior to or on March 15, 2015 in order to be protected.
1204.5(B) Effective Date of Registration The effective date of registration of a claim to protection in a mask work is the date on which an acceptable application, deposit of identifying material, and appropriate filing fee are received in the U.S. Copyright Office. 17 U.S.C. § 908(e). 1204.5(C) Benefits of Registration In addition to providing the protection discussed below in Section 1207, registration of a• claim in a mask work provides the following benefits: prima facie A certificate of registration for a mask work issued by the U.S. Copyright Office constitutes evidence of the facts stated in the certificate and that the applicant has met the requirements for protection.
Chapter 1200 : 7 12/22/2014 After a certificate of registration has been issued by the Office, the owner of the mask work or the exclusive licensee of all rights in the mask work may institute a civil action for infringement provided the infringement occurred after the commencement of the term of protection.
17 U.S.C. §§ 908(f), 910.
1205 Ineligible Mask Works
1205.1 De Minimis Authorship
Sections 902(b)(1) and (2) of the Act state that protection shall not be available to a mask work that is not original or that consists of designs that are staple, commonplace, or familiar in the semiconductor industry, or variations of such designs, combined in a way that, considered as a whole, is not original. The Office may question applications for mask works that appear to be very simple (consisting of only a few electronic components) if the Nature of Contribution statement or the deposit material indicate that the mask work is unoriginal, staple, commonplace, or familiar. The Office will refuse registration if it is clear from the deposit materials or from statements given in space 8 of the application that the mask work is unoriginal, staple, commonplace, or familiar.
1205.2 Claim Received More Than Two Years After the Date of First
Commercial Exploitation As discussed in Section 1204.5(A), protection of a mask work is lost if a claim is not registered within two years of the date of first commercial exploitation of the mask work. Thus, the Office will refuse any claims received more than two years after the date of first exploitation. The Office will deem a claim timely received if the Office receives an acceptable completed application, deposit, and filing fee within the two-year period. 1206 Term of Protection Protection for a mask work commences on the date the mask work is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office or the date that the mask work is first commercially exploited anywhere in the world, whichever occurs first. Protection lasts for ten years (terminating at the end of the tenth calendar year after it began). 17 U.S.C. § 904. 1207 Exclusive Rights in Mask Works D• uring the term of protection, the mask work owner has the following exclusive rights: • To reproduce the mask work by optical, electronic, or any other means; To import or distribute a semiconductor chip product in which the mask work is • embodied; and To induce or knowingly to cause another person to do any of the acts described immediately above.
17 U.S.C. § 905.
Chapter 1200 : 8 12/22/2014
1207.1 Limitation on Exclusive Rights: Reverse Engineering
Chapter 9 permits reverse engineering of a mask work “solely for the purposes of teaching, analyzing, or evaluating the concepts or techniques embodied in the mask work or in the circuitry, logic flow, or organization of components used in the mask work.” The person who performs legitimate reverse engineering can incorporate the results in an original mask work intended for distribution. 17 U.S.C. § 906(a).
1207.2 Limitation on Exclusive Rights: First Sale
Purchasers of semiconductor chip products have the right to use and redistribute the chip products freely but not to reproduce the mask works embodied in the semiconductor chip product without the permission of the owner of the rights in the mask work. 17 U.S.C. § 906(b).
1208 Ownership in Mask Works T• he owner of a mask work is:
• The initial owner of the mask work, or The person who has obtained all of the rights in the mask work by transfer. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b)(2)(ii).
1208.1 Transfer of Ownership and Licensing of Rights in Mask Works
The owner of the exclusive rights in a mask work may transfer all of the rights or license all or fewer than all of the rights. A transfer or license must be in writing and signed by the owner of the rights or by a duly authorized agent of the owner. The exclusive rights i•n a mask work also can be transferred by one of the following: • Operation of law.
• Terms of a will.
17 U.S.C. § 903(b).
1208.2 Recordation of Documents Related to Transfer and Licensing of Rights
Documents related to the transfer of ownership in all of the rights in a mask work, or the licensing of one or more of the rights in a mask work may be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office. For information on the recordation of documents related to ownership in a mask work, see Chapter 2300, Section 2309.
Chapter 1200 : 9 12/22/2014
1208.3 Ownership by the U.S. Government and Its Employees
Federal protection does not extend to any mask work created by U.S. government employees as part of their official duties. The U.S. government, however, is not precluded from receiving and holding rights in a mask work. 17 U.S.C. § 903(d). 1209 Notice The owner of a protectable mask work may affix a notice of ownership to mask works in a manner and location that gives reasonable notice of the claim to protection. 17 U.S.C. § 909.
1209.1 Content of Notice
17 U.S.C. § 909(b).
1209.2 Location of Notice
T• he following specific methods of affixation and positions of the notice are acceptable: A gummed or other label securely affixed or imprinted upon the package or other • container used as a permanent receptacle for the semiconductor chip product; or A notice imprinted or otherwise affixed in or on the top or other visible layer of the product.
37 C.F.R. § 211.6.
1210 Registration Procedures Generally, only one registration of a claim is permitted for the same version of a mask work fixed in either (i) an intermediate form of any semiconductor chip product, or (ii) a final form of any semiconductor chip product. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(c)(1). Notwithstanding that general rule, owners of mask works that are created by adding metal-connection layers to unpersonalized gate arrays may separately register the entire unpersonalized gate array as well as any custom metallization layers. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(c)(2). Chapter 1200 : 10 12/22/2014
1210.1 Registration in Most Complete Form Required
Owners seeking registration of a mask work must submit the entire original mask work in its most complete form as fixed in a semiconductor chip product, with the exception of entire unpersonalized gate arrays and custom metallization layers (which may be registered separately). 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(c)(2). The “most complete form” means the stage of the manufacturing process that is closest to completion. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(e).
1210.2 What to File: Required Elements for Registration
Applications to register claims in mask works must contain the following three elements t•o be considered complete:
• A completed paper application using Form MW;
• A nonrefundable filing fee; and A deposit that contains identifying material.
37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b).
1210.2(A) Form MW Applicants must use Form MW to register a claim in a mask work. This form is available on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/forms/formmwi.pdf, and for free upon request to the Public Information Office. Applicants also may request a hard copy Form MW from the U.S. Copyright Office’s •P ublBicy Itnefloeprmhoanteio:n Office by using one of the following forms of contact information: • In Person: (202) 707-9100.
All forms submitted to the Office must be clear and legible and suitable for automatic feeding through a photocopier. Forms not meeting this requirement will be returned. For information on completing Form MW and the Office’s practices regarding the examination of the application, see Section 1212 below. 1210.2(B) Filing Fee The current filing fee is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Form MW (mask works)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
Chapter 1200 : 11 12/22/2014 For information concerning the methods for paying this filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
1210.2(C) Deposit of Identifying Material The required deposit for a mask work consists of identifying material (“ID material”). The Register of Copyrights has broad authority to specify the identifying material to be deposited in connection with the claim for registration. In recognition of the need to preserve trade secrets or avoid public disclosure of sensitive information embodied in various identifying materials, the Office’s regulations provide different deposit options, depending upon whether the mask work has been commercially exploited and whether the deposit contains trade secret material. The U.S. Copyright Office encourages the fullest disclosure of the mask work within the deposit options established by the regulation. 37 C.F.R. § 211.5.
For more information on how to prepare the deposit for a mask work, see Section 1213 below.
1211 Who May File Form MW? An application to register a claim in a mask work may be filed by (i) the owner of the mask work or (ii) her or his authorized agent. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b)(2). 1212 Completing the Application This Section provides tips on how to complete each section of Form MW.
1212.1 Space 1: Title of this Work
The title should clearly identify the mask work being claimed. 1212.1(A) Symbols in the Title The applicant should provide a title comprised of alphanumeric letters and numbers. Common keyboard symbols may also be accepted, but if the title includes less frequently used symbols, such as Greek letters, the symbols will be identified as “[symbol]” in the record.
1212.1(B) Descriptive Titles Titles thEaxt aamrep mlees:r ely descriptive are acceptable. • A title that describes the intended uses of the mask work. A title that describes the functions that the mask work performs. Chapter 1200 : 12 12/22/2014 1212.1(C) Title for More Than One Mask Work Given i.e., Only one mask wdeo mrki nmimayis be registered on a single application form with one set of chips. However, in cases where the mask works are substantially identical ( the differences are ), the U.S. Copyright Office will allow applicants to refer to substantially identical mask works in the “Additional Information” space of Form MW/CON (a continuation form for Form MW). For example, the applicant may state “Mask work substantially identical to those contained in [titles of other mask works].i”. e., The deposit, however, must be limited to the single mask work identified in space 1 ( only one set of visual representations, and one set of four chips). 1212.1(D) Variance Between the Title in Space 1 and Titles/Numbers Appearing on the Deposit As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will not automatically question variances between the title provided on the application and titles/numbers appearing on the deposit, unless other circumstances suggest an error. Ordinarily, the Office will annotate space 1 with an indication of the title/number appearing on the deposit. If the registration specialist communicates with the applicant for other reasons, however, he or she may ask the applicant to confirm that the correct materials have been deposited.
1212.2 Space 2: Nature of Deposit
The applicant should complete this space in all cases by describing what is contained in the depoEsxita mmpatleesr:i a l.
1212.2(A) Space 2 Is Blank or Incomplete i.e., Space 2 asks the applicant to describe the nature of the deposit, a short description of the object deposited as ID material. If space 2 is blank or incomplete, the registration specialist may annotate space 2 without contacting the applicant when the nature of the deposit iEsx calmeaprl efr: om reviewing the deposit materials. If only “plots” appears in space 2, and chips have also been deposited, the registration specialist may annotate space 2 with “and four chips” and space 5 with “Added by Copyright Office.” Chapter 1200 : 13 12/22/2014 1212.2(B) No Numeric Totals Required The applicant may identify the number of individual layer plots or semiconductor chip products contained in the ID material (although providing this information is optional). For example, “plots and chips” is an acceptable description. 1212.2(C) Variance in Number of Chips If the number of chips deposited differs from the number indicated in space 2, the registration specialist will annotate space 2 with the number actually deposited. 1212.2(D) Chips Deposited for Non-Commercially Exploited Mask Work For mask works that have not been commercially exploited, the applicant may include chips in the ID material (although this is optional). Should the applicant choose to deposit chips without stating so on the application, the registration specialist will add this information to space 2 without communicating with the applicant. 1212.2(E) Variance in Number of Plots If the deposit contains a different number of plots than is indicated in space 2, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. 1212.2(F) Space 2 Refers to a “Composite Plot,” but Individual Layer Plots Deposited (or Vice Versa)
1212.3 Space 3: Name(s) and Address(es) of Current Owner(s)
The applicant must provide the name(s) and address(es) of the owner(s) of the mask work. As mentioned in Section 1208, the owner of a mask work is either the initial owner or a person who has obtained all of the exclusive rights in the mask work by transfer. A transferee of less than all of the exclusive rights, or the licensee of all or less than all of these rights, is not considered an owner.
1212.3(A) Omission of Name of Owner(s)
If the applicant fails to provide the name of the owner(s) in space 2, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to obtain that information, which may delay the examination of the application.
1212.3(B) Omission of Address If the applicant fails to provide an address in space 2, but provides an address in spaces 9 or 12, and it is reasonable to assume that it is the current owner’s address, the registration specialist may accept the application. If there is any doubt that the current owner’s address appears elsewhere on the application, the registration specialist will Chapter 1200 : 14 12/22/2014 communicate with the applicant to verify the correct address and may annotate space 3 with the correct information.
1212.3(C) More Than One Current Owner in Space 3 More than one owner may be identified in space 3, but the information must be clear and complete. If the names are not clearly separated or are otherwise incomplete, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to ascertain the correct information and, if the information is illegible, will ask the applicant to complete a new Form MW and Form MW/CON.
1212.4 Space 4: Citizenship or Domicile of Current Owner(s)
The nation of citizenship or domicile of the current owner(s) provided in space 4 establishes eligibility only if the mask work has not been commercially exploited. If the applicant states that the mask work has been commercially exploited, space 6 or space 7 will determine whether eligibility has been established. For more information on eligibility, see Section 1204.4 above.
1212.5 Space 5: Derivation of Ownership
Space 5 provides three boxes, “a”(_____),” and “b (_____),” and “c(_____).” This space should b• e completed as follows, depending on the ownership status of the applicant: The applicant should check box “a” if the owner is the employer of a person who • created the mask work within the scope of his or her employment. The applicant should check box “b” if the owner acquired the rights by transfer from • the creator, employer or legal representative.
1212.5(A) Neither Box “a” Nor “b” Is Checked , i.e., It is acceptable to leave space 5 blank only if the current owner is a living individual who created the mask work not a legal entity or deceased person. If the owner acquired ownership as the employer of the creator or by transfer from the original owner, the applicant must check box “a” and/or box “b.”
1212.5(B) Both Boxes “a” and “b” Are Checked Both boxes “a” and “b” may be correctly checked if the owner acquired the rights to the mask work by transfer (box “b”) and then modified the work (box “a”), or if the owner developed the mask work in association with another entity and the other entity transferred its rights to the owner identified in the application. 1212.5(C) Acquisition of Rights by Transfer (Box “b”)
Box “b” should be checked if ownership was obtained by a written transfer. To be effective, a transfer of a mask work must be by a written instrument that has been Chapter 1200 : 15 12/22/2014 signed by the owner or the owner’s authorized agent. 17 U.S.C. § 903(b). The U.S. Copyright Office does not require the applicant to deposit the document of transfer, although the applicant may record the document with the Office. For more information on recordation, see Chapter 2300, Section 2309.
1212.6 Space 6: Date and Nation of First Commercial Exploitation
If the mask work has been commercially exploited, then the applicant must provide the complete date of first commercial exploitation in space 6. If the applicant has left space 6 blank, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant to determine whether the mask work has been commercially exploited and will amend and annotate space 6, as appropriate, which will delay the examination of the application. As discussed in Section 1205.2, a claim received more than two years from the ed.gat.,e of first commercial exploitation is ineligible for registration. If, however, the two-year period ends on a day on which the U.S. Copyright Office does not receive mail ( a Sunday or government holiday), the two-year period is extended to the next business day.
1212.6(A) Incomplete Date of First Commercial Exploitation Applicants must provide a complete date of first commercial exploitation (month, day, and year). An approximation is acceptable so long as it is complete. To be acceptable, a •co mplete approximate date should be prefaced by one of the following statements: • On or about • Approximately • No later than No earlier than 1212.6(B) Date but No Nation Provided If the first commercial exploitation of the mask work has occurred, the applicant must provide the nation of first commercial exploitation to establish eligibility. 1212.6(C) Nation but No Date Provided If the applicant provides a nation of first commercial exploitation without providing a date of first commercial exploitation, the U.S. Copyright Office will communicate with the applicant to determine whether first commercial exploitation has occurred. 1212.6(D) Future Date of First Commercial Exploitation If the applicant provides a date of commercial exploitation that is later than the date on which the claim was received by the U.S. Copyright Office, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to clarify the facts of exploitation. If the date has passed and is confirmed to be correct, the specialist will annotate the application to state that Chapter 1200 : 16 12/22/2014 the date has been confirmed. If first commercial exploitation has occurred, but on a different date, the specialist will correct the date and annotate the application accordingly. If the mask work has not yet been commercially exploited, the specialist will delete the date and nation of first commercial exploitation and annotate the application accordingly.
1212.6(E) Applicant Left Space 6 Blank, but Completed Space 7 If space 6 is incomplete or blank but space 7 is complete, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine whether the mask work has been commercially exploited. The specialist will amend and annotate space 6 or 7 to reflect, as appropriate, the accurate information.
1212.7 Space 7: Citizenship or Domicile of Owner at the Time of First
Commercial Exploitation An applicant should complete this space only if eligibility has not been, or cannot be, established in Space 4 (Citizenship or Domicile of Current Owner), or Space 6 (Nation of First Commercial Exploitation). For more information on eligibility see Section 1204.4 above.
1212.8 Space 8: Nature of Contribution
Applicants must complete this space. The applicant should describe the new, original contribution to the mask work made by the claimed owner. In addition, the applicant should identify any preexisting mask work(s) that the mask work being claimed is based on or incorporates. For purposes of registration, a preexisting mask work is a previously commerEcixaalmlyp elxeps:l o ited or previously registered mask work. • Entirely new mask work.
1212.8(A) Description Indicates That the Mask Work Is “Original” or “Entirely New” If the mask work is not based on a preexisting mask work, the applicant may state “original” or “entirely new” or the like. The registration specialist will not question such a statement unless information elsewhere in the registration materials suggests otherwise.
1212.8(B) Mask Work Is Based on or Incorporates a Preexisting Mask Work If the mask work for which protection is sought is based on or incorporates a preexisting mask work, the applicant may make note of that in space 8, in addition to stating the new, original contribution that forms the basis of the claim. In such cases, the preexisting mask work may be described simply by the title or previous registration number.
Chapter 1200 : 17 12/22/2014 Examples:
1212.8(C) Description Limits the Claim with No Indication of Preexisting Material The U.S. Copyright Office’s regulations require applicants to register a single claim in the most complete form of the mask work in existence at the time of registration, so long as the elements claimed are original and have not previously been commercially exploited or previously been registered. Applicants mSaeye not divide a single mask work into multiple registrations unless different portions of the mask work were first commercially exploited on different dates. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(d). There is one exception: a 1991 amendment to the regulations permits separate registrations of an unpersonalized gate array and the custom metallization layer(s) despite the existence of a completed final form that combines the two. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(c)(2). 1212.8(D) Description Clearly Presents a Claim in the Functions or Uses of the Semiconductor Chip Product Embodying the Mask Work A descriptioSne eof the mask work that clearly presents a claim in the functions or uses of the semiconductor chip product embodying the mask work goes beyond the scope of protection. 17 U.S.C. § 902(c). In such cases, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to amend space 8 so that it clearly limits the claim to the mask work contained within the chip.
1212.8(E) Description Contains Technical Terminology An applicant can include technical terminology that includes descriptions of functionalitSye ien the contribution of authorship statement if it is clear that the applicant is not claiming protection for authorship beyond the scope of mask work protection. 17 U.S.C. § 902(c).
1212.9 Space 9: Contact Person for Correspondence about the Claim
In space 9, the applicant should provide the name and address of the person the Office should contact if the registration specialist has questions or concerns regarding the claim. If space 9 is blank or incomplete, the specialist will register the claim if it is otherwise acceptable and there is no need to correspond with the applicant, and if an address is provided in space 12. If no address is provided the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to obtain the address, which may delay the examination of the application.
1212.10 Space 11: Certification
1212.10(A) Signature Required The application must contain the handwritten signature of the applicant, accompanied by the typed or printed name of that person certifying that the applicant is authorized to Chapter 1200 : 18 12/22/2014 submit the application and that the statements made are correct to the best of that person's knowledge.
The applicant may be either the owner of the mask work or the duly authorized agent of the owner. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b)(2).
1212.10(B) Dispersed Signature A signature anywhere within the boundaries of space 11 is acceptable; signatures outside space 11 are unacceptable.
1212.10(C) “Typed Signature” Space Hand Printed or Blank The regulations for mask work registration require that the typed or printed name of the applicant accompany the signature. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b)(3)(ii). 1212.10(D) Certification Date A certification date is not required. However, if the application provides a certification date later than the receipt date or precedes the date of first commercial exploitation, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to confirm the facts stated on the application.
1212.11 Space 12: Mail Certification To
Applicants must complete this space to ensure prompt delivery of the certificate of registration. If it is left blank and the U.S. Copyright Office received other claims from the same applicant with space 12 is completed, the registration specialist may add the same address with an annotation and may register the claim without communicating with the applicant. If the address can be determined with certainty from space 4, space 6, or from a cover letter, the specialist may add that address to space 12 with an annotation without communicating with the applicant. Otherwise, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant to obtain the correct address, provided a telephone number, mailing address, or email address has been given in space 9 of the application. 1213 Preparing the Deposit Material The required deposit material for mask works is identifying material. The required contents of the ID material vary depending on (i) whether the work has been commercially exploited, or (ii) whether the work contains trade secrets. As stated above in Section 1204.4, commercial exploitation is defined as the distribution of a semiconductor chip product embodying a mask work to the public for commercial purposes. The term includes an offer to sell or transfer the mask work when the offer is in writing and occurs after the mask work is fixed in the semiconductor chip product. 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(5).
Where an applicant makes a claim that the identifying materials normally required to be deposited contain information that is subject to trade secret protection, certain material may be withheld from the deposit of identifying material. Chapter 1200 : 19 12/22/2014 A discussion of identifying material for commercially exploited mask works containing trade secrets is set forth in Section 1213.2 below. A discussion of identifying material for mask works that have not been commercially exploited but contain trade secret material is set forth in Section 1213.4 below.
All visually perceptible representations should be reproduced at a magnification sufficient to reveal the basic circuitry design of the mask work and should be at least twenty times the actual size. Poor resolution plots will be questioned, which could delay the effective date of registration. Large visually perceptible materials are acceptable if they can be folded or cut into a roughly 8½ inches by 11 inches format and are storable in a 12 inches by 15 inches envelope.
Titles should be placed on all identifying materials so that applications and deposit materials can be matched.
1213.1 ID Material for Commercially Exploited Mask Works
For a commercially exploited mask work, the applicant is required to submit the f•o llowing as identifying material:
• Four chips (dies) as first commercially exploited; and One full set of visually perceptible representations of each layer of the mask work. 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(b)(1). The U.S. Copyright Office will accept the deposit of loose chips in plastic containers or plastic bags, defective chips (commonly marked with a dot on the surface of the chip), and chips in pronged housings. The Office will not accept the deposit of chips in wafer format. Chips that do not appear to be integrated into a semiconductor substrate will be questioned.
Regarding the visually perceIpdt.ible representations, the applicant may elect to deposit plastic color overlays, composite plots, or photographs of each layer of the mask work, or any combination thereof.
1213.2 ID Material for Commercially Exploited Mask Works Containing Trade Secrets If the commercially exploited mask work contains trade secrets, the identifying material s•h ould consist of:
• Four chips as first commercially exploited;
1213.3 ID Material for Mask Works That Have Not Been Commercially Exploited: Mask Work Contains More Than Twenty Percent of Intended Final Form If a mask work has not been commercially exploited and if the contribution in which registration is sought represents twenty percent or more of the area of the intended final form, the applicant is required to submit one full set of either plastic color overlays or composite plots of each layer of the semiconductor chip product. In addition, the applicant may deposit up to four representations of the most complete form as fixed in a chip product, although chips (dies) are not required for registration. 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(b)(2)(i).
NOTE:
1213.4 Mask Works Not Commercially Exploited Containing Trade Secrets
If a mask work that has not been commercially exploited contains trade secrets, the ID m• aterial should consist of:
1213.5 Mask Works Not Commercially Exploited: Mask Work Contains Less Than
Twenty Percent of Intended Final Form Where the mask work for which registration is sought represents less than twenty percent of the area of the intended final form of the chip product, the deposit must include a visually perceptible representation of the work that reveals the totality of the mask work contribution to a person trained in the state of the art. The representation m• ay consist of any combination of the following:
• Plastic color overlay sheets.
Chapter 1200 : 21 12/22/2014 Photograph(s) of the entire mask set.
If needed, additional explanatory material may accompany the visually perceptible representation to identify all the elements in the mask work contribution. 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(b)(2)(i).
1213.6 Special Relief from Deposit Requirements for Mask Works
On a case-by-case basis, the Register of Copyrights may decide to grant special relief from the deposit requirements. Requests for special relief must be made in writing to: Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice U.S. Copyright Office P.O. Box 70400 Washington, DC 20024-0400 The applicant may also send special relief requests by fax to (202) 707-3698. T• he request must contain the following:
• The specific reasons why the request should be granted. • A proposal for an alternative form of deposit.
37 C.F.R. § 211.5(d).
1213.7 Deposit Retention
Identifying material deposited to support an application to register a claim in a mask work, whether the claim is registered or refused, becomes the property of the U.S. government. The U.S. Copyright Office will retain copies of all deposits for registered claims for the entire term of protection. 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(e). 1214 Submitting the Application, Filing Fee, and Identifying Material Applicants may submit Form MW, the filing fee, and the identifying material deposit by U• .S. Bmya Uil.,S i.n M paeirls:on, or by courier to the following addresses: Library of Congress, U.S. Copyright Office –MW, 101 Independence • AInv Peneruseo nS:E, Washington DC 20559.
Chapter 1200 : 22 12/22/2014 NOTE : Couriers will receive a dated receipt from CCAS rather than the U.S. Copyright Office. The Office will consider the date of receipt at CCAS as the date of receipt in the Office. A courier may deliver up to ten items at a time. Packages accepted at CCAS may not exceed four by fourteen by eighteen inches in size. Larger packages will not be accepted by CCAS. In such cases, the courier will be directed to deliver these packages to the offsite mail processing center.
1215 Special Handling Expedited processing of an application to register a claim in a mask work is referred to as “special handling,” and mCiarcyu blaer g 1ra0n,Stepdec aiat lt hHea dnidslcinregtion of the Register of Copyrights in cases involving pending or prospective litigation, customs matters, or contract deadlines. For details, see (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ10.pdf.)
1216 Correction or Amplification of a Completed Registration Except for errors or omissions made by the U.S. Copyright Office, no corrections or amplifications can be made to the information contained in the registration record for a completed mask work registration. In particular, a supplementary registration cannot be used to correct or amplify the information set forth in this type of registration. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(f). If the Office made an error or omission in preparing the certificate, the owner of the mask work should contact the Office in writing (www.copyright.gov/help/general-form.html). If appropriate, the Office will correct the mistake and issue a new certificate to the correspondent named in the certificate. A document purporting to correct or amplify the information in a completed registration may be recorded in the Office if it is signed by the owner of the mask work or by the owner’s duly authorized agent. 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(f). For information on how to record a document, see Chapter 2300, Section 2309.
1217 Reconsideration of Refusals to Register The requirements for rSeeceonsideration of refusals to register copyright claims (which are prescribed in 37 C.F.R. § 202.5) apply to requests to reconsider refusals to register claims in mask works. Chapter 1700 (Administrative Appeals). Chapter 1200 : 23 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
1303.1 Deck......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1303.2 Hull .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1303.3 Make Public .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1303.4 Mold ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 1303.5 Original .................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 1303.6 Plug.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1303.7 Useful Article ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1303.8 Vessel ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1304 Protectable Vessel Designs ............................................................................................................................................ 6 1304.1 Originality Requirement ................................................................................................................................................. 7 1304.2 Fixation Requirement ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 1304.3 Revision, Adaptation, or Rearrangement ................................................................................................................. 7 1304.4 Registration Requirement and Making Public Requirement ............................................................................ 7 1305 Ineligible Designs ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 1305.1 No Retroactive Protection .............................................................................................................................................. 7 1305.2 Unoriginal Designs ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 1305.3 Ineligible Vehicles and Other Useful Articles .......................................................................................................... 8 1305.4 Designs Made Public More Than Two Years Prior to Application for Registration ................................. 8 1305.5 Designs Protected by Design Patents ......................................................................................................................... 8 1306 Term of Protection ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 1306.1 Term of Protection for Designs Registered with the U.S. Copyright Office ................................................. 9 1306.2 Term of Protection for Designs Registered in a Foreign Territory: Priority Claims ............................... 9 1307 Exclusive Rights of Owner .............................................................................................................................................. 9 1308 Ownership in Vessel Designs ........................................................................................................................................ 9 1308.1 Allowable Transfers, Grants, Conveyances, and Mortgages ........................................................................... 10 Chapter 1300 : 1 12/22/2014 1308.2 Discretionary Recordation of Transfers ................................................................................................................ 10 1309 Vessel Design Notice ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 1309.1 Notice Is Mandatory....................................................................................................................................................... 10 1309.2 Required Notice Elements ........................................................................................................................................... 10 1309.3 Name or Distinctive Identification of Owner ....................................................................................................... 11 1309.4 Placement of Notice ....................................................................................................................................................... 11 1310 Importance of Registration ......................................................................................................................................... 12 1310.1 Registration Required for Ten-Year Protection .................................................................................................. 12 1310.2 Benefits of Registration ................................................................................................................................................ 12 1311 Registration Procedures .............................................................................................................................................. 12 1311.1 Required Elements for Registration ........................................................................................................................ 12 1311.2 Who May File the Application? .................................................................................................................................. 13 1311.3 Form D-VH ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 1311.4 Filing Fees .......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1311.5 Deposit Material .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 1312 Completing the Application ........................................................................................................................................ 14 1312.1 Space 1: Title .................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1312.2 Space 2: Design ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 1312.2(A) Space 2A: Type or Style ................................................................................................................................................ 15 1312.2(B) Space 2B: Salient Features .......................................................................................................................................... 15 1312.2(C) Space 2C: Prior Designs ................................................................................................................................................ 16 1312.3 Space 3: Identify the Designer ................................................................................................................................... 16 1312.4 Space 4: Identify the Owner if Different from the Designer ........................................................................... 16 1312.5 Space 5: Priority Claims ............................................................................................................................................... 16 1312.6 Space 6: Date Made Public........................................................................................................................................... 17 1312.7 Space 7: Contact Person ............................................................................................................................................... 17 1312.8 Space 8: Deposit Account Information ................................................................................................................... 18 1312.9 Space 9: Certification and Sworn Statements ...................................................................................................... 18 1312.9(A) Space 9: Location of Design Notice .......................................................................................................................... 18 1312.9(B) Space 9: Certificate Mailing Address ....................................................................................................................... 18 1313 Deposit Material .............................................................................................................................................................. 18 Chapter 1300 : 2 12/22/2014 1313.1 Views and Use of Perspective .................................................................................................................................... 19 1313.2 Photographic Deposit Requirements ...................................................................................................................... 19 1313.3 Drawing Deposit Requirements ................................................................................................................................ 19 1313.4 Use of Broken Lines in Drawings .............................................................................................................................. 20 1314 Submitting the Application, Filing Fee, and Deposit Material ....................................................................... 20 1315 Publication of Registration Certificate and Effective Date of Registration ............................................... 20 1316 Reconsideration of Refusal to Register .................................................................................................................. 21 1317 Certificate of Correction for a Completed Registration.................................................................................... 21 Chapter 1300 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 1300 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
1303.1 Deck
A “deck” is “the horizontal surface of a vessel that covers the hull, including exterior cabin and cockpit surfaces, and exclusive of masts, sails, yards, rigging, hardware, fixtures, and other attachments.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(7).
1303.2 Hull
A “hull” is “the exterior frame or body of a vessel, exclusive of the deck, superstructure, masts, sails, yards, rigging, hardware, fixtures, and other attachments.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(4).
Chapter 1300 : 5 12/22/2014
1303.3 Make Public
A vessel design is made public “when an existing useful article embodying the design is anywhere publicly exhibited, publicly distributed, or offered for sale or sold to the public by the owner of the design or with the owner’s consent.” 17 U.S.C. § 1310(b).
1303.4 Mold
A “mold” is “a matrix or form in which a substance for material is used, regardless of whether the matrix or form has an intrinsic utilitarian function that is not only to portray the appearance of the product or to convey information.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(6).
1303.5 Original
A vessel design is “original” if “it is the result of the designer’s creative endeavor that provides a distinguishable variation over prior work pertaining to similar articles which is more than trivial and has not been copied from another source.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(1).
1303.6 Plug
A “plug” is “a device or model used to make a mold for the purpose of exact duplication, regardless of whether the device or model has an intrinsic utilitarian function that is not only to portray the appearance of the product or to convey information.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(5).
1303.7 Useful Article
A “useful article” is “a vessel hull or deck, including a plug or mold, which in normal use has an intrinsic utilitarian function that is not merely to portray the appearance of the article or to convey information. An article which normally is part of a useful article shall be deemed to be a useful article.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(2).
1303.8 Vessel
A vessel is “a craft that is designed and capable of independently steering a course on or through water through its own means of propulsion; and that is designed and capable of carrying and transporting one or more passengers.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(3). 1304 Protectable Vessel Designs Chapter 13 of Title 17 protects original designs for vessels that are designed and capable of (i) independently steering a course on or through water through its own means of propulsion, and (ii) carrying and transporting one or more passengers. 17 U.S.C. § 1301. Specifically, Chapter 13 protects the original design of the shape of a vessel hull, deck, or a combination of the two, which makes the article in which the design is incorporated attractive or distinctive in appearance to the purchasing or using public. 17 U.S.C. § 1301(a)(1). This protection includes a plug or mold. 17 U.S.C. § 1301(a)(2). Designers are allowed the option of protecting the hull alone, the deck alone, or the hull and the deck in combination.
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1304.1 Originality Requirement
To be original, a vessel design must be the result of the designer’s creative endeavor providing a distinguishable variation over prior work, and that variation must be “more than merely trivial” and not “copied from another source.” 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(1).
1304.2 Fixation Requirement
1304.3 Revision, Adaptation, or Rearrangement
Protection is available for a design that is a substantial revision, adaptation, or rearrangement of preexisting or ineligible design aspects or matter. Protection for a substantial revision, adaptation, or rearrangement does not extend to any subsisting protection in subject matter employed in the design. 17 U.S.C. § 1303.
1304.4 Registration Requirement and Making Public Requirement
An original vessel design is not protected until it is made public or until the U.S. Copyright Office publishes a registration for the design, whichever date is earlier. If a design is made public, an application for registration must be filed no later than two years from the date on which the design was made public for the design to retain protection. 17 U.S.C. § 1302(5).
Making a design public includes publicly exhibiting it, distributing it, offering it for sale, or selling it to the public, whether inside or outside of the United States, with the design owner’s consent.17 U.S.C. § 1310(b).
Vessel designs that have not been made public may be protected under Chapter 13 of Title 17, provided that the Office has registered the design. 1305 Ineligible Designs
1305.1 No Retroactive Protection
1305.2 Unoriginal Designs
Protection does not extend to any vessel design that is: Chapter 1300 : 7 12/22/2014 • Not original.
1305.3 Ineligible Vehicles and Other Useful Articles
Protection does not extend to any vessel design that is not embodied in a “vessel,” s•u ch as:
• Sea planes • Paddle boards • Surf boards • Barges Floatable military shooting targets
1305.4 Designs Made Public More Than Two Years Prior to Application for
Registration A vessel design must be registered within two years of being made public or it will lose protection because a design that is embodied in a vessel “that was made public by the designer or owner in the United States or a foreign country more than two years before the date of application for registration” of the design is ineligible for protection.17 U.S.C. § 1302(5).
1305.5 Designs Protected by Design Patents
Vessel designs may not be protected under Chapter 13 of Title 17 if they have design patent protection under Title 35 of the United States Code. 17 U.S.C. § 1329. Vessel design protection under Chapter 13 ceases if and when a U.S. design patent is issued for the design.
Chapter 1300 : 8 12/22/2014 1306 Term of Protection
1306.1 Term of Protection for Designs Registered with the U.S. Copyright Office
Protection for a registered vessel design lasts ten years from the earlier of (i) the date a registration is published by the U.S. Copyright Office, or (ii) the date the design was first “made public,” whichever is earliest. 17 U.S.C. §§ 1304, 1305(a). The term of protection lasts until the end of the calendar year in which it expires. 17 U.S.C. § 1305(b). As noted in Section 1305.5, protection may terminate earlier if a design patent is issued before the ten-year term expires.
1306.2 Term of Protection for Designs Registered in a Foreign Territory:
Priority Claims If an application is made to register the same design by or on behalf of the same owner in a foreign jurisdiction that provides similar protection to U.S. citizens, that filing has the same effect as if the application is filed in the United States on the date of the foreign filing, provided that the U.S. application is filed within six months of the earliest date of any such foreign filing. 17 U.S.C. § 1311.
1307 Exclusive Rights of Owner •D uring the term of protection, the vessel design owner has the exclusive rights to: Make, have made, or import, for sale or for use in trade, any useful article • embodying that design; and Sell or distribute for sale or for use in trade any useful article embodying that design.
17 U.S.C. § 1308.
A vessel design owner may initiate an action for infringement of these rights provided that the U.S. Copyright Office has issued a certificate of registration for the design. 17 U.S.C. §§ 1309, 1321(a).
1308 Ownership in Vessel Designs •T he intellectual property right in a vessel design vests in one of the following: • The designer;
Chapter 1300 : 9 12/22/2014 The person in whom the property right vests is considered the owner of the design. 17 U.S.C. § 1320(a).
1308.1 Allowable Transfers, Grants, Conveyances, and Mortgages
The rights in a protectable design may be assigned, granted, conveyed, or mortgaged by the owner to another person or entity. Such an assignment, grant, conveyance or mortgage must be in a writing that is signed by the owner, or it may be bequeathed by will. 17 U.S.C. § 1320(b).
1308.2 Discretionary Recordation of Transfers
Although recordation of transfers is not a condition for protection, the first transfer of ownership shall be void against a subsequent purchaser or mortgagee who obtained the transfer for valuable consideration, unless the first transfer is recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office within three months after it is executed or before the date of a subsequent purchase or mortgage. 17 U.S.C. § 1320(d).
The same conditions and procedures for recording transfers of copyright ownership and other documents pertaining to copyright apply to the recordation of documents pertaining to vessel design protection under Chapter 13. For more information on how to record such documents, see Chapter 2300, Section 2309. 1309 Vessel Design Notice
1309.1 Notice Is Mandatory
Notice on a vessel design is mandatory. Once a design has been made public, a “notice” of design protection must be placed on all vessels that embody the design. 17 U.S.C. § 1306(a). The design notice must be affixed to a location on the vessel in a manner that provides “reasonable notice,” as described below in Section 1309.4, that the vessel contains a protected design. 17 U.S.C. § 1306(b).
1309.2 Required Notice Elements
•T he elements of a design notice must consist of the following: i.e The words “Protected Design”, the abbreviation “Prot’d Des.”, the symbol ( ., the • letter “D” in a circle), or the symbol “*D*”;
• The year in which protection for the design commenced; and The name of the owner, an abbreviation by which the owner can be recognized, or a generally accepted alternative designation of the owner. For registered designs, the registration number may be used in place of both (i) the year in which protection for the design commenced, and (ii) the name of the owner or a Chapter 1300 : 10 12/22/2014 generally accepted alternative designation of the owner. 17 U.S.C. § 1306(a); 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(b).
1309.3 Name or Distinctive Identification of Owner
A distinctive identification of the owner may be substituted for the actual name of the owner, provided that the distinctive identification is recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office prior to registration of the design marked with the distinctive identification. 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(c).
To record a distinctive identification of an owner of a vessel design with the Office, •th e applicant must submit a document that contains the following information: • The name and address of the owner;
• A statement or description of the identification; and The recordation filing fee.
37 C.F.R. § 212.5. The current fee is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Recordation of Documents” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying this fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections
1403.4 and 1403.5.
The document and fee should be mailed to the following address: Library of Congress U.S. Copyright Office – DOC 101 Independence Avenue SE Washington, DC 20559
1309.4 Placement of Notice
A vessel design notice must be “located and applied as to give reasonable notice of design protection” while the vessel “is passing through its normal channels of commerce.” 17 U.S.C. § 1306(b); 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(a)(1). Further, the notice must be “legible under normal conditions of use, and affixed in such a manner and position that, when affixed, it may be viewed upon reasonable examination.” The notice does not need to be permanently embossed or engraved into the vessel hull or deck, provided it is affixed in a manner that it is not likely to become unattached or illegible under normal conditions of use. 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(a)(2).
Chapter 1300 : 11 12/22/2014 Examples of acceptable notice locations include:
37 C.F.R. § 212.4(d)
1310 Importance of Registration
1310.1 Registration Required for Ten-Year Protection
To secure protection of a vessel design for the entire ten-year term, owners must file an application to register the design with the U.S. Copyright Office within two years of the date on which the design was first “made public.” Otherwise, protection under Chapter 13 will be lost. 17 U.S.C. § 1310(a)-(b). For example, a claim in a vessel design that was first made public on October 31, 2013 must be received in the Office prior to or on October 31, 2015 to be protected.
1310.2 Benefits of Registration
After the U.S. Copyright Office issues a certificate of registration, the owner of the vessel design or the exclusive licensee of all rights in the vessel design may institute a civil action for infringement, provided the infringement occurred after the commencement of the term of protection. 17 U.S.C. § 1321(a).
1311.1 Required Elements for Registration
•A n application to register a vessel design must contain the following elements: • A completed paper application using Form D-VH;
• A nonrefundable filing fee; and Deposit material.
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1311.2 Who May File the Application?
An application to register a claim in a vessel design may be filed by (i) the owner or owners of the design, or (ii) the duly authorized agent or representative of the owner or owners of the design. 17 U.S.C. § 1310(c), (e); 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(c).
1311.3 Form D-VH
Applicants must use Form D-VH to register a claim in a vessel design and must use Form D-VH/CON to provide additional information, if necessary. A single Form D-VH may cover one or more designs on a single make or model of a vessel, but the applicant must use a separate continuation Form D-VH/CON for each of the related designs. An applicant must submit separate applications to register multiple designs that are contained on different makes and models of a vessel.
Form D-VH may only be used to register a claim in a vessel design. It cannot be used to register Eax calamimple isn: any other type of work.
Forms D-VH and D-VH/CON are both available on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/forms/formdvh.pdf, and www.copyright.gov/forms/formdvhcon.pdf.
Applicants also may request a hard copy of these forms from the U.S. Copyright Office’s Public Information Office as follows:
Chapter 1300 : 13 12/22/2014 • By telephone • In Person: : (202) 707-9100.
All forms submitted to the Office must be clear and legible and suitable for automatic feeding through a photocopier. The Office will return forms that do not meet this requirement.
For information on completing Form D-VH, see Section 1312 below.
1311.4 Filing Fees
The current filing fee is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Form D- VH (vessel hull designs)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying this fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections
1403.4 and 1403.5.
1311.5 Deposit Material
The applicant must submit deposit with the application, consisting of photographs or drawings that contain all of the claimed aspects of the vessel design. For information concerning the deposit requirements see Section 1313 below. 1312 Completing the Application The U.S. Copyright Office evaluates vessel design applications for completeness and sufficiency of the required elements. For detailed information on the registration of vessel designs, see 17 U.S.C. §§ 1310-1315 and the regulations on vessel designs in 37 C.F.R. Part 212.
1312.1 Space 1: Title
The title of a vessel design is comprised of the make and model of the vessel. In space 1, applicants must provide the make and model of the vessel that embodies the claimed design. This information is used to identify and catalog the design. T• he make and model information typically consists of the following: • The name of the manufacturer.
1312.2 Space 2: Design
In space 2, applicants should provide a detailed but brief description of the claim for w• hich registration is sought. Space 2 is divided into three subparts: • The type or style of the design for which registration is sought. • A brief general statement setting forth the salient features of the design. A description of any preexisting design used in the design for which a registration is sought.
1312.2(A) Space 2A: Type or Style In space 2A, applicants should identify the type of design for which protection is sought. The description should be general and, where possible, conform to accepted industry c•l assifications, such as:
• Fiberglass tri-hull Aluminum pontoon 1312.2(B) Space 2B: Salient Features In space 2B the applicant may provide a brief description of the salient features of the design. 17 U.S.C. § 1310(d). Providing this information is optional, however, the U.S. Copyright Office advises applicants to complete space 2B to create a clearer record and clearer identification of the claim.
If a description is provided, it should clearly identify the design for which protection is sought. Examples:
Chapter 1300 : 15 12/22/2014 1312.2(C) Space 2C: Prior Designs Applicants should complete space 2C only if the claimed design revises, adapts, or rearranges a prior design. In such cases, space 2C should contain a clear description of the prior design with sufficient detail to distinguish the prior design from the new design, as well as a description of the revisions, adaptations, or rearrangements that resulted in the new design.
If the claimed design is not based on a prior design, applicants should leave space 2C blank.
1312.3 Space 3: Identify the Designer
In space 3, the applicant should provide the name of the person or persons whose creative endeavors have resulted in the creation of the claimed design. The name of the employer of the designer(s) may be entered instead of the individual d• esigner or designers if:
17 U.S.C. § 1310(g). In such cases, the applicant must check the box provided in space 3 which affirms that the design was created during the scope of an author’s or authors’ employment, and provide the name and address of the employer.
1312.4 Space 4: Identify the Owner if Different from the Designer
If the designer identified in space 3 is not the owner of the claimed design, applicants must provide the name of the owner of the design in space 4. If the designer in space 3 is the owner of the design, applicants should leave space 4 blank or write “N/A.”
1312.5 Space 5: Priority Claims
Chapter 1300 : 16 12/22/2014 17 U.S.C. § 1311. If a priority claim exists at the time registration is sought, the applicant must provide information on that claim in space 5, including (i) the country, (ii) date of application, and (iii) a serial number.
•In addition, applicants also must submit the following information: • A certified copy of the foreign application;
37 C.F.R. § 212.3(h).
1312.6 Space 6: Date Made Public
As discussed in Section 1303.3, a vessel design is “made public” under one of the f•o llowing conditions:
• It was publicly exhibited anywhere;
• It was publicly distributed; or It was offered for sale or sold to the public under the owner’s authorization. 17 U.S.C. § 1310(b). If the design was made public prior to submission of the application, the applicant should check “yes” to the Made Public question, and provide the month, day, and year of public exhibition or distribution.
If the design was not made public prior to registration, the applicant should leave space 6 blank.
1312.7 Space 7: Contact Person
In space 7, the applicant should provide contact information for the person who can provide additional information regarding the application in the event the U.S. Copyright •O ffice needs additional information. Contact information consists of the following: Name.
Facsimile number (if any).
Chapter 1300 : 17 12/22/2014 The Office will not reject an application if space 7 is left blank, but the application may be delayed if the Office needs to communicate with the applicant and correct contact information is not provided in space 7 or elsewhere in the registration materials.
1312.8 Space 8: Deposit Account Information
The applicant should provide deposit account information in space 8 only if the applicant has an existing deposit account with the U.S. Copyright Office. Otherwise, space 8 should be left blank. Circular 5,How to Obtain and Maintain a Copyright Office Deposit Account For more information on how to establish a deposit account with the Office, see (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ05.pdf).
1312.9 Space 9: Certification and Sworn Statements
To obtain a registration of a vessel design, the applicant or the applicant’s duly appointed agent or representative must certify the declaration in space 9. It is not necessary to have the declaration provided in space 9 notarized. Willfully making false statements in the application is punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, and may jeopardize the validity of the application and any resulting registration.
1312.9(A) Space 9: Location of Design Notice If the design has been made public with a design notice as prescribed in 17 U.S.C. § 1306, the content and location of the notice on the vessel must be disclosed in space 9. For information regarding the placement of the notice, see Section 1309.4. If a distinctive identification of the owner has been recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office and is used instead of the design notice, the applicant should disclose this information in space 9. 1312.9(B) Space 9: Certificate Mailing Address In Space 9, applicants should provide the name and address of the person or entity designated to receive a certificate of registration. To avoid delays in mailing, applicants should type or handwrite the name and address clearly, because the U.S. Copyright Office will mail the certificate in a window envelope that displays the address exactly as it appears on the application.
1313 Deposit Material As stated above in Section 1311.5, the applicant must submit deposit material with the application. The deposit material must contain no more than two photographs or drawings on a single sheet of paper, and no more than three 8 ½ inches by 11 inches sheets of paper per basic application fee. Photographs and drawings should not be combined on a single sheet.
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1313.1 Views and Use of Perspective
NOTE:
While not required, tsheee U.S. Copyright Office suggests that applicants submit perspective views to show clearly the appearance and shape of the three-dimensional designs. 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(2); 17 U.S.C. § 1310(h) (“The application for registration shall be accompanied by two copies of … [a] pictorial representation of the useful article embodying the design, having one or more views, adequate to show the design ….”).
1313.2 Photographic Deposit Requirements
•D eposit material containing photographs must satisfy the following requirements: • The photographs must be mounted on plain, unlined 8 ½ inches by 11inches paper; • The photographs must be developed on double-weight photographic paper; • There can be no more than two photographs per sheet of paper; The photographs must be of a high enough quality to clearly show the details of the • design; and The U.S. Copyright Office must be able to reproduce the photographs as submitted on a certificate of registration, should a registration be issued. 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(4).
1313.3 Drawing Deposit Requirements
If the applicant submits deposit material that contains drawings, the deposit material m• ust satisfy the following requirements:
• Only black ink is acceptable;
• The drawing must be submitted on 8 ½ inches by 11inches unruled paper; The drawing must contain the appropriate amount of surface shading to clearly show the character and contour of all surfaces of any three-dimensional aspects of • the design; and Surface shading should not be solid black, unless that depicts the color black in the design.
Chapter 1300 : 19 12/22/2014 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(3).
1313.4 Use of Broken Lines in Drawings
The applicant should use broken lines to depict structures that are not part of the claimed design. The broken lines should not intrude upon or cross the depiction of the claimed design, nor should the broken lines be of a heavier weight than the lines that depict the claimed design.
If a broken line must intrude or cross the depiction of the claimed design to depict the environmental structure, that drawing must be submitted in addition to one that clearly shows the claimed design without the intrusion of broken lines. 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(3)(ii)-(iii).
1314 Submitting the Application, Filing Fee, and Deposit Material An applicant may submit Form D-VH, D-VH/CON, the filing fee, and the deposit material b• y UB.Sy. Um.Sa.i lM, iani lp:erson, or by courier to the following addresses: Library of Congress, U.S. Copyright Office–VH, 101 Independence • AInv Peneruseo,n S:E, Washington, DC 20559.
NOTE:
1315 Publication of Registration Certificate and Effective Date of Registration When a claim is registered, the U.S. Copyright Office issues a certificate of registration that includes a reproduction of the drawings or other pictorial representations of the design. 17 U.S.C. § 1314.
Once a registration is made, the Office publishes a notification that the registration was made. The Office does so by posting the notification on its web site, at www.copyright.gov/vessels/list.
The effective date of registration of a claim to protection in a vessel design is the date on which the Office publishes the registration. 17 U.S.C. §§ 1313(a), 1315. Chapter 1300 : 20 12/22/2014 1316 Reconsideration of Refusal to Register If the U.S. Copyright Office refuses to register a design, the applicant may seek reconsideration by filing a written request within three months of the refusal. 17 U.S.C. § 1313(b). To exercise this option, the applicant should follow the procedures set forth in 37 C.F.R. § 202.5 and Chapter 1700, Section 1703.1. If the Office upholds its refusal to register, the applicant may seek judicial review of the final refusal. 17 U.S.C. § 1321(b). 1317 Certificate of Correction for a Completed Registration If the U.S. Copyright Office makes a clerical or typographical error in preparing the certificate of registration for a vessel design, the owner of the vessel design should contact the Public Information Office in writing (www.copyright.gov/help/general- form.html). If appropriate, the Office will correct the error and will issue a new certificate to the correspondent named in the certificate. If the applicant made a clerical or typographical error in the application for registration, the owner of the registSeereed design or its duly authorized agent may submit an application for a certificate of correction using Form DC together with the appropriate filing fee. 37 C.F.R. § 212.8(a)(3), (c). This form is posted on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/forms/formdc.pdf. The current filing fee for a certificate of correction is listed on the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Form DC (to correct a design registration)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying this fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
The Office will issue a certificate of correction only in cases in which the applicant made clerical or typographical errors. The Office has no authority and no procedure for allowing vessel design owners to supplementS tehee deposit material for a registration for a vessel design, to amplify the facts or information set forth in the registration, or to correct material mistakes in the registration. 17 U.S.C. § 1319. To correct substantive, material factual errors or omissions in the registration or to correct, supplement, or amplify the deposit material, the owner of the design must submit a new application using Form D-VH.
Chapter 1300 : 21 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1402.1 Statutory Basis for the Application ............................................................................................................................. 4 1402.2 Statutory Requirements for Applications ................................................................................................................ 5 1402.3 Registration Type Governs Which Application to Use ........................................................................................ 6 1402.4 Standard Applications ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 1402.4(A) The Online Application .................................................................................................................................................... 7 1402.4(B) Paper Applications ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 1402.4(C) Multiple Types of Works .............................................................................................................................................. 10 1402.5 Single Applications ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 1402.6 Group Registration Applications .............................................................................................................................. 10 1402.6(A) Group Registration of Serials: Online Application / Form SE/Group ......................................................... 10 1402.6(B) Group Registration of Daily Newspapers and Daily Newsletters: Form G/DN....................................... 11 1402.6(C) Group Registration of Contributions to Periodicals: Form GR/CP .............................................................. 11 1402.6(D) Group Registration of Published Photographs: Online Application / Form GR/PPh/CON ................ 11 1402.7 Supplementary Registration Applications: Form CA ........................................................................................ 12 1402.8 Renewal Registration Applications: Form RE and RE/Addendum ............................................................. 12 1402.9 GATT Registration Applications: Form GATT ...................................................................................................... 13 1402.10 Additional Information Regarding Paper Applications ................................................................................... 13 1402.10(A) Quality and Legibility of the Application ............................................................................................................... 13 1402.10(B) Continuation Sheets: Form CON ............................................................................................................................... 13 1403 Filing Fees .......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1403.1 Statutory Basis for Setting Filing Fees .................................................................................................................... 14 1403.2 Where to Find Specific Filing Fee Information .................................................................................................... 14 1403.3 Submitting Filing Fees .................................................................................................................................................. 14 1403.4 Acceptable Forms of Payment ................................................................................................................................... 14 1403.5 Deposit Accounts ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Chapter 1400 : 1 12/22/2014 1403.6 Refunds ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15 1403.7 Cancellation of Registration in Cases of Dishonored Checks ......................................................................... 16 1403.8 Special Handling Fees ................................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 1400 : 2 12/22/2014 Chapter 1400 : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
For information on how to complete an application for a preregistration, • see Chapter 1600.
For information on how to complete an application for a supplementary • registration, see Chapter 1800.
For information on how to complete an application for a renewal registration, • see Chapter 2100.
For information concerning the deposit requirements, see Chapter 1500. 1402 Applications To seek a copyright registration for a work of authorship, an applicant must provide the U.S. Copyright Office with a completed application, deposit copy(ies), and filing fee. This Section discusses the different types of copyright applications.
1402.1 Statutory Basis for the Application
Chapter 1400 : 4 12/22/2014 NOTE:
1402.2 Statutory Requirements for Applications
Section 409 of the Copyright Act states that “[t]he application for copyright registration shall be made on a form prescribed by the Register of Copyrights.” 17 U.S.C. § 409. Although the Register of Copyrights has been given discretion in how to organize and establish the requirements for the Standard Application (which is discussed in Section 1402.4 below), Section 409 of the Copyright Act sets forth certain elements that must be contained in this form:
1. The name and address of the copyright claimant;
2. In the case of a work other than an anonymous or pseudonymous work, the name and nationality or domicile of the author or authors, and, if one or more of the authors is dead, the dates of their deaths;
3. If the work is anonymous or pseudonymous, the nationality or domicile of the author or authors;
4. In the case of a work made for hire, a statement to this effect;
5. If the copyright claimant is not the author, a brief statement of how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright;
6. The title of the work, together with any previous or alternative titles under which the work can be identified;
7. The year in which creation of the work was completed;
8. If the work has been published, the date and nation of its first publication; and 9. In the case of a compilation or derivative work, an identification of any preexisting work or works that it is based on or incorporates, and a brief, general statement of the additional material covered by the copyright claim being registered. 17 U.S.C. § 409(1-9). The statute also allows the Register to request additional information in the application process. Specifically, it grants the Register broad Iadu.thority to require “any other information [that] bear[s] upon the preparation or identification of the work or the existence, ownership, or duration of the copyright.” § 409(10).
The Office offers other applications that request some — but not all — of the information listed in Section 409, such as the Single Application (which is discussed in Section 1402.5). These specialized forms do not request all of the information listed in Section 409, because in order to use these applications certain types of information cannot be present in the claim. For example, an applicant cannot use the Single Chapter 1400 : 5 12/22/2014 Application to register a work created by an individual author who transferred his or her copyright to another party. Thus, there is no need to request “a brief statement of how the claimant obtained ownership of the copyright” in this type of application. Section 408(c)(1) of the Copyright Act authorizes the Register to establish an administrative procedure for registering a group of related of works. Section 408(d) authorizes the Register to establish a procedure for issuing a supplementary registration to correct an error in an existing registrationSe oer to amplify the inform , ation given in an existing registration. Congress gave the Register the discretion to develop an appropriate application for these types of registrations. 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(1) (d). The application requirements for the various group registration options that the U.S. Copyright Office currently offers are discussed in Chapter 1100, while the application requirements for a supplementary registration are discussed in Chapter 1800.
1402.3 Registration Type Governs Which Application to Use
The U.S. Copyright Office currently offers the types of applications described below. An applicant should choose an application based on whether he or she is seeking a basic registration, a group registration, a supplementary registration, a renewal registration, or a GATT registration. For a definition and discussion of each type of registration, see Chapter 200, Secbtiaosnic 2 r0e2gi.1st. ration An application for a covers a work of authorship created or first published on or after January 1, 1978. This type of registration may be obtained w• ithS otanned oafr tdh Aep fpollilcoawtiionngs types of applications: . This type of application may be used to register the following t−y pes of works:
. This type of application may be used to register a single work ( , one poem, one song, one photograph) created by one individual, provided that Chapter 1400 : 6 12/22/2014 the copyright in the work is solely owned by the author of that work and provided that the work is not a work made for hire.
NOTE:
1402.4 Standard Applications
The U.S. Copyright Office offers two methods for filing Standard Applications: (i) via the Office’s online registration system, or (ii) using traditional paper forms. The Office strongly encourages applicants to use the online application instead of paper forms. It takes less time for the Office to process online applications and the filing fees are lower. This Section provides a brief overview of the online application and the paper applications. For specific information on how to complete the various fields and spaces in these applications, see Chapter 600.
1402.4(A) The Online Application The U.S. Copyright Office’s online registration system allows applicants to input the information necessary to apply for a basic registration. The online application contains templates that provide different options depending on the information entered. The application process begins with determining the class of work that the applicant wishes to register. These classes are listed under a drop down menu marked Type of Work and include the following:
Chapter 1400 : 7 12/22/2014 • Literary works include nondramatic literary works, such as fiction, nonfiction, poetry, an individual article, a textbook, a reference work, a directory, a catalog, advertising copy, a compilation of information, a computer program, a textual work • made available online, or a database.
should be used for registering nondramatic literary works, such as fiction, nonfiction, poetry, an individual article, a textbook, a reference work, a directory, a catalog, advertising copy, a compilation of information, a computer program, textual works made available online, or a database.
Chapter 1400 : 8 12/22/2014 • Form VA should be used for registering pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including two-dimensional or three-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art, photographs, print or art reproductions, maps, technical drawings, • oFro ramrc PhAitectural works.
should be used to register a claim in a mask work that is fixed in a semiconductor chip product by or under the authority of the owner of the mask work. A mask work is a series of related images, however fixed or encoded, having or representing the predetermined, three-dimensional pattern of metallic, insulating, or semiconductor material present or removed from the layers of a semiconductor chip product, and in which the relation of the images to one another is such that each image has the pattern of the surface of one form of the • sFeomrmic oDn-VduHctor chip product. For more information on mask works, see Chapter 1200. should be used to register a claim in a vessel design. These forms apply only to water crafts that are designed and capable of (i) independently steering a course on or through water by themselves or via propulsion, and (ii) transporting one or more passengers. For more information on vessel designs, see Chapter 1300. Chapter 1400 : 9 12/22/2014 1402.4(C) Multiple Types of Works For both the online application and paper applications, an applicant may use one application to register different types of authorship. For example, an applicant may register a claim for a book that includes both text and photographs using one application, under certain circumstances. In such a case, the applicant should select the type of work or the paper application that corresponds to the predominant form of authorship in that work. For instance, if the applicant intends to register a novel that contains only a few photographs, the applicant should select Literary Work when completing an online application, or should use Form TX when completing a paper application. If the book mostly contains photographs with a small amount of text, the applicant should select Work of the Visual Arts when completing an online application or should use Form VA when completing a paper application. If the types of authorship are roughly equal, the applicant may choose the type of work or the paper application that would be appropriate for either type of authorship. The one exception is for a claim that includes any sound recording authorship. In this case, the applicant must select Sound Recording in the Type of Work field (in the caSseee of an online application) or must use Form SR (in the case of a paper application), regardless of whether sound recording is the predominant form of authorship in the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(2)(ii)(C).
1402.5 Single Applications
For works created by a single author who wishes to register one work that was not created as a work made for hire, the U.S. Copyright Office developed a more simple application that requires less information than the Standard Application. This application is available only through the online registration system. For guidance in determining whether an applicant is eligible to use the Single Application, see Chapter 600, Section 609.1.
1402.6 Group Registration Applications
As a general rule, applicants should file separate applications, deposit copy(ies), and filing fees for each work they seek to register. In certain limited circumstances, there are options available for registering groups of related works with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copies. In some cases, these group registration options have specific application requirements, which are discussed below. 1402.6(A) Group Registration of Serials: Online Application / Form SE/Group Serials are works issued, or intended to be issued, in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designations and intended to be continued indefinitely and include but are not limited to periodicals, newspapers, magazines, bulletins, newsletters, annuals, blogs, journals, and proceedings of societies that are created as works made for hire. In certain cases, an applicant may register a group of serials by using an online group registration application or a paper application submitted on Form SE/Group. For information concerning the registration requirements for this option, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1109.2 through 1109.5. For guidance in completing an application to register a group of serials, see Chapter 1100, Section 1109.7. Chapter 1400 : 10 12/22/2014 1402.6(B) Group Registration of Daily Newspapers and Daily Newsletters: Form G/DN In certain cases, applicants may register a group of daily newspapers or a group of daily newsletters by using a paper application submitted on Form G/DN. At present, applicants may not use the online application to register a group of newspapers or newsletters.
Newspapers are a specific type of serial mainly designed to be a primary source of written information on current events (whether local, national, or international in scope) that contain a broad range of news on all subjects and activities that are not limited to any specific subject matter and are intended for the general public or a particular group.
Newsletters are a specific type of serial that are published and distributed by mail or electronic media at least two days per week and that contain information of interest chiefly to a special group (including trade and professional associations, corporations, schools, colleges, and churches). Newsletters generally are available by subscription and are unavailable on newsstands.
1402.6(C) Group Registration of Contributions to Periodicals: Form GR/CP In certain cases, applicants may register a group of contributions to periodicals by submitting Form TX, VA, PA, or SR (depending on the type of work), together with Form GR/CP. At present, applicants may not use the online application to register a group of contributions to periodicals.
For information concerning the registration requirements for this group registration option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1115. For guidance in completing the application, see Chapter 1100, Section 1115.7.
1402.6(D) Group Registration of Published Photographs: Online Application / Form GR/PPh/CON In certain cases, applicants may register a group of published photographs with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copies. An applicant may register a group of photographs with the online application, provided that the applicant contacts the Visual Arts Division at (202) 707-8202 to coordinate the filing an Sde eto obtain proper guidance concerning the information that should be included in the online application and the proper method for submitting the deposit copies. Registration of Claims to Copyright, 76 Fed. Reg. 4072, 4075 (Jan. 24, 2011). In the alternative, an applicant may register a group of photographs with a paper application submitted on Form VA. An applicant may use Form GR/PPh/CON to provide titles, publication dates, and other identifying information for each photograph in the Chapter 1400 : 11 12/22/2014 group. Completing Form GR/PPh/CON is optional, although it does provide certain advantages that are discussed in Chapter 1100, Section 1116.2. group registration For information concerning the registration requirements for this option, see Chapter 1100, Section 1116. For guidance in completing a paper application, see Chapter 1100, Section 1116.6.
1402.7 Supplementary Registration Applications: Form CA
Supplementary registrations correct or amplify the information on an earlier r•e gistration as follows:
Supplementary registrations may be used only with certain types of registrations. As a general rule, any basic registration, group registration, renewal registration, or GATT registration may be the subject of a supplementary registration, unless the registration has expired or unless the registration been cancelled or abandoned. Applicants must use a paper application submitted on Form CA to apply for a supplementary application. At present, applicants may not use the online application to seek a supplementary registration.
For more information on supplementary registrations, see Chapter 1800, Section 1802. For guidance in completing Form CA, see Chapter 1800, Section 1802.8.
1402.8 Renewal Registration Applications: Form RE and RE/Addendum
The U.S. Copyright Office offers renewal registrations for works that were first published or registered prior to 1978. The 1909 Act made works copyrighted in the United States before January 1, 1978 subject to a renewal system whereby the term of copyright was divided into two consecutive terms with separate registration requirements. The current Copyright Act that came into effect on January 1, 1978 retained the renewal system for works that were copyrighted before 1978 and were still in their first term on January 1, 1978. Renewal registration may still be obtained for pre- Chapter 1400 : 12 12/22/2014 1978 works in their renewal term. For an extensive discussion of registration of renewal claims, see Chapter 2100.
The Office provides paper application forms for renewal registration. Form RE is the general renewal form, and Form RE / Addendum is required for works that were not registered with the Office during their initial term. At present, applicants cannot file for renewal registration using the online registration system.
1402.9 GATT Registration Applications: Form GATT
Applicants may use Form GATT to register a copyright claim in a work that was restored under the 1994 Uruguay Round Agreements Act (“URAA”), codified as Section 104A of the Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. § 104A. Applicants may use Form GATT to register the •fo llowing types of works:
• A single work.
For more information on GATT applications, see Chapter 2000, Section 2007.2.
1402.10 Additional Information Regarding Paper Applications
When using a paper application, applicants should consider the issues discussed in Sections 1402.10(A) and 1402.10(B).
1402.10(A) Quality and Legibility of the Application A paper application becomes a permanent part of the U.S. Copyright Office’s official records and must meet archival standards and be legible. Thus, applicants must use the Office’s forms when submitting a paper application. Additionally, information required by the application must be legible and should be typewritten or printed in black ink. Applicants who anticipate filing a large number of applications may place certain repetitive information on the applications they submit by using a printing process. Applications completed in pencil or using carbon paper or the equivalent generally are unacceptable.
1402.10(B) Continuation Sheets: Form CON If an applicant needs more space when completing Forms CA, PA, SE, SR, TX, and VA, the applicant should use Form CON to provide additional information. Chapter 1400 : 13 12/22/2014 1403 Filing Fees
1403.1 Statutory Basis for Setting Filing Fees
Since 1997, the U.S. Copyright Office has undertaken a series of studies to determine what fees to charge for specific services relating to registration. The Office revisits its schedule of fees approximately every three years, a process during which it seeks public comment, adopts some fees, and makes recommendations for other fees to Congress. The majority of the Office’s fee adjustments are guided by Section 708(b) of the Copyright Act, which states that, before adjusting certain fees, the Register must conduct a study of the Office’s costs for registering claims and must consider the timing of any fee adjustments and the Office’s authority to use the fees consistent with the Office’s budget. Section 708(b) also states that the Register may, based on the results of the fee study, adjust some fees “not more than necessary to cover the reasonable costs incurred by the Copyright Office for … services … plus a reasonable inflation adjustment to account for any estimated increase in costs.” Finally, Section 708(b) mandates that certain fees “shall be fair and equitable and give due consideration to the objectives of the copyright system.”
1403.2 Where to Find Specific Filing Fee Information
The U.S. Copyright Office publishes its fee schedule in Section 201.3 of Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The fee schedule also is posted on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html.
1403.3 Submitting Filing Fees
When filing claims via the U.S. Copyright Office’s online registration system, the applicant will be prompted to provide payment on the Online Payment screen. Applicants who submit paper applications should provide a deposit account number in .
the appropriate space of the application or should submit the filing fees in the same envelope or package with the application and deposit copy(ies) For more specific information regarding deposit accounts, see Section 1403.5 below.
1403.4 Acceptable Forms of Payment
Applicants using the Office’s online registration system to file applications may pay fees by making a secure payment by credit or debit card, electronic check, or U.S. Copyright Office deposit account.
Applicants submitting paper applications may pay fees from a deposit account or by using checks, money orders, or bank drafts payable to the Register of Copyrights. Payment in cash may be made only in person at the Public Information Office. Fees paid from a foreign country should be in the form of an international money order or bank check payable and immediately negotiable in the United States for the full Chapter 1400 : 14 12/22/2014 amount of the fee required. All foreign checks or money orders mSueset ibde. redeemable without a service or exchange fee through a U.S. institution, payable in U.S. dollars, and imprinted with American Banking Association routing numbers. Postal money orders and international money orders that are negotiable only at a post office are not acceptable. Uncertified checks are accepted subject to collection. Where the statutory fee is submitted in the form of a check, the registration of the copyright claim or other record made by the Office is provisional until payment is received.
Receipt of valid fees is very important because it affects the effective date and validity of a registration. The effective date of registration will be the date the valid payment is received, provided that the applicant satisfied the minimum requirements for an acceptable application and deposit copy(ies) as of that date. In the event the filing fee is not paid, the registration or other record shall be expunged.
1403.5 Deposit Accounts
The U.S. Copyright Office maintains a system of deposit accounts for the convenience of those who frequently use the Office’s services. The system allows an individual or firm to establish a deposit account with the Office anSde teo make advance deposits into the account. Charges for registration, recordation, or other fee services will be deducted from the outstanding balance in such accounts. 37 C.F.R § 201.6(b) for the Office’s regulations regarding deposit accounts.
Only certain applicants may take advantage of deposit accounts. Specifically, a person or entity must have twelve or more transactions a year with the Office before they may prepay copyright expenses by establishing a deposit account. The Office and the deposit account holder will cooperatively determine an appropriate minimum balance for the deposit account (in no case less than $450), and the Office will automatically notify the deposit account holder if the account falls below that balance. Deposit account holders may take measures to protect against falling below the account minimum. The holder may authorize the Office to automatically replenish the account from the holder’s bank account or credit card in an amount determined by the deposit account holder. Automatic replenishment will be triggered when the deposit account falls below the minimum level of funding. The Office will notify the account holder when its account will be replenished.
The Office will close a deposit account the second time an account holder overdraws the account within any twelve-month period. An account closed for this reason can be reopened only if the account holder agrees to fund the account through automatic replenishment.
1403.6 Refunds
reason. . The Office may refund payments made by mistake or in excess of the fee, depending upon the timing of the request or other factors, but amounts of $50 or less will not be refunded unless specifically requested.
1403.7 Cancellation of Registration in Cases of Dishonored Checks
Office marked “insufficient funds” or is otherwise marked uncollectible, the Office may 201.7(c)(2)
cancel any registration for which the dishonored check was submitted. .
registration. If the would like to resubmit the work for registration, the applicant should file a new application, together with new and the correct filing fee. In appropriate cases, the Office reserves the right to require a certified check or money order, and in all cases, the effective date of registration will be based on the date that the new submission is received by the Office. Chapter 1800 For additional information concerning this procedure, see , Section 1806.4(B).
1403.8 Special Handling Fees
The U.S. Copyright Office offers expedited handling of applications and documents, as well as requests for searches, certifications, or other services. The Office charges an additional fee for expedited services, called a special handling fee. The current fees for these services are set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Special Services” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For detailed information on these fees, see Chapter 600, Section 623.6 and Chapter 2400, Section 2411.3. The special handling fee must be paid for each application, each document, or other service for which expedited service is requested and granted. Once a request for special handling has been granted, the special handling fee is not refundable, regardless of whether the Office issues a certificate of registration or a certificate of recordation or refuses to register or refuses to record the document.
Chapter 1400 : 16 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
1505.1 Copies or Phonorecords of Unpublished Works ........................................................................................................ 9 1505.2 Copies or Phonorecords of Published Works.............................................................................................................. 9 1505.3 Electronic Copies or Phonorecords of Unpublished Works .............................................................................. 10 1505.4 Electronic Copies or Phonorecords of Published Works .................................................................................... 10 1505.5 Copies or Phonorecords of a Contribution to a Collective Work .................................................................... 10 1506 Identifying Material .............................................................................................................................................................. 11 1507 Acceptable Formats for Registration Deposits ........................................................................................................ 12 1507.1 Hard Copy Format................................................................................................................................................................. 12 1507.2 Electronic Format ................................................................................................................................................................. 13 1508 How to Submit a Registration Deposit ........................................................................................................................ 14 1508.1 Electronic Deposit Copy(ies) ........................................................................................................................................... 14 1508.2 Hard Copy Deposits .............................................................................................................................................................. 16 1508.3 Submitting the Deposit by Mail ...................................................................................................................................... 17 1508.4 Submitting the Deposit by Courier................................................................................................................................ 17 1508.5 Submitting the Deposit by Hand .................................................................................................................................... 17 1508.6 Screening Deposits for Anthrax and Other Contaminants ................................................................................. 18 1508.6(A) Deposits Damaged During Contaminants Screening ............................................................................................ 18 1508.6(B) How to Avoid Damage to Deposit Copy(ies)............................................................................................................. 18 1508.7 Special Handling .................................................................................................................................................................... 19 1508.7(A) How to Request Special Handling When Submitting an Application ............................................................ 19 1508.7(B) How to Request Special Handling for a Pending Application ........................................................................... 19 1508.8 Special Relief from Registration Deposit Requirements ..................................................................................... 19 Chapter 1500 : 1 12/22/2014 1508.8(A) What Is Special Relief? ........................................................................................................................................................ 19 1508.8(B) How to Request Special Relief ......................................................................................................................................... 20 1508.8(C) Ongoing or Continuous Grant of Special Relief ....................................................................................................... 21 1508.8(D) Termination of Special Relief ........................................................................................................................................... 21 1509 Deposit Requirements for Specific Types of Works .............................................................................................. 21 1509.1 Deposit Requirements for Literary Works ................................................................................................................ 21 1509.1(A) Book Jackets ............................................................................................................................................................................. 22 1509.1(B) Games ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 1509.1(C) Computer Programs ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 1509.1(C)(1) Source Code ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 1509.1(C)(2) Derivative Computer Programs ...................................................................................................................................... 25 1509.1(C)(3) Source Code That Does Not Contain Trade Secret Material .............................................................................. 25 1509.1(C)(4) Source Code That Contains Trade Secret Material ................................................................................................ 26 1509.1(C)(4)(a) Background .............................................................................................................................................................................. 26 1509.1(C)(4)(b) Computer Programs That Contain Trade Secret Material .................................................................................. 26 1509.1(C)(4)(c) Derivative Computer Programs That Contain Trade Secret Material........................................................... 27 1509.1(C)(4)(d) Appropriate Method for Blocking Out Source Code That Contains Trade Secret Material ............... 28 1509.1(C)(4)(e) Special Relief for Computer Programs Containing Trade Secrets .................................................................. 29 1509.1(C)(5) Computer Programs Fixed in a CD-ROM .................................................................................................................... 29 1509.1(C)(6) Object Code .............................................................................................................................................................................. 29 1509.1(C)(7) Computer Screen Displays ................................................................................................................................................ 30 1509.1(C)(8) User Manuals and Other Documentation for a Computer Program .............................................................. 31 1509.1(D) Databases .................................................................................................................................................................................. 32 1509.1(D)(1) Databases Fixed in CD-ROMs ........................................................................................................................................... 32 1509.1(D)(2) Databases That Do Not Consist Predominantly of Photographs ..................................................................... 32 1509.1(D)(3) Databases That Predominantly Consist of Photographs..................................................................................... 33 1509.1(E) Literary Works Fixed in a CD-ROM ............................................................................................................................... 34 1509.1(F) Instructional Works ............................................................................................................................................................. 34 1509.1(G) Tests and Answer Material for Tests ........................................................................................................................... 35 1509.1(H) Deposit Requirements for Group Registration Options ...................................................................................... 35 1509.1(I) Foreign Literary Works ...................................................................................................................................................... 35 Chapter 1500 : 2 12/22/2014 1509.1(J) GATT Literary Works .......................................................................................................................................................... 36 1509.1(K) Deposit Requirements for Literary Works: At a Glance ...................................................................................... 36 1509.2 Deposit Requirements for Works of the Performing Arts .................................................................................. 42 1509.2(A) Musical Works ........................................................................................................................................................................ 42 1509.2(A)(1) Unpublished Musical Works ............................................................................................................................................ 42 1509.2(A)(2) Musical Works Published in Copies .............................................................................................................................. 42 1509.2(A)(3) Musical Works Published on Phonorecords ............................................................................................................. 43 1509.2(A)(4) Musical Works Published by Rental, Lease, or Lending ...................................................................................... 43 1509.2(A)(5) Musical Works Published Only in Motion Pictures ............................................................................................... 43 1509.2(A)(6) Musical Works Published in Electronic Format ...................................................................................................... 43 1509.2(B) Sound Recordings ................................................................................................................................................................. 43 1509.2(B)(1) Unpublished Sound Recordings ..................................................................................................................................... 43 1509.2(B)(2) Published Sound Recordings ........................................................................................................................................... 44 1509.2(B)(3) Sound Recordings Published in Electronic Format ............................................................................................... 44 1509.2(C) Dramatic Works ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44 1509.2(C)(1) Unpublished Dramatic Works ......................................................................................................................................... 44 1509.2(C)(2) Published Dramatic Works ............................................................................................................................................... 44 1509.2(D) Choreographic Works and Pantomimes ..................................................................................................................... 45 1509.2(D)(1) Unpublished Choreographic Works and Pantomimes ......................................................................................... 45 1509.2(D)(2) Published Choreographic Works and Pantomimes ............................................................................................... 45 1509.2(E) Audiovisual Works ............................................................................................................................................................... 45 1509.2(E)(1) Audiovisual Works Fixed in a CD-ROM ....................................................................................................................... 46 1509.2(E)(2) Audiovisual Works Fixed in Machine-Readable Copies Other Than a CD-ROM ...................................... 46 1509.2(E)(3) Audiovisual Works Published in Electronic Format ............................................................................................. 47 1509.2(F) Motion Pictures ...................................................................................................................................................................... 47 1509.2(F)(1) Unpublished and Published Motion Pictures ........................................................................................................... 47 1509.2(F)(2) Alternate Deposit Option for Unpublished Motion Pictures ............................................................................. 47 1509.2(F)(3) Motion Pictures Contained in Unviewable Formats ............................................................................................. 48 1509.2(F)(4) The Motion Picture Agreement ...................................................................................................................................... 48 1509.2(F)(4)(a) Who May Enter Into the Motion Picture Agreement? .......................................................................................... 49 1509.2(F)(4)(b) Who May Sign the Motion Picture Agreement? ...................................................................................................... 49 Chapter 1500 : 3 12/22/2014 1509.2(F)(4)(c) The Supplementary Property Agreement .................................................................................................................. 49 1509.2(F)(4)(d) Return of the Deposit Copy Under the Motion Picture Agreement................................................................ 49 1509.2(F)(4)(e) Recall of the Deposit Copy Under the Motion Picture Agreement ................................................................. 50 1509.2(F)(4)(f) Quality of the Copy Deposited Under the Motion Picture Agreement .......................................................... 50 1509.2(F)(4)(g) Termination of the Motion Picture Agreement ....................................................................................................... 50 1509.2(G) Foreign Works of the Performing Arts ........................................................................................................................ 51 1509.2(H) GATT Works of the Performing Arts ............................................................................................................................ 51 1509.2(I) Registration Deposit Requirements for Works of the Performing Arts: At a Glance ............................ 51 1509.3 Visual Arts Works ................................................................................................................................................................. 56 1509.3(A) Two-Dimensional Visual Arts Works ........................................................................................................................... 57 1509.3(A)(1) Unpublished Works .............................................................................................................................................................. 57 1509.3(A)(2) Published Works.................................................................................................................................................................... 57 1509.3(A)(3) Certain Limited Editions .................................................................................................................................................... 57 1509.3(A)(4) Works Reproduced in Sheet-like Materials .............................................................................................................. 57 1509.3(A)(5) Published Greeting Cards, Picture Postcards, and Stationery .......................................................................... 58 1509.3(A)(6) Published Calendars, Decals, Fabric Patches, or Emblems ................................................................................ 59 1509.3(A)(7) Published Games ................................................................................................................................................................... 59 1509.3(A)(8) Published Needlework and Craft Kits .......................................................................................................................... 59 1509.3(A)(9) Published Commercial Prints, Labels, and Other Advertising Matter .......................................................... 59 1509.3(A)(10) Pictorial or Graphic Works Reproduced on Three-Dimensional Containers or Holders ................... 59 1509.3(A)(11) Visual Art Works Fixed in a CD-ROM ........................................................................................................................... 60 1509.3(A)(12) Deposit Requirements for Group Registration of Published Photographs ................................................ 60 1509.3(B) Three-Dimensional Visual Arts Works ........................................................................................................................ 60 1509.3(B)(1) Identifying Material Required ......................................................................................................................................... 60 1509.3(B)(2) Actual Copy(ies) Permitted in Some Exceptional Cases...................................................................................... 61 1509.3(C) Identifying Material .............................................................................................................................................................. 61 1509.3(D) Architectural Works ............................................................................................................................................................. 62 1509.3(E) Foreign Visual Arts Works ................................................................................................................................................ 63 1509.3(E)(1) Two-Dimensional Works ................................................................................................................................................... 63 1509.3(E)(2) Three-Dimensional Works ................................................................................................................................................ 64 1509.3(E)(3) GATT Visual Arts Works .................................................................................................................................................... 64 Chapter 1500 : 4 12/22/2014 1509.3(F) Registration Deposit Requirements for Visual Arts Works: At a Glance ..................................................... 64 1510 Storage of Deposits ............................................................................................................................................................... 69 1510.1 Deposit Storage ...................................................................................................................................................................... 69 1510.2 Requests for Full-Term Deposit Storage for Published Works ........................................................................ 70 1510.3 Requests for Inspection or Copies of Deposits ........................................................................................................ 70 1511 Mandatory Deposit ............................................................................................................................................................... 71 1511.1 What Is the Best Edition for Purposes of Mandatory Deposit? ........................................................................ 71 1511.2 What Is a Complete Copy or Phonorecord for Purposes of Mandatory Deposit? ................................... 72 1511.2(A) Complete Copy of a Published Work ............................................................................................................................ 72 1511.2(B) Sound Recordings ................................................................................................................................................................. 72 1511.2(C) Musical Compositions Published by Rental, Lease, or Lending ....................................................................... 72 1511.2(D) Motion Pictures ...................................................................................................................................................................... 72 1511.2(E) Electronic Works ................................................................................................................................................................... 73 1511.3 Works Exempt from Mandatory Deposit ................................................................................................................... 73 1511.4 Mandatory Deposit for Works Published Outside the United States ............................................................ 75 1511.5 Mandatory Deposit for Unpublished Transmission Programs ........................................................................ 75 1511.6 Mandatory Deposit for Electronic Serials .................................................................................................................. 75 1511.7 How to Submit Mandatory Deposits ............................................................................................................................ 76 1511.7(A) Copies or Phonorecords Submitted with an Application for Registration ................................................. 76 1511.7(B) Copies or Phonorecords Submitted without an Application for Registration .......................................... 76 1511.7(C) Copies or Phonorecords Submitted in Response to a Demand Notice ......................................................... 77 1511.7(D) Certificate of Receipt ........................................................................................................................................................... 78 1511.8 Mandatory Deposit Requirements for Specific Categories of Works ............................................................ 78 1511.8(A) Computer Programs and Computerized Information Works ........................................................................... 79 1511.8(B) Published Multimedia Kits ................................................................................................................................................ 79 1511.8(C) Musical Works ........................................................................................................................................................................ 79 1511.8(D) Motion Pictures ...................................................................................................................................................................... 79 1511.8(E) Limited Edition Visual Arts Works ................................................................................................................................ 79 1511.8(F) Globes and Other Three-Dimensional Cartographic Works .............................................................................. 80 1511.8(G) Architectural Works ............................................................................................................................................................. 80 1511.9 Special Relief from the Mandatory Deposit Requirement .................................................................................. 80 Chapter 1500 : 5 12/22/2014 Chapter 1500 : 6 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM:
1502 Deposit for Registration Distinguished from Mandatory Deposit The U.S. Copyright Act provides for two separate sets of deposit requirements: deposits submitted in connection with registration applications and those submitted in accordance with the mandatory deposit provisions (or “legal deposit” provisions) of the law. The U.S. Copyright Office administers both sets of provisions. The Register of Copyrights specifies by regulation the form of deposit that must accompany a copyright claim and registration application. Said regulations reflect and inform the ability of the Office to examine the work for copyrightable authorship, to verify the authorship claimed in the application, and to verify the facts stated in the application. Deposits may also be used for evidentiary purposes in litigation involving a copyrighted work. Since registration is not required as a condition for copyright protection, the Register has the authority to adjust or exempt the deposit requirements as appropriate for certain works or application procedures, weighing the needs or concerns of applicants and the public. 17 U.S.C. §§ 407(c), 408(c)(1). Deposits may also be selected by the Library of Congress. 17 U.S.C. § 704. Mandatory deposit is a statutory requirement for the benefit of the national collection of the Library of Congress. Section 407 of the Copyright Act provides that the owner of copyright or the owner of the exclusive right of publication in a work published in the United States must deposit two copies or phonorecords of the work within three months after publication. 17 U.S.C. § 407(a). As noted above and discussed below in Section 1511.3, the Register has exempted certain works from this requirement. In most cases, a deposit submitted for registration may be used to satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement, provided that the applicant submits two complete copies or two Chapter 1500 : 7 12/22/2014 See complete phonorecords of the best edition of the work. 17 U.S.C. § 408(b). In such cases, there is no need to submit additional copies or phonorecords for the purpose of mandatory deposit. (For a definition of the term “best edition,” see Section 1504.) The double application of best edition formats to bio.et.h, the registration and mandatory deposit provisions was constructed in the analog world as part of the 1976 Act for the benefit and convenience of copyright owners, to minimize the number of necessary submissions to the Copyright Office and therefore the cost of compliance. For some classes of works, the deposit requirements for registration and mandatory deposit are not the same. In such cases, a separate submission of copies, phonorecords, or identifying material may be needed to register the work and to satisfy the mandatory deposit requirements. For example, mandatory deposit for a computer program requires two complete copies of the best edition, while registration may be accomplished with identifying material containing a selection of the source code for that work. In the digital context, such nuance and distinction is even more important, and applicable regulations are therefore subject to change. 1503 Deposit for Registration To register a copyright claim, an applicant must submit (i) a completed application, (ii) the appropriate filing fee, and (iii) a complete deposit of the work. Section 408 of the Copyright Act provides general requirements for registration deposit copies. These requirements vary depending on whether the applicant intends to register •a published work, an unpublished work, or a foreign work. See For unpublished works, the applicant generally should submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work. 17 U.S.C. § 408(b)(1), 37 C.F.R. § 2. 0S2e.e20(c)(1)(i). In the case of an unpublished pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, the applicant generally may submit identifying material in lieu of an actual copy 37 C.F.R. § • 202.20(c)(2)(iv), (xi)(A).
1505 What Is a Complete Copy or Phonorecord? The meaning of the term “complete” copy or phonorecord varies depending on the f•o llowing factors:
• The type of work.
• Whether the work is unpublished or published.
• If published, whether the work was published in electronic or hard copy format. See If the work was published as a contribution to a collective work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2). These factors are discussed in Sections 1505.1 through
1505.5 below.
1505.1 Copies or Phonorecords of Unpublished Works
1505.2 Copies or Phonorecords of Published Works
A copy or phonorecord of a published work is complete if it “includes all elements comprising the applicable unit of publication of the work, including elements that, if considered separately, would not be copyrightable subject matter.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(ii).
Chapter 1500 : 9 12/22/2014 There are several exceptions to this rule. Where certain physically separable elements usually attached to a unit of publication are missing, the copy or phonorecord is c•o mplete if:
• The deposit contains all parts of the work claimed on the application; The removal of the missing elements did not physically damage the copy or • phonorecord or garble its contents; and The work is exempt from the mandatory deposit requirements under 17 U.S.C. § • 407; or The deposit consists entirely of a “container, wrapper, or holder, such as an envelope, sleeve, jacket, slipcase, box, bag, folder, binder, or other receptacle acceptable for deposit….”
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(ii).
1505.3 Electronic Copies or Phonorecords of Unpublished Works
An electronic copy or phonorecord of an unpublished work is complete if it is submitted in a digital file that contains all of the copyrightable authorship claimed on the application. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(A).
1505.4 Electronic Copies or Phonorecords of Published Works
If the work is published solely ini. ea.n, electronic format, a copy or phonorecord of that work is complete if it is submitted in a digital file that contains all elements constituting the work in its published form ( the complete work as published), including metadata and authorship for which registration is not sought. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(B) (“Publication in an electronic only format requires submission of the digital file[s] in exact first-publication form and content.”).
1505.5 Copies or Phonorecords of a Contribution to a Collective Work
As a general rule, a copy or phonorecord of a contribution to a published collective work i•s complete if the applicant submits one of the following: • One complete copy of the best eid.eit.,ion of the entire published collective work; or A photocopy or facsimile copy ( an exact copy equivalent) of the contribution as it was published in the collective work.
If the contribution was published in a newspaper, the copy is complete if the applicant s•u bmits one of the following:
• The complete section containing the contribution; or The contribution cut out from the newspaper in which it appeared. Chapter 1500 : 10 12/22/2014 See 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iv).
1506 Identifying Material Identifying material (“ID material”) is material that adequately represents the authorship claimed in an unpublished or published work. The U.S. Copyright Office has the authority to accept identifying material in lieu of a complete copy or phonorecord in cases where the copies or phroenporrinetceodr dins would be too “bulky, unwieldy, easily broken, or otherwise impractical [to serve] as records identifying the work registered.” H.R. REP.
NO. 94–1E4x7a6m, patle 1s:5 4 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5770. To register a sculpture, the applicant may submit identSifeyei ng material consisting of photographs taken at every angle of the sculpture, rather than submitting the actual sculpture. 37 C.F.R. • §§ 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(A)(1), 202.21(b).
Submitting identifying material may be mandatory or permissive. In some cases, the applicant must submit identifying material in lieu of copies or phonorecords of the actual work, while in other cases the applicant has the option of submitting identifying material or actual copies or phonorecords of thSeee work. Identifying material must be visually perceptible to the naked eye, meaning that the Office’s staff should not have to use a machine or device to examine the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.21(a). The Register also may require submission of identifying material by regulation, in addition to the best edition. 17 U.S.C. § 408(b).
The specific type of identifying material that should be submitted varies depending on the type of work. The cases where identifying material is an acceptable substitute for Lcoitpeireasr yo rW pohroknso records of the actual work are described in the following sections: • Computer programs: Section 1509.1(C)
• Databases: Sections 1509.1(D)(2) and 1509.1(D)(3).
Chapter 1500 : 11 12/22/2014 Works of the Performing Arts • Musical works published in motion pictures: Section 1509.2(A)(5). • Audiovisual works that have not been fixed on CD-ROM: Section 1509.2(E)(2). • Unpublished motion pictures: Section 1509.2(F)(2).
VisuGalA ATrTt WWoorrkkss of the Performing Arts: Section 1509.2(H). • Unpublished pictorial or graphic works: Section 1509.3(A)(1). • Pictorial or graphic works published in a limited edition: Section 1509.3(A)(3). • Pictorial or graphic works reproduced in sheet-like material: Section 1509.3(A)(4). Prints, labels, and other advertising matter that is inseparable from a three- • dimensional object: Section 1509.3(A)(9).
• Three-dimensional visual arts works: Section 1509.3(B). • Architectural works: Section 1509.3(D).
1507 Acceptable Formats for Registration Deposits Depending on the type of work, the applicant may submit deposit copy(ies) in one of t•w o formats:
• Hard copy (by mail).
These formats are discussed in Sections 1507.1 and 1507.2. Instructions for submitting deposits in hard copy format are provided in Section 1508.2. Instructions for submitting deposits in electronic format are provided in Section 1508.1.
1507.1 Hard Copy Format
Hard copy deposits are copies and phonorecords embodied in a physically tangible format. Examples of hard copy deposits include, but are not limited to, the following: Chapter 1500 : 12 12/22/2014 Printed materials CDs DVDs Fabric Film The deposit requirements for works fixed in hard copy format vary depending on w• heUthnepru tbhleis hweodr wk oisr kusn:published or published. For unpublished works fixed in hard copy format, the applicant should submit one complete hard copy of the work. If the unpublished work is fixed in both electronic and hard copy format, the applicant may submit one complete copy in an electronic format (provided that the requirements set forth in Section • 1P5ub0l7is.2h ehda vweo brkese nfi xmede ts)o. lely in hard copy format: For published works fixed solely in hard copy format the applicant should submit complete copy(ies) or • pPhubolnisohreedc owrodr(ks)s ofifx ethde i nw boortkh i nel ehcatrrdo nciocp ayn fdo rhmaradt .c opy format: If the Sweoerk was first published in both electronic and hard copy formats, the applicant generally must submit complete copy(ies) or phonorecord(s) in hard copy format. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(1).
For a definition of the term “complete,” see Section 1505. For information on the deposit requirements for specific types of works that are typically fixed in hard copy format, see Sections 1509.1 through 1509.3.
1507.2 Electronic Format
Electronic deposit copy(ies) are copies or phonorecords embodied in electronic format, rather than or in addition to a hard copy format. Applicants may submit registration deposit copy(ies) in electronic format, provided that (i) the copy(ies) are “complete” as defined in Sections 1505.3 and 1505.4, (ii) the copy(ies) are submitted in one of the acceptable file formats discussed in Section 1508.1, and (ii) one or more of the following c•o nditions has been met:
• The work is unpublished.
• The work is not subject to the best edition requirements. The work has been published only in electronic format.
Chapter 1500 : 13 12/22/2014 The work has been published and identifying material is permitted or required in • lieu of a hard copy of the best edition.
For all other classes of works, applicants must submit the deposit in hard copy format (even if the application and filing fee are submitted through the electronic registration system).
1508 How to Submit a Registration Deposit The applicant should submit registration deposit copy(ies) at the same time that the application and filing fee are submitted. Depending on the type of application and the deposit requirements for the work, the deposit copy(ies) may be submitted electronically or in hard copy format. These options are discussed in Sections 1508.1and 1508.2. For information concerning the difference between an electronic copy and a hard copy, see Sections 1507.1 and 1507.2.
NOTE : To examine a work for copyrightable authorship, the U.S. Copyright Office’s Registration Program must be able to view or listen to the deposit material without the need to enter a password. Therefore, a deposit copy or phonorecord should not contain digital rights managementi c.eo.,ntrols or otherwise require a password to unlock the copyrighted material, regardless of whether it is uploaded in electronic format or submitted in a hard copy ( physically tangible) format. Additionally, deposit copies and phonorecords must not contain any built-in limitations on the period of use.
1508.1 Electronic Deposit Copy(ies)
When completing an online application, the applicant may submit deposit copy(ies), phonorecords, or identifying material in an electronic format, provided that the work satisfies the requirements set forth in Section 1507.2. If work does not satisfy these requirements, the applicant must submit the deposit copy(ies) in a hard copy format. If the applicant submits a work that is not eligible for submission in electronic format, a member of the Registration Program may communicate with the applicant to request a proper deposit. This process will delay the examination of the application and may change the effective date of registration.
The preferred methods for submitting the deposit in electronic format, in order of preference, are as follows:
Chapter 1500 : 14 12/22/2014 • Uploading electronic files to the electronic registration system: When submitting an online application, the applicant may upload a digital file to the Office’s server that contains a complete copy of the work that is claimed in the application. For guidance • iSnu bumpliottaidnign gel tehcetr foinleisc, fsileees cboyp myraiigl,h bty.g coovu/reiceor/, ofarq b.hy thmaln. d delivery: When submitting an online application or a paper application, the applicant may submit a digital file that contains a complete copy of the work that is claimed in the application. The files should be saved onto a physical storage device, such as a flash drive, CD-ROM, DVD, or the like. The storage device may be delivered to the Office by mail, by courier, or by • hIdaenndt idfyeilnivge mrya. tFeorria glu: idance on this procedure, see Sections 1508.3 through 1508.5. If identifying material is permitted or required for the deposit, the applicant may submit that material in an electronic format. Specifically, the applicant may upload the identifying material to the Office’s server in the format that is most appropriate for the type of authorship that is claimed in the application. In the alternative, the applicant may download the identifying material onto a physical storage device, such as a flash drive, CD-ROM, or DVD, and may deliver that device to the Office by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery. For guidance on this procedure, see Sections 1508.3 through 1508.5.
NOTE:
The applicant must submit the electronic deposit copy(ies), phonorecords or identifying material in an acceptable file format, regardless of whether they are uploaded through the electronic registration system or submitted on a physical storage device. Failure to submit the deposit copy(ies) in an acceptable file format will delay the examination of the claim and will affect the effective date of registration. The Office cannot assign an effective date of registration for a work submitted in electronic format until it has received a file that can be opened and examined by the Registration Program. A current list of acceptable file formats is posted on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file-types.html. The list includes, but is not limited to, the •fo llowing file formats:
• pdf • txt • wpd • doc • tif • svg • jpg html wav Chapter 1500 : 15 12/22/2014 mpeg, including mp3 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(C).
The electronic registration system has a sixty minute “time out” feature that limits the size and the number of files that may be submitted during each upload session. These limits vary depending on the connection speed of the applicant’s computer. The maximum size for files submitted with a typical modem is 11.3 MB, while the maximum size for files submitted with a typical broadband connection is 170 MB. If the applicant intends to upload a large number of files, the Office encourages the applicant to submit the deposit in one or more compressed ZIP files. If the applicant intends to upload a very large file, the Office encourages the applicant to compress the deposit in a ZIP file or to separate the deposit into two or more smaller files. Alternatively, the applicant may upload the deposit during two or more upload sessions; information concerning this procedure is available on the Office’s website at copyright.gov/eco/faq.html.
If the applicant is unable to upload the deposit with these options, then as discussed above, the applicant may save the deposit copy(ies) onto a physical storage device and deliver it to the Office by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery, together with a shipping slip that connects the deposit with the online application.
1508.2 Hard Copy Deposits
The applicant must submit the deposit copy(ies), phonorecords, or identifying material i•n a hard copy format in the following situations:
Applicants may submit the deposit copy(ies) in a hard copy format by mail, by courier, or by hand. These delivery options are discussed in Sections 1508.3 through 1508.5. When the applicant submits an online application and filing fee and subsequently submits the depositS eceopy(ies) using one of these methods, the applicant must attach a shipping slip to the deposit copy(ies) to ensure that the deposit will be paired with the online application. 37 CFR 202.3(b)(2)(i)(D). To create a shipping slip the applicant must click the Create Shipping Slip button at the bottom of the Case Summary screen then click the shipping slip link that appears in the field marked Send By Mail. The applicant must print one or more copies of the shipping slip, attach a copy to each deposit copy, and send all of these items to the Office in a single package (regardless of whether the deposit is submitted by mail, by courier, or by hand). Chapter 1500 : 16 12/22/2014 The effective date of registration for claims submitted by mail, by courier, or by hand will be determined based on the date that the Office receives an acceptable application, the correct filing fee, and the deposit copy(ies) together with the corresponding shipping slip. If the shipping slip is not included with each physical deposit, the deposit copy(ies) cannot be connected with the application. In such cases, the application and the deposit copy(ies) will not be examined by a member of the Registration Program unless the applicant contacts the Office and agrees to pay an additional fee to locate the deposit copy(ies). The amount of this fee is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Retrievals and Copies of Records” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). If the Office is unable to locate the deposit copy(ies), the applicant will be required to resubmit the deposit copy(ies) to the Office with the required shipping slip (in addition to the location and retrieval fee). This process will change the effective date of registration for the claim.
1508.3 Submitting the Deposit by Mail
When completing an online application and submitting a hard copy deposit by mail, the applicant should send the deposit copy(ies) and the shipping slip(s) in a single package to the address specified on the shipping slip.
When submitting a paper application, the applicant should send the completed application, proper filing fee, and the deposit copy(ies) in a single package to the address specified in space 9 of the application under the heading marked “Mail To.”
1508.4 Submitting the Deposit by Courier
To submit hard copy deposits by courier, the applicant should place all the required materials in a single package (including the appropriate shipping slip(s) when submitting an online application). The package should be sent to the Congressional Courier Acceptance Site (“CCAS”), which is located at 2nd and D Streets NE, Washington, DC. This location is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except for federal holidays. Short term parking for cars and bicycles is available. Registration materials submitted through a courier service will not receive a dated receipt from the Office but will instead receive one dated by CCAS. The CCAS date of receipt is considered the date of receipt in the Office. NOTE:
1508.5 Submitting the Deposit by Hand
To submit hard copy deposits in person, the applicant should place all the required materials in a single package (including the appropriate shipping slip(s) when submitting an online application). The package should be delivered by hand to the U.S. Copyright Office’s Public Information Office (“PIO”). PIO is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, except for federal holidays. PIO is located at the following address:
Chapter 1500 : 17 12/22/2014 Public Information Office U.S. Copyright Office James Madison Memorial Building, Room LM-401 101 Independence Avenue SE Washington D.C.
An applicant who delivers registration materials to PIO during regular office hours will receive a date-stamped receipt that lists the title of no more than one of the works listed on the application.
NOTE : Visitors to the U.S. Copyright Office must pass through security before entering the building. Sealed packages or packages that are more than twenty-four inches wide by fifteen inches high are not permitted.
1508.6 Screening Deposits for Anthrax and Other Contaminants
In October 2001, envelopes contaminated with anthrax arrived in some Congressional offices. This caused a one-week closure of Capitol Hill buildings, including the James Madison Memorial Building of the Library of Congress where the U.S. Copyright Office is located. Since that time, all mail that is sent to the Office is screened offsite for anthrax or other contaminants prior to delivery. This process will delay the delivery of any deposit that is sent to the Office by mail or by courier. 1508.6(A) Deposits Damaged During Contaminants Screening In some cases the screening for anthrax and other contaminants may damage the deposit. When a deposit is damaged due to this process, a member of the Registration Program will notify the applicant and request a replacement deposit. The replacement deposit should be submitted to the address specified in the notification from the Office, together with a written declaration confirming that the replacement is identical to the deposit that was previously submitted, including the copyright notice (if appropriate). If the work is approved for registration, the delay in the examination of the work will not affect the effective date of registration. If the applicant fails to submit a replacement deposit within the time specified in Chapter 600, Section 605.6, the file will be closed.
1508.6(B) How to Avoid Damage to Deposit Copy(ies)
To avoid damage to the deposit, applicants should package the following items in •ca rdboard boxes rather than envelopes for delivery to the Office: • Audiocassettes, videocassettes, CDs, and DVDs.
• Microform.
• Photographs.
1508.7 Special Handling
1508.7(A) How to Request Special Handling When Submitting an Application Special handling is a procedure for expediting the examination and processing of an application. The U.S. Copyright Office offers this seer.vgi.c,e in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for the expedited issuance of a certificate of registration ( as a prerequisite for bringing a copyright infringement suit in federal district court). For information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 623.
1508.7(B) How to Request Special Handling for a Pending Application A request for special handling may be made at any time before the U.S. Copyright Office issues a certificate of registration. If an application is currently pending, the applicant may ask the Office to process the claim on an expedited basis, provided that the applicant pays the special handling fee and provided that there is a compelling reason for the request. For information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 623.5(D).
1508.8 Special Relief from Registration Deposit Requirements
This Section discusses the procedure for requesting special relief from the registration deposit requirements. For information concerning the procedure for requesting special relief from the mandatory deposit requirements, see Section 1511.9. 1508.8(A) What Is Special Relief? The U.S. Copyright Office is authorized to grant special relief from the registration deposit requirements in certain circumstances. Specifically, the Office may allow the •a pplicant to submit:
• Actual copy(ies) of the work (in lieu of submitting identifying material). Identifying material that does not comply with Section 202.21 of the Office’s regulations.
Chapter 1500 : 19 12/22/2014 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d)(1).
1508.8(B) How to Request Special Relief A request for special relief must be made in writing and must include the specific reason(s) why the request should be granted. The request should be addressed to the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice and should be signed by or on behalf of the person who signed the application. 37 C.F.R § 202.20(d)(3). The Associate Register will consider a request for special relief once the Office has received a completed application, the correct filing fee, and the deposit copy(ies).
When completing an online application, the applicant may submit a request for special relief in the Note to Copyright Office field. Alternatively, the applicant may submit the r•e quest along with the deposit copy by using the following procedures: When submitting the deposit through the electronic registration system, the applican Ste me ay upload the request and the deposit through the Electronic Deposit Upload screen, provided that the work is eligible for submission in an electronic format. Section 1507.2. When using this option, the request should be prepared • as a separate file and it should be uploaded before the deposit copy. When submitting the deposit by mail, by courier, or by hand, the request for special relief may be attached to the shipping slip.
When completing a paper application, the applicant may submit a request for special relief together with the application, the deposit, and the filing fee. Once an application has been filed, the applicant may request special relief in response to an email or other written communication from a member of the Registration Program. Alternatively, the applicant may submit the request by mail to the following address:
If the applicant is unable to submit an acceptable deposit, the Office may refuse to register the claim.
1508.8(C) Ongoing or Continuous Grant of Special Relief In certain situations, the Register ofS Ceoepyrights may grant special relief on an ongoing or continuous basis for particular categories of works or for particular circumstances encountered by specific applicants. Part 202—Registration of Claims to Copyright, Deposit Requirements 43 Fed. Reg. 41,975, 41,976 (Sept. 19, 1978). 1508.8(D) Termination of Special Relief The Register of Copyrights may terminate any ongoing or continuous grant of special relief after consulting with other appropriate officials of the Library of Congress. In such cases, the Office will issue a written notice of termination that will be sent to the individual or organization that received the grant of special relief at the last address shown in the Office’s records. A notice may be issued at any time, but the termination will not go into effect until thirty days after the date that the notice is mailed. The notice will apply to works deposited aftSeere the effective date of the termination, but the termination does not affect the validity of any deposit or registration previously made under the grant of special relief. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d)(4). 1509 Deposit Requirements for Specific Types of Works See The Register of Copyrights has established specific deposit requirements for certain classes of works. 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(1) (stating that the Register of Copyrights has the authority to “specify by regulation the administrative classes into which works are to be placed for the purposes of deposit and registration, and the nature of the copies or phonorecords to be deposited in the various classes specified.”). These requirements are discussed in Sections 1509.1 through 1509.3 below. For questions concerning works that are not addressed in these sections, applicants may contact the Public Information Office at (202) 707-5959, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
1509.1 Deposit Requirements for Literary Works
A literary work is a nondramatic work that explains, describes, or narrates a particular subject, theme, or idea through the use of narrative, descriptive, or explanatory text, rather than dialog or dramatic action. Generally, nondramatic literary works are intended to be read; they are not intended to be performed before an audience. Examples of nondramatic literary works include the following types of works: Chapter 1500 : 21 12/22/2014 • Fiction • Nonfiction • Poetry • Directories • Catalogs • Textbooks • Reference works • Advertising copy • Book jackets • Instructional works • Compilations of information • Computer programs • Videogames Databases See Serials 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(i).
To register a literary work published in both electronic and hard copy formats, the applicant should submit complete copies of the best edition in the hard copy format. If the work was published solely in electronic format, the applicant may submit digital file(s) containing a complete copy of the work, provided that the requirements set forth in Section 1507.2 have been met.
There are exceptions to these rules for certain types of literary works. The deposit requirements for these types of works are discussed in Sections 1509.1(A) through 1509.1(J).
Section 1509.1(K) contains a series of charts that summarize the deposit requirements for these types of works. For detailed information on the copyrightability and registration of literary works, see Chapter 700.
1509.1(A) Book Jackets To register a claim in the text, artwork, or other copyrightable material that appears only on a book jacket, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the jacket. The Chapter 1500 : 22 12/22/2014 applicant neeSdee not submit a copy of the book itself, unless the copyrightable material is physically attached to the book (as in the case of an illustration on the cover of a paperback). 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(K) (requiring only one complete copy of works reproduced on three-dimensional containers); Part 202 – Registration of Claims to Copyright, Deposit Requirements, 43 Fed. Reg. 41,975, 41,978 (Sept. 19, 1978) (explaining that the exception for containers applies to book jackets). 1509.1(B) Games A game may be registered as a literary work if the predominant form of authorship in the work consists of text. Examples of works that may satisfy this requirement include word games, card games, party games, riddles, brain teasers, and similar diversions, including the instructions or directions for playing a particular game. The deposit requirement for a game varies, depending on whether the literary work is r•e produced in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object. To register a two-dimensional game, the applicant should submit one complete copy if the game is unpublished. If the game has been published, the applicant should • submit one complete copy of the best edition.
1509.1(C) Computer Programs STeoe register a computer program, the applicant should submit “one copy of identifying portions” for the specific version of the program that the applicant intends to register. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii). The identifying material that should be submitted may vary depending on the following factors:
Chapter 1500 : 23 12/22/2014 • Was the program fixed or published in a CD-ROM? • Is the program a derivative computer program? • Does the source code for the program contain trade secret material? • Has the applicant asserted a claim in the screen displays generated by the program? Has the applicant asserted a claim in the user manual or other documentation for the program? These topics are discussed in Sections 1509.1(C)(2) through 1509.1(C)(8) below. 1509.1(C)(1) Source Code To register a claim in a computer program that is not fixed in CD-ROM, the applicant should submit an identifying portion of the source code for the specific version of the program that the applicant intends to register, regardless of whether the program is published or unpublished and regardless of whether the program is fixed in a semiconductor chip, a magnetic tape or disk, or any other storage meSdeiae. The source code should be submitted either on paper or in an electronic file in a form that is perceptible to the human eye without the aid of a machine or device. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii).
The applicant may submit the entire source code for the computer program, or in the alternative, the applicant may submit representative portions of the source code. The amount of code that is required varies depending on whether the work is a derivative computer program or whether the program contains trade secret material. These issues are discussed in Sections 1509.1(C)(2) through 1509.1(C)(4) below. In all cases, applicants should add the title and version number of the program to the first page of the code. This helps the Registration Program determine whether the version described in the application matches the version shown in the identifying material. To help staff determine whether a sufficient amount of code has been submitted, applicants may insert page numbers on each page of source code where applicable.
The applicant does not need to provide the total number of lines of source code that appear in the program. However, if there are inconsistencies in the identifying material, such as missing page numbers or gaps between the line numbers for the source code, a member of the Registration Program may communicate with the applicant to determine Swehee ther the deposit is complete. reprinted in H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 153 (1976), s e1e9 a7l6s oU.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5769 (authorizing the Register of Copyrights to “allow or require deposit of print-outs of computer programs under certain circumstances”); Registration of Claims to Copyright Deposit Requirements for Computer Programs Containing Trade Secrets and for Computer Screen Displays, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,173, 13,174-75 (Mar. 31, 1989). Chapter 1500 : 24 12/22/2014 1509.1(C)(2) Derivative Computer Programs If the computer program contains a substantial amount of unclaimable material, the program should be registered as a derivative work. For purposes of registration, •u nclaimable material includes:
• Previously published material, • Previously registered material, • Material that is in the public domain, or Copyrightable material that is owned by a third party.
A registration for a derivative computer program coverSse ethe new material or revised material that the author contributed to that work, but it does not cover any of the unclaimable material that may appear in the program. Chapter 700, Section 721.8. To register a claim in a derivative computer program, the applicant should submit a portion of the source code for the specific version of the program that the applicant i•n tends to register.
In all cases, the applicant should submit the page of the source code that contains the copyright notice (if any) for the specific version that the applicant intends to register. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(vii)(A)(1).
1509.1(C)(3) Source Code That Does Not Contain Trade Secret Material This Section discusses the deposit requirements for submitting source code that does not contain trade secret material.
The applicant should submit a portion of the source code for the specific version that the applicant intends to register. Specifically, the applicant should submit one copy of the first twenty-five pages and the last twenty-five pages of the source code for that version. In addition, the applicant should submit the page of the source code that contains the copyright notice (if any) for that version. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(A)(1). If the source code does not have a precise beginning, middle, or end, the applicant should submit fifty pages that reasonably represent the first and last twenty-five pages of the code.
Chapter 1500 : 25 12/22/2014 If the entire program is fifty pages or less, the applicant should submit the entire source code. In addition, the applicant should inform the U.S. Copyright Office that the entire code has been submitted. When submitting an online application this information should be provided in the Note to Copyright Office file; when submitting a paper application on Form TX this information should be provided in a cover letter. 1509.1(C)(4) Source Code That Contains Trade Secret Material 1509.1(C)(4)(a) Background Section 705(a) of the Copyright Act requires the Register of Copyrights to prepare and maintain “records of deposits, registrations, recordations, and other actions” taken by the U.S. Copyright Office. 17I dU. .S.C. § 705(a). Section 705(b) states that all deposits maintained by the Office in connection with a completed copyright registration, “shall be open to public inspection.” § 705(b).
In the 1980s a concern was expressed that making computer programs available for public inspection could jeopardize a copyright owner’s trade secret protection under state law. In response to these concerns, the Office established a specific procedure for submitting source code that contains trade secret material. For purposes of registration, a trade secret includes “any formula, pattern, device or cKoemwapnileaeti Oonil oCfo i. nvf. oBrimcraotnio Cno wrphich is used in one’s business, and which gives him an opportunity to obtain an advantage over competitors who do not know or use it.” ., 416 U.S. 470, 474-75 (1974) (quoting the Restatement of TSeoer tgse §n e7r5a7ll,y comment b (1939)).
Chapter 1500 : 26 12/22/2014 The applicant may submit the first twenty-five pages and last twenty-five pages of object code for the program together with ten or more consecutive pages of source • code, provided that none of the source code is blocked out; or If the source code for the entire program is less than fifty pages, the applicant may submit the entire code with the portions of the code that contain trade secret material blocked out, provided that the blocked out portions are proportionately less than the remaining material and provided that the unblocked portions contain See an appreciable amount of original asueteh aolrssoh Dipa. t a General Corp. v. Grumman Systems Support Corp 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(A)(2);
In all cases, the applicant should submit the portion of the source code that contains the copyright notice (if any) for the specific version that the applicant intends to register. In addition, the applicant should notify the Office that the source code contains trade secret material. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in a cover letter. 1509.1(C)(4)(c) Derivative Computer Programs That Contain Trade Secret Material If the applicant intends to register a derivative computer program that contains trade secret material and if the new material or revised material appears throughout the entire program, the applicant should submit a portion of the source code for that •v ersion using one of the following options:
If the new material or revised material does not appear throughout the entire program or within the first twenty-five pages and last twenty-five pages of the source code, the •a pplicant should use one of the following options:
In addition, the applicant should notify the Office that the source code contains trade secret material. When completing an online application, this information should be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. When completing a paper application on Form TX, this information should be provided in a cover letter. 1509.1(C)(4)(d) Appropriate Method for Blocking Out Source Code That Contains Trade Secret Material As discussed in Sections 1509.1(C)(4)(b) and 1509.1(C)(4)(c), an applicant may block out the portions of the source code that contain trade secret material. The applicant should not block out any portions of the source code that do not contain trade secret material.
The applicant may block out entire words or phrases in the source code that are trade secrets. In the alternative, the applicant may block out entire pages of the code containing trade secrets, provided that the applicant leaves a vertical or diagonal strip of visible text on each page that is sufficient to show that the page contains copyrightable authorship. In all cases, the blocked out portions should be “proportionately less than the material remaining, and the deposit [should reveal] an appreciable amount of original computer code.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(A)(2). The U.S. Copyright Office will not accept blocked out pages that conceal virtually all of the copyrightable expression in the work. The unblocked portions of the deposit must contain enough computer code to enable the Registration Program to determine whether the deposit contains a sufficient amount of copyrightable expression to warrant registration under Sections 102(a) and 410 of the Copyright Act. The Office has not attempted to quantify the amount of source code that must remain visible, because the determination of copyrightable expression can never be based on an arbitrary formula. Instead, the Irde.gulation requires “[a]n appreciable amount of original computer code,” meaning sufficient original computer code to constitute recognizable copyrightable expression. Whether a particular deposit meets this standard will be determined on a case-by-case basis. In most cases, the presence of copyrightable authorship is readily apparent. However, if all of the copyrightable expression has been blocked out and only uncopyrightable material remains visible, a member of the Registration Program will ask the applicant to submit an acceptable printout of source code. If the applicant is unable or unwilling to submit a deposit with copyrightable authorship that is visible to tSheee Registration Program, registration may be refused, even if the unblocked portions represent more than fifty percent of the source code shown in the identifying material. Registration of Claims to Copyright Deposit Requirements for Computer Programs Containing Trade Secrets and for Computer Screen Displays, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,173, 13,174 & n.3, 13,175 (Mar. 31, 1989).
Chapter 1500 : 28 12/22/2014 1509.1(C)(4)(e) Special Relief for Computer Programs Containing Trade Secrets If the applicant is unable or unwilling to deposit source code using any of the options discussed in Sections 1509.1(C)(4)(b) and 1509.1(C)(4)(c), the applicant may ask for special relief from the deposit requirements. For information concerning this procedure, sSeeee Section 1508.8.
1509.1(C)(6) Object Code Section 410(a) directs the Register of Copyrights to examine claims to copyright and to determine whether the material deposited “constitutes copyrightable subject matter.” 17 U.S.C. § 410(a). The U.S. Copyright Office considers source code to be the best representation of the copyrightable literary authorship in a computer program for examining purposes. By contrast, object code cannot be examined for copyrightable authorship, because it is written in a machine language that is unintelligible to human beings.
If the applicant is unable to deposit source code, the applicant may submit the first twenty-five pages and last twenty-five pages of object code for the specific version of the program that the applicant intends to register. The applicant must state in writing that the work deposited contains copyrightable authorship, and the applicant must request Chapter 1500 : 29 12/22/2014 registration under the Rule of Doubt. In the case of an online application, this statement should be provided in the Note to Copyright Office field. In the case of a paper application, this statement should be provided in a cover letter. If the object code contains a copyright notice for the program, the applicant should submit the portion of the code where the notice appears. The notice should be underlined or highlighted, and the content of that notice should be decoded and presented in words and numbers that are comprehensible to the Registration Program.
If the applicant submits object code instead of source code, the Registration Program will examine the application to determine whether the formal and legal requirements for registration have been satisfied. However, the Registration Program will not make any determination concerning the existence of copyrightable authorship in the object code, even if the applicant submits other deposit material that clearly contains copyrightable authorship, such as screen displays or a user manual. Instead, the Registration Program will accept the applicant’s assertion that the object code represents an original work of authorship and will register the claim in the work under the Rule of Doubt. This limitSaeteio n will be reflected on the certificate of registration and in the online public record with an annotation, such as: “Regarding deposit: registration made under rule of doubt.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(B). prima facie The annotation indicates that the program has been registered without any examination for copyrightable authorship, and therefore, without a presumption of validity. If there is a legal dispute involving the program, the courts can evaluate the cSoeep ygreingehrtaalblyility of the object code.
Reg. 21,817, 21,819-20 (June 10, 1988).
Chapter 1500 : 30 12/22/2014 When screen displays are specifically claimed in the application for registration, the applicant must submit the appropriate identifying material for the screen displays together with the identifying material for the program code. The applicant may submit a visual reproduction of the screen displays, such as printouts, photographs, or drawings, provided that the reproductions are no smaller than three by three inches and no larger than nine by twelve inches. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(C)(1). Alternatively, the applicant m aCyo msupbemnditi uam C Do-f RUO.SM. C, oDpVyDri-gRhOtM O,f faicned P/orar cat iucsees,r T mhiarndu Eadl iftoior nthe computer program, provided that it contains legible reproductions of the screen displays. (In thSeise respect, the supersedes the Office’s policy statement concerning the registration and deposit of screen displays. 54 Fed. Reg. 13,173, 13,177 (Mar. 31, 1989).)
If the screen displays primarily contain audiovisual material, the applicant should submit that material on a ½ inch VHS format videotape or request special relief. However, if the screen displays simply demonstrate the functions of the computer program, the applicant should submit printouts, photographs, or drawings that meet the size requirements discussed above. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(C)(2). NOTE : If the applicant is unable to submit identifying material using any of these options, the applicant may ask for special relief from the deposit requirements. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 1508.8. In the alternative, the applicant may submit two complete copies of the work as published. 1509.1(C)(8) User Manuals and Other Documentation for a Computer Program User manuals, instructional booklets, flowcharts, and other documentation that explain the development or operatSioeen of a computer program may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that they contain a sufficient amount of original copyrightable authorship. Chapter 700, Section 721.11.
If a user manual or other documentation is published together with a computer program as a singleS euenit, and if all of the copyrightable expression is owned by the same claimant, the program and the documentation may be registered with one application and one filing fee. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(A). By contrast, if the user manual or other documentation is published separately from the computer program or if they are owned by different claimants, each element is considered a separate work and a separate application for each element is required.
To register a computer program together with the user manual or other documentation for that program, the applicant should submit identifying portions of the program code along with one complete copy of the manual or other documentation. (The deposit requirements for computer programs are discussed in Sections 1509.1(C)(1) through 1509.1(C)(6) above.)
To register a user manual or other documentation without asserting a claim in the computer program, the applicant should submit two complete copies of the user manual or other documentation (if the work has been published) or one complete copy of the user manual or other documentation (if the work is unpublished). Chapter 1500 : 31 12/22/2014 1509.1(D) Databases This Section discusses the deposit requirements for registering a specific version of a single-file or multi-file database.
NOTE : A registration for a specific version of a database does not cover previously published versions of that database. Likewise, it does not cover any subsequent updates or revisions that may be made to the database, regardless of whether the database is published or unpublished. However, the Office has established a special procedure that allows applicants to register a database together with the subsequent updates or revisions that were made to that database within a period of three months or less. The deposit requirements for this group registration option are discussed in Chapter 1100, Section 1117.6.
1509.1(D)(1) Databases Fixed in CD-ROMs See If the database has been fixed in a CD-ROM, the applicant should submit “one complete copy of the entire CD-ROM package.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(A). IfS ae em idem. ber of the Registration Program is unable to view the CD-ROM using the equipment available in the U.S. Copyright Office, he or she will communicate with the applicant. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(B).
In all other cases, the applicant should submit identifying portions of the database, as discussed in Sections 1509.1(D)(2) and 1509.1(D)(3) below. 1509.1(D)(2) Databases That Do Not Consist Predominantly of Photographs This Section discusses the deposit requirements for a database that does not consist predominantly of photographs.
The applicant should submit identifying portions for the specific version of the database that the applicant intends to register, regardless of whether the databaSseee is published or unpublished. The identifying portions should be submitted on paper or in microfilm and should be visually perceptible without the aid of a machine or device. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D).
The amount of material that is required varies depending on whether the applicant intends to register a revised database, and whether the database contains a single data file or multiple separate and distincItd d.ata files. For purposes of registration, a data file is a group of records pertaining to a common subject matter, regardless of the size or the a• mount of data within the records. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(2). If the database contains a single data file, the applicant should submit the first • twenty-five pages and last twenty-five pages or equivalent units of the database. If the applicant intends to register a database that contains multiple separate or distinct data files, the applicant should submit fifty complete data records from each data file or the entire data file, whichever is less. In addition, the applicant should submit a descriptive statement containing the information set forth in Chapter 1100, Section 1117.6(C).
Chapter 1500 : 32 12/22/2014 If the applicant intends to register a revised version of a database, the applicant should submit fifty representative pages or data records that were added to or modified in that version. If the revised database contains multiple separate or distinct data files, the applicant also should submit a descriptive statement See icdontaining the information set forth in Chapter 1100, Section 1117.6(C). . § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(1), (3), (4).
If the database contains a copyright notice, the applicant should provide the following i•n formation:
Id. of the notice.
1509.1(D)(3) Databases That Predominantly Consist of Photographs This Section discusses the deposit requirements for a database that consists predominantly of photographs.
In all cases, the applicant must submit a copy of each photograph that is included in the claim. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(8). The applicant may submit the photographs in a hard copy format using one of the formats described in Chapter 1100, Section 1116.4. In the alternative, the applicant may upload the photographs in an electronic format, provided that the applicant obtains permission to use the electronic registration system from the Visual Arts Division, and submits the online application and the deposit copies after consulting with, and under the supervision of, that Division. If the applicant intends to register the authorship involved in selecting, coordinating, and/or arranging the photographs that appear in the database, but does not intend to register the individual photographs, the applicant should submit identifying portions of the database using one of the methods described in Section 1509.1(D)(2). NOTE : In some cases, the Visual Arts Division may ask the applicant to submit additional deposit material, particularly when the claim is submitted using the electronic registration system. For specific guidance, applicants should contact the Visual Arts SDeiev igseionne raatl (ly202) 707-8202.
If a member of the Registration Program is unable to view theS eCeD i-dR.OM using standard Office equipment, the Office may accept alternative deposit materials under a grant of special relief (in addition to the complete CD-ROM package). § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(B). For information concerning this procedure, see Section 1508.8. 1509.1(F) Instructional Works As a general rule, the applicant should submit two copies or phonorecords of the best edition of a published instructional work, such as a cookbook, a user guide or instructional manual that is contained in the package for a computer program, or the instructions for using a machine, appliance, or other device. By contrast, only one copy or phonorecord is required to register the instructions for needlework or a craft kit, regardless of whether the work is published or unpublished. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(J).
Chapter 1500 : 34 12/22/2014 1509.1(G) Tests and Answer Material for Tests To register a test or answer material for a test that was published in another literary work, the applicant should submit two complete copies of that literary work. If the test or answer material for a test is unpublished or if it was not published with another literary work, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the test and/or answer sheets that the applicant intends to register. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vi). For a discussion of the deposit requirements for secure tests, see Chapter 700, Sections
720.2 and 720.4.
1509.1(H) Deposit Requirements for Group Registration Options The Office offers a group registration option for serials, daily newspapers, daily newsletters, contributions to periodicals, and databases. The deposit requirements for •th ese options are discussed in the following sections of Chapter 1100: • Serials: Section 1109.5.
• Daily Newspapers: Section 1110.5.
• Daily Newsletters: Section 1111.5.
• Contributions to Periodicals: Section 1115.5.
1509.1(I) Foreign Literary Works To register an unpublished literary work that was created by a citizen or national of a foreign country, the applicant should submit one complete copy or phonorecord that contains all the authorship claimed on the application. To registSeer ea literary work that was publissehee dal ssoolely in a foreign country, the applicant should submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first published in that country. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(iv); 37 C.F.R., pt. 202, app. B (“For works first published only in a country other than the United States, the law requires the deposit of the best edition as first published.”)
If the work was first published in a foreign country and then subsequently published in the United States, the applicant may submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first pSuebelished in the foreign country. Alternatively, the applicant may submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the best edition of the work as published in the United States. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(iv). As discussed in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular work arCei lricsuteladr i7nB t:h Bee “sBt eEsdt iEtidoint ioofn PStuabtleismheendt C” ospeyt rfiogrhthte idn W Aoprpkesn fdoirx t Bh et oC oPlalerct t2io0n2s ooff tthhee OLifbfircaer’sy roefg Cuolnatgiroensss. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
Chapter 1500 : 35 12/22/2014 1509.1(J) GATT Literary Works The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (“GATT”) is an international trade agreement. To register a published literary work that was restored to copyright protection in the United States under GATT, the applicant may submit deposit copy(ies) in the following formats listed in descending order of preference:
1. The work as first published.
2. A reprint or rerelease of the work as first published.
3. A photocopy or identical reproduction of the work as first published.
4. A revised version which includes a substantial amount of the copyrightable content of the restored work with an indication in writing of the percentage of the restored See work appearing in the revision.
1509.1(K) Deposit Requirements for Literary Works: At a Glance The following charts provide a brief summary of the deposit requirements for registering various types of literary works. For a detailed discussion of these requirements, see Sections 1509.1(A) through 1509.1(J) above. General Requirements Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Unpublished works n/a One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content Works first published in the Two complete copies of the n/a United States before 1/1/78 work as first published Works first published in the Two complete copies of the best n/a United States between 1/1/78 edition (including the copyright and 3/1/89 that are not listed notice for the first published below edition)
Works first published in the Two complete copies of the best n/a United States after 3/1/89 that edition are not listed below Chapter 1500 : 36 12/22/2014 Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Works that are not listed below One complete copy of the work n/a that are published solely in a as first published in the foreign foreign country country Works that are not listed below One complete copy of the work n/a that are first published in a as first published in the foreign foreign country and country or one complete copy of subsequently published in the the best edition as published in United States the United States Literary works published solely Two complete copies of the best n/a in hard copy format that are not edition in hard copy format listed below Literary works published in Two complete copies of the best n/a hard copy and electronic format edition in hard copy format that are not listed below See Literary works published solely Section 1507.2 n/a in electronic format that are not listed below Serials and Contributions to Collective Works Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Serials Two complete copies of the best One complete copy edition representing the entire copyrightable content Contributions to collective One complete copy of the best One complete copy works other than newspapers edition of the collective work, representing the entire the entire page containing the copyrightable content contribution, or a photocopy or other reproduction of the contribution Contributions to newspapers One complete section containing One complete copy the contribution or a cut out of representing the entire the contribution from the copyrightable content newspaper Chapter 1500 : 37 12/22/2014 Computer Programs Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Computer programs Submit the first and last Submit the first and last twenty-five pages (or twenty-five pages (or equivalent units) of the source equivalent units) of the source code. Additionally, a page or code. Additionally, a page or the equivalent unit that the equivalent unit that contains the notice (if any) contains the notice (if any) Derivative computer programs If revisions occur throughout If revisions occur throughout the program, submit the first the program, submit the first and last twenty-five pages of and last twenty-five pages of the source code. If revisions do the source code. If revisions do not appear in the first or last not appear in the first or last twenty-five pages, submit fifty twenty-five pages, submit fifty pages of source code pages of source code containing revised material. In containing revised material. In both cases, submit the page of both cases, submit the page of the source code that contains the source code that contains the notice (if any). the notice (if any).
Multi-file databases Fifty complete data records Fifty complete data records from each data file or the entire from each data file or the data file (whichever is less), entire data file (whichever is together with a descriptive less), together with a statement containing the descriptive statement information set forth in Chapter containing the information set 1100, Section 1117.6(C), and a forth in Chapter 1100, Section copy of the notice (if any) 1117.6(C), and a copy of the notice (if any)
Revised single file databases Fifty representative pages or Fifty representative pages or data records that were added to data records that were added or modified in the specific to or modified in the specific version of the database that the version of the database that applicant intends to register, the applicant intends to together with a copy of the register, together with a copy notice (if any) of the notice (if any)
Revised multi-file databases Fifty representative pages or Fifty representative pages or data records that were added to data records that were added or modified in the specific to or modified in the specific version of the database that the version of the database that applicant intends to register, the applicant intends to together with (i) a copy of the register, together with (i) a notice (if any), and (ii) a copy of the notice (if any) and descriptive statement (ii) a descriptive statement containing the information set containing the information set forth in Chapter 1100, Section forth in Chapter 1100, Section 1117.6(C) 1117.6(C)
Chapter 1500 : 41 12/22/2014
1509.2 Deposit Requirements for Works of the Performing Arts
The U.S. Copyright Office uses the term “work of the performing arts” to refer c•o llectively to the following works of authorship:
• Musical Works, including any accompanying words.
• Sound Recordings.
• Dramatic Works, including any accompanying music.
• Choreographic works.
• Pantomimes.
• Audiovisual Works.
The Copyright Act does not define the term “work of the performing arts,” nor does it provide definitions for the majority of the works listed above. As a general matter, a work that was created to be performed “directly before an audience or indirectly by means of a device or process” is a work of the performing arts. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(ii).
The deposit requirements for certain works of the performing arts are discussed in Sections 1509.2(A) through 1509.2(G). Section 1509.2(I) contains a series of charts that summarize the deposit requirements for these types of works. For detailed information on the copyrightability and registration of works of the performing arts, see Chapter 800. 1509.2(A) Musical Works e.g., e.g.
Musical works may be fixed in visually perceptible copies ( sheet music), on phonorecords ( , an audio recording), or in a motion picture or other audiovisual work. 1509.2(A)(1) Unpublished Musical Works To register an unpublished musical work, the applicant should submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work that contains all the authorship claimed on the application.
1509.2(A)(2) Musical Works Published in Copies To register a musical work first published in the United States in printed copies (or in both printed copies and phonorecords), the applicant should submit two complete copies of the best edition of the work.
As discussed in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular work are listed in the “Best Edition Statement” set forth in Appendix B to Part 202 of the Office’s regulations. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s Chapter 1500 : 42 12/22/2014 Circular 7B: Best Edition of Published Copyrighted Works for the Collections of the Library of Congress website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
1509.2(A)(3) Musical Works Published on Phonorecords To register a musical work first published in the United States only in phonorecords the applicant should submit one complete phonorecord of the best edition of the work. 1509.2(A)(4) Musical Works Published by Rental, Lease, or Lending To register a musical work published solely by rental, lease, or lending, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the best edition (if the work was published only in copies) or one complete copy or phonorecord of the best edition (if the work was published in both copies and phonorecords). 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(E). Id If the musical work was published solely by rental, lease, or lending as a full score and parts, the full score is considereIdd. the complete copy. . § 202.20(b)(2)(vi)(A). If the musical work was published as a conductor’s score and parts, the conductor’s score is considered the complete copy. § 202.20(b)(2)(vi)(B).
1509.2(A)(5) Musical Works Published Only in Motion Pictures To register a musical work that was published only as embodied in a motion picture, the applicant may submit identifying material instead of submitting a copy of the actual m• otion picture. Specifically, the applicant may submit the following: • A transcription of the entire musical work; or A reproduction of the entire musical work on a phonorecord, and photographs or other reproductions from the motion picture showing the title of the motion picture, See the credits for the soundtrack, and the copyright notice for the soundtrack (if any). 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.20(c)(2)(i)(I), 202.20(c)(2)(xii), 202.21(f). 1509.2(A)(6) Musical Works Published in Electronic Format To register a musical work published in both electronic and hard copy formats, the applicant should submit complete copy(ies) or phonorecord(s) of the best edition in the hard copy format. If the musical work was published solely in electronic format, the applicant may submit digital files containing a complete copy or phonorecord of the work, provided that the requirements set forth in Section 1507.2 have been met. 1509.2(B) Sound Recordings 1509.2(B)(1) Unpublished Sound Recordings To register an unpublished sound recording, the applicant should submit one complete phonorecord of the work that contains all of the authorship claimed on the application. Chapter 1500 : 43 12/22/2014 1509.2(B)(2) Published Sound Recordings To register a sound recording first published in the United States, the applicant should submit two complete phonorecords of the best edition of the work. As discussed in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular wCiorrcku laarre 7 lBis:t Bedes itn E tdhieti “oBne osft PEudbitliisohne Sdt Catoepmyreinght”t esdet W foorrtkhs ifno rA tphpee Cnodlilxe cBt itoon Ps aorf t 2th0e2 L oibf rtharey O offf iCcoen’sg rreegssulations. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
The deposit for a claim in a sound recording is considered complete when it “includes the phonorecord, together with any printed or other visually perceptible material” that was published with the sound recording, such as cover art, liner notes, or the sound recording container. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.19(b)(2); 202.20(b)(2)(v). For example, the Office will not accept a CD in a plain jewel case as the deposit copy for a claim in a published sound recording if the sound recording was marketed with cover art and liner notes. 1509.2(B)(3) Sound Recordings Published in Electronic Format To register a sound recording published in both electronic and hard copy formats, the applicant should submit complete phonorecords of the best edition in the hard copy format. If the sound recording was published solely in electronic format, the applicant may submit digital files containing a complete phonorecord of the work, provided that the requirements set forth in Section 1507.2 have been met. 1509.2(C) Dramatic Works e.g., e.g Dramatic works may be fixed in visually perceptible copies ( a printed script), on phonorecords ( ., an audio recording), or in a motion picture or other audiovisual work. 1509.2(C)(1) Unpublished Dramatic Works To register an unpublished dramatic work, the applicant should submit one complete copy or phonorecord that contains all the authorship claimed in the application. 1509.2(C)(2) Published Dramatic Works To register a dramatic work first published in the United States in visually perceptible copies, the applicant generally should submit two complete copies oSfe tehe best edition of the work. If the dramatic work was published solely in electronic form, the applicant may submit a digital file containing one complete copy of the work. Section 1507.2. To register a dramatic work first published on phonorecords in the United States, the applicant should submit one complete phonorecord of the best edition of the work. As discussed in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular Cwiorcrukl aarre 7 lBis: tBeeds tin E tdhitei o“Bn eosft P Eudbiltiisohne dS tCaotepmyreignht”te sde tW foorrtkhs ifno rA tphpee Cnodlliexc Bti oton sP oafr tt h2e0 L2i borf atrhye Ooff fCicoen’gsr reesgsulations. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
Chapter 1500 : 44 12/22/2014 If the dramatic work was first published in a motion picture in the United States and if the dramatic work and the motion picture are authored and/or owned by the same party, the applicant may satisfy the deposit requirements for both works by submitting one complete copy of the motion picture together with the separate written description described in Section 1509.2(F)(1). A separate copy of the screenplay is not required. If the dramatic work and the motion picture are not authored or owned by the same party, the applicant may submit one compete copy of the screenplay together with the identifying material described in Section 202.21(f) of the regulations in lieu of submitting an actual copy of the motion picture.
1509.2(D) Choreographic Works and Pantomimes Choreographic works and pantomimes generally are fixed in visually perceptible copies, because these types of works are based on the physical movements of a person’s body. The forms of fSixeaetion for choreography and pantomime typically include dance notation, motion pictures, textual descriptions, as well as drawings, illustrations, and/or photographs. Chapter 800, Sections 805.3(D) and 806.3(D). 1509.2(D)(1) Unpublished Choreographic Works and Pantomimes To register an unpublished choreographic work or pantomime, the applicant should submit one complete copy that contains all the authorship claimed on the application, regardless of the medium in which it is fixed.
1509.2(D)(2) Published Choreographic Works and Pantomimes To register a choreographic work or pantomime first published in a motion picture, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the best edition of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(I).
If the work was first published in the United States in printed copies, the applicant generally should submit two complete copiSeese of the best edition of the work. If the work was published solely in electronic form, the applicant may submit a digital file containing one complete copy of the work. Section 1507.2. As discussed in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular wCiorrcku laarre 7 lBis:t Bedes itn E tdhieti “oBne osft PEudbitliisohne Sdt Catoepmyreinght”t esde tW foorrtkhs ifno rA tphpee Cnodlilxe cBt itoon Ps aorf t t2h0e2 L oibf rtharey O offf iCcoen’sg rreegsuslations. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
1509.2(E) Audiovisual Works The term “audiovisual works” encompasses many categories of works that are “intrinsically intended to be shown by the use of machines or devices . . . .” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Motion pictures represent the largest category of audiovisual works; these types of works are discussed in Section 1509.2(F). The audiovisual components of computer screen displays are discussed in Section 1509.1(C)(7). For all other types of audiovisual Chapter 1500 : 45 12/22/2014 works, the deposit requirements vary depending on whether the work has been fixed on a CD-ROM or another type of machine-readable copy.
1509.2(E)(1) Audiovisual Works Fixed in a CD-ROM To register an audiovisual work that is fixed in a CD-ROM the applicant should submit one complete copy of the entire CD-ROM package, “including a complete copy of any accompanying operating software and instructional manual . . . .” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(A).
A complete copy of a published CD-ROM package includes all the elements comprising the applicableI du.nit of publication, “including elements that if considered separately would not be copyrightable subject matter or could be the subject of a separate registration.”
If a member of the Registration Program is unable to view theS eCeD i-dR.OM using standard Office equipment, the Office may accept alternative deposit materials under a grant of special relief (in addition to the complete CD-ROM package). § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(B).
If the work has been fixed in any other medium of expression, the applicant should refer to Section 1509.2(E)(2).
1509.2(E)(2) Audiovisual Works Fixed in Machine-Readable Copies Other Than a CD-ROM To register an audiovisual work that has been fixed or published solely in machine- readable copies other than a CD-ROM, the applicant should submit identifying material, s•u ch as:
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(viii)(B). The applicant also may submit any packaging and/or instructional material that accompanies the pictorial images, if that material contains copyrightable authorship.
Examples of audiovisual works that fall within this category include arcade games and videogames that are not fixed on CD-ROMs.
In all cases, the apIpdl.icant should include the title of the work on the identifying material. If the work has been published the applicant also should include the copyright notice for the work (if any). § 202.20(c)(2)(viii).
NOTE : If the applicant is unable to submit identifying material using any of these options, the applicant may ask for special relief from the deposit requirements. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 1508.8. Chapter 1500 : 46 12/22/2014 1509.2(E)(3) Audiovisual Works Published in Electronic Format To register an audiovisual work published in electronic and hard copy formats, the applicant should submit two complete copies of the best edition in the hard copy format. If the audiovisual work was published solely in electronic format, the applicant may submit digital files containing a complete copy of the work, provided that the requirements set forth in Section 1507.2 have been met. 1509.2(F) Motion Pictures 1509.2(F)(1) Unpublished and Published Motion Pictures To register an unpublished or published motion picture, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(iiI)d. I.n addition, the applicant should submit a separate written description of the nature and general content of the work, such as a continuity, pressbook, synopsis, or script. A copy of a motion picture is complete when “the reproduction of all of the visual and aural elements comprising the copyrightable subject matter in the work is clean, undamaged, undeteriorated, and free of splices, and if the copy itself and its physical housing are free of any defects that would interfere with the performance of the work or that would cause mechanical, visual, or audible defects or distortions.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(vii).
If the motion picture was first published in the United States between January 1, 1978 and March 1, 1989, the U.S. Copyright Office must examine the work for the required copyright notice. In such cases, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the best edition of the motion picture. If the best edition is in an unviewable format, the applicant should submit the best edition copy along with a copy that the Office can view, such as a DVD or video file. For information concerning the notice requirements for works published in the United States between January 1, 1978 and March 1, 1989, see Chapter 2200.
1509.2(F)(2) Alternate Deposit Option for Unpublished Motion Pictures To register an unpublished motion picture, the applicant may submit identifying material in lieu of submitting an actual copy of the work, provided that the identifying m• aterial consists of one of the following:
In addition, the applicant must submit a separate written description, such as a continuity, a pressbook, or a synopsis. In all cases the description must contain the following information:
Chapter 1500 : 47 12/22/2014 • The title or continuing title of the work, and the episode title, if any; • The nature and general content of the program;
• The date of first transmission (if any);
• The running time; and Id. The credits appearing on the work (if any).
1509.2(F)(3) Motion Pictures Contained in Unviewable Formats The U.S. Copyright Office may not have equipment to view motion pictures published in certain formats. If the applicant submits a motion picture that cannot be viewed, the s•e parate written description must contain the following information: • The continuing title of the work and the episode title (if any); • The nature and general content of the program and its dialog or narration (if any); • The running time; and All cr edits appearing on the work, including the copyright notice (if any). 37 C.F.R.§ 202.21(h). At the discretion of the Office, a member of the Registration Program may communicate with the applicant in some cases to request a viewable copy of the work for examination purposes.
1509.2(F)(4) The Motion Picture Agreement The Library of Congress may, at its sole discretion, enter into an agreement permitting the return of copies of published motion picturSeese to the applicant under certain conditions and establishing certain rights and obligations with respect to such copies on the part of both the applicant and the Library. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(ii). The current Motion Picture Agreement states that after a motion picture has been registered, the deposit copy will be returned to the applicant upon written request. However, the applicant may be required to resubmit a copy of the work for the Library’s permanent collection within a period of two years. By signing the AgreemeSneet, the applicant agrees to provide the Library with a copy that meets the archival quality standards set forth in the Agreement in the event that the film is recalled. Deposit Requirements; Motion Pictures, 43 Fed. Reg. 12,320, 12,322-24 (Mar. 24, 1978). Applicants may request a copy of the Motion Picture Agreement by calling the Office’s Motion Picture Team at (202) 707-8182.
Chapter 1500 : 48 12/22/2014 1509.2(F)(4)(a) Who May Enter Into the Motion Picture Agreement? The Motion Picture Agreement may be used by the owner of copyright in a published work or the owner of the exclusive right of publication (including the exclusive right to distribute the work in the United States). The Agreement only refers to works first published in the United States.
The Agreement may also be used by the owner of copyright in a work initially published outside the United States, but later published in this country prior to the date of deposit. Works published only outside the United States may be made subject to the Agreement if (i) the owner of copyright executes the Motion Picture Agreement together with the Standard Modification of the Agreement, and (ii) if that party has an established business office in the United States or has designated an agent in the United States with express authority to receive service in the event the Agreement is breached. Applicants may request a copy of the Standard Modification of the Motion Picture Agreement by calling the Office’s Motion Picture Team at (202) 707-8182. 1509.2(F)(4)(b) Who May Sign the Motion Picture Agreement? The Motion Picture Agreement may be signed by an individual applicant or his or her legal representative. A business entity may sign the Agreement through a legal representative empowered to bind the entity, such as an officer of a corporation, an attorney for the applicant, or another agent who is satisfactory to the Library of Congress. In certain cases, the signing party may be required to complete the Standard Modification to the Motion Picture Agreement. Legal representatives may also be required to sign a bond that subjects that party to certain liability under the Agreement. 1509.2(F)(4)(c) The Supplementary Property Agreement If the applicant has entered into the Motion Picture Agreement the Office may accept a deposit copy in a format other than the best edition if the applicant signs the Supplementary Property Agreement. By signing the Supplemental Property Agreement, the applicant agrees to resubmit a best edition copy of archival quality if the Library of Congress demands a copy of the motion picture under the Motion Picture Agreement. Applicants may request a copy of the Supplementary Property Agreement by calling the Office’s Motion Picture Team at (202) 707-8182.
1509.2(F)(4)(d) Return of the Deposit Copy Under the Motion Picture Agreement The U.S. Copyright Office will return the deposit copy to the applicant pursuant to the Motion Picture Agreement if the applicant submits a specific written request. In particular, if the applicant signs the Supplementary Property Agreement discussed in Section 1509.2(F)(4)(c), that document will be interpreted as a written request for the return of the deposit copy.
If the work is to be returned by a private courier designated by the applicant, the applicant should include shipping instructions with the request. The instructions should indicate that the motion picture is to be returned at the applicant’s expense and it Chapter 1500 : 49 12/22/2014 should include the name of the courier, an account number (if any), a declaration of value, and the amount of insurance required.
If the applicant requests, the motion picture will be shipped collect by means of a private courier chosen by the Library of Congress, with insurance coverage at the applicant’s expense, to the amount of the declared value. If no value has been declared, the amount of the insurance will be based on the estimated replacement cost for a copy of identical physical characteristics produced by a commercial laboratory. Unless the Office is otherwise directed in writing at the time of deposit, motion pictures will be returned to the applicant by Special Fourth Class Mail. In such cases, the Library of Congress does not assume any responsibility for providing insurance. Because of the high risk of loss with respect to certain films, the Office ordinarily will attempt to contact applicants who submit 35mm feature films, oversize deposits, and copies of special value for instructions for return by private courier at the applicant’s expense. 1509.2(F)(4)(e) Recall of the Deposit Copy Under the Motion Picture Agreement At any time within two years from the date of the initial deposit, the Library of Congress may make a written request that a copy of archival quality be submitted for its permanent collections under the terms of the Motion Picture Agreement. The party receiving the request must submit one complete copy of the film, meeting the standards set forth in Appendix A of the Agreement, to the Library at the address specified in the request within six months from the date of the recall.
1509.2(F)(4)(f) Quality of the Copy Deposited Under the Motion Picture Agreement If an applicant has signed the Motion Picture Agreement and submits a deposit copy without requesting the return of that copy, the motion picture is considered a “non- agreement” film and is treated as though there is no Agreement on file. The standards governing the quality of a non-agreement film are set forth in Sections 1509.2(F)(1) and 1509.2(F)(2), and the special “archival quality” standards set forth in the Motion Picture Agreement and Appendix A thereto do not apply. That said, any copy recalled by the Library of Congress under the Agreement must meet all the technical guidelines set forth in Appendix A to the Agreement.
1509.2(F)(4)(g) Termination of the Motion Picture Agreement The Library of Congress may terminate the Motion Picture Agreement for any good cause, including single or repeated instances involving a breach of the Agreement. If the Library terminates an Agreement, the termination applies only to motion pictures deposited after the termination, and does not affect the rights or obligations of either party with respect to any copies previously deposited or returned under the Agreement. If the Library terminates the Agreement, it will not reinstate the Agreement or enter into any similar or subsequent agreement with the applicant or its successors in interest, unless the Library determines in its sole discretion that doing so would be in the best interests of the Library. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(ii). Chapter 1500 : 50 12/22/2014 1509.2(G) Foreign Works of the Performing Arts To register an unpublished work of the performing arts that was created by a citizen or national of a foreign country, the applicant should submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work that contains all the authorship claimed on the application. To register a work of the performing arts that was publsieseh eadls soolely in a foreign country, the applicant should submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first published in that country. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(iv); 37 C.F.R., pt. 202, app. B (“For works first published only in a country other than the United States, the law requires the deposit of the best edition as first published.”) If the work was published in a foreign country and then subsequently published in the United States, the applicant may submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first Speueb ildis.hed in the foreign country. Alternatively, the applicant may submit one complete copy or phonorecord of the best edition of the work as published in the United States. As discussed in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular work are lCisirtceudl ainr 7thBe: B“Beests tE Edditiitoionn o fS Ptautbelmisehnedt” C soept yforirgthht iend Works Afoprp thene dCioxl lBec ttoio Pnasr otf 2 t0he2 Loifb trhaer yO offf iCceo’nsg rreegsuslations. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
1509.2(H) GATT Works of the Performing Arts GATT is an international trade agreement that extended copyright protection to certain classes of works that were in the public domain in the United States, such as sound recordings that were first fixed outside the United States before February 15, 1972. For information concerning the deposit requirements for such works, see Section 1509.1(J). 1509.2(I) Registration Deposit Requirements for Works of the Performing Arts: At a Glance The following charts provide a brief summary of the deposit requirements for various types of works of the performing arts. For a detailed discussion of these requirements, see Sections 1509.2(A) through 1509.2(H) above.
General Requirements Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Unpublished works n/a One complete copy or phonorecord representing the entire copyrightable content Works first published in the Two complete copies or n/a United States before 1/1/78 phonorecords of the work as first published Chapter 1500 : 51 12/22/2014 Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Works first published in the Two complete copies or n/a United States between 1/1/78 phonorecords of the best and 3/1/89 that are not listed edition (including the below copyright notice for the first published edition)
Works first published in the Two complete copies or n/a United States on or after 3/1/89 phonorecords of the best that are not listed below edition Works that are not listed below One complete copy or n/a that are published solely in a phonorecord of the work as foreign country first published in the foreign country Works that are not listed below One complete copy or n/a that are first published in a phonorecord of the work as foreign country and first published in the foreign subsequently published in the country or one complete copy United States that are not listed of the best edition as below published in the United States Musical Works Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Unpublished musical works n/a One complete copy or phonorecord representing the entire copyrightable content Musical works published in Two complete copies of the n/a printed copies best edition Musical works published only in One complete phonorecord of n/a phonorecords the best edition See Musical works published solely Section 1509.2(A)(4) n/a by rental, lease, or lending See Musical works published only in Section 1509.2(A)(5) n/a motion pictures Chapter 1500 : 52 12/22/2014 Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Musical works published solely Two complete copies or one n/a in hard copy complete phonorecord of the best edition in hard copy format Musical works published in hard Two complete copies or one n/a copy and electronic format complete phonorecord of the best edition in hard copy format See Musical works published solely Sections 1507.2 and n/a in electronic format 1509.2(A)(6)
Musical works fixed in One complete copy of the best One complete copy representing multimedia kits edition the entire copyrightable content Sound Recordings Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Sound recordings Two complete phonorecords One complete phonorecord of the best edition representing the entire copyrightable content Sound recordings published Two complete phonorecords n/a solely in hard copy format of the best edition in hard copy format Sound recordings published in Two complete phonorecords n/a hard copy and electronic format of the best edition in hard copy format See Sound recordings published Sections 1507.2 and n/a solely in electronic format 1509.2(B)(3)
Sound recordings fixed in One complete phonorecord of One complete copy representing multimedia kits the best edition the entire copyrightable content Chapter 1500 : 53 12/22/2014 Dramatic Works Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Dramatic works fixed in visually Two complete copies of the One complete copy representing perceptible copies best edition the entire copyrightable content Dramatic works fixed in One complete phonorecord of One complete phonorecord phonorecords the best edition representing the entire copyrightable content See Dramatic works fixed in motion Section 1509.2(C)(2) One complete copy representing pictures the entire copyrightable content See Dramatic works published Sections 1507.2 and n/a solely in electronic format 1509.2(C)(2)
Choreographic Works and Pantomimes Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Choreographic works fixed in Two complete copies of the One complete copy representing printed copies best edition the entire copyrightable content Choreographic works fixed in One complete copy of the best One complete copy representing motion pictures edition the entire copyrightable content Pantomimes fixed in printed Two complete copies of the One complete copy representing copies best edition the entire copyrightable content Pantomimes fixed in motion One complete copy of the best One complete copy representing pictures edition the entire copyrightable content See Choreographic works or Sections 1507.2 and n/a pantomimes published solely in 1509.2(D)(2)
electronic format Chapter 1500 : 54 12/22/2014 Audiovisual Works Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Motion pictures One complete copy oSf etehe best One complete copy of the best edition and a separate edition and a written description, written description. or in the alternative, identifying Section 1509.2(F). material and a written description co ntaining the information set forth in Section 1509.2(F)(2)
Audiovisual works fixed in One complete copy of the best One complete copy representing multimedia kits edition the entire copyrightable content Chapter 1500 : 55 12/22/2014 Motion Pictures Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Motion pictures One completSee ceopy of the best One complete copy of the best edition and a separate written edition and a written description, description. Section or in the alternative, identifying 1509.2(F). material and a separate written description containing the information set forth in Section 1509.2(F)(2)
1509.3 Visual Arts Works
The U.S. Copyright Office uses the term “visual arts works” to refer collectively to the f•o llowing typee.sg o.,f works:
• Fine art ( painting and sculpture).
• Graphic art. e.g., • Applied art ( art applied to an article).
• Photographs.
• Prints and art reproductions.
• Maps, globes, and other cartographic materials.
• Technical drawings, including architectural plans.
• Diagrams.
• Models. e.g., Artistic crafts ( textiles, jewelry, glassware, table service patterns, wall plaques, toys, dolls, stuffed toy animals, models, and the separable artistic features of two- • dimensional and three-dimensional useful articles).
The deposit requirements for certain visual arts works are discussed in Sections 1509.3(A) through 1509.3(E). Section 1509.3(F) contains a series of charts that Chapter 1500 : 56 12/22/2014 summarize the deposit requirements for these types of works. For detailed information on the copyrightability and registration of visual arts works, see Chapter 900. 1509.3(A) Two-Dimensional Visual Arts Works 1509.3(A)(1) Unpublished Works To register an unpublished pictorial or graphic work, the applicant may submit identifying material instead of submitting an actual copy of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(iv). For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C).
NOTE : There is a limited exception to this rule for unpublished works fixed solely in a CD-ROM, which are discussed in Section 1509.3(A)(11).
1509.3(A)(2) Published Works To register a pictorial or graphic work first published in the United States, the applicant generally should submit two complete copies of the best edition. NOTE : There are several exceptions to this rule, that are discussed in Sections 1509.3(A)(3) through 1509.3(A)(12).
1509.3(A)(3) Certain Limited Editions This Section discusses the deposit requirements for certain visual arts works that are published in a limited edition.
If an individual author owns the copyright in the work, the applicant may submit one complete copy of the best edition, or in alternative, the applicant may submit identifying m• aterial, provided that one of the following conditions has been met: • Less than five copies of the work have been published; or The work has been published and sold or offered for sale in a limited edition consisting of no more than 300 numbered copies.
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(iv). For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C).
1509.3(A)(4) Works Reproduced in Sheet-like Materials This Section discusses the deposit requirements for pictorial or graphic works that are reproduced solely in “sheet-like material.” This category includes two-dimensional •w orks that are fixed and/or published in the following types of material: • Textiles and other fabrics.
Chapter 1500 : 57 12/22/2014 • Carpeting.
• Floor tile, and similar commercial floor coverings.
If a visual arts work has been reproduced solely on sheet-like material, the applicant s•h ould submit the following:
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(x).
If the work contains a repeating pictorial or graphic design, the applicant should submit a copy of the complete design together with a partial repeat of that design. The applicant should submit a copy that shows the actual color(s) of the design, including any alternate color variations of the design. The applicant may upload an electronic copy of the work through the online registration system or may submit a hard copy of the work by mail, by courier, or by hand delivery. The applicant should not submit both electronic and hard copy deposits; a member of the Registration Program will communicate with the applicant if an electronic copy is unacceptable or inadequate for any reason.
Applicants should not submit CAD drawings as the sole form of deposit, because these types of drawings generally do not show the actual fixed or published design. When including CAD drawings in the deposit, the applicant should submit the drawings together with other identifying material, such as photographs or scanned images showing the actual work fixed in fabric or other sheet-like material or showing the actual published edition of the work.
The applicant should not submit CAD drawings or photos of the work if the copyright claim is based all or in part on the elevations, embroidery, tufts, looms, or other textural design aspects in carpet, wallpaper, or other sheet-like material. Instead, the applicant should submit an actual swatch or piece of material that shows the textural design aspects that are claimed in the application.
1509.3(A)(5) Published Greeting Cards, Picture Postcards, and Stationery To register published greeting cards, picture postcards, or stationery, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the best edition of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(C).
Chapter 1500 : 58 12/22/2014 1509.3(A)(6) Published Calendars, Decals, Fabric Patches, or Emblems To register published calendars or two-dimensional decals, fabric patches, or emblems, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the best edition of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(J).
1509.3(A)(7) Published Games A two-dimensional game may be registered as a work of the visual arts if the predominant form of authorship consists of pictorial or graphic authorship, such as board games, playing cards, and the like.
To register a two-dimensional game that has been published, the applicant should sIdu.b; smeeit one complete copy of the best edition.
Reg. 41,975, 41,976 (Sept. 19, 1978).
1509.3(A)(8) Published Needlework and Craft Kits To register needlework or a craft kit, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the best edition of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(J). 1509.3(A)(9) Published Commercial Prints, Labels, and Other Advertising Matter To register prints, labels, and other advertising matter published in connection with the rental, lease, lending, licensing, or sale of services, articles of merchandise, or works of authorship, the applicant generally should submit one complete copy of the best edition of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(v).
If the print or label is published in a larger work, such as a nIedw. spaper or other periodical, the applicant may submit one copy of the entire page or pages where the work appears instead of submitting the entire larger work. If the print or labeIld i.s physically inseparable from a three-dimensional object, the applicant generally must submit identifying material instead of submitting an actual copy of the work. For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C).
NOTE : The rules discussed above do not apply to advertising material published in connection with motion pictures. The deposit requirements for such works are set forth in Section 1509.3(A)(2).
1509.3(A)(10) Pictorial or Graphic Works Reproduced on Three-Dimensional Containers or Holders This Section discusses the deposit requirements for pictorial or graphic works reproduced on three-dimensional containers or holders, such as boxes, cases, and cartons, that can be readily opened out, unfolded, slit at the corners, or in some other way made adaptable for flat storage. The applicant should submit one copy of the work Chapter 1500 : 59 12/22/2014 if the copy, when flattened, does not exceed ninety-six inches in any dimension. The applicant may submit identifying material if the copy, when flattened, exceeds ninety-six inches in any dimension. For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C).
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(K), (c)(2)(xi)(B)(4).
1509.3(A)(11) Visual Art Works Fixed in a CD-ROM To register a pictorial or graphic work that is fixed in a CD-ROM the applicant should submit one complete copy of the entire CD-ROM package, regardless of whether the work is published or unpublished. If the work is fixed in print as well as the CD-ROM, the applicant also should submit a printed version of the work that is embodied in the CD- ROM. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(A).
A complete copy of a published CD-ROM package includes all of the elements comprising the applicable unit of publication, “including elements that if considered separately would not be copyrightableI dsubject matter or could be the subject of a separate registration” and “including a complete copy of any accompanying operating software and instructional manual.” .
If a member of the Registration Program is unable to view theS eCeD i-dR.OM using standard Office equipment, the Office may accept alternative deposit materials under a grant of special relief (in addition to the complete CD-ROM package). § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(B).
1509.3(A)(12) Deposit Requirements for Group Registration of Published Photographs The Office has established a procedure that allows copyright owners to register a group of published photographs or a database consisting predominantly of photographs with one application, one filing fee, and one set of deposit copies. The deposit requirements for this group registration option are discussed in Chapter 1100, Sections 1116.4 and 1117.6. 1509.3(B) Three-Dimensional Visual Arts Works 1509.3(B)(1) Identifying Material Required When registering statues, carvings, ceramics, moldings, constructions, models, maquettes, or other three-dimensional sculptures, the applicant generally must submit identifying material instead of submitting an actual copy of the work, regardless of whether the work is published or unpublished. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(A)(1). Likewise, the applicant generally must submit identifying maItderial instead of submitting an actual copy of the work when registering jewelry, dolls, toys, or when registering any three-dimensional work that is embodied in a useful article. . § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(A)(2). For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C).
NOTE : There are several exceptions to this rule, which are discussed in Section 1509.3(B)(2).
Chapter 1500 : 60 12/22/2014 1509.3(B)(2) Actual Copy(ies) Permitted in Some Exceptional Cases When registering the following types of works the applicant may submit one complete c•o py in lieu of identifying material:
NOTE : For all other three-dimensional works, the applicant must submit identifying material instead of submitting an actual copy of the work. For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C). 1509.3(C) Identifying Material When registering a visual arts work with identifying material, the applicant should submit photographic prints, transparencies, photosStaetes, drawings, or similar two- dimensional reproductions or renderings of the work in a form that is visually perceptible without the aid of a machine or device. 37 C.F.R. § 20I2d..21(a). The applicant should submit as many pieces of identifying material as necessary to show the entire copyrightable content of the work claiImd.e d in the application. § 202.21(b). In addition, the applicant should include the title of the work on the front, back, or mount for at least one piece of identifying material. § 202.21(d). When registering a pictorial or graphic work, the identifying material sh oIdu.l d reproduce the actual colors employed in the work. In all other cases, the identifying material may be black and white or may consist of a reproduction of the actual colors. § 202.21(a). Id If the work has been published with a copyright notice, the location and content of the notice should be included on at least one piece of identifying material. . § 202.21(e). If the work was published without a notice, applicants may include any proprietary information concerning the owner, publisher, or distributor that was published on the work or on a tag, label, or packaging for the work.
Chapter 1500 : 61 12/22/2014 NOTE : When registering a three-dimensional sculptural work fixed or published solely in the form of jewelry cast in base metal that exceeds four inches in any dimension, applicants are encouraged to submit photographs of the actual jewelry together with hand-drawn sketches or CAD drawings. If possible, applicants should eliminate reflected glare on the surface of the jewelry because it may inhibit the examination of the work. Because a registration only covers the copyrightable authorship that is clearly shown in the identifying material, applicants are also encouraged to submit images of the jewelry from multiple perspectives, such as front, back, top-down, bottom, and side views. 1509.3(D) Architectural Works This Section discusses the deposit requirements for published or unpublished architectural works.
An “architectural work” is “the design of a building as embodied in any tangible medium of expression, including a building, architectural plans, or drawings. The work includes the overall form as well as the arrangement and composition of spaces and elements in the design, but does not include individual standard features.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. For information on the copyrightability and registrability of architectural works, see Chapter 900, Section 923.
In all cases, the applicant should submit one complete copy of an architectural drawing or blueprint in visually perceptible form showing the overall form of the building ( , drawings of the front, rear, sides, and top-down design elevations), and any interior arrangements of spaces and/or design elements in which copyright is claimed. NOTE : The phrase “interior arrangements of spaces and/or design elements” refers to permanent, structural elements that define the arrangement of space within the interior of the building, rather than “interior design,” such as the selection and placement of furniture, lighting, paint, and similar items.
The Office prefers drawings comprised of the following material listed in descending order of preference:
1. Original format, or best quality form of reproduction, including offset or silk screen printing.
2. Xerographic or photographic copies on good quality paper.
3. Positive photostat or photodirect positive.
4. Blue line copies (diazo or ozalid process).
T• he applicant should include the following information in the deposit copy (if known): • The name(s) of the architect(s) and draftsperson(s), and The building site.
Chapter 1500 : 62 12/22/2014 See 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xviii).
If the building has been constructeSde, et hide. applicant also should submit good quality eight by ten inch photographs that clearly show the exterior and interior of the architectural work that is included in the claim. § 202.20(c)(2)(xviii)(B). The applicant may submit the deposit in hard copy format or may upload the deposit in electronic format through the online registration system, provided that the requirements set forth in Section 1507.2 have been met and provided that the copy may be opened and viewed without the use of any special software or viewer. Applicants should not submit an electronic copy that requires the use of licensed, proprietary software, such as AutoCad. If a freeware viewer is available that will allow a member of the RegistrHaetilpo:n L Pisrto ogfr aAmcc etop toapbelen Fsielec uTryepde sfiles, the applicant should submit a copy of that viewer along with the deposit material. For more information on acceptable file types, see (www.copyright.gov/eco/help-file- types.html).
When uploading the deposit through the electronic registration system, the applicant should upload a separate file containing the name of the architect, draftsperson, or copyright owner if that information appears in a proprietary legend in the margins of the blueprints or drawings.
1509.3(E) Foreign Visual Arts Works 1509.3(E)(1) Two-Dimensional Works To register an unpublished, two-dimensional visuSaele a rts work that was created by a citizen or national of a foreign country, the applicant may submit identifying material instead of submitting an actual copy of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(iv). For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C).
To register a visual arts work that was published solely in a foreign country, the applicant should submit one complete copy of the work as first published in that country. 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(iv); 37 C.F.R., pt. 202, app. B (“For works first published only in a country other than the United States, the law requires the deposit of the best edition as first published.”) .
If the work was published in a foreign country and then subsequently published in the United States, the applicant may submit one complete copy or phonorecord of thSeee w ido.rk as first published in the foreign country. Alternatively, the applicant may submit one complete copy of the best edition of the work as published in the United States. As discussed above in Section 1504, the criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular wCiorrcku laarre 7 lBis:t Bedes itn E tdhieti “oBne osft PEudbitliisohne Sdt Catoepmyreinght”t esdet W foorrtkhs ifno rA tphpee Cnodlilxe cBt itoon Ps aorf t t2h0e2 L oibf rtharey O offf iCcoen’sg rreegssulations. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
Chapter 1500 : 63 12/22/2014 NOTE : There are several exceptions to these rules, which are discussed in Sections 1509.3(A)(3) through 1509.3(A)(11).
1509.3(E)(2) Three-Dimensional Works To register a three-dimensional work the applicant generally should submit identifying material, regardless of whether the foreign work is published or unpublished. NOTE : There are several exceptions to these rules, which are discussed in Section 1509.3(B)(2).
1509.3(E)(3) GATT Visual Arts Works GATT is an international trade agreement that extended copyright protection to certain classes of works that were in the public domain in the United States, such as works first published outside the United States before March 1, 1989 without a proper copyright notice. For information concerning the deposit requirements for such works, see Section 1509.1(J).
1509.3(F) Registration Deposit Requirements for Visual Arts Works: At a Glance The following charts provide a brief summary of the deposit requirements for various types of visual arts works. For a detailed discussion of these requirements, see Sections 1509.3(A) through 1509.3(E) above.
Two-Dimensional Visual Arts Works Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Unpublished works n/a Identifying material representing the entire copyrightable content e.g., Pictorial or graphic works ( Two complete copies of the n/a artwork, drawings, illustrations, work as first published paintings, posters, photographs, prints, brochures, exhibition catalogs) first published in the United States before 1/1/1978 Pictorial or graphic works first Two complete copies of the best n/a published in the United States edition (including the copyright between 1/1/1978 and notice for the first published 3/1/1989 that are not listed edition)
below Chapter 1500 : 64 12/22/2014 Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Pictorial or graphic works first Two complete copies of the best n/a published in the United States edition after 3/1/1989 that are not listed below Works that are not listed below One complete copy of the work n/a that are published solely in a as first published in the foreign foreign country country Works that are not listed below One complete copy of the work n/a that are first published in a as first published in the foreign foreign country and country or one complete copy subsequently published in the of the best edition as published United States in the United States “Limited edition” works One complete copy of the best n/a published in quantities of five edition or identifying material copies or fewer, or published in 300 numbered copies or fewer where the copyright is owned by an individual author Blueprints, architectural One complete copy of the best Identifying material drawings, mechanical drawings, edition representing the entire diagrams copyrightable content Two-dimensional maps or Two complete copies of the best Identifying material cartographic material edition. If published in a CD- representing the entire ROM, one complete copy of the copyrightable content CD-ROM package. If published in machine-readable format other than a CD-ROM, identifying material.
Artwork reproduced only in One complete copy in the form Identifying material fabric, wallpaper, carpeting, of an actual swatch or piece of representing the entire floor tile, wrapping paper, or such material sufficient to show copyrightable content other similar sheet-like all elements of the work in materials which copyright is claimed, and the copyright notice (if any)
Chapter 1500 : 65 12/22/2014 Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Greetings cards, picture One complete copy of the best Identifying material postcards, stationery edition representing the entire copyrightable content Calendars One complete copy of the best Identifying material edition representing the entire copyrightable content Two-dimensional fabric One complete copy of the best Identifying material emblems or patches, decals or edition representing the entire heat transfers (not applied to copyrightable content clothing), bumper stickers, campaign buttons Two-dimensional games One complete copy of the best Identifying material edition representing the entire copyrightable content Patterns, cross-stitch graphs, One complete copy of the best Identifying material stitchery brochures, edition representing the entire needlework, and craft kits copyrightable content e.g., Commercial prints, labels, or One complete copy of the best Identifying material other advertising matter ( edition representing the entire flyer, label, brochure, or catalog copyrightable content used in connection with sale of goods or services)
Commercial prints, labels, or One copy of the entire page(s) n/a other advertising matter of the periodical where the published in a newspaper or work appears other periodical Commercial prints, labels, or Identifying material Identifying material other advertising maet.tge.,r representing the entire representing the entire inseparable from three- copyrightable content copyrightable content dimensional object ( silk screen label on a bottle)
Advertising material published Two complete copies of the best n/a in connection with motion edition pictures Chapter 1500 : 66 12/22/2014 Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Two-dimensional artwork Identifying material (or one One complete copy or reproduced on three- complete copy of the best identifying material dimensional containers or edition if the box or container is holders less than ninety-six inches in any dimension when flattened)
Contributions to collective One complete copy of the best One complete copy or works other than newspapers, edition of the collective work, identifying material such as photographs, drawings, the entire page containing the cartoons, and the like contribution, or a photocopy or other reproduction of the contribution Contributions to newspapers One complete section One complete copy or containing the contribution or a identifying material cut-out of the contribution from the newspaper Works fixed only in a CD-ROM One complete copy of the entire One complete copy of the entire CD-ROM package CD-ROM package Pictorial or graphic works fixed Identifying material Identifying material only in machine-readable representing the entire representing the entire format (other than a CD-ROM) copyrightable content copyrightable content See Group registration of Chapter 1100, Section n/a contributions to periodicals 1115.5 See Group registration of published Chapter 1100, Section n/a photographs 1116.4 See See Group registration of databases Chapter 1100, Section Chapter 1100, Section that consist predominantly of 1117.6 1117.6 photographs Chapter 1500 : 67 12/22/2014 Three-Dimensional Visual Arts Works Nature of the Work Published Unpublished Unpublished works n/a Identifying material representing the entire copyrightable content e.g., Published sculptural works Identifying material Identifying material ( statues, carvings, ceramics, representing the entire representing the entire moldings, constructions, copyrightable content copyrightable content models, maquettes) that are not listed below Jewelry Identifying material Identifying material representing the entire representing the entire copyrightable content (or one copyrightable content complete copy if the work is cast in base metal that is no more than four inches in any dimension)
Dolls and toys Identifying material Identifying material representing the entire representing the entire copyrightable content copyrightable content Games that include multiple Identifying material Identifying material three-dimensional parts representing the entire representing the entire copyrightable content (or one copyrightable content complete copy of the best edition if the work is packaged in a box or similar container with flat sides and with dimensions of no more than twelve inches by twenty-four inches by six inches)
Globes, relief models, or relief One complete copy (including One complete copy (including maps the stand, if any) the stand, if any)
Chapter 1500 : 68 12/22/2014 Nature of the Work Published Unpublished e.g., Three-dimensional sculptural Identifying material Identifying material work ( a collector’s doll, representing the entire representing the entire coin, or sculpture) in a box with copyrightable content of the copyrightable content of the copyrightable artwork and/or sculptural work and the box (or sculptural work and the box (or textual material with a claim in one complete copy of the box if one complete copy of the box if sculpture and it is less than ninety-six inches it is less than ninety-six inches artwork/text/photograph in any dimension when in any dimension when flattened) flattened)
Works attached to or embodied Identifying material Identifying material in a three-dimensional object representing the entire representing the entire copyrightable content copyrightable content Works fixed or published in or One complete copy of the best One complete copy on a useful article that edition representing the entire comprises one of the elements copyrightable content of the unit of publication for an educational or instructional kit that also includes a literary work, an audiovisual work, a sound recording, or any combination of such works Architectural Works Nature of Work Published Unpublished See See Unconstructed buildings Section 1509.3(D) Section 1509.3(D) See See Constructed buildings Section 1509.3(D) Section 1509.3(D) 1510 Storage of Deposits This Section discusses the Office’s practices and procedures for storing deposit copy(ies) and phonorecords.
1510.1 Deposit Storage
Section 704(a) of the Copyright Act states that “[u]pon their deposit in the Copyright Office under sections 407 and 408, all copies, phonorecords, and identifying material, Chapter 1500 : 69 12/22/2014 including those deposited in connection with claims that have been refused registration, are the property of the United States Government.” 17 U.S.C. § 704(a). Unpublished and published deposit materials that are submitted to the Office in a hard copy format are stored in offsite storage facilities, unless the deposit copy(ies) are selected by the Library of Congress for its collections or unless the deposit has been returned to the applicant under the Motion Picture Agreement. Unpublished deposit materials are stored for the entire term of copyright. Published deposit materials are currently stored for twenty years.
If the Office closes a file for a published work without issuing a registration or refuses to register a published work, the deposit materials may be offered to the Library for disposition and may or may not be selected for the Library’s collections.
1510.2 Requests for Full-Term Deposit Storage for Published Works
Full-term retention of published deposit copy(ies) may be requested in certain circumstances. This option offers copyright owners the opportunity to ensure that copies or phonorecords of their works will remain in the custody of the U.S. Copyright Office for seventy-five years from the date of first publication. A request for full-term retention may be approved by the Office of Public Records and Repositories under the •fo llowing conditions:
• The work is published;
• Copyright registration is approved;
• The appropriate fee is received; and See The copy has been continuously in the custody of the U.S. Copyright Office. 37 C.F.R. § 202.23(a)-(c). The Office reserves the right to deny requests for full-term storage.
For information on how to request full-term storage of published deposits, see Chapter 2400, Section 2410.
1510.3 Requests for Inspection or Copies of Deposits
Upon request, any member of the public may inspect the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a work that has been registered or refused by the U.S. Copyright Office. Certain parties may request a certified or uncertified copy of the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a copyright claim, provided that the party satisfies the conditions set forth in the Office’s regulations.
For information concerning these procedures, see Chapter 2400, Section 2407. Chapter 1500 : 70 12/22/2014 1511 Mandatory Deposit As discussed above in Section 1502, the Copyright Act establishes two separate deposit requirements. Section 408 specifies the deposit requirements for registering a work with the U.S. Copyright Office, while Section 407 specifies the requirements for depositing a work with the Library of Congress.
Section 407 states that “the owner of copyright or of the exclusive right of publication in a work published in the United States shall deposit [with the U.S. Copyright Office], within three months after the date of such publication – two complete copies of the best edition” “for the use or disposition of the Library of Congress.” 17 U.S.C. § 407(a)(1), (b). In the case of a sound recording published in the United States, Section 407 states that the copyright owner or the owner of the exclusive right of publication shall deposit “two complete phonorecords of the best edition, together with any printed or other visually perceptible material published with such phonorecords.” 17 U.S.C. § 407(a)(2). This is known as the “mandatory deposit requirement.”
Submitting a published work for the use or disposition of the Library is not a condition of copyright protection. However, if compliance with the mandatory deposit requirement is not accomplished within three months of publication, the Register of Copyrights may facilitate, demand, negotiate, or exempt the provision of copies or phonorecords for the Library of Congress at any time after a work has been published in the United States. If the Office issues a written demand and if required copies or phonorecords are not received within three months of receipt of the demand, the copyright owner or owner of the exclusive right of publication in that work may be subject to fines or other monetary liability. 17 U.S.C.§ 407(d). In most cases, the owner of copyright or the exclusive right of publication may satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement by submitting an application to register the work, provided that the applicant submits two complete copies or two complete phonorecords of the best edition. Alternatively, the owner of copyright or the exclusive right of publication may submit the required number of copies or phonorecords without an application.
1511.1 What Is the Best Edition for Purposes of Mandatory Deposit?
The “best edition” for purposes of mandatory deposit is defined as “the edition, published in the United States at any time before the date of deposit that the Library of Congress determines to be most suitable for its purposes.” 17 U.S.C. § 101; 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(1)(i). The criteria used to determine the best edition for a particular work are Chapter 1500 : 71 12/22/2014 listed in the “Best ECdiritciuolna rS t7aBt:e Bmeesnt tE”d sietito fno rotfh P iunb Alipshpeedn dCioxp Byr tiog hPtaerdt W20o2r kosf ftohre t Oheff ice’s rCeoglluelcattiioonnss o. f3 t7h Ce .LFi.bRr. aprty. 2o0f 2C,o anpgpr.e Bss. The Best Edition Statement is also posted on the Office’s website in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ07b.pdf).
Generally, if the work was published in two or more editions, the edition that is the highest quality is considered to be the best edition. “In judging quality, the Library of Congress will adhere to the criteria set forth [in the Best Edition Statement] in all but exceptional cases.” 37 C.F.R. pt. 202, app. B.
If the Best Edition Statement does not provide specific criteria for selecting the best edition of the work, the edition that “in the judgment of the Library of Congress, represents the highest quality for its purposes shall be considered the ‘best edition.’” 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(1)(iii). If the copyright owner or owner of exclusive rights is uncertain as to whether a particular published edition constitutes the best edition, that party should contact the Office’s Copyright Acquisitions Division at (202) 707-7125. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(1)(iii)(B).
1511.2 What Is a Complete Copy or Phonorecord for Purposes of Mandatory Deposit? 1511.2(A) Complete Copy of a Published Work A copy is “complete” for purposes of mandatory deposit if it contains “all elements comprising the unit of publication of the best edition of the work, including elements that, if considered separately, would not be copyrightable subject matter or would otherwise be exempt from mandatory deposit requirements.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(2). 1511.2(B) Sound Recordings In the case of a sound recording published in the United States, a phonorecord is “complete” if it “includes the phonorecord, together with any printed or other visually perceptible material published with such phonorecord (such as textual or pictorial matter appearing on record sleeves or album covers, or embodied in leaflets or booklets included in a sleeve, album, or other container).” 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(2). 1511.2(C) Musical Compositions Published by Rental, Lease, or Lending In the case of a musical composition published in the United States solely “by the rental, lease, or lending of a full score and parts,” the full score is considered a “complete” copy. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19I(db.)(2)(i). If the work was published solely “by the rental, lease, or lending of a conductor’s score and parts,” the conductor’s score is considered a “complete” copy. § 202.19(b)(2)(ii).
1511.2(D) Motion Pictures In the case of a motion picture published in the United States, a copy is “complete” if “the reproduction of all the visual and aural elements comprising the copyrightable subject matter in the work is clean, undamaged, undeteriorated, and free of splices, and if the copy itself and its physical housing are free of any defects that would interfere with the Chapter 1500 : 72 12/22/2014 performance of the work or that would cause mechanical, visual, or audible defects or distortions.” 37 C.F.R.§ 202.19(b)(2).
1511.2(E) Electronic Works In the case of an ie.electronic work published in the United States that is available only online, a copy is “complete” “if it includes all elements consti tuting the work in its published form, ., the complete work as published, including metadata and formatting codes otherwise exempt from mandatory deposit.” 37 C.F.R.§ 202.19(b)(2). Online-only works are exempt from the mandatory deposit requirement, except for electronic serials that are demanded by the U.S. Copyright Office. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.19(c)(5), 202.24; Mandatory Deposit of Published Electronic Works Available Only Online, 75 Fed. Reg. 3863, 3865 (Jan. 25, 2010).
1511.3 Works Exempt from Mandatory Deposit
The mandatory deposit requirement only applies to works published in the United States. Unpublished works and works that are published solely outside the United States are not subject to this requirement.
Mandatory deposit does apply to works that are published simultaneously in both a foreign country and in the United States. It applies to works that are first published in a foreign country and then subsequently published or distributed in this country. It also may apply to unpublished transmission programs transmitted in the United States. For information concerning foreign works, see Section 1511.4. For information concerning transmission programs, see Section 1511.5.
Section 407 also states that the Register of Copyrights “may by regulation exempt any categories of material from the deposit requirements of this section, or require deposit of only one copy or phonorecord with respect to any categories.” 17 U.S.C. § 407(c). The O• ffice has issued exemptions for the following categories of works: Tests and answer material for tests when published separately from other literary • works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(8).
Works published only in a soundtrack that is an integral part of a motion picture. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(11).
NOTE : This exemption does not apply to the copyright owner or the owner of the • exclusive right of publication in a motion picture.
Motion pictures that consist of television transmission programs and that have been published, if at all, only by reason of a license or other grant to a nonprofit institution of the right to make a fixation of such programs directly from a transmission to the public, with or without the right to make further uses of such • fixations. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(12).
Diagrams and models illustrating scientific or technical works or formulating scientific or technical information in linear or three-dimensional form, such as architectural or engineering blueprints, plans, or designs, mechanical drawings, or • anatomical models. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(1).
• Greeting cards, picture postcards, and stationery. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(2). Prints, labels, and other advertising materials, including catalogs, published in connection with the rental, lease, lending, licensing, or sale of services, articles of • merchandise, or works of authorship. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(7). • Three-dimensional sculptural works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(6). Works reproduced and published only in or on jeIwdelry, dolls, toys, games, plaques, floor coverings, wallpaper and similar commercial wall coverings, textiles and other • fabrics, packaging material, or any useful article. . Electronic works published in the United States that are available only online. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(5). For purposes of mandatory deposit, “electronic works” are defined as “works fixed and published solely in an electronic format.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.24(c)(3).
1511.4 Mandatory Deposit for Works Published Outside the United States
Works published solely in a foreign country are not subject to the mandatory deposit requirement.
As a general rule, works that are published both in a foreign country and in the United States are subject to mandatory deposit. However, works that are published abroad and subsequently published in the United States without any change in the copyrightable content of the work are exempt from mandatory deposit if the following conditions have •b een met:
1511.5 Mandatory Deposit for Unpublished Transmission Programs
Most unpublished works are exempt from the mandatory deposit requirement, although there is a limited exception to this rule. Specifically, the Register of Copyrights may issue a written demand for a copy or phonorecord of an audio or audiovisual transmission program for the use or disposition of the Library of Congress, even if that program is unpublished. 17 U.S.C. § 407(e); 37 C.F.R. § 202.22(d). A “transmission program” is defined as “a body of material that, as an aggregate, has been produced for the sole purpose of transmission to the public in sequence and as a unit.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. This category includes audio or audiovisual transmissions made “via the Internet, cable, broadcasting, and satellite systems and via any other existing or future devices or processes for the communication of a performance or display whereby images or sounds are received beyond the place from which they are sent.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.22(b)(1).
For additional information concerning this procedure, see 37 C.F.R. § 202.22(d).
1511.6 Mandatory Deposit for Electronic Serials
As a general rule, the mandatory deposit requirement does not apply to electronic works published in the United States that are available only online. However, there is a limited exception to this rule.
The copyright owner or owner of the exclusive right of publication in an electronic serial published onS oere after February 24, 2010 is subject to mandatory deposit if the Office issues a written demand for a copy of that work for the use or disposition of the Library of Congress. 37 C.F.R. §§ 202.19(c)(5), 202.24(a).
For purposes of mandatory deposit, an “electronic serial” is defined as “an electronic work published in the United States and available only online, issued or intended to be Chapter 1500 : 75 12/22/2014 issued on an establishedI dsc.hedule in successive parts bearing numerical or chronological designations, without subsequent alterations, and intended to be continued indefinitely.” § 202.19(b)(4). (For a definition of the term “electronic work,” see Section 1511.3.)
The Register has promulgated an interim rule for this category of works. The category includes periodicals, newspapers, annuals, and the journals, proceedings, transactions, and other publications of societies. It does not include works that are published bothS ee online and in physical form. Likewise, it does not include works that are constantly updated with no demarcation between particular, discrete issues of the publication. Mandatory Deposit of Published Electronic Works Available Only Online, 75 Fed. Reg. 3863, 3865 (Jan. 25, 2010).
For additional information concerning this procedure, see 37 C.F.R. § 202.24.
1511.7 How to Submit Mandatory Deposits
This Section discusses the procedure for submitting copies or phonorecords to the U.S. Copyright Office for the purpose of mandatory deposit.
1511.7(A) Copies or Phonorecords Submitted with an Application for Registration As a general rule, the copyright ownSeer eor owner of the exclusive right of publication in a published work may satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement by registering that work with the U.S. Copyright Office. 17 U.S.C. § 408(b)(2). To do so, the applicant should submit a completed application, the appropriate filing fee, and the appropriate number of complete copy(ies) or phonorecord(s) of the best edition of the work. For guidance in completing an application and for information concerning the filing fee, see Chapters 600 and 1400. For guidance in submitting the deposit copies or phonorecords for an application, see Section 1508.
1511.7(B) Copies or Phonorecords Submitted without an Application for Registration For some categories of works the deposit requirements for registration and mandatory deposit are not the same, such as works that may be registered with identifying material or with a grant of special relief. In such cases, a separate submission of copies, phonorecords, or identifying material may be needed to register the work and to satisfy the mandatory deposit requirements. If so, the copyright owner or owner of the exclusive right of publication may satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement by submitting the required number of copies or phonorecords of the best edition to the following address:
1511.7(C) Copies or Phonorecords Submitted in Response to a Demand Notice As discussed in Section 1511, the Register of Copyrights may issue a written demand for copies or phonorecords of any work published in the United States that is subject to the mandatory deposit requirement. A demand may be made at any time after the work has been published. 17 U.S.C. § 407(d).
If a copyright owner or owner of the exclusive right of publication receives a demand for mandatory deposit, that party should submit the required number of copies or phonorecords to the address specified in the demand notice within three months after the demand is received.
Alternatively, a copyright owner or owner of exclusive rights may respond by submitting the required copies or phonorecords together with an application to register •th e work and the appropriate filing fee.
If the copyright owner or owner of exclusive rights submits the copies or phonorecords to the address specified in the demand notice without submitting an application, the appropriate filing fee, and/or the shipping slips, the Office will assume that the deposit was submitted solely for the purpose of satisfying the mandatory deposit requirement. The Office wSilel enot connect the copies or phonorecords with a separately submitted application nor will the Office hold the copies or phonorecords pending the receipt of an application. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(f)(1).
Chapter 1500 : 77 12/22/2014 If the required deposit copies or phonorecords are not received in a timely manner, the p• arty that received the demand notice may be subject to the following penalties: • To pay a fine of not more than $250 for each work; and To pay the total retail price of the copies or phonorecords demanded into a specially designated fund in the Library of Congress, or if no retail price has been fixed, the reasonable cost to the Library of Congress of acquiring such copies or • phonorecords; and To pay a fine of $2,500, in addition to any fine or liability imposed above, if the party willfully or repeatedly fails or refuses to comply with the demand. 17 U.S.C. § 407(d).
1511.7(D) Certificate of Receipt Upon request, the Office will issue a certificate of receipt for copies or phonorecords that are submitted for the purpose of mandatory deposit, provided that the request is made at the time of the deposit. Thereafter, the Office will issue a certificate of receipt only if the request is made by the party that is identified in the Office’s records as the party that submitted the copies or phonorecords. The certificate will provide the following i•n formation:
• The depositor.
• The work deposited.
• The nature and format of the copy or phonorecord deposited. The date of receipt.
17 U.S.C. § 407(b); 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(f)(3).
In all cases, the request for a certificate of receipt must be made in writing and must be accompanied by the appropriate fee, which is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading marked “Receipt for deposit without registration (section 407 deposit)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
1511.8 Mandatory Deposit Requirements for Specific Categories of Works
To satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement, copyright owners and owners of the exclusive right ofS peeublication generally should submit two complete copies of the best edition of the work, or in the case of a sound recording, two complete phonorecords of the best edition. 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(1)(i), (ii). For a definition and discussion of the terms “best edition,” “complete copy,” and “complete phonorecord,” see Sections 1504 and 1505.
There are several exceptions to this rule. For certain types of works, a party may submit (i) one copy or phonorecord instead of two, (ii) the work as first published instead of the Chapter 1500 : 78 12/22/2014 best edition of the work, or (iii) identifying material instead copies or phonorecords. The specific exceptions for literary works, works of the performing arts, and visual arts works are set forth in Sections 1511.8(A) through 1511.8(G). 1511.8(A) Computer Programs and Computerized Information Works As a general rule, a party may submit one complete copy of the best edition of the work in order to satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement for computer programs and computeriIzde. d information works, such as statistical compendia, serials, and reference works. However, if the work is copy-protected, two copies of the best edition are required. § 202.19(d)(2)(vii).
1511.8(B) Published Multimedia Kits To satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement for a published multimedia kit that includeIsd l.iterary works, audiovisual works, sound recordings, or any combination of such works, a party may submit one complete copy of the best edition instead of two copies. § 202.19(d)(2)(vi).
1511.8(C) Musical Works A party may submit one complete copy of the best edition of a musical composition if copies of the woIrdk. were published in the United States solely by rental, lease, or lending (regardless of whether the work was published only in copies or in both copies and phonorecords). § 202.19(d)(2)(v).
1511.8(D) Motion Pictures To satisfy the mandatory deposit requirIedm. ent for a motion picture, a party may submit one complete copy of the work together with a separate description of its contents, such as a continuity, pressbook, or synopsis. § 202.19(d)(2)(ii). If the copyright owner or the owner of the exclusive right of publication has signed the Motion Picture Agreement, the Office may return the deposit copy to that party upon request. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 1509.2(F)(4). 1511.8(E) Limited Edition Visual Arts Works This Section discusses the mandatory deposit requirements for pictorial or graphic works that are published in a limited edition.
If an individual author owns the copyright in the work, the copyright owner or owner of the exclusive right of publication may submit one complete copy of the best edition, or in the alternative, the owner may submit photographs or other identifying material for t•h e work, provided that one of the following conditions has been met: • Less than five copies of the work have been published; or The work has been published and sold or offered for sale in a limited edition consisting of no more than 300 numbered copies.
Chapter 1500 : 79 12/22/2014 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(iv). For information concerning the requirements for identifying material, see Section 1509.3(C).
1511.8(F) Globes and Other Three-Dimensional Cartographic Works A party may submit one complete copy of the best editiIodn. in order to satisfy the mandatory deposit requirement for a published three-dimensional cartographic representation of area, such as a globe or relief model. § 202.19(d)(2)(i). 1511.8(G) Architectural Works To satisfy the mandatory deposit requIidr.ement for an architectural work, the copyright owner or owner of the exclusive right of publication should submit presentation drawings in their most finished form. § 202.19(d)(2)(viii). For information concerning the preferred format for presentation drawings, see Section 1509.3(D).
1511.9 Special Relief from the Mandatory Deposit Requirement
This Section discusses the procedure for obtaining special relief from the mandatory deposit requirements. For information concerning the procedure for requesting special relief from the deposit requirements for registration, see Section 1508.8. The Register of Copyrights is authorized to grant special relief from the mandatory d• eposit requirement for any published work.
The Office may permit the deposit of identifying material that does not comply with Section 202.21 of the regulations.
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(e)(1).
A request for special relief must be made in writing and must include the specific reason(s) why the request should be granted. The request should be signed by or on behalf of the copyright owner or the owner of the exclusive right oIdf .publication, and it should be sent to the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice at the address specified in Section 1508.8(B). § 202.19(e)(3). Id The Register of Copyrights may terminate any ongoing or continuous grant of special relief after consulting with other appropriate officials of the Library of Congress. . § 202.19(e)(4). The procedure for terminating a grant of special relief from the Chapter 1500 : 80 12/22/2014 See mandatory deposit requirements is the same as the procedure for terminating a grant of special relief of the deposit requirements for registration. Section 1508.8(D). Chapter 1500 : 81 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1603.1 Works That Are Eligible for Preregistration ........................................................................................................... 5 1603.2 The Work Must Be Copyrightable ............................................................................................................................... 7 1603.3 A Portion of the Work Must Be Fixed ......................................................................................................................... 7 1603.4 The Work Must Be Unpublished .................................................................................................................................. 8 1603.5 The Work Must Be Intended for Commercial Distribution ............................................................................... 8 1604 Preregistration Distinguished from Registration .................................................................................................. 8 1604.1 Preregistration Is a Temporary “Placeholder” for an Actual Registration .................................................. 8 1604.2 Limited Usefulness of Preregistration ....................................................................................................................... 9 1605 Preregistration for a Sound Recording Distinguished from a Preregistration for a Musical Composition ........................................................................................................................................... 10 1606 Completing the Application ........................................................................................................................................ 10 1606.1 Confidentiality and Privacy Concerns ..................................................................................................................... 10 1606.2 Type of Work .................................................................................................................................................................... 11 1606.3 Title ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 1606.4 Author ................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 1606.5 Copyright Claimant ........................................................................................................................................................ 13 1606.6 Key Dates ........................................................................................................................................................................... 13 1606.6(A) Date of Creation ............................................................................................................................................................... 13 1606.6(B) Expected Date of Completion ..................................................................................................................................... 14 1606.6(C) Expected Date of Commercial Distribution .......................................................................................................... 14 1606.7 Description of the Work ............................................................................................................................................... 15 1606.7(A) Motion Pictures ............................................................................................................................................................... 15 1606.7(B) Sound Recordings ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 1606.7(C) Musical Compositions ................................................................................................................................................... 16 1606.7(D) Books ................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 1600 : 1 12/22/2014 1606.7(E) Computer Programs and Videogames .................................................................................................................... 16 1606.7(F) Photographs ...................................................................................................................................................................... 16 1606.8 Notification........................................................................................................................................................................ 17 1606.9 Certification ...................................................................................................................................................................... 17 1606.10 Filing Fee ............................................................................................................................................................................ 17 1607 Examination Guidelines ............................................................................................................................................... 17 1608 Notification of Preregistration................................................................................................................................... 18 1609 Effective Date of Preregistration .............................................................................................................................. 19 1610 Refusals............................................................................................................................................................................... 19 1611 No Requests for Reconsideration ............................................................................................................................. 19 1612 No Corrections or Cancellations ............................................................................................................................... 19 Chapter 1600 : 2 12/22/2014 Chapter 1600 : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
Preregistration provides certain copyright owners with the ability to sue for infringement while they are preparing their works for commercial release. The vast majority of works are not eligible for this procedure. Preregistration is primarily intended to address situations where copyrighted works are “distributed illegally via the Internet BEFORE they are even made available for sale to the public [which] severely undercuts the ability of copyright holders to receive fair and adequate compensation for their works.” 151 CONG. REC. S495 (daily ed. Jan. 25, 2005) (statement of Sen. Hatch). For general information on the Office’s practices and procedures for registration, see the f•o llowing Chapters:
• Chapter 200: An Overview of the Registration Process • Chapter 300: Copyrightable Authorship: What Can Be Registered • Chapter 400: Who May File an Application • Chapter 500: Identifying the Work(s) Covered by the Registration • Chapter 600: Examination Practices • Chapter 1400: Applications and Filing Fees Chapter 1500: Deposit 1602 What Is Preregistration? In cases involving the infringeSmeeent of a United States work, copyright registration is a prerequisite for filing an infringement action and for seeking an award of statutory damages and attorney’s fees. 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 411(a), 412. Often, copyright owners do not seek registration untSiel ethe work has been completed and distri breupteridn tteod t hine public, which may limit the remedies that may be available in cases involving “prerelease” infringement. H.R. REP. NO. 109-33, pt. 1, at 4 (2005), , 2005 U.S.C.C.A.N. 220, 223.
To address this concern, Congress created preregistration b—ef ao rperocedure that allows certain copyright owners to file an action for infrinSegee ment and seek statutory dsaeme ages aanlsdo attorney’s fees in cases where the work was infringed the copyright owner completed the work and released it to the public. 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(1)-(2); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, Chapter 1600 : 4 12/22/2014 42,286 (July 22, 2005); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed.
Reg. 61,905, 61,905-06 (Oct. 27, 2005).
1603 Eligibility Requirements A work of authorship must satisfy the following criteria in order to qualify f•o r preregistration:
• The work must be copyrightable;
• The author must have begun to create the work;
• The work must be unpublished; and The work must be in the process of being prepared for commercial distribution. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16. SAe ework that satisfies all of thseesee arlesqouirements is eligible for preregistration, regardless of whether it is intended to be distributed in a physical or electronic format. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(3); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,287 (July 22, 2005); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,905-06 (Oct. 27, 2005). These requirements are discussed in Sections 1603.1 through 1603.5. If the work described in the application does not meet these requirements, the Office will reject the application. The Office typically receives fewer than 2,000 applications for preregistration each year (compared with more than half a million applications for registration), and the Office rejects many of these applications because the work is not eligible for this procedure.
1603.1 Works That Are Eligible for Preregistration
Congress directed the Register of Copyrights to issue preregistrations for any work of authorship that falls within a class of works that has had a history of infringement prior to the authorized commercial distribution by the copyright owner. 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(1)- (2). The Office determined that there has been a substantial history of prerelease i•n fringement involving the following classes of works: • Motion pictures.
• Sound recordings.
• Musical compositions.
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(1). A work of authorship must fall within one or more of these classes to be eligible for preregistration. The Office will refuse an application for preregisEtrxaatmiopnl eifs :t he work does not appear to fall within any of these classes. The U.S. Copyright Office will accept an application to preregister a motion picture. However, the Office will refuse to preregister a treatment, screenplay, storyboarSde,e or shooting script for a motion picture because these types of works do not fit within the statutory definition of a “motion picture.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (defining motion pictures as “audiovisual works consisting of a series of related images which, when shown in succession, impart an impression of • motion, together with accompanying sounds, if any”).
A personal journal or a daily diary would be considered a literary work, but these types of works are not eligible fSoere preregistration, because in most cases, they are not intended to be published, nor are they intended for commercial distribution. Sections 1603.4 and 1603.5.
Chapter 1600 : 6 12/22/2014 The U.S. Copyright Office will accept an application to preregister a computer program that is intended for commercial distribution. However, the Office will refuse to preregister a claim in the HTML code for a website, because HTML code is a markup language rather than a computer programming language, and thus coding in HTML • generally does not result in a computer program.
For a definition and general discussion of the types of works that are eligible for pSeree rgeegnisetrraalltyio n, see Chapters 700, 800, and 900. Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,288 (July 22, 2005); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,906 (Oct. 27, 2005).
1603.2 The Work Must Be Copyrightable
The U.S. Copyright Office will not entertain an application for preregistration unless the work constitutes copyrightable subject matter under Section 102(a) of the Copyright Act. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(2).
1603.3 A Portion of the Work Must Be Fixed
Copyright law protects “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression” but it does not extend to “any idea, procedure, process, system, method of operation, concept, principle, or discovery.” 17 U.S.C. § 102(a), (b). A work of authorship is not eligible for preregistration unless the author began to create the work on or before theS deaete that the application is submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office, and unless at least a portion of the work has been fixed in a tangible medium of expression as of that date. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii). The amount of material needed to satisfy this •re quirement varies depending upon the nature of the work: • If the work is a motion picture, the filming of the work must have commenced. • If the work is a sound recording, the recording of the sounds must have begun. In the case of a musical composition, at least some of the work must have been fixed either in the form of musical notation or in a copy or phonorecord embodying a • performance of some or all of the work.
Chapter 1600 : 7 12/22/2014 For a computer program, at least some portion of the source code or object code • must have been fixed.
1603.4 The Work Must Be Unpublished
1603.5 The Work Must Be Intended for Commercial Distribution
1604 Preregistration Distinguished from Registration
1604.1 Preregistration Is a Temporary “Placeholder” for an Actual Registration
A preregistration is merely a placeholder for or a prelude to an actual registration. Specifically, a preregistration allows a copyright owner to pursue an infringement action and to seek statutory damages and attorney’s fees before the work has been completed and released to the public. However, to secure the benefits of this procedure, a copyright owner must regSiseteer the claim either within three months after the first publication of the work or within one month after the copyright owner discovers that the work has been infringed. 17 U.S.C. §§ 408(f)(3), 411(a), 412.
Chapter 1600 : 8 12/22/2014 If a preregistered work is not registered within the Spereescribed time period, a district court must dismiss any action involving an infringement that occurred before or within two months after the first publication of that work. 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(4). If the infringement began more than two months after the first publication of a preregistered work, this rule does not apply. In other words, the failure to register a preregistered work before the deadline specified in Sections 408(f)(4)(A) and (B) of the Copyright Act will not prevent a copyright owner fromSe ree ggeisnteerrainllgy that work and pursuing an infringement action, provided that the infringement occurred more than two months after the first publication of that work. Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,286-87, 42,290 (July 22, 2005); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,905 (Oct. 27, 2005).
1604.2 Limited Usefulness of Preregistration
A preregistration is not a registration. Nor is it a substitute for a registration. As discussed in Section 1604.1, preregistration simply allows certain copyright owners to satisfy the requirements of Sections 411(a) and 412 of the Copyright Act by notifying the U.S. Copyright Office that the work is being prepared for commercial distribution. Copyright owners may benefit from this procedure if they have started to create a work of authorship that has not yet been completed, and if it is likely that a third party may infringe that work before it has been released to the public. But to preserve the benefits of this procedure, the copyright owner must seek an actual registration for the work shortly after it has been published or infringed.
Reg. 42,286, 42,286, 42,289-90 (July 22, 2005).
Preregistration is neither a prerequisite nor a precondition for copyright owners who wish to register their works with the Office. In other words, an original work of authorship may be registered regardless of whether that work has been preregistered or not.
If an applicant submits an application to register a work that has been preregistered, the application may or may not be assigned to the same registration specialist who examined the application for preregistration. However, the specialist will not compare the information provided in the application for registration with the preregistration record to determine whether it is consistent with the information provided in the application for preregistration.
Chapter 1600 : 9 12/22/2014 1605 Preregistration for a Sound Recording Distinguished from a Preregistration for a Musical Composition As a general rule, Sae pereregistration for a motion picture extends to any sounds that may accompany that work, because a soundtrack falls within the statutory definition of a “motion picture.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (stating that: “‘Motion pictures’ are audiovisual works” and that “‘Audiovisual works’ are works that consist of a series of related images which are intrinsically intended to be shown by the use of machines or devices such as projectors, viewers, or electronic equipment, together with accompanying souSnedes , if any”). A preregistration for a soun rde rpercinotreddin ing does not, in and of itself, constitute a preregistration of the musical works that may be embodied in that recording. H.R.
REP. NO. 109-33, pt. 1, at 5 (2005), 2005 U.S.C.C.A.N. 220, 224. However, a claimant that owns the copyright in boStehe a sound recording and a musical work embodied within that recording may preregister both the sound recording and the musical work with a single application. Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,288, 42,290 (July 22, 2005). 1606 Completing the Application To preregister a work, the applicant must submit an application through the U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic preregistration system. (The Office will not accept a paper application for preregistration.) To access this system, the applicant should go to the following link of the U.S. Copyright Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/prereg/), then click the “Continue” button which appears next to the phrase “Start the preregistration process (Electronic Form PRE).”
In the application, the applicant must provide certain information about the work of authorship, such as the date the author started to create the work and the date the work is expected to be completed. These requirements are discussed in Sections 1606.2 through 1606.10. The information provided in the application should be based on the information aSveeailable at the time the applicseaeti oanls ois submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(3); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,289, 42,290 (July 22, 2005); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,906 (Oct. 27, 2005).
1606.1 Confidentiality and Privacy Concerns
Section 705 of the Copyright Act requires the Register of Copyrights to prepare and maintain “records of deposits, registrations, recordations, and other actions” taken by the U.S. Copyright Office, and states that these records “shall be open to public inspection.” 17 U.S.C. § 705(a)-(b).
Any information that the applicant provides in an application for preregistration will appear in the preregistration record for that work. The preregistration record will be available to the public upon request, and the U.S. Copyright Office will post the information that appears in the notification of preregistration in the online record for the work, which will be available to the public through the Office’s website. Because these records are open to the public, an applicant should not provide information on the application if the author, claimant, and/or applicant do not wish to make that Chapter 1600 : 10 12/22/2014 See information public, including confidential information or personally identifiable information. Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,906 (Oct. 27, 2005).
1606.2 Type of Work
As discussed in Section 1603.1, there are six classes of works that are eligible for preregistration. The applicant should select the type of work that is most appropriate for the work that the applicant intends to preregister. Specifically, the applicant should check one or more of the boxes that appear on the Types of Work screen, depending on whether the work is a musical composition, a sound recording, a literary work intended to be published in book form, a computer program, a videogame, a motion picture, or an advertising or marketing photograph. The applicant may preregister two or more works with a single application if the works are owned by the same claimant and the works will be published on the same date as a single unit. In this situation, the applicant should check the boxes that describe each work that the applicant intends to preregister. However, if thSee ea pplicant intends to preregister twsoe eo ra lmsoo re works that will be distributed on different dates, the applicant must submit a separate application for each of those works. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(4); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed.
Reg. 42,2E8x6am, 4p2l,e2s9: 0 (July 22, 2005).
1606.3 Title
The applicant should provide the current title of the work in the box that appears on the Title scrSeeeen . The U.S. Copyright Office will accept a “working title,” even if it is not expected to be the title of the work when it is distributed to the public. Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,906 (Oct. 27, 2005).
If the work is a musical composition or sound recording that will be published in an album, the applicant should provide the title of the album on the Title screen. The titles of the individual songs and/or tracks (if they are known) should be provided on the Additional Title(s) screen.
1606.4 Author
The applicant should provide the full name of the author or authors of the work on the Authors screen. For the purposes of preregistration, the author is the person or organization who is expected to be named as the author when (and if) the applicant submits an application to register the work.
RAesi ad general rule, the author is the person (or persons) who actually created the material covered by the copyright claim. See , 490 U.S. 730 (1989) (“[T]he author is the party who actually creates the work, that is, the person who translates an idea into a fixed, tangible expression entitled to copyright protection.”). However, there is an exception to this rule. If the work described in the application for preregistration is a work made for hire, the person who created that work is not necessarily the author. Instead, the employer or other person f•o r whom the work was prepared is considered the author if: The work was created by an employee acting within the scope of his or her • employment, or The work was specially ordered or commissioned as a work made for hire and fits within one of the nine categories of works listed in the statutory definition. 17 U.S.C.§ 101 (definition of “work made for hire”). For a general discussion of Works Made for Hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
Chapter 1600 : 12 12/22/2014 If the work is expected to be published as a pseudonymous work, the applicant may provide the author’s real name or the author’s pseudonym (or both). A work is considered to be a pseudonymous work if the author will be identified on copies or phonorecords of the work under a fictitious name and the author’s real name will not appear anywhere on the copies or phonorecords. If the author’s real name is expected to appear anywhere on the copies or phonorecords, the work is not considered a pseudonymous work, even if the author does not wish to reveal his or her identity in the preregistration record and even if the author is generally known by his or her pseudonym. In this situation the author’s real name should be provided in the application. For a detailed discussion of pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, Section 615.2.
1606.5 Copyright Claimant
The applicant should provide the full legal name and address of the copyright claimant on the Claimants screen. For the purposes of preregistration, the claimant is the person or organization who is expected to be named as a claimant when (and if) the applicant submits an application to register the work.
For purposes of registration, the claimant is either the author of the work or a person or organization that has obtained ownership of all rights under the copyright that initially belonged to the author. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3). No other person or organization is entitled to be named as a claimant in an application for copyright registration. If the author is not the same person or organization as the claimant, the applicant need not provide a transfer statement explaining how the claimant obtained ownership of all rights under the copyright that initially belonged to the author (although this information is required in an application for registration). For a detailed discussion of claimants and transfers, see Chapter 600, Sections 619 and 620.
1606.6 Key Dates
The applicant should identify the date that the author started to create the work, the date that the work is expected to be completed, and the date that the commercial distribution of the work is expected to begin. This information should be provided in the boxes that appear on the Key Dates screen.
1606.6(A) Date of Creation The applicant should identify the date that the author started to create the work. Specifically, the applicant should provide the month and year that the work was first fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Identifying the specific day that the first fixation occurred is encouraged, but not required. If the applicant cannot identify the exact date of creation, the applicant should provide a good faith estimate and check the box marked “Approximate.”
The criteria for establishing the date of creation vary depending upon the nature of the work:
Chapter 1600 : 13 12/22/2014 • If the work is a motion picture, the date of creation is the date that filming began. If the work is a sound recording, the date of creation is the date that recording • sessions began.
1606.6(C) Expected Date of Commercial Distribution The applicant should identify the date that the commercial distribution of the work is expected to begin. Specifically, the applicant should provide the year that copies or phonorecords of the work in its complete and finished form are expected to be distributed to the public. Identifying the month and day that copies or phonorecords of the work are expected to be distributed is encouraged, but not required. When an application forS epereregistration is submitted at an early stage of the creative process, the anticipated release date is at best a prediction, rather than a binding commitment. Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,906 (Oct. 27, 2005). Therefore, if the applicant cannot identify the expected date of commercial distribution, the applicant should provide a good faith estimate and check the box marked “Approximate.”
Chapter 1600 : 14 12/22/2014 As discussed in Section 1603.4, the work must be unpublished as of the date that the application is submitted. An application will be questioned if the date of expected commercial distribution is the same as the date that the application is received in the U.S. Copyright Office, but an application received the day before the expected date of commercial distribution will be accepted.
1606.7 Description of the Work
The applicant should not submit a copy or phonorecord of the work or any portion of the work with the application for preregistration. Instead, the applicant should provide a detailed description that reasonably identifies the work. The description should be based on the information available at the time the application is submitted, and it should contain no more than 2,000 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks). At a minimum, the description should be sufficiently detailed and specific to satisfy a court in a copyright inef.rgi.ngement action that the allegedly infringed work is, in fact, the work described in the application for preregistration. Merely reciting the title of the work or the type of work ( , “motion picture” or “sound recording”) is not sufficient.
Because the description will be made available to the public through the U.S. Copyright Office’s website, the applicant should not include any portion of the work in that description, such as the lyrics for a song or the lines of code for a computer program. The specific requirements for describing a motion picture, sound recording, musical composition, book, computer program, videogame, or advertising or marketing pSeheotograph, are discussed ins Seee catlisoons 1606.7(A) through 1606.7(F). 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,289, 42,290 (July 22, 2005). 1606.7(A) Motion Pictures In the case of a motion picture, the description should include: the subject matter of the work; a summary or outline of the plot; the names of the director and the primary actors; the principal location of filming; and any other information that would assist in identifying the work being preregistered. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(i). 1606.7(B) Sound Recordings e.g.
In the case of a sound recording, the description should include: the subject matter of the work(s) recorded; the genre of the work(s) recorded ( , classical, pop, musical comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz); the title(s) and composer(s) of any musical compositions embodied in the sound recording; the name(s) of the performer or performing group(s) featured in the recording; the principal location of the recording; and any other information that would assist in identifying the work being preregistered, such as the name of the record label that is expected to distribute the work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(ii). Chapter 1600 : 15 12/22/2014 1606.7(C) Musical Compositions e.g.
In the case of a musical composition, the description should include: the subject matter of the lyrics (if any); the genre of the work ( , classical, pop, musical comedy, soft rock, heavy metal, gospel, rap, hip-hop, blues, jazz); and any other information that would assist in identifying the work being preregistered. In particular, if the musical composition will be included in a sound recording or a motion picture that is being prepared for commercial distribution, the description should include the name of the performer(s) featured in the recording, the name of the record label or motion picture that is expected to distribute the work, and the principal location of the recording. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(iii).
1606.7(D) Books e.g.
In the case of a literary work being prepared for publicatioe.ng .in book form, the description should include: the genre of the book ( , biography, novel, history) and a brief summary of the work, including the subject matter ( , a biography of President George W. Bush, a history of the war in Iraq, a fantasy novel); a description of the plot, primary characters, events, or other key elements of the content of the work (if known); and any other information that would assist in identifying the work being preregistered, such as whether it is a later edition or revision of a previous work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(iv).
1606.7(E) Computer Programs and Videogames In the case of a computer program, the description should include: the nature, purpose, and function of the program; the programming language that the authoer.g u.sed to write the program; whether the program has been created with any particular organization or structure; the form in which the program is expected to be published ( , as an online- only product); and the identities of the person(s) involved in the creation of the program. In addition, the description should indicate whether there are previous versions of the program, and if so, the description should identify those versions. If the work is a videogame, the description should include the foregoing information, along with the subject matter of the game: the overall object, goal, or purpose of the game; the name(s) of the character(s) in the game (if any); and the general setting and surrounding depicted in the game.
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(v).
1606.7(F) Photographs In the case of advertising or marketing photographs, the description should include the subject matter depicted in the photographs, including the particular product, event, public figure, or other item or occurrence which the photograph is intended to advertise or market. To the extent possible and applicable, the description should provide additional information that will assist in identifying the work, such as: the party for whom the photographs were taken; the appreo.gx.imate time period when the photographs were taken; the approximate number of photographs that may be included in the group; any events associated with the photograph ( , New York Fashion Week Fall 2011; Chapter 1600 : 16 12/22/2014 North American International Auto Show 2012; Baselwe.ogr.ld 2013); and the location and physical setting or surroundings depicted in the photographs. In addition, the applicant may provide a general description of the photograph ( e.g, l.ighting, background scenery, positioning of the subject matter depicted in the photograph) and any locations and events (if applicable) associated with the photographs ( , Super Bowl XXXIX). 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(vi).
1606.8 Notification
On the Notification & Certification screen the applicant should provide the email address to which the notification of preregistration should be sent.
1606.9 Certification
On the Notification & Certification screen the applicant will be asked to certify the application. Specifically, the applicant should provide the first and last name of the individual who is certifying the application and should check the box labeled “I agree.” By checking this box, the applicant certifies that he or she is the author, the copyright claimant, the owner of one or more exclusive rights of the work described in the application, or the authorized agent of the author, copyright claimant, or owner of exclusive rights. In addition, the applicant certifies that the work is being prepared for commercial distribution, that he or she has a reasonable expectation that the works weei ll bales ocommercially distributed to the public, and that the information given in the application is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(8); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,906 (Oct. 27, 2005).
Certifications are an important part of the preregistration procedure. The following acts constitute a crime that is punishable pursuant to Title 18, Section 1001 of the U.S. Code: knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing, or covering-up a material fact; making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or making or using any false writing or document knowing that it contains any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry in an application for preregistration.
1606.10 Filing Fee
The current filing fee for an application for preregistration is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Preregistration of certain unpublished works” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying this filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5. The Office will not refund the filing fee under any circumstances. Nor will the Office credit the fee toward the filing fee for an apSpeleication for a basic registration, even if the applicant intended to submit an application for registration but submitted an application for preregistration by mistake. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(5). 1607 Examination Guidelines prima facie Because a preregistration does not constitute evidence of the validity of the copyright or the facts stated in the notification of preregistration, the registration Chapter 1600 : 17 12/22/2014 specialist conducts only a limited review of an application for preregistration. Specifically, the specialist will ascertain whether the work described in the application falls within one of the classes of works that have had a history of infringement prior to authorized commercial release (as determined by the Register of Copyrights) and whether the applicant provided all of the necessary information specified in the application.
As a general rule, the registration specialist will not pass judgment on the adequacy of the written description of the work. However, the description is an important part of the preregistration record, and it isS iemeportant to recognize that this record cannot be corrected, amended, or supplemented once the U.S. Copyright Office has issued a notification of preregistration. Section 1612. In an action for infringement of a preregistered work, the court may evaluate the written description to determine whether it actually describes the work that allegedly has been infringed, taking into account the information available when the application was submitted and taking into account the applicant’s legitimate interest in protecting confidential information cSoeencerning the work. see also 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)-(7); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,289-90 (July 22, 2005). 1608 Notification of Preregistration If the application for preregistration has been approved, the U.S. Copyright Office will issue a notification of preregistration to the person or organization named in the application as the correspondent. The Office will send the notification to the email address that the applicant provided on the Notification & Certification section of the application.
The notification will include the pir.ee.registration number that has been assigned to the claim and the effective date of the preregistration. Preregistration numbers are not based on the nature of the work ( , a number beginning with the letters VA for a work of the visual arts or a number beginning with the letters PA for a work of the performing arts). Instead, they are numbered consecutively beginning with the prefix PRE, regardless of whether the work in question is a motion picture, a sound recording, a musical composition, a book, a computer program, a videogame, or an advertising or marketing photograph.
The notification of preregistration will remind the correspondent that the work should be registered in a timely manner to secure the full benefit of the preregistration, and that the preregistration number should be included in the application for a basic registration to ensure that the records for the preregistration and the basic registration will be cross-referenced with each other.
The notification of preregistration is the only notice that the Office will provide to the applicant or the claimant indicating that a preregistration has been made. The Office does not issue paper certificates for preregistrations. Chapter 1600 : 18 12/22/2014 The Office will make the preregistration record available to the public through the U.S. Copyright Office’Ss eweebsite, www.copyright.gov/, and the Records, Research, and Certification Section will issue a certified copy of the notification of preregistration upon wSereitten request. Chapter 2400, sSeeec tailosno 2407. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(10)-(12); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,290 (July 22, 2005); Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905, 61,906 (Oct. 27, 2005). 1609 Effective Date of Preregistration The effective date of a Preregistration is the day on which the U.S. Copyright Office receives the filing fee and application for preregistration, which are later determined by the U.S. Copyright Office or a court of competent jurisdiction to be acceptable for preregistration. 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(9).
1610 Refusals If the registration specialist determines that the work described in the application does not constitute copyrightable subject matter, that the work is not eligible for preregistration, or that the claim is invalid for any other reason, he or she will refuse to preregister the claim. The specialist will notify the applicant in writing of the refusal and will specify the reasons for his or her decision.
1611 No Requests for Reconsideration A refusal to prereSgeiester is not subject to administrative review. If an application for preregistration is refused, the U.S. Copyright Office will not entertain a request for reconsideration. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(a) (stating that administrative review is only available in cases involving a refusal to register a claim to copyright, a mask work, or a vessel design). If the applicant disagrees with the registration specialist’s decision, the applicant must submit a new application that addresses the issues identified in the refusal to preregister. If the new application is determined to be acceptable fSoere preregistration, the effective date of preregistration will be the day on which the new application and the new filing fee were received in the U.S. Copyright Office. Section 1609.
1612 No Corrections or Cancellations prima facie The U.S. Copyright Office conducts only a limited review of an application for preregistration, because a preregistration does not constitute evidence of the validity of the copyright or the facts stated in the notification of preregistration. Consequently, a preregistration will not be cancelled, corrected, supplemented, or amended once it has been entered in the public record. For example, the Office will not expunge a preregistration from its records if the applicant incorrectly described the work or made other errSoeres in the application. Nor will the Office accept an application for a supplementary registration to correct or amplify the information in the preregistration record. Chapter 1800, Section 1802.4.
Chapter 1600 : 19 12/22/2014 To correct a preregistration record, the applicant may submit another application containing the corrected or omitted information. The new effective date of preregistration is the day on which the Office receives the neSwee filing fee and the new application, which are later determined by the U.S. Copyright Office or a court of competent jurisdiction to be acceptable for preregistration. Section 1609. If the work has been completed, the applicant may submit an application for a basic registration that contains the correct or missing information, instead of submitting a nSeeew g aepnperliaclalytion for a new preregistration. Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286, 42,290 (July 22, 2005).
Chapter 1600 : 20 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1703.1 Filing the Request .............................................................................................................................................................. 4 1703.2 Review of the First Request for Reconsideration .................................................................................................. 4 1704 Second Request for Reconsideration ......................................................................................................................... 5 1704.1 Filing the Second Request for Reconsideration ..................................................................................................... 5 1704.2 Review of the Second Request for Reconsideration ............................................................................................. 6 1705 Effective Date of Registration ....................................................................................................................................... 7 1706 Final Agency Action .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 1707 Retention of Records ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 1708 General Requirements for First and Second Requests for Reconsideration............................................... 8 1708.1 Filing Fee ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8 1708.2 Address for Delivery ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 1708.3 Deadline for Submitting a Request for Reconsideration .................................................................................... 8 1708.4 Withdrawing a Request for Reconsideration .......................................................................................................... 9 1708.5 No Expedited Review ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 1708.6 No Adverse Proceedings ................................................................................................................................................. 9 Chapter 1700 : 1 12/22/2014 Chapter 1700 : 2 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1702 Registration Refused After Examination The U.S. Copyright Office does not register all claims to copyright. The Office may refuse to register claims that do not meet the statutory requirements for copyright r•e gistration, including on the following grounds:
• The work is not fixed in a tangible medium of expression. • The work lacks human authorship.
• The work was not independently created.
• The work is in the public domain. i.e.
1703 First Request for Reconsideration
1703.1 Filing the Request
If the applicant disagrees with a refusal to register the entire work or a refusal to register a specific element of the work, the applicant may appeal that decision within the U.S. Copyright Office. This is an administrative procedure known as a first request for reconsideration.
A request for reconsideration must be in writing. The request should specify the reasons that the applicant believes that registration was improperly refused, including any legal arguments or supplementary information that support the applicant’s position. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(b)(1). The fiSleineg fee set forth in 37 C.F.R. § 201.3(d)(4)(i) must accompany the request, and the Office must receive the request within three months of the date set forth in the refusal. Sections 1708.1 and 1708.3.
The applicant must provide the following information in the subject line on the first •p age of the request:
• A statement that the document is a “FIRST RECONSIDERATION.” The ten digit case number/service request number that the Office assigned to the claim and the seven digit correspondence ID number that appears in the subject • line of the letter refusing to register the work.
The pages of the first request should be numbered, including any attachments or exhibits thereto. The applicant should send one copy of the request to the address specified in Section 1708.2, together with one copy of the reply sheet that was attached tSoe et hgee nreefruasllayl to register.
1703.2 Review of the First Request for Reconsideration
The first request for reconsideration will be reviewed by a U.S. Copyright Office staff attorney in the Registration Program office who did not participate in the initial examination of the claim. The Office will base its decision on the applicant’s submission and the administrative record. If the Office needs additional information in order to Chapter 1700 : 4 12/22/2014 make its decision, the staff attorney will notify the applicant in writing. The Office will not hear oral argument in support odfe a n foirvsot request for reconsideration. The refusal to register is subject to review, which means that the Office will take a fresh look at whether the work meets the statutory requirements for copyright registration.
If the Office decides to register the work, it will notify the applicant in writing. This notification will be sent to the individual who submitted the first request for reconsideratSieoen, rather than the correspondent listed in the application. A certificate of registration will be sent separately to the mailing address specified in the application. Chapter 600, Section 622.4.
If the Office upholds the refusal to register, it will notify the applicant in writing and will explain the reasons for its decision. This notification will be sent to the individual who submitted the first request for reconsideration.
The Office will respond to the first request within four months after the date that the first request was received. If the deadline falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, the deadline will be extended to the next federal work day. In no case shall a failure to respond within four months after the date that the first request was received result in tSheee rgeegniesrtaralltyion of the applicant’s work.
1704 Second Request for Reconsideration
1704.1 Filing the Second Request for Reconsideration
If the U.S. Copyright Office refuses to register a work after reviewing a first request for reconsideration, the applicant may submit a second request for reconsideration. A second request for reconsideration must in writing. The request should specify the reasons that the applicant believes that registration was improperly refused, including any legal arguments or supplementary information that support thSee aepplicant’s position. The applicant must specifically address the Office’s reasons for upholding the refusal to register following the applicant’s first request for reconsideration. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(1). The filing fee set forth in 37 C.F.R. § 201.3(d)(4)(ii) must accompany Stehee second request, and the Office must receive the second request within three months of the date set forth in the Office’s response to the first request for reconsideration. Sections 1708.1 and 1708.3.
The applicant must provide the following information in the subject line on the first page of the request:
Chapter 1700 : 5 12/22/2014 • A statement that the document is a “SECOND RECONSIDERATION.” The ten digit case number/service request number that the Office assigned to the claim and the seven digit correspondence ID number that appears in the subject • line of the Office’s response to the applicant’s first request for reconsideration. The name of the copyright claimant(s) specified in the application and the title(s) of the work exactly as it appears in the application.
The pages of the second request should be numbered as well as any attachments or exhibits thereto. The applicant should send one copy of the request to the address specified in Section 1708.2, together with a copy of the reply sheet that was attached to Stheee Ogeffniecera’sl lryesponse to the applicant’s first request for reconsideration. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(1)-(3) (setting forth the procedure for submitting a second request for reconsideration).
1704.2 Review of the Second Request for Reconsideration
The second appeal will be reviewed by the Review Board. The Review Board consists of the Register of Copyrights and the General Counsel of the U.S. Copyright Office (or their respective designees) and a third individual designated by the Register. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(f).
The Review Board will base its decision on the applicant’s written submission and the administrative record. Specifically, the Board will consider the arguments and evidence set forth in the applicant’s second request for reconsideration, as well as the application and the deposit copy(ies). In addition, the Board may consider any prior correspondence between the applicant and the Office, or may take administrative notice of matters of general knowledge or matters known to the Office or the Review Board. If the Board needs additional information to review the second request, it will notify the applicant in writing. The Review Board will not hear oral argument on a second request for reconsideration.
Bodthe tnhoev odecision made by the registration specialist and the decision to uphold the refusal to register following the applicant’s first request for reconsideration are subject to review, which means that the Board will take a fresh look at whether the work meets the statutory requirements for copyright registration. A majority of the Review Board’s members must agree to uphold or reverse a refusal to register. A decision issued by the Review Board has no precedential value, nor is any decision binding upon the Board in any other appeal.
If the Review Board decides to register the applicant’s work, it will notify the applicant in writing. This notification will be sent to the indSeiveidual who submitted the second request for reconsideration, and the certificate of registration will be sent separately to the mailing address specified in the application. Chapter 600, Section 622.4. Chapter 1700 : 6 12/22/2014 If the Review Board decides to uphold the refusal to register, it will notify the applicant in writing and will explain the reasons for its decision. This notification will be sent to the individual who submitted the second request for reconsideration. If the Review Board has been notified that the work is involved in litigation, the Review Board will Sseene dg ean ceorpayll yof its decision to counsel of record for the parties in that dispute. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(4) (discussing the procedure for reviewing a second request for reconsideration).
1705 Effective Date of Registration If the U.S. Copyright Office registers a work following a first or second request for reconsideration, the Office will assign an effective date of registration (“EDR”) to the registration. The effective date of registration is the day on which the Office receives an acceptable application, deposit copy(ies), and filing fee, which are later determined by the Register of Copyrights or by a court of competent jurisdiction to be acceptable for registration. 17 U.S.C. § 410(d).
As a general rule, if the applicant made a reasonable, good faith effort to complete the relevant fields/spaces in the application, the effective date of registration is the date that the OfSfeicee received the application, provided that the applicant submitted the appropriate deposit copy(ies) and paid the applicable filing fee as of that date. Chapter 600, Section 625.
1706 Final Agency Action A decision issued by the Review Board in response to a second request for reconsideration constitutes the final agency action with respect to the issues addressed therein. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(g).
If the U.S. Copyright Office upholds the refusal to register following a request for reconsideration, an applSiceaent may appeal etht aste qdecision under the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”) by instituting a judicial action against the Register of Copyrights in federal district court. 5 U.S.C. § 500 .
1707 Retention of Records The U.S. Copyright Office maintains records of all documents and correspondence relating to a first or second request for reconsideration. Chapter 1700 : 7 12/22/2014 1708 General Requirements for First and Second Requests for Reconsideration
1708.1 Filing Fee
1708.2 Address for Delivery
Each request for reconsideration (including requests that are delivered by mail, by courier, or obry hand) should be addressed on the outside of the envelope as follows: FIRST SECOND REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION U.S. Copyright Office RAC Division P.O. Box 71380 Washington, DC 20024–1380.
For instructions on delivering a request for reconsideration to the U.S. Copyright Office by hand or by courier, see 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(d).
1708.3 Deadline for Submitting a Request for Reconsideration
A first request for reconsideration must be received in the U.S. Copyright Office no later than three months from the date that appears in the written notice from the Office of its decision to refuse registration. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(b)(3). A second request for reconsideration must be received in the Office no later than three months from the date that appears in the written notice from the Office of its decision to uphold the refusal to register following the applicant’s first request for reconsideration. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(3).
The Office will not consider a second request for reconsideration if the applicant failed to submit the first request in a timely manner.
1708.4 Withdrawing a Request for Reconsideration
An applicant may submit a request to withdraw a first or second request for reconsideration at any time before the U.S. Copyright Office has issued its decision. The request should be made in writing, it should indicate whether the requested withdrawal involves a “FIRST” or “SECOND” request, and it should be sent to the address specified in Section 1708.2. The decision whether to approve or deny the request will be made at the discretion of the Office. The filing fee will not be refunded and the Office will not reinstate a request for reconsideration once it has been withdrawn.
1708.5 No Expedited Review
Special handling is a procedure for expediting the examination of an application to register a claim to copyright or the recordation of a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright. The U.S. Copyright Office offers this service in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for the expedited issuance of a certificate. As discussed in Chapter 600, Section 623.2, the Office will not grant a request for special handling in connection with a first or second request for reconsideration.
1708.6 No Adverse Proceedings
The U.S. Copyright Office does not invite, and generally does not consider, arguments or evidence submitted by or on behalf of any party other than the applicant or the applicant’s duly authorized agent.
Chapter 1700 : 9 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
1802.1 Who May File an Application for a Supplementary Registration? .................................................................. 5 1802.2 When May an Application for a Supplementary Registration Be Filed? ....................................................... 6 1802.3 Records That May Be Corrected or Amplified with a Supplementary Registration ................................ 6 1802.4 Records That Cannot Be Corrected or Amplified with a Supplementary Registration........................... 7
1802.5 What Type of Information May Be Corrected or Amplified with a
Supplementary Registration? ....................................................................................................................................... 9 1802.6 Supplementary Registration Appropriate................................................................................................................ 9 1802.6(A) Minor Errors in the Basic Registration ...................................................................................................................... 9 1802.6(B) Change in Name or Address........................................................................................................................................... 9 1802.6(C) Title of the Work ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 1802.6(D) Author(s) of the Work................................................................................................................................................... 11 1802.6(E) Work Made for Hire ....................................................................................................................................................... 12 1802.6(F) Copyright Claimant(s) ................................................................................................................................................... 13 1802.6(G) Year of Completion ......................................................................................................................................................... 14 1802.6(H) Citizenship, Domicile, and Nation of First Publication ..................................................................................... 15 1802.6(I) Publication Issues ........................................................................................................................................................... 15 1802.6(J) The Claim to Copyright ................................................................................................................................................. 16 1802.7 Supplementary Registration Inappropriate ......................................................................................................... 16 1802.7(A) Annotations ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17 1802.7(B) Ownership Issues............................................................................................................................................................ 17 1802.7(C) Publication Issues ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 1802.7(D) Issues Involving the Deposit Copy(ies) .................................................................................................................. 18 1802.7(E) Issues Involving the Copyright Notice .................................................................................................................... 19 1802.7(F) Cancellation or Abandonment of a Basic Registration ..................................................................................... 19 1802.7(G) Adverse Claims ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 1802.8 Completing the Application ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Chapter 1800 : 1 12/22/2014 1802.8(A) Space A: Identifying the Basic Registration .......................................................................................................... 19 1802.8(B) Space B: Correcting Errors in the Basic Registration ....................................................................................... 20 1802.8(C) Space C: Clarifying Information in the Basic Registration, Providing Missing Information, or Reflecting Changes or Events That Have Occurred Since the Basic Registration Was Made ..................................................................................................................................... 22 1802.8(D) Space D: More Space Needed ..................................................................................................................................... 24 1802.8(E) Space E: Contact Information ..................................................................................................................................... 24 1802.8(F) Space F: Certification ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 1802.8(G) Space G: Mailing Address for the Certificate of Supplementary Registration ......................................... 24 1802.8(H) Filing Fee ............................................................................................................................................................................ 25 1802.8(I) Deposit Copy(ies) Not Required ............................................................................................................................... 25 1802.9 Examination Guidelines ............................................................................................................................................... 25 1802.9(A) Errors That Should Have Been Recognized by the U.S. Copyright Office .................................................. 25 1802.9(B) Identifying the Basic Registration ............................................................................................................................ 25 1802.9(C) Reexamination of the Deposit Copy......................................................................................................................... 26 1802.9(D) Multiple Corrections and Amplifications Submitted on the Same Application ...................................... 26 1802.9(E) Signature Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 27 1802.9(F) Adverse Claims / Actual or Prospective Litigation ............................................................................................ 27 1802.9(G) Refusal to Register ......................................................................................................................................................... 28 1802.9(H) Cancellation of a Basic Registration ........................................................................................................................ 28 1802.10 Certificate of Supplementary Registration ........................................................................................................... 29
1802.11 Cross-Referencing the Records for a Basic Registration and a
Supplementary Registration ...................................................................................................................................... 29 1802.12 Effective Date of Supplementary Registration .................................................................................................... 29 1803 New Application for a New Basic Registration.................................................................................................... 30 1804 Referrals ............................................................................................................................................................................. 33 1804.1 Errors Discovered by the U.S. Copyright Office ................................................................................................... 33 1804.2 General Policy Regarding Social Security Numbers, Driver’s License Numbers, Credit Card Numbers, and Bank Account Numbers .......................................................................................... 33 1805 Abandonment ................................................................................................................................................................... 33 1806 Cancellation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 34 1806.1 What Is Cancellation? .................................................................................................................................................... 34 1806.2 What Types of Records May Be Cancelled by the U.S. Copyright Office? .................................................. 34 Chapter 1800 : 2 12/22/2014 1806.3 Situations Where the U.S. Copyright Office Will Cancel a Registration...................................................... 35 1806.4 Procedure for Cancelling a Registration ................................................................................................................ 35 1806.4(A) Registrations Issued in the Wrong Class or Series ............................................................................................ 35 1806.4(B) Registrations Cancelled for Failure to Pay the Filing Fee................................................................................ 36 1806.4(C) Registrations Cancelled for Lack of Copyrightable Authorship .................................................................... 37 1806.4(D) Registrations Cancelled for Substantive Defects in the Registration ......................................................... 37 1806.4(E) Voluntary Cancellation ................................................................................................................................................. 39 1806.4(F) Court Ordered Cancellation ........................................................................................................................................ 40 1806.5 Request for Reconsideration of Cancellation ....................................................................................................... 40 1807 Adverse Claims ................................................................................................................................................................ 41 Chapter 1800 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 1800 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
• Correcting or amplifying the information in a copyright registration. • Cancelling a copyright registration.
For a discussion of the procedure for abandoning a registration, see Chapter 2300, Section 2311. For a discussion of the procedure for recording transfers or other documents pertaining to copyright, see Chapter 2300, Section 2309. 1802 Supplementary Registration: Correcting or Amplifying the Information in a Registration A supplementary registration is a special type of registration that may be used “to correct an error in a copyright registration or to amplify the information given in a registration.” 17 U.S.C. § 408(d).
A supplementary registration identifies an error or omission in a basic registration and places the correct information or additional information in the public record. Id. Supplementary registrations may be used only to correct or amplify limited issues involving certain types of registrations, which are listed in Section 1802.3 below. ; 37 C.F.R. § 201.5.
When the U.S. Copyright Office issues a supplementary registration, it does not cancel or replace the basic registration or the registration number for that registration. Likewise, the Office will not change the information set forth in the basic registration or the public record for that registration. Instead, the Office assigns a separate registration number and effective date of registration to the supplementary registration. The basic registration and the supplementary registration coexist with each other in the public record, and the supplementary registration augments — but does not supersede — the information set forth in the basic registration. 17 U.S.C. § 408(d); 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(d)(2).
1802.1 Who May File an Application for a Supplementary Registration?
The following parties may correct or amplify the information in a registration record: Chapter 1800 : 5 12/22/2014 • An author of the work. i.e Any other party who is entitled to be named as a copyright claimant ( ., a copyright • owner who owns all of the rights that initially belonged to the author). • An owner of one or more — but less than all — of the exclusive rights in the work. A duly authorized agent of any of the foregoing parties. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(1). No other party may file an application for supplementary registration.
If the application for supplementary registration was submitted by or on behalf of the copyright claimant named in the basic registration, the Office will cross-reference the records for the supplementary registration and the basic registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(1) n.1. Specifically, the Office will place a note in the public record for the basic registration that identifies the registration number and the effective date of registration for the supplementary registration. In addition, the Office will place a note in the public record for the supplementary registration that identifies the registration number and the year of registration for the basic registration. The cross-references are intended to notify any person who searches the Office’s records that the claimant named in the basic registration asked the Office to correct or amplify the information set forth in the basic registration and that the records for both the basic registration and the supplementary registration should be consulted.
If the application for supplementary registration was submitted by or on behalf of any other party, the records will not be cross-referenced with each other. If there is no clear relationship between the applicant and the parties named in the basic registration, the Office may ask the applicant to submit a sworn declaration or other evidence demonstrating that the applicant is an author of the work, a party who is entitled to be named as a copyright claimant, an owner of one or more of the exclusive rights in the work, or an authorized agent of one of the foregoing parties. If the applicant’s claim appears to be implausible, the Office may decline to issue a supplementary registration, and if appropriate, may suggest that the applicant assert an adverse claim by submitting a new application for a new basic registration.
1802.2 When May an Application for a Supplementary Registration Be Filed?
An application to correct or amplify the information set forth in a basic registration may be filed at any time after the registration has been issued by the U.S. Copyright Office and at any time before the copyright has expired.
1802.3 Records That May Be Corrected or Amplified with a
Supplementary Registration A supplementary registration may be used to correct or amplify the information set forth in the following types of registrations:
Chapter 1800 : 6 12/22/2014 Any basic registration issued on or after January 1, 1978 (including group • registrations).
1802.4 Records That Cannot Be Corrected or Amplified with a
Supplementary Registration A supplementary registration cannot be used to correct or amplify the following types of rPeecnodridnsg: applications:
NOTE:
Chapter 1800 : 7 12/22/2014 Basic registrations that are expired:
Fed. Reg. 46,402, 46,402 (Aug. 14, 2006). For additional information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 1300, Section 1317.
Chapter 1800 : 8 12/22/2014 Recorded documents:
1802.5 What Type of Information May Be Corrected or Amplified with a
Supplementary Registration? Supplementary registrations may be used for certain types of corrections and amplifications. A registration may be “corrected” if “information in the basic registration was incorrect at the time that basic registration was made, and the error is not one that the Copyright Office itself should have recognized.” 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(i). A registration may be “amplified” in order to “supplement or clarify the information that was required by the application foIrd the basic registrat .
For representative examples of situations where a supplementary registration can and cannot be used to correct or amplify the information in a basic registration, see Sections
1802.6 and 1802.7.
1802.6 Supplementary Registration Appropriate
This Section provides representative examples of situations where a supplementary registration may be used to correct or amplify the information in a basic registration. 1802.6(A) Minor Errors in the Basic Registration The U.S. Copyright Office will issue a supplementary registration even if the error in the basic registration is extremely minor, such as a typographical mistake or missing article such as “a,” “an,” or “the.” However, in most cases it is not necessary to correct minor errors in a basic registration, particularly if the correct or missing information appears elsewhere in the registration record.
1802.6(B) Change in Name or Address A supplementary registration may be used to correct spelling errors or similar mistakes in the author’s name, the claimant’s name, or any other name that appears in the registration record. Likewise, a supplementary registration may be used to reflect a change in a name or address that appears in the basic registration (although it cannot be used to rEexmamovpele tsh: at information from the original record). The U.S. Copyright Office issued a basic registration for a sound recording naming Dean Jonson as the author of the work. The Chapter 1800 : 9 12/22/2014 author’s name should have been spelled Dean Johnson. The error • may be corrected with a supplementary registration.
1802.6(C) Title of the Work An error concerning the title of the work may be corrected with a supplementary registration. Specifically, a supplementary registration may be used to correct the title of the work, to add a subtitle, a previous or alternative title, or a contents title that was not provided in the application for the basic registration, or to reflect a change in the title that has Eoxcacmurprleeds: since the basic registration was made. Richard Maguire registered a sound recording. The title given in the certificate of registration is “I’ll Love You,” but the title given on the deposit copy is “I’ll Love You (Forever).” Richard may add the longer title to the registration record with a supplementary • registration.
1802.6(D) Author(s) of the Work See A supplementary registration can be used to correct an error or omission in a basic registration involving the author(s) of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(ii)(A). If two or more authors created the work and some of the authors were not named in the basic registration, the names of the missing authors may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration. The registration specialist may ask the applicant to provide documentation confirming that the other authors contributed copyrightable material to the work if the other authors are not listed in the deposit copy(ies), if there does not appear to be any connection between the other authors and the authors named in the basic registration, or if there is any other reason to question the application. In addition, the specialist may ask the applicant to provide a transfer statement in the application for supplementary registration if a similar statement would have been required if the other authors had been named in the application for the basic registration.
The author’s real name may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration if the applicant provided a pseudonym in the application for the basic registration or if the basic registration states that the author is anonymous. For a discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, Sections 615.1 and 615.2.
If the wrong author is named in the basic registration, the correct name may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration, provided that the application is filed by one of the parties listed in Section 1802.1. In addition, a statement may be added to the registration record to clarify that the person named in the basic registration is not, in fact, the author of the work (although that name cannot be removed from the original record). In some cases, the registration specialist may ask the applicant to provide a declaration or other supporting evidence confirming that the informatEixoanm septl efso:r th in the application for supplementary registration is correct. Anne Duquesne and Phillip Craig are listed on the deposit copy as co-authors of a ballad titled “Together Forever.” Anne registered the song, naming herself as the sole author and claimant of this work. Chapter 1800 : 11 12/22/2014 Anne may add Phillip’s name to the registration record with a • supplementary registration.
In all cases, this determination should be based on the facts that existed at the time when the basic registration was made. In some cases, a new transfer statement may be required if the author named in the application for supplementary registration and the claimEaxnatm npalmes:e d in the basic registration are not the same. Jessica Fineman is a professional songwriter. She formed a closely held corporation to manage her financial portfolio and she routinely assigns her copyrights to this entity for tax purposes. In 1978 Chapter 1800 : 12 12/22/2014 Jessica registered a song titled “Termination Nation.” She named Jessica Fineman, Inc. as the author and copyright claimant and she checked the box indicating that the song was created as a work made for hire. In 2013 Jessica submits an application for supplementary registration stating that she should have named herself as the author of this song and the work made for hire box should have been checked “no,” because she did not write this work as an employee of Jessica Fineman, Inc. Jessica also provides the transfer statement “by written agreement” to explain that she assigned the copyright in this song to her closely held corporation. • The registration specialist will issue the supplementary registration. Julian Chariot is an amateur songwriter. In 2000 he registered a song titled “Trust Me.” Julian named himself as the author and claimant, but mistakenly checked the work made for hire box “yes,” because he assumed that this is the best way to tell the world that he wants to be hired as a songwriter. In 2013, Julian submits an application for a supplementary registration stating that the work made for hire box should have been checked “no.” The registration specialist will issue the supplementary registration.
1802.6(F) Copyright Claimant(s)
A supplementary registration may be used to correct an error in the basic registration involving the copyright claimant. It may also be used to add the namSee eof a co-claimant who should have been listed in the application for a basic registration (regardless of whether the co-claimant is — or is not — a co-author of the work). 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(ii)(A).
In all cases, this determination should be based on the facts that existed at the time when the basic registration was made. As discussed in Section 1802.S7e(eB), information about a claimant or co-claimant who acquired the copyright after that date cannot be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration. Corrections and Amplifications of Copyright Registrations; Applications for Supplementary Registration, 63 Fed. Reg. 59,235, 59,235 (Nov. 3, 1998). Recording a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright is the only means for adding subsequent information to the registration record.
If the copyright was co-owned by two or more parties when the application for the basic registration was submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office and if one or more of those co- owners was not listed in the basic registration, their name(s) may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration. In some cases, the applicant may be asked to provide a transfer statement in the application for supplementary registration or other documentation if a similar statement would have been required if the other co-owner(s) had been named in the application for the basic registration. If an author of the work was listed in the basic registration as an author, but not as a copyright claimant, the author’s name may be added as a claimant to the registration record with a supplementary registration. In the alternative, the author may file a new Chapter 1800 : 13 12/22/2014 See application for a new basic registration that names the author as the copyright claimant. Section 1803.
If the wrong claimant was named in the basic registration, the correct name may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration, provided that the application is filed by one of the parties listed in Section 1802.1. In addition, a statement may be added to the registration record to clarify that the name provided in the basic registration is incorrect (although that name cannot be removed from the basic registration). In some cases, the registration specialist may ask the applicant to provide a declaration or other supporting evidence confirming that the information set forth in the applEicxaatmiopnl efos:r supplementary registration is correct. • Hair Force One Tracey Ebert and Karen Colby co-wrote a screenplay titled . On July 1, 2006 Karen assigned her share of the copyright to Graffiti Studios. On July 31, 2006 Tracey submitted an application to register the screenplay, naming herself as the sole copyright claimant. Tracey may file an application for supplementary registration naming Graffiti as a co-claimant. Tracey should provide a transfer statement that explains how the company obtained the copyright in this work. In addition, the registration specialist may ask Tracey to submit additional documentation concerning this • transfer.
1802.6(G) Year of Completion An error involving the year of completion may be corrected with a supplementary registration. However, the year given in the application for supplementary registration must be the same as — or earlier than — the year given as the effective date of registration for the basic registration. Likewise, if the work has been published, the year of completion given in the application for supplementary registration must be the same as — or earlier than — the date of first publication given in the basic registration. Chapter 1800 : 14 12/22/2014 1802.6(H) Citizenship, Domicile, and Nation of First Publication If there is an error in the basic registration concerning the author’s citizenship/domicile or the nation of first publication, the correct information may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration. In all cases, this determination should be based on the facts that existed at the time when the basic registration was made. If the work does not appear to be eligible for copyright protection in the United States based on the information provided in the application for supplementary registration, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant. If the specialist determines that the work was not eligible foSr eceopyright protection at the time the basic registration was made, the application for supplementary registration may be refused and the basic registration may be cancelled. Section 1802.9(H). 1802.6(I) Publication Issues As a general rule, an error involving the date of publication for the work may be corrected with a supplementary registration. In all cases, this determination should be based on the facts that existed at the time when the basic registration was made. For instance, if the applicant mistakenly provided a date of publication for a work that has not been published, a statement may be added to the registration record to clarify that the work is actually unpublished. If the applicant provided the wrong date of publication in the application for basic registration, the correct date may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration. However, the registration specialist may ask the applicant to confirm that the deposit copies submitted with the application for the bEaxsaicm rpelgeiss:t ration are identical to the first published edition of that work. Olivia Morland created a fabric design for her line of t-shirts. In the application for basic registration, Olivia stated that the design was first published on May 31, 2011, but in fact, she began selling her t- shirts on April 1, 2011. Olivia may add the correct date of publication to the registration record with a supplementary registration. The specialist may communicate with Olivia to confirm that the deposit copies submitted with the application for the basic • registration are the copies that were first published on April 1, 2011. Brigitte Byrne is the author of a choreographic work that debuted at the Kennedy Center on September 15, 2010. The next day she filed an application to register her work with the U.S. Copyright Office. In her application, Brigitte stated that work was published on September 15, 2010, because she mistakenly assumed that a public performance constitutes publication. Brigitte may correct this mistake by filing an application for a supplementary registration stating that the work is, in fact, unpublished.
In some cases an error involving the publication of the work cannot be corrected with a supplementary registration. Instead, the applicant must submit a new application for a Chapter 1800 : 15 12/22/2014 new basic registration. These types of publication issues are discussed in Section 1802.7(C).
1802.6(J) The Claim to Copyright A supplementary registration may be used to correct or amplify the claim that has been asserted in the basic registration. Specifically, it may be used to correct or amend the information that appears on the certificate of registration in the fields/spaces marked Author Created, Limitation of Copyright Claim, Nature of Authorship, and/or Material Added to This Work. If the specialist determines that the authorship described in the application for supplementary registration is not registrable, he or she may communEixcaatmep wleist:h the applicant and may refuse to issue a supplementary registration. Deanna Mueller registered an unpublished journal, naming herself as the author of the “text.” Deanna would like to add a claim in “illustrations” to the registration record. The registration specialist will retrieve the deposit copy from the Office’s files to determine if Deanna contributed a sufficient amount of artwork to this work. If • so, the specialist will issue a supplementary registration. Todoroff Designs registered a cookbook. The basic registration identifies the New Material Included in the claim as “text, two- dimensional artwork” and the Material Excluded from this claim as “text, two-dimensional artwork.” Todoroff submits an application for supplementary registration to clarify that this is the eighth edition of this cookbook and that the company intended to register the text and artwork that appears on pages 2, 12, and 60-82 of this edition. The registration specialist will retrieve the deposit copy to determine if these pages contain a sufficient amount of new copyrightable authorship. If so, the specialist will issue a • supplementary registration. The Black Dossier Bennett James registered an unpublished album titled . The basic registration states that the author created “music, lyrics, and musical arrangement.” Bennett submits an application for supplementary registration stating that he created the artwork that appears on the album cover. The registration specialist retrieves the deposit copy from the Office’s files and determines that the artwork merely consists of the title of the album superimposed on a black background. The specialist will refuse to issue a supplementary registration, because the artwork that appears on the album is not copyrightable.
1802.7 Supplementary Registration Inappropriate
This Section provides representative examples of situations where a supplementary registration cannot be used to correct or amplify the information in a basic registration. Chapter 1800 : 16 12/22/2014 1802.7(A) Annotations As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will not amend or remove an annotation from the registration record. The Office will refuse an application for supplementary registration that purports to amend or remove an annotation. 1802.7(B) Ownership Issues A supplementary registration cannot be used to reflect the division, licensing, or transfer of rights in the work. Likewise, a supplementary registration cannot be used .
to reflect a change in the ownership of the copyright that occurred on or after the effective date of registration for the basic registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(iii)(A) If the rights in the work have been divided, licensed, or transferred, or if there has been a change in ownership since the application for basic registration was made, the applicant should not submit an application for supplementary registration. Instead, the applicant should record the assignment, license, or other legal document that transferred the copyright from one party to another.
Recording certain documents “gives all persons constructiveS eneotice of the facts stated in the recorded document,” and it may have other important coSneseequences in the event that there is a conflicting transfer involving the same work. 17 U.S.C. § 205(c)-(e). A supplementary registration does not provide these benefits. Corrections and Amplifications of Copyright Registrations; Import Statements; and Recordation of DocumeEnxtsa,m 4p3l eFse:d . Reg. 771, 771 (Jan. 4, 1978). Lorraine Pelowicz and Jody Keppler registered a song naming themselves as the co-claimants of the work. They subsequently submit an application for supplementary registration stating that Lorraine currently owns the publishing rights and that Jody currently owns the right to perform the work in public. The application will be refused. Instead, Lorraine and Jody should record the legal agreement that divided the ownership of the • copyright between the parties.
1802.7(C) Publication Issues If the work was unpublished when the application for the basic registration was submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office and then published sometime thereafter, the date of publication cannot be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration. Instead, the applicant should submit a nSeewe application for a new basic registration for the first published edition of that work (even if the published version “is substantially the same as the unpublished version”). 17 U.S.C. § 408(e); 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(i).
Ordinarily, if the work was published on or before the effective date of registration for the basic registration and if the applicant mistakenly claimed that the work was unpublished as of that date, the date of publication cannot be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration. Instead, the applicant should submit a new application for a new basic registration using the procedure described in Section 1803 (subject to the limited exception discussed below).
In most cases, these types of publication issues cannot be corrected with a supplementary registration because the deposit requirement for a published work and an unpublished work are not the same. As a general rSuelee, the applicant must submit two complete copies of the best edition if the work has been published, but only one complete copy is required for an unpublished work. Chapter 1500, Sections 1505.1 and 1505.2. By contrast, if an unpublished work was erroneously registered as a published work, the date of publicationS meeay be corrected with a supplementary registration, because the deposit copies for a published work usually satisfy the deposit requirement for an unpublished work. Section 1802.6(I). There is a limited exception to this rule. If a published work was erroneously registered as an unpublished work, the date of publication may be added to the registration record with a supplementary registration, provided that (i) the work was published on or after March 1, 1989, and (ii) the deposit requirement for that type of work would be the same regardless of whether the work was published or unpublished, such as architectural blueprints, mechanical drawings, globes, greetings cards, postcards, commercial prints and labels, as well as computer programs, databases, or other types of works that may be registered with identifying material.
1802.7(D) Issues Involving the Deposit Copy(ies)
A supplementary registration may be used only to correct or amplify the information set forth in a certificate of registration. The U.S. Copyright Office will not issue a supplementary registration to correct an error in the deposit copy(ies) that were submitSteeed with the application for basic registration. Likewise, the Office will not issue a supplementary registration to reflect subsequent changes in the content of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(iii)(B).
Chapter 1800 : 18 12/22/2014 If the work has been changed since it was submitted for registration, and if the additions or revisions contain a sufficient amount of original authorship to qualify as a derivative basic registration work, the applicant should not submit an application for supplementary registration. Instead, the applicant should submit a new application for a new covering the revised version of the work. For a definition and discussion of derivative works, see Chapter 500, Section 507.
1802.7(E) Issues Involving the Copyright Notice The U.S. Copyright OfficeS eweill not issue a supplementary registration to add or correct the copyright notice on the deposit copy(ies) that were submitted with the application for a basic registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(iii)(B). 1802.7(F) Cancellation or Abandonment of a Basic Registration A basic registration cannot be cancelled or abandoned with a supplementary registration. If the applicant asserts that the basic registration should be abandoned or cancelled for any reason, the U.S. Copyright Office will refuse to issue a supplementary registration. For a discussion of the procedure for cancelling a basic registration, see , Section 1806. For a discussion of the procedure for abandoning a basic registration, see Chapter 2300 Section 2311.
1802.7(G) Adverse Claims A supplementary registration cannot be used to question or challenge the validity of a basic registration. If an applicant asserts that the U.S. Copyright Office issued a basic registration to a party who is not eligible to be named as a copyright claimant or that the application for the basic registration was filed by a party who was not authorized to register the claim, the applicant should not submit an application for supplementary registration. Instead, the applicant should assert an Saedeverse claim in the copyright by submitting a new application for a new basic registration on behalf of the party who should have been named as the copyright claimant. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(iii). For a discussion of the practices and procedures for asserting an adverse claim, see Section 1807.
1802.8 Completing the Application
1802.8(A) Space A: Identifying the Basic Registration An application for supplementary registration “shall clearly identify the registration to be corrected or amplified.” 17 U.S.C. § 408(d). The applicant should identify the basic r•e gistration by providing the following information in space A of Form CA: The title of the work that appears in the basic registration (including the previous or alternative title for the work, if any).
Chapter 1800 : 19 12/22/2014 The registration number that appears on the certificate of registration for the basic • registration.
• The name(s) of the author(s) listed in the basic registration. The name(s) of the copyright claimant(s) listed in the basic registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(i)-(iv). The foregoing information should be copied exactly as it appears on the certificate of registration for the basic registration, even if that information is incorrect or incomplete, even if the applicant intends to correct or amplify that information with a supplementary registration, or even if that information has been corrected or amplified by an earlier supplementary registration. In addition, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a photocopy of the certificate of registration that the applicant intends to correct or amplify. 1802.8(B) Space B: Correcting Errors in the Basic Registration If the information set forth in the basic registration was incorrect at the time when the basic registration was made, the applicant should provide the following information in s•p ace B of Form CA:
Danny Nelson registered a song in 2010, but his name is misspelled in the Author and Claimant fields. Danny may correct this error by p−r ovLiidnien gN tuhmeb feorllowing information in space B of Form CA: − Line Heading: onr/ Da.e scription − Incorrect information : Author / Copyright Claimant.
− Corrected information: Denny Nelson.
− Explanation of correcti:o Dnanny Nelson.
• : Author’s first name was misspelled.
− Line Heading: onr/ aD. escription : Author, Work Made For Hire, − CInocpoyrrriegcht ti nCfloarimmaantito. n : Author: McGrath & Co.; Work made for − hCiorrer:e Ycteesd. information : Author: Kevin Cannizzo; Work made for − hEixrpel:a Nnaot; iTorna onfs cfeorr rsetcattieomnent: By written agreement. : This handbook is not a work made for hire; Kevin Cannizzo should have been named as the author. McGrath & Co. obtained the copyright in this work from the • author by written agreement.
Robert Rockwell registered a technical drawing in 2005. The drawing was displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry on May 1, 2004, and Robert mistakenly stated that the work had been published, because he assumed that a public display constitutes publication. Robert may correct this error by providing the following information in space B of Form CA:
Chapter 1800 : 21 12/22/2014 − Line Number − Line Heading: oSrp Daceesc 3r(ipbt)i.o n : Date and Nation of First Publication − oInf cTohrrise cPta irntfiocurmlaar tWioonrk.
1802.8(C) Space C: Clarifying Information in the Basic Registration, Providing Missing Information, or Reflecting Changes or Events That Have Occurred Since the Basic Registration Was Made ation If the applicant intends to clarify the information that appears in the basic registr , to provide missing information that should have been included in the application for basic registration, or to reflect changes that have occurred since the application was submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office (other than a change in the ownership of the c•o pyright), then the applicant should provide the following information in space C: The applicant should identify the relevant portion of the basic registration where the error appears. This information should be provided in the space marked Line Heading or Description. If the spaces on the certificate of registration are numbered one through nine, the applicant also should identify the space where the error appears by providing the relevant number in the space marked “Line Number.” (If there are no numbers on the certificate of registration, the Line Number space may • be left blank.)
In addition, the applicant may provide a brief explanation for the amplification. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(Ec)x(a1m)(pvlie)s(:C ).
Kerry Blaire registered an ink drawing, naming herself as the author and copyright claimant for this work. Kerry subsequently changed her name. Kerry may add her new name to the registration record b−y pLrionvei dNinumg tbheer following information in space C of Form CA: − Line Heading: onr/ Da.e scription − Amplified Information and E:x Apulatnhaotri,o Cno opfy Irnifgohrtm Calatiiomnant. : Author, Copyright Claimant fields: Due to divorce and remarriage, the name of the author and copyright claimant has changed from • Kerry Blaire to Kerry Stephens.
Compass & Co. registered a roadmap of Fairfax County, Virginia, naming itself as the copyright claimant for this work. The company subsequently moved to a new address. The company may add its new address to the registration record by providing the following −in forLminaet Niounm inb esrpace C of Form CA:
− Line Heading: o4r. Description − Amplified Information and E:x Cpolapnyartigiohnt oCfl aIinmfoarnmt.a tion : Copyright Claimant: The claimant’s new address is P.O. Box 180, Miami, FL 32815.
Chapter 1800 : 23 12/22/2014 1802.8(D) Space D: More Space Needed If the applicant needs more space to correct or amplify the information that appears in the basic registration, the applicant should provide the additional information in space D of Form CA.
1802.8(E) Space E: Contact Information In space E, the applicant should provide the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address (if any) for the person or persons who should be contacted if the registration specialist has questions or concerns regarding the application for supplementary registration. This person is known as the correspondent. The U.S. Copyright Office will send all communications concerning an application for a supplementary registration to the correspondent at the address provided in Space E of the application.
1802.8(F) Space F: Certification An application for supplementary registration must be certified by an author, authorized agent a copyright claimant, or an oSweener of one or more of the exclusive rights in the work, or a duly of one of the foregoing persons. No other person or entity is entitled to certify Form CA. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(1).
A handwritten signature should be provided on space F of the application under the heading “HSaenedwritten Signature,” and the first and last name of the person who signed the application should be typed or printed on the space marked “Typed or Printed Name and Date.” 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(viii)(A)-(B).
The person who certifies the application should check one of the boxes on Form CA indicating whether he or she is an author of the work, a copyright claimant, an owner of one or more of the exclusive rights in the work, or a duly authorized agenSet eof one of the foregoing parties. In addition, the applicant should provide the name of the .
author, claimant, or owner of exclusive rights that the agent represents. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(viii)(C) Ordinarily, an application will be accepted if two or more of the boxes in space F have been checked, unless there is reason to question the application. See id.
The person who signs Form CA certifies that the information provided in the application is correct to the best of his or her knowledge. Knowingly making a false representation of a material fact in an application for supplementary registration, or in any written statement filed in connection with the application, is a crime that is punishable under 17 U.S.C. § 506(e).
1802.8(G) Space G: Mailing Address for the Certificate of Supplementary Registration The applicant should provide the first and last name of the individual and/or the name of the organizSaetieon to which the certificate of supplementary registration should be sent, along with the street address, city, state, and zip code for that individual and/or organization. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(vii)(B). This information should be provided in space G under the heading “Certificate will be mailed in window envelope to this address.” This portion of the application should be completed legibly; failure to provide Chapter 1800 : 24 12/22/2014 a legible name and address may delay the delivery of the certificate of supplementary registration.
The applicant should provide only one mailing address in space G. The U.S. Copyright Office will send a single copy of the certificate to that address by first class mail. Additional copies of the certificate may be obtained from the Office for an additional fee. For instructions on how to request additional copies of a certificate of supplementary registration, see Chapter 2400, Section 2408.
1802.8(H) Filing Fee The filing fee for an application for supplementary registration is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Form CA (to correct or amplify a completed registration)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying this filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
As a general rule, the filing fee is not refundable, regardless of whether the Office issues a supplementary registration. The Office will issue a refund oSneley if the Office determines that the error in the basic registration should have been recognized by the registration specialist at the time when the basic registration was made. Section 1802.9(A). 1802.8(I) Deposit Copy(ies) Not Required As discussed in Section 1802.8(A), the applicant should submit a copy of the cSeeretificate of registration for these bea aslisco registration, but should not submit copy(ies) of the work unless the registration specialist specifically instructs the applicant to do so. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(3); Section 1802.9(C).
1802.9 Examination Guidelines
1802.9(A) Errors That Should Have Been Recognized by the U.S. Copyright Office If the Office determines that there is an error in the basic registration and that the mistake or oversight should have been recognized by the registration specialist when the claim was examined, the SOefefice will take appropriate measures to correct the registration record. In this situation, the Office will refund the filing fee without issuing a supplementary registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(a)(2), (b)(2)(i). 1802.9(B) Identifying the Basic Registration If the applicant fails to provide all of the information requested in space A of the application or fails to provide the information exactly as it appears in the basic registration, the registration specialist may correct the information with an annotation, such as “information added from Copyright Office records” or “information corrected from Copyright Office records.” If the specialist is unable to identify the basic registration based on the information provided in the application, the specialist will communicate with the applicant.
Chapter 1800 : 25 12/22/2014 1802.9(C) Reexamination of the Deposit Copy In some cases, it may be necessary to compare the information provided in the application for supplementary registration with the deposit copy(ies) which were submitted with the application for the basic registration, particularly if the supplementary registration changes the publication status of the work, adds additional authors to the registration record, or makes changes to the certificate of registration in the fields/spaces marked Author Created, Limitation of Copyright Claim, Nature of Authorship, or New Material Added to This Work.
If the U.S. Copyright Office does not have the deposit copy(ies) in its possession, or if the deposit copy(ies) cannot be found within the collections of the Library of Congress, the specialist will ask the applicant to submit a replacement deposit together with a written declaration confirming that the replacement is identical to the deposit copy(ies) that were submitted with the application for basic registration (including the copyright notice if the work was published in the United States before March 1, 1989). 1802.9(D) Multiple Corrections and Amplifications Submitted on the Same Application If the applicant discovers errors in the basic registration and missing information that should have been included in the application for basic registration, the applicant may correct and amplify the information that appears in the basic registration by filing a single application for supplementary registration.
As a general rule, if the applicant provides the corrected or amplified information in the wrong space of the application ( , using the amplification field to correct an error in the basic registration), the registration specialist may issue a supplementary registration without communicating with the applicant, as long as the information appears elsewhere on Form CA. Likewise, the specialist may issueS ae esupplementary registration, even if the specialist disagrees with the applicant as to whether the proposed change constitutes a “correction” or an “amplification.” Corrections and Amplifications of Copyright Registrations; Import Statements; and Recordation of TransferEsx aanmdp Olet:h er Documents, 43 Fed. Reg. 771, 771 (Jan. 4, 1978). • Get Your Groove On Farida Hazra Khan wrote a travelogue titled . In 2013 Farida’s agent registered the work, but she mistakenly identified the author as Hazra Khan. In the Rights and Permissions field the agent stated that requests to license the work should be sent to her address in Chicago. The agent subsequently moved to Philadelphia. The author’s correct name and the agent’s current address may be added to the registration record by providing the f−o lloLwinine gN iunmfobremration in spaces B and C of Form CA: − Line Heading: onr/ Da.e scription : Author.
Chapter 1800 : 26 12/22/2014 − Incorrect Information as It Appears in Basic Registration : Hazra − KCohrarne.c ted information − Explanation of correcti:o Fnarida Khan.
1802.9(E) Signature Requirements The registration specialist will review the application for supplementary registration to confirm that an individual has certified the application. The specialist will accept a certification that includes the name of the individual who certified the application, along with the name of that person’s employer or the business or organization that the person represents, but a certification that merely recites the name of a business, company, partnership, or other legal entity is unacceptable. The specialist will accept a photocopy of a handwritten signature, but a stamped signature or a signature provided on a preprinted label is not acceptable. Likewise, the specialist will not accept a signature consisting solely of initials or a monogram. If the application has not been signed, the specialist will ask the applicant to sign space E of Form CA and resubmit the application.
1802.9(F) Adverse Claims / Actual or Prospective Litigation If the U.S. Copyright Office is aware that there is actual or prospective litigation or an adverse claim involving a basic registration, and if the applicant attempts to make a major change to that registration, the Office may decline to issue a supplementary registration until the applicant has confirmed in writing that the dispute has been resolved. Similarly, the Office may decline to issue a supplementary registration if it seems likely that the proposed change would be directly at issue in the litigation or the adverse Ecxlaaimmp. le:
If the Office is aware that there is litigation or an adverse claim involving a basic registration, the Office may issue a supplementary registration if the applicant intends to make a minor change in that registration or if it seems unlikely that the proposed change would be directly at issue in the dispute. Examples of minor changes or changes that are not likely to be at issue in a legal dispute include spelling mistakes, clerical errors, oErx cahmanplgee: s to the title or publication status of the work. Olga Jensen registered a song titled “My Daddy Hated Those Crutches,” naming herself as the author and copyright claimant. Olga submits an application for supplementary registration stating that the title of the work should be changed to “My Daddy Never Needed Those Crutches.” In the cover letter Olga explains that she intends to sue a radio station for playing this song without permission. Although there is prospective litigation involving this song, the registration specialist may issue the supplementary registration because it appears that the title of the work has changed since the registration was made.
For a general discussion of adverse claims, see Section 1807. 1802.9(G) Refusal to Register If the U.S. Copyright Office determines that the applicant is not authorized to file the application for supplementary registration or that the other requirements for a supplementary registration have not been met, the registration specialist will refuse registration. A refusal to register only some of the elements in an application for supplementary registration may be communicated in a telephone conversation, by email, or by letter. A decision to reject the entire application will be made by a written communication sent to the mailing address provided in space E of the application. If the applicant disagrees with the Office’s decision, the applicant may appeal that decision within the Office. This is an administrative procedure known as a request for reconsideration. To exercise this option, the applicant should follow the procedures set forth in 37 C.F.R. § 202.5 and Chapter 1700, Sections 1703 and 1708. 1802.9(H) Cancellation of a Basic Registration If the changes proposed in the application for supplementary registration indicate that the work does not constitute copyrightable subject matter or that the other legal and formal requirements for obtaining a basic registration have not been met, the U.S. Copyright Office may refuse to issue a supplementary registration and may issue a proposal to cancel the basic registration.
Chapter 1800 : 28 12/22/2014 Although the Office has the authority to cancel a basic registration if these requirements are not met, it may decline to cancel a basic registration if the application for supplementary registration was submitted by or on behalf of any party other than the claimant named in the basic registration.
For a discussion of the practices and procedures for cancelling a basic registration, see Section 1806.
1802.10 Certificate of Supplementary Registration
If the application to correct or amplify the registration record is approved, the U.S. Copyright Office will issue a supplementary registration to the author, claimant, or exclusive licensee named in space F of the application. However, the Office will not notify any other party that a supplementary registration has been made, even if they are listed in the certificate of registration for the basic registration. The Office will prepare a certificate of supplementary registration that contains pertinent information from the application. The certificate of supplementary registration will be mailed to the address that the applicant provided in space G of the application. In addition, the Office will create a public record for the supplementary registration that identifies and describes the changes or revisions that have been made to the registration record.
The Office will assign a separate registration number to the supplementary registration. In most cases, this number will begin with the same prefix that appears in the basic registration.
1802.11 Cross-Referencing the Records for a Basic Registration and a Supplementary Registration As discussed in Section 1802.1, the U.S. Copyright Office will place a note in the public record for the supplementary registration that cross-references the registration number and the year of registration for the basic registration, provided that the application for supplementary registration was submitted by or on behalf of the copyright claimant named in the basic registration. In addition, the Office will place a note in the public record for the basic registration that cross-references the registration number and the effective date of registration for the supplementary registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(1) n.1.
If the application was submitted by or on behalf of any other party, the Office will create a public record for the supplementary registration. However, the Office will not cross- reference that record with the public record for the basic registration.
1802.12 Effective Date of Supplementary Registration
When the U.S. Copyright Office issues a certificate of supplementary registration, the Office assigns an effective date of registration for that registration. The effective date of registration is the day on which an acceptable application and filing fee, which are later determined by the Register of Copyrights or by a court of competent jurisdiction to be Chapter 1800 : 29 12/22/2014 See acceptable for supplementary registration, have all been received in the Office. 17 U.S.C. § 410(d).
As a general rule, if the applicant makes a reasonable, good faith effort to complete the relevant spaces in Form CA and to identify the basic registration that needs to be corrected or amplified, the effective date of registration will be the date that the Office received the application, provided that the applicant paid the applicable filing fee as of that date.
The Office cannot issue an effective date of registration if the applicant submits an unacceptable form of payment, such as uncollectible checks, unsigned checks, postdated checks, mutilated checks, illegible checks, fees made payable in a foreign currency, or the like. If the Office issues a certificate of supplementary registration and if the payment for the filing fee is returned for insufficient funds or any other reason, the supplementary registration will be cancelled.
The effective date of registration for the basic registration and the effective date of registration for the supplementary registration will coexist with each other in the registration record. The Office maintains both records to allow courts to decide whether the changes made by the supplementary registration are material and whether those changes should or should not be deemed effective as of the date that the basic registration was made.
1803 New Application for a New Basic Registration This Section discusses the practices and procedures for correcting or amplifying the information in a basic registration by filing a new application for a new basic registration.
As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will issue only one basic registration to the same claimanSte feor the same work, and a supplementary registration is the preferred method for correcting or amplifying the information in a basic registration. Applications for Registration of Claim to Copyright under Revised Copyright Act, 42 Fed. Reg. 48,944, 48,945 (Sept. 26, 1977). As discussed in Section 1802.7, there are some cases where a supplementary registration cannot be used to correct or amplify the information in a basic registration. In those cases, a new application for a new basic registration may be used to correct an error or omission in a basic registration, instead of filing an application for a s•u ppClleamimeanntat riyss rueegsistration.
Ordinarily, the registration number and year of registration for the basic registration should be provided in an application for a new basic registration. Specifically, the applicant should provide this information in the Previous Registration field (in the case of an online application) or on space 5 (in the case of a paper application). However, if an applicant intends to assert an adverse claim, the applicant should not provide the registration number for the other registration in the Previous Registration field/space. Instead, the applicant should provide a brief statement in the Note to Copyright Office field or in a cover letter indicating that the exact same work has been registered by another party. The registration specialist may add a note to the certificate of registration and the online public record indicating the presence of correspondence in the file or may addE ax anmotpel ecsl:a rifying that the applicant has asserted an adverse claim. Dennis Lockhart and Betty Patton co-wrote a ballad titled “Forever Apart.” The Office issued a basic registration naming Dennis and Betty as the co-authors and Dennis as the sole copyright claimant. Dennis may add Betty’s name to the Name of Claimant field with a supplementary registration. In the alternative, Betty may file a new application for a new basic registration naming herself as the copyright claimant for this work if the work is jointly owned. Chapter 1800 : 31 12/22/2014 Eliza Kuralt registered a bird watching guide as an unpublished work. Two days later, Eliza began selling copies of her guide over the internet. The date of publication cannot be added to the basic registration with a supplementary registration. Eliza may add the date of publication to the registration record by submitting a new application for a new basic registration together with two copies of the first published edition of her guide, even if the published version • is substantially the same as the unpublished version. Matt Bernaski registered a computer program and mistakenly claimed that the work had not been published before. In fact, Matt distributed the program on a CD-ROM two days before he submitted his application to the Office. The date of publication cannot be added to the basic registration with a supplementary registration, because the deposit requirement for an unpublished program is not the same as the deposit requirement for a program published on a CD-ROM. However, Matt may file a new application for the published version of this work. To do so, Matt should submit a sample of the source code for his program together with one copy of the complete CD-ROM package. Matt should provide the registration number and year of registration for the previous registration in the Previous Registration field. In addition, he should provide the following statement in the New Material Included field (in the case of an online application) or on space 6(b) (in the case of a paper application): “This registration is made to correct a registration that was incorrectly made as unpublished.” If appropriate, the Office may cancel the previous registration and issue a new basic • registration for the work.
A new application for a new basic registration may be filed at any time during the life of the copyright and the application may be submitted by any of the parties listed in Chapter 400, Section 402.
If the application for the new basic registration is approved, the Office will issue a certificate of registration and will create a public record for that registration. However, the Office will not cancel the previous registration or the registration number that has been assigned to that registration, it will not change the information set forth in the previous registration or the public record for that registration, and it will not cross- reference those records with the records for the new basic registration. Instead, the Chapter 1800 : 32 12/22/2014 previous registration and the new basic registration will coexist with each other in the public record.
1804 Referrals If the error in a registration record is the result of the U.S. Copyright Office’s action or mistake, the Office will correct the record on its own initiative without recourse to the supplementary registration procedure. This procedure is known as a “referral.”
1804.1 Errors Discovered by the U.S. Copyright Office
If the U.S. Copyright Office discovers an error or omission in the basic registration that should have been recognized by the registration specialist when he or she examined the claim, the Office may correct the error or omission on its own initiative. If additional information is required, the Office will communicate with the person named in the Correspondent field/space. If the Office is unable to reach the correspondent, it will communicate with the copyright claimant named in the basic registration. If appropriate, the Office will issue a new certificate of registration containing the correct or missing information. If the Office is unable to reach the correspondent or the copyright claimant, or if he or she is unable to provide the correct or missing information, the Office will add a note to the registration record that describes the error or omission in the registration and will update the record to indicate that there is correspondence in the file. 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(d).
If the Office discovers a major substantive error or omission in the basic registration, the Office may cancel the registration using the procedures described in Sections 1806.4(C) or 1806.4(D).
1804.2 General Policy Regarding Social Security Numbers, Driver’s License
Numbers, Credit Card Numbers, and Bank Account Numbers If the registration specialist discovers a social security number, driver’s license number, credit card number, or bank account number in the application, he or she will remove that information from the record without communicating with the applicant. If this information is not discovered during the examination process and subsequently appears in the certificate of registration or the online public record, the author, the claimant, or one of the other parties listed in Section 1802.1 should contact the Office using the form posted on the U.S. Copyright Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/help/general- form.html). The Office will remove a social security number, driver’s license number, credit card number, or bank account number from the certificate of registration and online public record upon written request.
1805 Abandonment A basic registration cannot be abandoned with a supplementary registration or an application for a new basic registration. However, the U.S. Copyright Office may record an affidavit, a declaration, a statement, or any other document purporting to abandon a copyright or any of the exclusive rights granted to copyright owners under Sections 106 Chapter 1800 : 33 12/22/2014 or 106A of the Copyright Act. For a discussion of this procedure, see Chapter 2300, Section 2311.
1806 Cancellation This Section discusses the practices and procedures for cancelling a registration issued by the U.S. Copyright Office.
1806.1 What Is Cancellation?
Cancellation is a procedure for invalidating a registration that has been issued by the U.S. Copyright Office.
“The Office views cancellation of invalid claims as a necessary measure to ensure the integrity of the copyright registration system and to ensure consistent application of its regulatiopnrsi manad f apcriaectices.” Cancellation of Completed Registrations, 50 Fed. Reg. 40,833, 40,834 (Oct. 7, 1985). “Without cancellation procedures, a copyright registration could be given effect in federal court where the Copyright Office knew the registration to be invalid under its regulations or practices. This would place an unfaiIrd . burden on the public and on defendants in copyright litigation to overcome the strong presumption of validity that the courts have generally accorded copyright registrations.”
1806.2 What Types of Records May Be Cancelled by the U.S. Copyright Office?
•T he Of b f a ic s e ic m re a g y i s c t a ra n t c io e n l the following types of records:
• A issued under Sections 408(a) or 408(c)(1) of the Copyright Act. • A supplementary registration issued under Section 408(d) of the Copyright Act. A renewal registration issued under Section 304 of the Copyright Act or under title • 17 of the United States Code as it existed before January 1, 1978. A registration for a mask work or vessel design issued under Sections 908 or 1313 of the Copyright Act.
T• he Office will not cancel the following types of records: A basic registration or renewal registration that has expired, such as a registration issued on or before December 31, 1977 that covered the first twenty-eight years of • the copyright term.
1806.3 Situations Where the U.S. Copyright Office Will Cancel a Registration
T• he Office will cancel a registration only in the following situations: See The Office has determined that the work was registered in the wrong class. • Section 1806.4(A).
1806.4 Procedure for Cancelling a Registration
The decision to cancel a registration under 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(1) or (c)(4) will be made by the Associate Register and Director of Registration Policy and Practice. The decision to cancel a registration under 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(2) or (c)(3) will be made by an appropriate member of the Office’s staff.
The Office will amend the public record to reflect the fact that the registration has been cancelled and will specify the reason for the cancellation. The Office will not return Stheee dgeenpeorsaitl lcyopy(ies) or refund the filing fee for the registration. Cancellation of Completed Registrations, 50 Fed. Reg. 33,065, 33,065-67 (Aug. 16, 1985).
1806.4(A) Registrations Issued in the Wrong Class or Series If the USe.Se. Copyright Office determines that the work was registered in the wrong class or series, it may cancel the initial registration and issue a new registration in the correct class. 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(3). The Office will create a public record for the new registration and will send the new certificate of registration to the mailing address that the applicant provided in the application for the initial registration. The effective date of registration for the new registration will be the same as the effective date of registration for the initial registration.
Chapter 1800 : 35 12/22/2014 Examples:
The applicant will be notified in writing that the check could not be collected. If the filing fee is received within forty-five days from the date set forth in the notice, the Office will issue a new certificate of registration. The new effective date of registration will be the date that the new filing fee was received.
If the filing fee is not received within forty-five days, the registration will be cancelled. If the applicant would like to resubmit the work for registration, the applicant should file a new application, together with new deposit copy(ies) and the correct filing fee. In appropriate cases, the Office reserves the right to require a certified check or money order, and in all cases, the effective date of registration will be based on the date that the new submission is received by the Office.
NOTE:
(Aug. 16, 1985).
Chapter 1800 : 36 12/22/2014 1806.4(C) Registrations Cancelled for Lack of Copyrightable Authorship If the U.S. Copyright Office issues a registration and subsequently determines that the work appears to be uncopyrightable, the Office will issue a notice of intent to cancel the registration. The notice will be issued in writing and it will specify the reason(s) for cancelling the registration.
The Office will mail the notice to the correspondent named in the registration record (including any supplementary registrations that have been cross-referenced with the basic registration). In addition, the Office will send a copy of the notice to the copyright claimant(s) at the address specified in the registration record. The Office will not search its records to determine if the claimant has transferred the copyright to another party. Likewise, the Office will not contact authors, claimants, or owners of exclusive rights who are not listed in the certificate of registration, even if the Office has reason to believe that they may be adversely affected by the Office’s decision. See The correspondent will be given thirty days from the date set forth in the notice to show cause in writing why the registration should not be cancelled. 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4). If the deadline falls on a weekend, a holiday, or any other nonbusiness day within Washington, DC or the federal government, the deadline will be extended until the next federal work day. 17 U.S.C. § 703. If a response was senSte ien a timely manner, but arrived in the Office after the relevant deadline, the Office may apply the regulation on postal disruptions to determine the timeliness of the response. 37 C.F.R. § 201.8(b). If the correspondent fails to respond within thirty days, oSre ief, after considering the correspondent’s written response, the Office determines that the work is not copyrightable, the Office will cancel the registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(1). 1806.4(D) Registrations Cancelled for Substantive Defects in the Registration If the U.S. Copyright Office registers a work that appears to be copyrightable but subsequently determines (i) that the statutory requirements for registration were not met, (ii) that essential information was not provided in the application, (iii) that the essential information provided in the application appears to be questionable, or (iv) that the correct deposit copy(ies) were not submitted, the Office will communicate with the correspondent and/or the copyright claimant.
The Office will mail the communication to the correspondent named in the registration record (including any supplementary registrations that have been cross-referenced with the basic registration). In addition, the Office will send a copy of the communication to the copyright claimant named in the basic registration at the address specified in the registration record. The Office will not search its records to determine if the claimant has transferred the copyright to another party and the Office will not contact authors, claimants, or owners of exclusive rights who are not listed in the certificate of registration, even if the Office has reason to believe that they may be adversely affected by the Office’s decision.
The Office will describe the substantive defect in the registration anSde ewill ask the correspondent to submit the required information, to submit the correct deposit copy(ies), or to clarify the information provided in the application. 37 C.F.R. § Chapter 1800 : 37 12/22/2014 201.7(c)(4). In addition, the Office will advise the correspondent that the registration may be cancelled if the defect is not resolved.
The correspondent will be given thirty days from the date set forth in the communication to resolve the defect in the registration. If the deadline falls on a weekend, a holiday, or any other nonbusiness day within Washington, DC or the federal government, the deadline will be extended until the next federal work day. 17 U.S.C. § 703. If a written response was sent in a timSeeely manner, but arrived in the Office after the relevant deadline, the Office may apply the regulation on postal disruptions to determine the timeliness of the response. 37 C.F.R. § 201.8(b). If the correspondent’s written response resolves the defect, the Office will correct the registration record and may issue a new certificate of registration with a new effective date of registration, if appropriate. If the correspondent fails Stoee respond within thirty days, or if, after considering the written response, the Office determines that the defect has not been resolved, the Office will cancel the registration. 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4). Examples of substantive defects that may prompt the Office to cancel a registration u• nder § 201.7(c)(4) of the regulations include:
The work was published on or after January 1, 1978, but the claimant named in the • application was deceased on the date the application was certified. The work was published in the United States before March 1, 1989, and none of the • exceptions set forth in Section 405(a) of the Copyright Act apply. The work was published in the United States before January 1, 1978, but the deposit copies do not contain a copyright notice or the notice is defective. Chapter 1800 : 38 12/22/2014 The Office issued a renewal registration for a work registered or first published in the United States before December 31, 1963, but the renewal application was • submitted before or after the statutory time limit.
The application and the deposit copy(ies) do not match each other, and the copy(ies) described in the application cannot be located elsewhere in the Office or • the Library of Congress.
The work was published in violation of the manufacturing provisions of the See copyright law as it existed before July 1, 1986.
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(i)-(xi).
1806.4(E) Voluntary Cancellation As a general rule, the decision to cancel a registration will be made solely by the U.S. Copyright Office acting on its own initiative. However, the Office may consider a request to cancel a registration, provided that the request is made by the copyright claimant named in the registration record or the claimant’s duly authorized agent and provided t•h atC tohnet feonllto owf itnhge rreeqquueirsetments have been met: : The request should identify the registration that will be surrendered for cancellation, including the author(s), title(s), claimant(s), and registration number. The request should provide the full name of the individual who signed the request and should state that that party is the claimant named in the certificate of registration or the claimant’s duly authorized agent. The request should be legible and capable of being imaged or otherwise reproduced by the • tJuescthifnicoalotigoyn e fmorp tlhoey erdeq buye stthe Office at the time of its submission. : The request should demonstrate that the registration should be cancelled because the work was registered in the wrong class, because the filing fee has not been paid, because the work is uncopyrightable, or because • Sthigenrea tiusr ae substantive defect in the registration. : The request should be signed by the claimant named in the certificate of registration or the claimant’s duly authorized agent. The request should contain the actual handwritten signature(s) of the person or persons who executed the request or a legible photocopy or other facsimile of the signature together with a sworn certification that satisfies the requirements set forth in 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(1) of the regulations.
The request should be sent to the following address:
If the Office determines that the registration is invalid under , it will cancel the registration and notify the claimant in writing. The Office does not invite, and generally will not entertain, requests to cancel a registration by any party other than the claimant named in the certificate of registration. If the Office receives a request to cancel a registration from a third party, the Office will notify the claimant that the request was received. However, the Office will not take any other action unless the claimant subsequently submits a request for voluntary cancellaEtixoanm. ples:
The Office will not reinstate a registration after it has been voluntarily cancelled. If the claimant would like to resubmit the claim, the claimant must submit a new application, new deposit copy(ies), and the correct filing fee. The effective date of registration will be based on the date that the new submission is received by the Office. 1806.4(F) Court Ordered Cancellation Occasionally, the plaintiff(s) and/or defendant(s) in a copyright infringement lawsuit ask the court to issue an order directing a party to cancel his or her registration. When requesting this type of relief, litigants should ask the court to issue the order to the copyright claimant named in the certificate of registration or the claimant’s duly authorized agent. In addition, litigants should ask the court to direct that party to cancel the registration using the procedure described in Section 1806.4(E) above.
1806.5 Request for Reconsideration of Cancellation
If the registration was cancelled under Sections 201.7(c)(1) or (c)(4) of the regulations and if the claimant disagrees with the U.S. Copyright Office’s decision, the claimant may appeal that decision within the Office. This is an administrative procedure known as a second request for reconsideration. To exercise this option, the copyright claimant must follow the procedures set forth in 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)-(d) and Chapter 1700, Chapter 1800 : 40 12/22/2014 Sections 1704 and 1708, except for the filing fee which is not required for this type of request.
The second request for reconsideration will be reviewed by the Review Board. The Review Board consists of the Register of Copyrights and the General Counsel of the U.S. Copyright Office (or their respective designees) and a third individual who will be designated by the Register. 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(f). If the Board determines that the registration should not have been cancelled, the registration will be reinstated and the claimant will be notified in writing. If the Review Board upholds the decision to cancel the registration, the Board will notify the claimant in writing and will explain the reasons for its decision. In all cases, the notification will be sent to the party who submitted the request for reconsideration.
1807 Adverse Claims This Section discusses the practices and procedures for asserting an adverse claim to •co pyright. An adverse claim is a situation where:
The Office does not conduct interference or adversarial proceedings. Likewise, the Office does not adjudicate factual or legal disputes involving claims to copyright. If there is a dispute between two or more parties, it is the responsibility of each party to pursue their claims in an appropriate court.
If a party asserts that another party registered the work without authorization or that a previous registration is invalid for any reason, the Office may suggest that the party register the work in his or her own name by submitting a separate application, deposit copy(ies), and filing fee. LikewSiseee, an adverse claim may be appropriate if the party does not have the authority to correct or amend the information in the basic registration with a supplementary registration. Section 1802.1.
When the Office examines an application, it does not search its records to determine whether the work has been registered before. If an applicant intends to assert an adverse claim, the applicant should provide a brief statement in the Note to Copyright Office field or in a cover letter indicating that the exact same work has been registered by another party. However, the applicant should not provide the registration number for the other registration in the Previous Registration field/space. The registration specialist may add a note to the certificate of registration and the public record indicating the presence of correspondence in the file or may add a note clarifying that the applicant has asserted an adverse claim.
Chapter 1800 : 41 12/22/2014 If the application appears to be in order, the Office will register the adverse claim. The Office will notify the other party (or that party’s duly authorized agent) that the Office received an adverse claim and that a separate registration has been issued to that party. If the Office discovers that two or more parties are seeking to register the exact same work, the Office will examine each application to determine if the statutory and regulatory requirements have been met. The sequence that each application is received in the Office is irrelevant to thSise edetermination, and the Office will not conduct opposition or interference proceedings to determine whether one application should be given priority over the other. Cancellation of Completed Registrations, 50 Fed. Reg. 40,833, 40,835 (Oct. 7, 1985) (noting the Office does not resolve factual disputes or conduct adversarial proceedings). The Office will inform each party of the other party’s claim, and will ask each party if he or she wishes to proceed with his or her application. If so, the Office will issue a separate registration to each applicant. If an applicant does not respond to the Office’s inquiry, the file for that application will be closed. In most cases, if the applicant responds to the inquiry, the Office will issue a separate registration to each party and will create a separate public record for each registration. The Office will not cancel the other registration or the registration number that has been assigned to that registration, it will not change the information set forth in the other registration or the public record for that registration, and it will not cross-reference those records with the records for the new registration. Instead, each registration will coexist wEixtahm epalcehs :o ther in the public record. BrandImage LLC created a logo for the Shenanigans Amusement Park. Shenanigans registered the logo, naming itself as the sole author and copyright claimant and stating that the logo was created for the amusement park as a work made for hire. BrandImage claims that the registration is invalid, because a logo is not one of the types of works that can be created as a work made for hire and because BrandImage never assigned the copyright in this work to Shenanigans. The information in the basic registration cannot be corrected with a supplementary registration. However, BrandImage may file a new application for a new basic registration naming itself as the sole author and the sole copyright claimant. If BrandImage submits a new application, the Office may notify Shenanigans that the filing has been made, provided that the Office is aware that • BrandImage is seeking to register the same work.
Chapter 1900 Contents Publication 1901 What This Chapter Covers .............................................................................................................................................. 3 1902 What Constitutes Publication? ..................................................................................................................................... 3 1903 The Significance of Publication .................................................................................................................................... 4 1904 General Policies Concerning Publication .................................................................................................................. 5
1904.1 Applicant Makes the Determination ........................................................................................................................... 5 1904.2 Facts Stated in the Application ..................................................................................................................................... 6
1904.3 Claim in a Published or Unpublished Work Contradicted by Information
Provided Elsewhere, such as in the Registration Materials .............................................................................. 6 1905 Distribution of Copies or Phonorecords of a Work .............................................................................................. 6 1905.1 Distribution to the Public ............................................................................................................................................... 6 1905.2 The Means of Distribution .............................................................................................................................................. 8 1905.3 Deposit for Registration in the U.S. Copyright Office ........................................................................................... 8 1906 Offering to Distribute Copies or Phonorecords of a Work ................................................................................. 8 1906.1 Offering to Distribute Copies or Phonorecords to a Group of Persons ......................................................... 8
1906.2 Offering to Distribute Copies or Phonorecords for the Purpose of Further
Distribution, Public Performance, or Public Display............................................................................................ 9 1906.3 The Copies or Phonorecords Must Be in Existence ........................................................................................... 10 1907 Distributing the Work vs. An Offer to Distribute the Work ............................................................................ 10 1908 A Public Performance or Public Display Does Not Constitute Publication ............................................... 11 1908.1 Performing a Work of Authorship ............................................................................................................................ 11 1908.2 Displaying a Work of Authorship ............................................................................................................................. 11 1908.3 Public Performances and Public Displays ............................................................................................................. 12 1908.4 Private Performances and Private Displays ......................................................................................................... 13 1909 Specific Forms of Publication ..................................................................................................................................... 13 1909.1 Unpublished Work Embodied in a Published Work .......................................................................................... 13 1909.2 Publishing a Portion of a Work.................................................................................................................................. 14 1909.3 Publishing Separate Parts or Installments of a Work ....................................................................................... 14 1909.4 Works First Published Outside the United States .............................................................................................. 15 Chapter 1900 : 1 12/22/2014 Chapter 1900 : 2 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
NOTE : This Chapter does not discuss works first published before January 1, 1978. For information concerning these types of works, see Chapter 2100. Additionally, this Chapter does not discuss publication issues that are unique to online works. For publication issues relating to online works, see Chapter 1000, Section 1007.3. For a discussion of the specific practices and procedures for registering a claim to •co pyright in a published or unpublished work, see the following Chapters: • For a general overview of the registration process, see Chapter 200. For guidance in determining who may file an application and who may be named as • the copyright claimant, see Chapter 400.
1902 What Constitutes Publication? Section 101 of the Copyright Act defines publication as “the distribution of copies or phonorecords of a work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. It states that “ofIfdering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public Id. performance, or public display, constitutes publication.” . It also explains that “[a] public performance or display of a work does not of itself constitute publication.” The legislative history explains that “a work is ‘published’ if one or more copies or phonorecords embodying [the work] are distrriebpurtinedte tdo i nthe public” with “no explicit or implicit restrictions with respect to [the] disclosure of [the] contents [of that work].” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 138 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5754. It also explains that publication occurs “when copies or phonorIedc.ords are offered to a group of wholesalers, broadcasters, motion picture theatres, etc.” for the purpose of “further distribution, public performance, or public display.” Chapter 1900 : 3 12/22/2014 Although it is not expressly stated in the statutory definition, the legislative history indicates that publication occurs only (i) when copies or phonorecords are distributed by or with the authority of the copyright owner, or (ii) when an offer to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for further distribution, public performance, or public display is made by or with the authority of the copyright owner. For a definition and discussion of the terms “copies” and “phonorecords,” see Chapter 300, Section 305. Offering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for further distribution, public performance, or public display without authorization does not constitute publication. LiSkeeewise, an unauthorized distribution ofr ecoprpiinetse odr i n phonorecords does not constitute publication. Instead it generally constitutes copyright infringement. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 62 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5675-76 (explaining that Section 106(3) of the Copyright Act gives copyright owners “the right to control the first public distribution of an authorized copy or phonorecord of [the] work, whether by sale, gift, loan, or some rental or lease arrangement”).
1903 The Significance of Publication Publication is an important concept for works created or first published after January 1, 1• 978 for a number of reasons:
The year of publication may determine the length of the copyright term for an anonymous work or a pseudonymous work, unless the author’s identity is revealed in records maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office. For a definition and discussion of anonymous works and pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, • Sections 615.1 and 615.2.
The year of publication maySe deetermine the length of the copyright term if the work was created before January 1, 1978, and was first published between January 1, 1978 and January 1, 2003. 17 U.S.C. § 303(a).
Chapter 1900 : 4 12/22/2014 • prima facie A certificate of registration constitutes evidence of the validity of the copyright and the facts stated in the certificate of registration, provided that the work is registered before or within five years after the work is first published. 17 • U.S.C. § 410(c).
1904 General Policies Concerning Publication This Section discusses the U.S. Copyright Office’s general practices and procedures for examining published and unpublished works.
1904.1 Applicant Makes the Determination
The applicant—not the U.S. Copyright Office—must determine whether a work is published or unpublished.
The U.S. Copyright Act is the exclusive source of copyright protection in the United States, and all applicants — both foreign and domestic — must demonstrate that a work satisfies the requirements of U.S. copyright law to register a work with the Office. Determining whether a work is published or unpublished should be based on U.S. copyright law under Title 17, and it should be based on the facts that exist at the time the application is filed with the Office, even if the work was created in a foreign country, first published in a foreign country, or created by a citizen, domiciliary, or habitual resident of a foreign country.
Upon request, the Office will provide the applicant with general information about the provisions of the Copyright Act, including the statutory definition of publication, and will explain the relevant practices and procedures for registering a published or unpublished work with the Office. The Office will not give specific legal advice on whether a particular work has or has not been published. However, if an assertion is clearly contrary to facts known by the Office, a claim may be questioned, or in certain situations, refused.
Chapter 1900 : 5 12/22/2014
1904.2 Facts Stated in the Application
As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will not conduct its own factual investigation to determine whether a work is published or unpublished or to confirm the truth of the statements made in the application concerning publication. Ordinarily, the Office will accept the facts stated in the application, unless they are implausible or conflict with information provided elsewhere in the registration materials, the Office’s records, or other sources of information that are known by the Office.
1904.3 Claim in a Published or Unpublished Work Contradicted by Information
Provided Elsewhere, such as in the Registration Materials As a general rule, if the applicant affirmatively states that the work is unpublished or fails to provide a date of first publication in the application, the Office will register the work as an unpublished work, unless the information provided in the deposit copy or in other sources of information known by the Office clearly indicate that the work has been published.
Likewise, if the applicant affirmatively states that the work has been published and provides a date of first publication in the application, the Office generally will register the work as a published work, unless information provided in the deposit copies or in other sources of information known by the Office clearly suggest that the work is unpublished.
If the deposit copy(ies) or other information known by the Office clearly suggest that the work is published or unpublished and if it appears that the applicant provided or failed to provide a date of publication by mistake, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant. For examples of situations that may prompt a communication concerning publication, see Chapter 600, Sections 612.7(A) and 612.7(B). 1905 Distribution of Copies or Phonorecords of a Work As discussed in Section 1902, publication occurs when copies or phonorecords of a work are distributed to the public by or with the authority of the copyright owner. These issues are discussed in Sections 1905.1 through 1905.3 below.
1905.1 Distribution to the Public
Section 101 of the Copyright Act states a work is published when copies or phonorecords of that work are distributed “to the public.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Specifically, publication occurs when one or more copies or phonorecords are distributed to a memberr oepf rtihnet epdu ibnlic who is not subject to any express or implied restrictions concerning the disclosure of the content of that work. H.R. REP. 94-1476, at 138 (1976), Examples: 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5754.
Chapter 1900 : 6 12/22/2014 Selling a product with copyrightable artwork on the packaging and • label constitutes publication of that artwork.
Distributing copies of a motion picture through a retail service constitutes publication of that work.
If an actual distribution has not occurred, the work is considered unpublished. Likewise, a work is considered unpublished if the copies or phonorecords were not distributed to a member of the public, but instead were much more restricted, including an exchange between family members or social acquaintances.
The courts created the doctrine of “limited publication” to distinguish certain distributions from a “general publication” and to avoid the divestive consequences of publication without notice when it was clear the author (or copyright proprietor) restricted both the purpose and the recipients of the distribution. Generally, a limited publication is the distribution of copies of a work to a definitely selected group with a limited purpSoesee Wanhdit we ivt.h Koiumtm theell right of diffusion, reproduction, distribution, or sale. A limited publication is not considered a distribution to the public and, therefore, is not publication. , 193 F.2d 744, 746-47 (9th Cir. 1952) (explaining that a publication is limited if it “communicates the contents of a [work] to a definitely selected group and for a limited purpose, and without the right of diffusion, reproduction, distribution or sale … [and is] restricted both as to persons and purposeE.”x)a. mples:
1905.2 The Means of Distribution
As discussed in Section 1902, publication occurs when copies or phonorecords are distributed to the public by means of a sale or othie.er transfer of ownership, such as giving copies away. Likewise, publication occurs when copies or phonorecords are distributed by means of rental, lease, or lending ( ., where the copies or phonorecords change hands, but there is no change in the ownership of those copies or phonorecords). Distributing copies or phonorecords by any other means does not constitute publication. In particular, the legislative history states that “any form or dissermepirnianttieodn i n in which a material object does not change hands... is not a publication no matter how many people are exposed to the work.” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 138 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5754.
1905.3 Deposit for Registration in the U.S. Copyright Office
Depositing copies or phonorecords with the U.S. Copyright Office for the purpose of registering a claim to copyright does not constitute publication. However, if the Library of Congress subsequently selects those copies or phonorecords for its collections and provides unrestricted access to those materials, the work may be considered published. 1906 Offering to Distribute Copies or Phonorecords of a Work As discussed in Section 1902, offering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for the purpose of further distribution, public performance, or public display constitutes publication, provided that the offer is made by or with the authority of the copyright owner. These issues are discussed in Sections 1906.1 through 1906.3 below.
1906.1 Offering to Distribute Copies or Phonorecords to a Group of Persons
Section 101 of the Copyright Act states that “offering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display constitutes publication.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Specifically, publication occurs when copies or phonorecords are offered to a wholesaler, a retailer, a broadcaster, an aggregator, or similar intermediaries for the purpose of distributing the Chapter 1900 : 8 12/22/2014 See reprinted in work to the public or for the purpose of publicly performing or publicly displaying the work. Ex Ha.mRp. Rle E s P : . NO. 94-1476, at 138 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5754. Publication occurs when a motion picture is offered to a group of movie theaters or television networks for the purpose of exhibiting • or broadcasting that work.
By contrast, offering a work directly to the public does not constitute publication unless copies oEr xpahmonpolerse: cords of that work are actually distributed. An online advertisement offering to sell an app directly to the public • does not constitute publication of that work.
1906.2 Offering to Distribute Copies or Phonorecords for the Purpose of
Further Distribution, Public Performance, or Public Display Section 101 of the Copyright Act states that “offering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for purposes of further distribution, public performance, or public display, constitutes publication.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. In other words, the copies or phonorecords must be offered to a group of persons for one or more of the purposes listed in the statute. Publication does not occur when copies or phonorecords are offered for any other purpose, such as offering them to a group of persons for private use, private performance, or private display.
Chapter 1900 : 9 12/22/2014
1906.3 The Copies or Phonorecords Must Be in Existence
The statutory definition indicates that offering to distribute copies or phonorecords constitutes publication, provided that the copies or phonorecords exist when the offer is made. Offering to distribute copies or phonorecords before they exist or before they are ready for further distribution, public performance, or public display does not constitute publicatEioxna.m ples:
Offering to distribute a sound recording that has not been fixed in its final form does not constitute publication.
1907 Distributing the Work vs. An Offer to Distribute the Work The statute states that a work is published when copies or phonorecords are distributed to the public. It also stateSse ethat offering to distribute copies or phonorecords to a group of persons for the purpose of further distribution, public performance, or public display constitutes publication. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”). In other words, publicatEioxna mocpcluers:s when either of these conditions has been met. Distributing copies of a photograph to the public constitutes publication (even if the copies were offered solely for private • display).
Chapter 1900 : 10 12/22/2014 1908 A Public Performance or Public Display Does Not Constitute Publication As discussed in Section 1902, a public performance or a public display of a work “does not of itself constitute publication.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”). Therefore, if the applicant provides a date of publication in the application and indicates that the work was performed, televised, broadcast, displayed, or exhibited on that date, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant and explain that merely performing or displayrienpgr ian twedo rikn in public does not constitute publication under U.S. copyright law, “no matter how many people are exposed to the work.” H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 138 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5754.
Examples of performances and displays that do not in themselves constitute publication include t•h e following:
1908.1 Performing a Work of Authorship
Section 101 of the Copyright Act states that performing a work of authorship means “to recite, render, play, dance, or act [the work], either directly or by means of any device or process or, in the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, to show its images in any sequence or to make the sounds accompanying it audible.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Reading a literary work aloud, singing or playing music, dancing a ballet or other choreographic work, or acting out a dramatic work or pantomime clearly falls within the scope of this definition. Likewise, showinSge eportions of a motion picture, filmstrip, or slide prerseepnrtinattieodn i nin sequential order or playing a motion picture sound track clearly qualifies as a performance of that work. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 63-64 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5677.
1908.2 Displaying a Work of Authorship
Section 101 of the Copyright Act states that displaying a work of authorship means “to show a copy of [the work], either directly or by means of a film, slide, television image, or any other device or process or, in the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual Chapter 1900 : 11 12/22/2014 work, to show individual images nonsequentially.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. For example, displaying a painting in a gallery, postinSge ae photograph on a billboard, placing arne printed aindvertisement in a store front, or projecting a drawing onto a screen or other surface falls within the scope of this definition. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 64 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5677.
1908.3 Public Performances and Public Displays
Section 101 of the Copyright Act states that performing or displaying a work “publicly” m• eans:
17 U.S.C. § 101.
Although the statute does not define the term “public,” it “suggests Athmaetr ‘itchaen p ublic’ cBornoasidsctas sotfi nag l aCrogme pgarnoiueps, oInf cp.e vo. pAleer oeou,t sInidce. of a family and friends,” such as “a large number of people who are unrelated and unknown to each other.” , 134 S. Ct. 2498, 2509-10 (U.S. 2014).
The legislative history explains that a performance or display constitutes a public performance or a public display if it occurs “in a public place.” It also explains that a performance or displayr tehparti notcecdu irns in a “semipublic” place, such as a club, lodge, factory, summer camp, or school, is considered a public performance or display. H.R. Rep. No. 94-1476, at 64 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5677-78.
By contrast, a performance or display that occurs at “a gathering confined to [an] individual’s social acquaintances would normally be regarded as private.” A performance or display that occurs during “[r]outine meetingsI do.f, rbeupsriinnetsesde isn and governmental personnel” would be normally considered private “because they do not represent the gathering of a ‘substantial number of persons.’” 1976 U.S.C.C.AAm.Ne. raitc 5an6 7B8r.o Laidkceawstisineg, “Caonm epnatintyie ds,oes not transmit [a work] to the public if it does not transmit to a substantial number of people outside of a family and its social circle.” 134 S. Ct. at 2511.
The legislative history further explains that a public performance or a display includes “the initial rernepdritiniotned o irn s howing” of a work, as well as “any further act by which that rendition or showing is transmitted or communicated to the public.” H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 63, 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5676. “[F]or example, a sing[er] is performing when he or she sings a song; a broadcasting network is performing when it transmits [that] performance (whether simultaneously or from records); a local Chapter 1900 : 12 12/22/2014 broadcaster is performing when it transmits the network broadcast; a cable television system is performing when it retransmits the broadcast to its subscribers; and Iadn.,y irnedprivinidteuda li nis performing whenever he or she plays a phonorecord embodying the performance or communicates the performance by turning on a receiving set.” 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5676-77.
A performance or display that is transmitted to the public is considered a public performance or a public display “even though the recIidp.ients are nroetp grainthteedr eind in a single place, and even if there is no proof that any of the potential recipients was operating his receiving apparatus at the time of the transmission.” at 64-65, American 1976 BUr.So.aCd.Cc.aAs.tNin. agt C 5o6m7p8a. n“Iines o,ther words, ‘the public’ need not be situated together, spatially or temporally” for a public performance or public display to occur. 134 S. Ct. at 2510.
Moreover, “when an entity communicates the sameI dc.ontemporaneously perceptible images and sounds to multiple people, it transmits a performance to them regardless of the number of discrete communications it makes.” at 2509. For instance, when an entity “streams the same television program to multiple subscribeIrds., it ‘transmit[s]… a performance’ to all of them,” regardless of whether the entity makes the transmission “from the same or separate copies” or from “user-specific copies.” (quoting 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “perform or display a work ‘publicly’”)).
1908.4 Private Performances and Private Displays
Section 101 of the Copyright Act expressly states that a public performance or a public display “does not of itself constitute publication.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”). Therefore, a private performance or a private display in and of itself does not constitute publication.
1909 Specific Forms of Publication
1909.1 Unpublished Work Embodied in a Published Work
An unpublished work is considered published when it is embodied in another work of authorship that has been published, but only to the extent that the unpublished work is discloseEd xianm thpele ps:u blished work.
1909.2 Publishing a Portion of a Work
Publishing a portion of a work does not necessarily mean that the work as a whole has been published. As a general rule, publication applies only to the specific portions of the work that have been distributed to the public or offered for distribution to a group of persons Efoxar mthpel epsu: rpose of further distribution, public performance, or public display. Publishing a detailed summary of a novel does not publish the novel • as a whole.
1909.3 Publishing Separate Parts or Installments of a Work
When various parts or installments of a work are published separately, each part or installment is considered a separate work. As a general rule, an applicant should prepare a separate application, filing fee, and deposit for each part or installment of a work if those parts or installments were published separately. If the various parts or installments were published on different dates, the applicant should provide a separate date of publication for each part or installment.
NOTE : To avoid the need for filing multiple applications, applicants are encouraged to register an unpublished work as a whole before the various parts or installments of that work are published.
For a general discussion of the practices and procedures for registering multiple versions of the same work, see Chapter 500, Section 512. Chapter 1900 : 14 12/22/2014
1909.4 Works First Published Outside the United States
When a work is published in a foreign country and then subsequently published in the United States, the publication in the foreign country is considered the first publication of that work. When submitting an application to register the work the applicant should provide the date that the work was first published in the foreign country and should submit a copy or phonorecord of the foreign edition. Registering a claim in the U.S. edition may be permissible, provided that the work contains a sufficient amount of new material that did not appear in the work when it was published abroad. Chapter 1900 : 15 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
2002.1 What Is a Foreign Work?................................................................................................................................................. 4 2002.2 Are Foreign Works Treated Differently? .................................................................................................................. 5 2003 Eligibility Requirements: How to Determine if a Foreign Work Is Eligible for Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office ...................................................................................................... 5 2003.1 Unpublished Works .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 2003.2 Published Works ................................................................................................................................................................ 5 2003.2(A) Eligibility Based on Nationality or Domicile ........................................................................................................... 6 2003.2(B) Eligibility Based on Location of First Publication ................................................................................................. 6 2003.2(C) Eligibility for Sound Recordings .................................................................................................................................. 6 2003.2(D) Eligibility Based on Incorporation into Buildings or Other Structures ........................................................ 7 2003.2(E) Eligibility of Works Published by the United Nations or the Organization of American States .......................................................................................................................... 7 2003.2(F) Eligibility Based on Presidential Proclamations .................................................................................................... 7 2004 Treaties and Presidential Proclamations ................................................................................................................. 7 2004.1 Multilateral Treaties ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 2004.2 Bilateral Copyright Treaties and Presidential Proclamations .......................................................................... 9 2005 Registration Issues ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 2005.1 Multiple Authors of a Foreign Work ........................................................................................................................... 9 2005.2 Authors with Multiple Nationalities ........................................................................................................................... 9 2005.3 Domicile or First Publication in the Territorial Areas of the United States ................................................ 9 2005.4 Stateless Persons ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 2005.5 Works Made for Hire ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 2005.5(A) Nationality and Domicile of Corporations and Similar Organizations ....................................................... 10 2005.5(B) Members ............................................................................................................................................................................ 10 2005.5(C) Doing Business................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2000 : 1 12/22/2014 2005.6 Anonymous and Pseudonymous Works ................................................................................................................ 10 2005.7 Compilations and Derivative Works ....................................................................................................................... 11 2005.8 When Is Eligibility Determined? ............................................................................................................................... 11 2005.8(A) Works Initially Registered as Unpublished, but Ineligible for Registration as Published Works.............................................................................................................................. 11 2005.8(B) Change in Nationality or Domicile after Publication ......................................................................................... 11 2005.9 Eligibility Unclear ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 2006 Application Tips for Foreign Works ........................................................................................................................ 11 2007 Restored Works ............................................................................................................................................................... 12 2007.1 What Is a Restored Work? ........................................................................................................................................... 12 2007.2 Registration Requirements for Restored Works ................................................................................................ 13 2007.2(A) Form GATT ........................................................................................................................................................................ 14 2007.2(A)(1) Author of a Restored Work ......................................................................................................................................... 14 2007.2(A)(2) Publication of a Restored Work ................................................................................................................................ 14 2007.2(A)(3) Owners of U.S. Copyright in a Restored Work ..................................................................................................... 14 2007.2(B) Filing Fees .......................................................................................................................................................................... 15 2007.2(C) Deposit Requirements ................................................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 2000 : 2 12/22/2014 Chapter 2000 : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
• For a general overview of the registration process, see Chapter 200. • For a discussion of copyrightable subject matter, see Chapter 300. For guidance in determining who may file the application and who may be named as • the copyright claimant, see Chapter 400.
• For guidance on submitting the deposit copy(ies), see Chapter 1500. For guidance on publication, see Chapter 1900.
2002 What Is a Foreign Work and Are They Treated Differently?
2002.1 What Is a Foreign Work?
For purposes of copyright registration, the term “foreign works” generally refers to works created by author(s) who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals and/or works that were first published abroad. Generally, the author is the person or persons who actually created the material that the applicant intends to register. There is an exception to this rule if the work is a work made for hire. For a definition and discussion of works made for hire, see Chapter 500, Section 506.
Chapter 2000 : 4 12/22/2014 U.S. citizens are people who are citizens in accordance with the U.S. Constitution or federal statutes, including (i) people born in Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico; and (ii) certain people who are by federal statute nationals, but not citizens of the United States, including people born in the outlying possessions of the United States. All U.S. citizens are also U.S. nationals. Works by U.S. citizens and nationals are not considered foreign works, and generally they are eligible for U.S. copyright protection. The types of works that may be protected under the Copyright Act include literary works; musical works, including any accompanying words; dramatic works, including any accompanying music; pantomimes and choreographic works; pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works; motion pictures and other audiovisual works; sound recordings; and architectural works; as well as derivative works, compilations, and collective works. For a definition and discussion of these types of works, see Chapter 500, Sections 507 (Derivative Works), 508 (Compilations), and 509 (Collective Works), and Chapters 700 (Literary Works), 800 (Works of the Performing Arts), and 900 (Visual Art Works).
2002.2 Are Foreign Works Treated Differently?
Previously, many foreign works were not eligible for copyright protection in the United States. The law, however, has been amended several times and now, in the vast majority of cases, foreign works may be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Foreign works must still satisfy the Copyright Act’s eligibility requirements, which are discussed in Section 2003.
U.S. law applies to United States works and foreign works if the work becomes involved in litigation in this country. U.S. law requires that U.S. works be registered (or officially refused registration) before they can be the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit, and the registration must be made in a timely manner for attorney’s fees and statutory damages to be available. Non-U.S. works need not be registered (or refused registration) to be the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit, although timely registration is still required for attorney’s fees and statutory damages.
2003 Eligibility Requirements: How to Determine if a Foreign Work Is Eligible for Registration with the U.S. Copyright Office Section 104 of the Copyright Act sets forth the categories of foreign works that are eligible for copyright protection under U.S. law. This Section describes each of these categories.
2003.1 Unpublished Works
All unpublished works are subject to protection under the Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. § 104(a). Therefore, unpublished foreign works are eligible for registration with the U.S. Copyright Office without any further analysis. For a detailed explanation of when a work is considered published, see Chapter 1900.
2003.2 Published Works
The Copyright Act protects many published foreign works. Specifically, Section 104(b) of the Copyright Act specifies the categories of published works that are eligible for Chapter 2000 : 5 12/22/2014 copyright protection in this country. These categories are described in Sections 2003.2(A) through 2003.2(F).
2003.2(A) Eligibility Based on Nationality or Domicile Section 104(b)(1) of the Copyright Act protects foreign works if, upon the work’s first publication, one or more author(s) of a foreign work (i) is a national or domiciliary of the United States, (ii) is a national, domiciliary, or sovereign authority of a treaty party; or (iii) is a stateless person wherever that person is domiciled. A “sovereign authority” is a governmental agency or subdivision of a foreign nation, such as a ministry of the government of Norway or a province of Canada. A “stateless person” is a person who has no nationality, either as the result of never having acquired nationality in any nation, or as the result of having effectively renounced or having been deprived of his or her former nationality without having, as yet, become a national of another nation.
Chapter 1900 generally discusses the concept of when a work is published. The concept of “first publication” is further defined in Section 104(b) of the Copyright Act, which explains that “a work that is published in the United States or a treaty party within thirty days after publication in a foreign nation that is not a treaty party shall be considered to be first published in the United States or such treaty party, as the case may be.”
This means that a foreign work may be eligible for copyright protection in a wide variety of cases. Aside from U.S. nationals and domiciliaries, authors who are nationals or domiciliaries of any treaty party at the time of first publication can obtain U.S. protection for their foreign works. As discussed in Section 2004, the United States has treaty relations with all but a handful of countries, meaning that the majority of foreign works will be eligible for protection under Section 104(b) of the Copyright Act. 2003.2(B) Eligibility Based on Location of First Publication Section 104(b)(2) of the Copyright Act affords protection to all works that are first published in (i) the United States or (ii) a foreign nation that, on the date of the first public ation, is a treaty party. In other words, regardless of the nationality or domicile of the author(s), a work may be eligible for protection under the Copyright Act if it is firstpublished in the United States or in any nation that has a relevant treaty with the United States at the time of the first publication. For more information on which countries are treaty partners, see Section 2004.
2003.2(C) Eligibility for Sound Recordings Section 104(b)(3) of the Copyright Act provides for protection for sound recordings that were first fixed in a treaty party. A “fixed” sound recording is one that has been embodied in a phonorecord and is sufficiently permanent or stable to permit it to be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated for a period of more than transitory duration. 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “fixed”). For more information on fixation, see Chapter 300, Section 305 and Chapter 800, Section 803.4. Chapter 2000 : 6 12/22/2014 2003.2(D) Eligibility Based on Incorporation into Buildings or Other Structures Section 104(b)(4) of the Copyright Act protects pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works that are incorporated into a building or other structure, and architectural works that are embodied in a building. The Copyright Act, however, only protects pictorial, graphic, sculptural, and architectural works if the building or structure in which they are incorporated or embodied is located in the United States or a treaty party. 2003.2(E) Eligibility of Works Published by the United Nations or the Organization of American States Section 104(b)(5) of the Copyright Act states that works first published by the United Nations (or any of its specialized agencies) or by the Organization of American States are eligible for protection under the Copyright Act. This provision is based on first publication by these organizations, regardless of the location of the publication. 2003.2(F) Eligibility Based on Presidential Proclamations Section 104(b)(6) of the Copyright Act protects works that come within the scope of Presidential proclamations. This means that, in addition to the categories listed in Sections 2003.2(A) through 2003.2(E), a work may be eligible for protection in the United States if the President finds that a particular foreign nation extends copyright protection to works by nationals or domiciliaries of the United States or works that are first published in the United States “on substantially the same basis as that on which the foreign nation extends protection to works of its own nationals and domiciliaries and works first published in that nation.” 17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(6). In such cases, the President may issue a proclamation that extends copyright protection “to works of which one or more of Itdhe authors is, on the date of first publication, a national, domiciliary, or sovereign authority of that [foreign] nation, or which was first published in that nation.” . The President may revise, suspend, or revoke any such proclamation or impose any conditions or limitations on protection under a proclamation. 2004 Treaties and Presidential Proclamations U.S. protection of foreignC wirocruklasr o 3ft8e(na )is, Ibnatesrenda otino nthael CUonpityerdig Shtta Rteesla’ ttrioenast yo fr ethlaet iUonnisthedip s wStiatthe os ther countries. The United States has treaty relationships with all but a handful of countries, as set forth in (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ38a.pdf). Some of these treaties are multilateral, meaning that there are more than two parties to the treaty, while other treaties are bilateral, meaning that they are between just the United States and one foreign country. It is important to note the date on which a foreign country became a treaty party, because U.S. law will apply only to works either created or first published (depending on which type of eligibility is used) on or after the date that the foreign country became a treaty party. Additionally, for a treaty to confer eligibility, it must apply to the work at issue. For example, an author of a literary work could not rely on the existence of a copyright treaty that protects only satellite broadcasts but not literary works. Chapter 2000 : 7 12/22/2014
2004.1 Multilateral Treaties
The United States is a party to a number of multilateral copyright treaties, including the f•o llowing:
World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) Copyright Treaty (“WCT”): The WCT is a special agreement under the Berne Convention that protects Berne Convention-covered works and includes specific language protecting computer programs and compilations of data or other material. The effective date for the • United States is March 6, 2002, the date the treaty entered into force. WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, Geneva, 1996 (“WPPT”): The WPPT covers certain rights for performers and producers of phonograms. The effective date for the United States is May 20, 2002, the date the treaty entered into force. Note that only sound recordings are eligible for U.S. copyright protection based on • this treaty. 17 U.S.C. § 104(d).
The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS”) was entered into as part of the World Trade Organization (“WTO”), established pursuant to the Marrakesh Agreement of April 15, 1994, which implemented the Uruguay Round Agreements. TRIPS incorporated the Berne Convention in most part, covered copyright and other intellectual property rights, and included provisions relating to enforcement of intellectual property rights. The effective date of United States membership in the WTO is January 1, 1995. Circular 38(a), International CFoopr yinrifgohrtm Raetliaotnio cnosn ocfe trhnein Ugn tihteed o Stthaetre scountries that are parties to these treaties and the date upon which a country became a treaty party, see (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ38a.pdf).
Chapter 2000 : 8 12/22/2014
2004.2 Bilateral Copyright Treaties and Presidential Proclamations
The United States has entered into bilateral treaties with Csoirmcuel afor r3e8ig(an) c, oInutnetrrniaesti.o Tnhael se tCroepaytrieigsh otf tReenla atrioen ins oafd tdhiet iUonn ittoed m Sutalttielasteral treaties and try to provide a further layer of protection. For a list of specific U.S. bilateral treaties, see (www.copyright.gov/circs/circ38a.pdf).
Additionally, there have been numerous Presidential proclamations throughout the years specifying countries to which the United States has extended copyright law protection. Presidential proclamations were especially common prior to the United States’s adherence to the Berne CCiorcnuvleanr t3io8n(a, w).hich allowed the United States to provide protection to foreign works more easily. These proclamations are included as part of the “bilateral” agreements listed in 2005 Registration Issues This Section discusses frequent registration issues that arise in connection with foreign works.
2005.1 Multiple Authors of a Foreign Work
If the foreign work was created by multiple authors and if eligibility is based on the domicile or nationality of those authors, the work will be eligible for registration as long as any one of the authors’ nationalities or domiciles is sufficient. For example, if the work was created by three authors, two of whom are from Iran (a country that has no copyright treaties with the United States) and one of whom is from France (a country that does have copyright relations with the United States), the work would be eligible for registration.
2005.2 Authors with Multiple Nationalities
If a work’s eligibility is based on the author’s nationality and the author has more than one nationality (for example, if the author has dual citizenship), the work will be eligible for registration if either of the author’s nationalities satisfy the Copyright Act’s eligibility requirements.
2005.3 Domicile or First Publication in the Territorial Areas of the United States Domicile or first publication in any of the territorial areas under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government — other than the several states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the organized territories — does not confer eligibility for registration. Such areas include the unorganized territories, the trust territories, and other possessions of the United States. However, works by domiciliaries of, or works first published in, these areas may be eligible on the basis of the nationality of the author. Since U.S. nationals include persons born in the outlying possessions of the United States, eligibility in such cases may be conferred on that basis. Chapter 2000 : 9 12/22/2014
2005.4 Stateless Persons
A work by a stateless author is eligible for registration with the U.S. Copyright Office regardless of the author’s former or prospective nationality or domicile, and regardless of the place of first publication of the work. 17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(1).
2005.5 Works Made for Hire
In the case of a work made for hire, it is the nationality or domicile of the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared, rather than the nationality or domicile of the employee, which serves as the basis for determining eligibility for registration. 2005.5(A) Nationality and Domicile of Corporations and Similar Organizations In the case of a work made for hire, where the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared is not a natural person, but is an artificial person or legal entity such as a corporation or similar organization, the nationality and domicile of that organization is usually considered to be the nation under the laws of which the organization was created for purposes of copyright registration. For example, the nationality and domicile of a corporation generally should be stated as the United States if it was incorporated under the law of one of the several States, under federal law, or under the law of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or those organized territories under the jurisdiction of the United States that have the power to create corporations.
2005.5(B) Members A corporation or similar organization is ordinarily considered by law to be separate and distinct from the persons who are its members or shareholders. As a result, the nationality or domicile of the organization may be different from that of its members or shareholders.
2005.5(C) Doing Business A corporation may do business in a particular nation without being a national or domiciliary of that nation.
2005.6 Anonymous and Pseudonymous Works
Where eligibility depends on the nationality or domicile of the author, the applicant must provide that information in the application, even if the work is anonymous or pseudonymous. The applicant does not, however, have to identify the author’s name in such cases.
For a definition and general discussion of anonymous and pseudonymous works, see Chapter 600, Sections 615.1 and 615.2.
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2005.7 Compilations and Derivative Works
The nationality or domicile of the author of a compilation or derivative work is used in determining eligibility for registration, rather than the nationality or domicile of the author(s) of the preexisting material used in that work.
2005.8 When Is Eligibility Determined?
If eligibility must be based on the author’s nationality or domicile, the author’s nationality or domicile and the status of the author’s country must be assessed as of the date of first publication.
2005.8(A) Works Initially Registered as Unpublished, but Ineligible for Registration as Published Works Even though a work may have been registered as unpublished, it must be eligible at the time of first publication to be registrable as a published work. For example, if the author is a national and domiciliary of Iraq (a nation with which the United States has no copyright relations), the U.S. Copyright Office will register the work if it is unpublished. If the work is later published in another country with which the United States does not have copyright treaty relations, and the author’s citizenship and domicile remain unchanged, the Office will refuse to register the claim in the published version. 2005.8(B) Change in Nationality or Domicile after Publication If a work was eligible for registration at the time of first publication on the basis of the author’s nationality or domicile, changes in nationality or domicile occurring after that time will not impact the work’s eligibility.
2005.9 Eligibility Unclear
Sometimes the status of copyright relations between the United States and a particular nation is unclear. In cases where eligibility depends on the existence of copyright relations with that country, but the relationship is unclear, the U.S. Copyright Office will refuse registration.
2006 Application Tips for Foreign Works In most cases, eligible foreign works may be registered just eli.kge. any other work. In other words, an applicant generally may submit an application using the electronic registration system and selee.gct.ing the type of work at issue ( , literary work, work of the performing arts, work of the visual arts, sound recording, or single serial issue) or by using a paper application ( , Form TX, PA, VA, SR, SE, etc.). For specific guidance on how to complete these applications, see Chapter 600 (Examination Practices). There are, however, some foreign works that must be registered with a paper application submitted on Form GATT. These works typically were created or published before 1996 and are known as “restored works,” which are discussed in Section 2007 below. In all cases, the applicant should provide the name of the nation of which the author is a national or domiciliary, and in the case of a published work, the name of the nation of Chapter 2000 : 11 12/22/2014 first publication of the work. For guidance in identifying the author’s nationality or domicile, see Chapter 600, Section 617. For guidance in identifying the nation of first publication, see Chapter 600, Section 612.
Generally, the U.S. Copyright Office will not accept an application that lists a territory or other poElixtaicmalp sleusb odfi vaicscieopnt, arbalteh setra ttheamne tnhtes: name of the nation itself. • Great Britain • England • Wales • France • French Switzerland ExaSmwpisless of unacceptable statements:
2007.1 What Is a Restored Work?
Previously, U.S. federal copyright protection was not automatic upon fixation, as it is now. Instead, copyright owners needed to take certain steps, such as including specific copyright notices on works and renewing their registrations at particular times. These types of requirements generally are called “formalities” and they applied to both U.S. and foreign works.
In 1978, the current Copyright Act went into effect and eliminated some of these requirements. Later, the United States became a member of the Berne Convention and enacted the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, Pub. L. No. 103–465, 108 Stat. 4809 (codified in scattered sections of the U.S.C.) (1994) (“URAA”), which implemented the United States’ obligations under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. This further relaxed some of the Copyright Act’s more restrictive provisions and provided copyright protection for many works that may not have been eligible for protection under prior law.
As part of this process, foreign works that previously did not warrant U.S. copyright protection because of a failure to comply with formalities were “restored” by the URAA in 1994. In other words, the URAA provided retroactive copyright protection to many foreign works that were not eligible for protection under prior law. Chapter 2000 : 12 12/22/2014 Section 104A(h)(6) of the Copyright Act provides a precise definition of a “restored work” and specifies the specific requirements — all of which must be satisfied — to q• ualNifoyt a isn at h“ere psutobrliecd d womorakin”: in the source country : The work must not be in the public domain in its source country through the expiration of the term of protection. 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6)(B). As discussed in Chapter 100, Section 102.2(A), the term of protection is the length of time during which a work is protected by copyright law. As discussed in Chapter 300, Section 313.6(D), the term “public domain” means that the work is not protected by copyright law. Thus, restored works must be copyright- • pFerollt iencttoe dth aen pdu sbtliilcl dwoimthainin t ihne tirh ete Urmnit oefd p Srtoatteecstion in the foreign country. : The work must be in the public domain in the United States because (i) the work did not comply with prior formalities (such as failing to renew the registration, provide proper notice, or comply with manufacturing requirements under prior law); (ii) the work was not protected by U.S. copyright law in the case of sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972; or (iii) of a lack of national eligibility (as discussed above • gEelingeibrialliltyy) a. 1t 7ti mU.eS o.Cf. c§r e1a0t4ioAn( ho)r( p6u)(bCli)c. ation : At least one author or rightsholder of the work must have been (i) a national or domiciliary of an eligible country at the time of the work’s creation, or (ii) if published, the work must have been first published in an eligible country and not published in the United States within the thirty-day • pSoeurinodd r feoclolorwdiinnggs the first publication. 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6)(D). : If the source country for the work is an eligible country solely by virtue of its adherence to the WPPT, the restored work must be a sound recording. 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6)(E).
January 1, 1996 is the effective date of restoration of copyright for works from countries that were members of the WTO or the Berne Convention on that date. Most restored works were restored on January 1, 1996, because many countries became members of the WTO or Berne Convention prior to that date. In all other cases, the effective date of restoration is the date a newly eligible country accedes to the WTO or the Berne Convention or the date of a Presidential proclamation restoring U.S. copyright protection to works of that country.
NOTE:
2007.2 Registration Requirements for Restored Works
The Copyright Act protects restored works regardless of whether they are registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, although registration does provide various benefits, which are described in Chapter 200, Section 202. This Section provides general Chapter 2000 : 13 12/22/2014 information for copyright owners that wish to register their restored works with the Office.
2007.2(A) Form GATT To register a restored work, an applicant must file a paper application using Form GATT. Applicants cannot use the Office’s electronic registration system to register restored works. Form GATT is designed to request information needed to determine whether a work qualifies as a restored work and complies with U.S. legal requirements. While many parts of Form GATT are similar to the Office’s other applications, Form GATT requires information that may be different than the information required by other forms because of the differences in how the Copyright Act treats restored works. These issues are discussed in Sections 2007.2(A)(1) through 2007.2(A)(3). 2007.2(A)(1) Author of a Restored Work When identifying the author of a restored work on Form GATT applicants should be a• waTreim oifn tgh em faotltloerwsing issues. at the time the work was created now eligible for protection : The applicant must determine whether, , the author was a national or domiciliary of a country that is • Multiple w.o rks : Form GATT may be used to register a single work. It also may be used to register a series of works published under the same title in multiple episodes, installments, or issues during the same calendar year. In such cases, the author of each work in the series and the owner of the U.S. copyright in each work in the series must be the same, although the author and the copyright owner do not • nAeneodn ytmo boue st hweo srakms:e individual or entity. Form GATT does not allow an applicant to designate the author as anonymous. Applicants may, however, use a pseudonym in the author space as long as the pseudonym follows a legal name.
2007.2(A)(2) Publication of a Restored Work To be acceptable for a GATT registration, a restored work must have been first published in a foreign country that is now eligible for protection and must not have been published in the United States within thirty days after first publication in that country.
2007.2(A)(3) Owners of U.S. Copyright in a Restored Work A claim in a restored work may be registered only in the name of the current owner of all U.S. rights in that work.
Chapter 2000 : 14 12/22/2014 2007.2(B) Filing Fees See The applicant must submit the correct filing fee to register a restored work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c). The current fee is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Form GATT” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5.
2007.2(C) Deposit Requirements For specific deposit requirements for different types of restored works, see Chapter 1500, Sections 1509.1(J) (Literary Works), 1509.2(H) (Works of the Performing Arts), and 1509.3(E)(3) (Visual Art Works).
Chapter 2000 : 15 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
2111.1 Form RE .............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 2111.2 Complete Filing Fee ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 2111.3 Deposit Requirement .................................................................................................................................................... 13 2112 Work (or Larger Work) Not Registered for Original Term ............................................................................ 14 2112.1 Form RE and Form RE/Addendum .......................................................................................................................... 14 2112.2 Two Filing Fees—One for Each Form ..................................................................................................................... 14 2112.3 Deposit Material Required .......................................................................................................................................... 14 2113 Not Known if Work (or Larger Work) Was Registered for Original Term ............................................... 14 2114 Establishing Eligibility for Published Works Not Registered for the Original Term ............................ 14 2115 Renewal Registration Requirements—Form RE ................................................................................................ 16 2115.1 Title Information ............................................................................................................................................................. 16 2115.1(A) Additional Identifying Information for Periodicals ........................................................................................... 16 2115.1(B) Contribution to a Periodical or Published Collection ....................................................................................... 17 Chapter 2100 : 1 12/22/2014 2115.1(C) New or Alternative Title for Published Work ...................................................................................................... 17 2115.2 Original Term Information .......................................................................................................................................... 17 2115.2(A) Publication Date .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 2115.2(B) Antedated Year Date(s) in Copyright Notice ........................................................................................................ 17 2115.2(B)(1) Original Registration Record Cites Antedated Year Date(s) in Copyright Notice .................................. 17 2115.2(B)(2) Antedated Year Date(s) in Copyright Notice in Deposit Copy ....................................................................... 17 2115.2(C) Post-Dated Year Date in Copyright Notice ............................................................................................................ 18 2115.2(C)(1) Year Date is Post-Dated by One Year ...................................................................................................................... 18 2115.2(C)(2) Year Date is Post-Dated by More Than One Year ............................................................................................... 19 2115.2(D) Registration Date for Unpublished Works ............................................................................................................ 19 2115.2(E) Original Copyright Claimant ....................................................................................................................................... 19 2115.2(E)(1) Work Registered for Original Term ......................................................................................................................... 19 2115.2(E)(2) PAud bInlitsehreimd Work Not Registered for Original Term ........................................................................................... 19 2115.2(F) Copyright Information ............................................................................................................................ 20 2115.2(G) Supplementary Registration Information ............................................................................................................. 21 2115.3 Work or Material Claimed Information.................................................................................................................. 22 2115.3(A) Entire Work....................................................................................................................................................................... 22 2115.3(B) Contribution to a Periodical or Published Collection ....................................................................................... 22 2115.3(C) Revisions in a Derivative Work ................................................................................................................................. 22 2115.3(D) Separate Work or Element of Authorship First Published in Larger Work ............................................. 22 2115.3(E) Based on First Publication of a Work Registered as an Unpublished Work ............................................ 22 2115.4 Author Information ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 2115.4(A) Full Legal Name or as Given in the Original Registration Record ................................................................ 24 2115.4(A)(1) Pseudonymous and Anonymous Works ................................................................................................................ 24 2115.4(A)(2) Works Made for Hire ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 2115.4(A)(3) Posthumous Works ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 2115.4(A)(4) Composite Works............................................................................................................................................................ 25 2115.4(A)(5) Joint Works........................................................................................................................................................................ 25 2115.4(B) Year of Death .................................................................................................................................................................... 25 2115.4(C) Nationality and Domicile ............................................................................................................................................. 25 2115.4(D) When Authorship Statement is Required .............................................................................................................. 26 Chapter 2100 : 2 12/22/2014 2115.5 Vested Owner Information ......................................................................................................................................... 26 2115.5(A) Determining When the Renewal Copyright Vested ........................................................................................... 26 2115.5(B) Determining the Party in Whom the Renewal Copyright Vested ................................................................. 27 2115.5(C) Parties Entitled to Claim the Renewal Copyright ............................................................................................... 27 2115.5(C)(1) Personal Works ............................................................................................................................................................... 27 2115.5(C)(2) Proprietary Works ......................................................................................................................................................... 28 2115.5(D) Effect of Timely Renewal Registration ................................................................................................................... 30 2115.5(E) Acceptable Basis of Claim Statements .................................................................................................................... 30 2115.5(E)(1) Personal Works ............................................................................................................................................................... 30 2115.5(E)(2) Proprietary Works ......................................................................................................................................................... 31 2115.5(E)(3) Statutory Renewal Claimant Is Not Vested Owner ............................................................................................ 31 2115.5(F) Proprietary Work, Vested Owner Is Not the Original Copyright Claimant............................................... 32 2115.5(G) Name of Vested Owner and Statutory Basis of Claim Statement Required .............................................. 32 2115.5(H) Multiple Vested Owners ............................................................................................................................................... 32 2115.5(I) Current Mailing Address or Year of Death Required ........................................................................................ 33 2115.5(J) Vested Owner Is Deceased or Defunct at Time of Renewal Registration .................................................. 33 2115.6 Current Owner Information ....................................................................................................................................... 33 2115.6(A) Full Legal Name and Address for Current Owner .............................................................................................. 33 2115.6(B) Acceptable Transfer Statements ............................................................................................................................... 33 2115.6(C) Means or Date of Transfer Is Unclear ..................................................................................................................... 34 2115.6(D) Renewal Copyright Assigned During Original Term ......................................................................................... 34 2115.6(E) Renewal Registration Already on Record in the Name of a Vested Owner .............................................. 34 2115.7 Certification Required ................................................................................................................................................... 34 2116 Additional Requirements for Published Works Not Registered for the Original Term: Form RE/Addendum ........................................................................................................ 34 2116.1 Title Information ............................................................................................................................................................. 34 2116.2 Author Information ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 2116.2(A) Name of Eligible Author ............................................................................................................................................... 35 2116.2(B) Nationality and Domicile of Eligible Author ......................................................................................................... 36 2116.3 Publication Information ............................................................................................................................................... 36 2116.3(A) Date of First Publication Unknown .......................................................................................................................... 36 2116.3(B) Simultaneous Publication in the United States ................................................................................................... 36 Chapter 2100 : 3 12/22/2014 2116.4 Manufacture Information ............................................................................................................................................ 36 2116.4(A) Acceptable Terms to Describe Manufacturing Process.................................................................................... 36 2116.4(B) Works Manufactured by Other Processes ............................................................................................................. 37 2116.5 Deposit Information ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 2116.5(A) Deposit Requirement .................................................................................................................................................... 37 2116.5(B) Alternative Deposit Material ...................................................................................................................................... 38 2116.5(B)(1) Identical to the Complete Work as First Published ........................................................................................... 38 2116.5(B)(2) Reprint or Reissue of Work as First Published ................................................................................................... 38 2116.5(B)(3) Identifying Material ....................................................................................................................................................... 39 2116.5(C) Contribution First Published in a Periodical, Collection, or Larger Work ................................................ 40 2116.5(D) Music or Other Component Element Embodied in a Published Motion Picture .................................... 40 2116.5(E) Based on First Publication .......................................................................................................................................... 41 2116.6 Verification of Copyright Notice................................................................................................................................ 41 PAR2T1 1IV7 ECfLfAecStiSvEe SD aOtFe oWf ORRenKeSw AalN RDe gRiEstLrAatTioEnD .. .R...E...G....I.S...T...R...A...T...I.O...N.... .I.S...S...U...E...S... .......................................................................................................... 4411 2118 Nondramatic Literary Works (Books) .................................................................................................................... 42 2118.1 English Language Books............................................................................................................................................... 43 2118.2 Foreign Language Books .............................................................................................................................................. 43 2118.3 Effect of Simultaneous Publication in the United States.................................................................................. 43 2118.4 Illustrations in a Book ................................................................................................................................................... 43 2118.5 Unpublished Nondramatic Literary Material....................................................................................................... 43 2118.6 Literary Material Contained in a Published Phonorecord .............................................................................. 44 2118.7 Text and Illustrations Owned Separately for the Renewal Term ................................................................. 44 2119 Periodicals / Serials ....................................................................................................................................................... 44 2119.1 Title Information Should Include Volume / Number / Issue Date / ISSN (if any)................................. 44 2119.2 Identity of Author ........................................................................................................................................................... 44 2119.3 Each Issue / Edition Must Be Registered Separately ........................................................................................ 45 2119.4 Extent of Renewal Claim .............................................................................................................................................. 45 2120 Computer Programs ...................................................................................................................................................... 45 2121 Works of the Visual Arts .............................................................................................................................................. 45 2121.1 Maps ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 2100 : 4 12/22/2014 2121.2 Original Works of Art .................................................................................................................................................... 46 2121.3 Technical Drawings and Models ............................................................................................................................... 47 2121.4 Photographs ...................................................................................................................................................................... 47 2121.4(A) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 47 2121.4(B) First Published in a Motion Picture ......................................................................................................................... 48 2121.5 Prints and Pictorial Illustrations............................................................................................................................... 48 2121.5(A) Manufacturing Requirements .................................................................................................................................... 49 2121.5(B) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 49 2121.6 Architectural Works ...................................................................................................................................................... 49 2122 Works of the Performing Arts .................................................................................................................................... 49 2122.1 Musical Works and Songs ............................................................................................................................................ 50 2122.1(A) Published After Registration as Unpublished Work ......................................................................................... 50 2122.1(B) First Published as a Component Element of a Motion Picture Soundtrack .............................................. 50 2122.1(B)(1) Registered for Original Term as Unpublished Work ......................................................................................... 50 2122.1(B)(2) Renewal Claim Based on Motion Picture Registration ..................................................................................... 50 2122.1(C) Released Only in a Phonorecord ............................................................................................................................... 51 2122.1(D) Made Available Only in Rental Score....................................................................................................................... 51 2122.1(E) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 51 2122.2 Dramatic Works .............................................................................................................................................................. 51 2122.2(A) First Published in a Motion Picture ......................................................................................................................... 52 2122.2(B) Made Available Only in Rental Copies .................................................................................................................... 52 2122.2(C) Released Only in a Phonorecord ............................................................................................................................... 52 2122.2(D) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 52 2122.3 Choreography and Works Containing Choreography....................................................................................... 52 2122.3(A) Registered for Original Term as Dramatic Work ................................................................................................ 53 2122.3(B) Published but not Registered for Original Term ................................................................................................ 53 2122.3(C) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 53 2122.4 Works Prepared for Oral Delivery, Presentation, or Performance. ............................................................. 54 2122.4(A) First Published in Copies ............................................................................................................................................. 54 2122.4(B) First Published as a Component Element of a Motion Picture Soundtrack .............................................. 54 2122.4(C) Released Only in a Phonorecord ............................................................................................................................... 54 Chapter 2100 : 5 12/22/2014 2122.4(D) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 54 2122.5 Sound Recordings ........................................................................................................................................................... 55 2122.5(A) Date of Fixation................................................................................................................................................................ 55 2122.5(B) Derivative Sound Recordings ..................................................................................................................................... 56 2122.5(C) Eligibility of Foreign Sound Recordings................................................................................................................. 56 2122.5(D) Renewal Claims in Multi-Track Albums ................................................................................................................. 56 2122.5(E) Renewal Claim Includes Underlying Material ..................................................................................................... 56 2122.5(F) Renewal Claim Includes Artwork or Text on Album Cover or Insert ......................................................... 57 2122.5(G) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 57 2122.6 Motion Pictures and Other Audiovisual Works................................................................................................... 57 2122.6(A) Publication of a Motion Picture ................................................................................................................................. 58 2122.6(B) Notice Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 58 2122.6(C) Component Element(s) of a Motion Picture ......................................................................................................... 58 2122.6(D) Slides, Slide Films, and Filmstrips ............................................................................................................................ 59 PA2R1T2 V3 MCOulPtiYmReIdGiHa TW IoSrSkUs .E...S... .R...E...L...A...T...E...D... .T...O... ..R...E...N...E...W....A...L... .R....E...G...I.S...T...R...A...T...I.O....N... ........................................................................................................ 5599 2124 Manufacturing Clause ................................................................................................................................................... 60 2124.1 Classes of Works Subject to the Manufacturing Clause.................................................................................... 60 2124.2 Effect of the Manufacturing Clause on Copyright Term ................................................................................... 61 2124.3 Manufacturing Requirements .................................................................................................................................... 61 2125 Unpublished Collections .............................................................................................................................................. 62 2126 Published Collections .................................................................................................................................................... 62 2127 Contributions to Periodicals, Published Collections, and Other Larger Works ...................................... 64 2128 Group Renewal Registration ...................................................................................................................................... 64 2129 Joint Works and Other Unitary Works ................................................................................................................... 65 2130 Uncorrected Errors in Original Registration Records ...................................................................................... 65 2131 Corrected Original Registration Records............................................................................................................... 65 2132 Cancelled or Abandoned Original Registration Records ................................................................................. 66 2133 Abandonment of Copyright......................................................................................................................................... 67 2134 New or Different Information from the Original Registration Record ....................................................... 67 2135 Effect of Change of Policy............................................................................................................................................. 68 Chapter 2100 : 6 12/22/2014 PART VI POST-RENEWAL REGISTRATION ISSUES ............................................................................... 68 2136 Multiple Renewal Claims, Including Duplicate Claims ..................................................................................... 68 2137 Adverse Renewal Claims .............................................................................................................................................. 68 2138 Correcting and / or Amplifying Information in a Renewal Registration Record ................................... 69 2138.1 Appropriate Use of Supplementary Registration ............................................................................................... 69 2138.2 Parties Authorized to File for Supplementary Registration ........................................................................... 70 2138.3 Inappropriate Use of Supplementary Registration ........................................................................................... 70 2139 Recordation ....................................................................................................................................................................... 71 2139.1 Types of Documents that May be Recorded ......................................................................................................... 71 2139.2 When Recordation May Be Required ...................................................................................................................... 71 2140 Cancellation of Renewal Registration Records ................................................................................................... 72 PAR2T1 V4I1I RCeOfPerYrRalI GofH RTe nReEwSaTlO RRegAiTstIOraNti oOnF R FeOcoRrEdIsG ...N... .W.....O...R...K...S... ..G...O...V...E...R....N...E...D... .B....Y.. .. ................................................ 72 THE COPYRIGHT ACT OF 1909 ................................................................................................ 72 2142 Restored Copyrights for Works Governed by the Copyright Act of 1909 ................................................. 72 2143 Renewal Registration Not Appropriate for Restored Copyrights ................................................................ 73 2144 Copyright Terms for Restored Copyrights ............................................................................................................ 73 PART2 1V4II5I RGeLgOisStSraAtRioYn OUnFd TeEr RthMeS U .R..A..A.. .A...f.t.e..r. .C..o..p..y..r.i.g..h..t. .i.n.. .S..o..u..r.c..e.. .C..o..u..n..t.r.y.. .H...a.s.. .E..x..p..i.r.e..d.. ................................................................. 7734 Chapter 2100 : 7 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
This Chapter covers renewal registration of works that fall under the provisions of the Copyright Renewal Act of 1992, , works that secured copyright by registration or p• ublication between 1964 and 1977, inclusive. The purposes are: To provide an overview of the renewal system and the effects of the Copyright • Renewal Act of 1992 on renewal registration;
•T his Chapter is divided into eight parts:
Part V discusses several broad copyright matters as they relate to renewal registration. Start here to read about how the manufacturing clause affects renewal registration, issues related to joint works or published collections, or what to do • when an original registration record contains an error that was not corrected. Part VI discusses post renewal registration issues. Start here for information about amending a renewal registration record, or filing a renewal claim in a work for • which a renewal registration is already on record.
Part VII discusses restoration of copyright under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (“URAA”) in foreign works whose restored copyrights are governed by the Chapter 2100 : 8 12/22/2014 Copyright Act of 1909. Start here for information about foreign works that are not • eligible for renewal registration but may be eligible for registration under the URAA. Part VIII contains a glossary of terms. Start here to find an explanation of terms related to renewal registration.
NOTE:
The original term began on the date of publication or registration (if registered as an unpublished work) and ended on the twenty-ninth anniversary date of publication or registration as an unpublished work. The renewal term began on the day following the twenty-ninth anniversary date and was to end on the fifty-seventh anniversary date of publication or registration as an unpublished work. However, as the earliest works that secured copyright under the Copyright Act of 1909 came to the end of their renewal terms, Congress enacted a series of extension acts to ensure the renewal terms would not expire before the current law took effect on January 1, 1978. These interim extension acts affected works still in their renewal terms whose copyright protection began betSweeeeCni rSceupltaerm 9b2,e Cr o1p9y, r1ig9h0t6 L aanwd oDf etcheem Ubneitre 3d1 S,t 1a9te1s8 o. fW Aimtheoruicta t haensde R ineltaetreidm L aws Cexotnetnasinioends i,n c oTpityler i1g7h tosf ctohme Umneintecdin Sgt adtuersi Cnogd teh,ose years would have expired after fifty- six years.
To extend copyright into the renewal term, two registrations had to be made before the original term expired, one for the original term and the other for the renewal term. Registration for the original term could be made at any time during the original term; Chapter 2100 : 9 12/22/2014 renewal registration had to be made during the last year of the original term. This period for renewal registration is referred to as the renewal filing period. The Copyright Act of 1976 retained the two-term system of the Copyright Act of 1909 for works in their original or renewal term of copyright on January 1, 1978, the effective date of the Copyright Act of 1976. It also retained the requirement that a renewal claim had to be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office during the last year of the original term to extend copyright into the renewal term. However, it extended the renewal term from twenty-eight years to forty-seven years for all works still in their original term as of the effective date of the Act, and provided that copyrights in their renewal term before January 1, 1978 would subsist for sevIdenty-five years. 17 U.S.C. §§ 304(a), (b) (1976). It also provided that all copyright terms would extend to the end of the calendar year in which they would otherwise expire. . § 305. Two subsequent amendments to t•h e Copyright Act of 1976 modified these renewal term provisions: The Copyright Renewal Act of 1992, Pub. L. No. 102-307, 106 Stat. 164, effective June 26, 1992, made renewal registration during the last year of the original term optional for works still in their original term as of that date, that is, works that secured copyright between January 1, 1964 and December 31, 1977, inclusive. Under this amendment, copyright extends into the renewal term automatically, regardless of whether an original or renewal registration was made before the original term expired. It also provides for renewal registration during the entire renewal term. 17 U.S.C. § 304(a). For more information about this amendment, • see Part II.
1 17 U.S.C. § 304(b) took effect on October 19, 1976 under the Transitional and Supplementary Provisions of the Copyright Act of 1976. Pub. L. No. 94-553, app. A, tit. I, § 102, 90 Stat. 2541 (1976).
Chapter 2100 : 10 12/22/2014 PART II THE COPYRIGHT RENEWAL ACT OF 1992 2103 Intent, Purpose, and Impact on Renewal Registration The Copyright Renewal Act of 1992 substantially amended the current law with regard to renewal registrationi.. eP.ub. L. No. 102-307, 106 Stat. 164, effective June 26, 1992. Among other issues, it sought to bring registration requirements for works still in their original term in 1992 ( , works published, or registered as unpublished works, from 1964 through 1977) more in line with registration requirements for works governed by the current copyright law. For such works, the act made original and renewal registration optional for statutory protection to extend into the renewal term. However, to encourage authors Saened proprietors to continue to register their works for the original term and make timely renewal registrations, it provided certain benefits for timely renewal registration. Section 2107.
The act also provided for registration at any time while a work is under copyright, including the renewal term. This means a renewal claim can be registered at any time from the last year of the original term through the renewal term, regardless of whether a registration was made for the original term before that term expired. Finally, to make the renewal registration record more useful to the public, the act provided within the renewal registration record itself a more efficient means of identifying the current owner of the renewal copyright at the time of registration where renewal title may have changed from its point of initial vesting. 2104 Affected Works i.e.
The Copyright Renewal Act of 1992 affects works that were still in their original term of copyright at the time it took effect on June 26, 1992, , works published or registered as unpublished works from January 1, 1964 through December 31, 1977. NOTE:
2105 Registration for the Original Term Is Not Required Before the Copyright Renewal Act of 1992, registration for the original term had to be made before that term expired and it had to be completed before a renewal claim could be registered. A copyright claim for the original term could be filed simultaneously with a renewal claim, but the renewal claim was held until the original registration was Ecoxmcepplteiotends: so the renewal registration could cite the original registration record. Registration for the original term was not required for U.C.C. works (although a timely renewal registration had to be made to secure copyright for the renewal term). Also, an original registration for a contribution first published in a collection was not required to register a renewal claim in the contribution. Chapter 2100 : 11 12/22/2014 Under this act, registration for the original term is not required. When a work was not registered for the original term, a renewal with addendum registration is required to demonstrate that the work as first published complied with all requirements of the Copyright Act of 1909 with respect to the existence, ownership, or duration of the copyright.
2106 Renewal Registration Before Expiration of Original Term Is Optional Before the Copyright Renewal Act of 1992, renewal registration could only be made during the last year of the original term and was required to extend copyright into the renewal term. Under this act, renewal registration during the last year of the original term is optional. However, to encourage authors and proprietors to continue to do so, the act provides benefits for timely renewal registration. NOTE:
2108 Renewal Registration Is Possible Through Renewal and Extended Terms An application to register a renewal claim may be filed “within 1 year before the expiration of the original term of copyright” and “at any time during the renewed and extended term.” 17 U.S.C. § 304(a)(3)(A).
2109 Benefits of Renewal Term Registration Renewal term registration does not secure the benefits secured by timely renewal registration; however, such registration is required to proceed with an infringement case when a work was not registered for the original term. It also provides information about the party in whom the renewal copyright vested at the beginning of the renewal term, and may provide information about the current owner of the renewal copyright. Chapter 2100 : 12 12/22/2014 PART III RENEWAL TERM REGISTRATION This Part focuses on how to register a renewal claim after the renewal copyright has vested. It explains basic requirements and the steps to take before submitting a renewal claim. Section 2115 discusses Form RE, explaining the information that should be provided and how to complete the application. Section 2116 discusses Form RE/Addendum, explaining the additional requirements for published works that were not registered for the original term and how to complete the application. 2110 Registration Requirements and Procedures Registration requirements for renewal term registration depend on whether a work (or larger work) was registered for the original term. Therefore, this is the first fact that must be determined when filing for renewal registration. When a work was not registered for the original term, the applicant must provide information and material that show the work met all statutory requirements to secure (or maintain) copyright for the full original term.
2111 Work (or Larger Work) Registered for Original Term This Section discusses the registration requirements that apply to both published and unpublished works that were registered for the original term.
2111.1 Form RE
When completing Form RE, the applicant should cite the registration number and other information from the original registration record. The application should be signed by a vested owner or the assignee or successor, or an authorized agent of any of these parties.
2111.2 Complete Filing Fee
2111.3 Deposit Requirement
Generally, a deposit copy is not required for a renewal registration, because the required deposit materials were sent to the U.S. Copyright Office at the time of original rEexgciesptrtiaotnio:n.
Chapter 2100 : 13 12/22/2014 2112 Work (or Larger Work) Not Registered for Original Term This Section discusses the registration requirements that apply to published works that were not registered for the original term.
2112.1 Form RE and Form RE/Addendum
Form RE should be accompanied by Form RE/Addendum, and both forms should be Esixgcneepdti bony :authorized parties.
2112.2 Two Filing Fees—One for Each Form
2112.3 Deposit Material Required
When a work (or larger work) was not registered for the original term, deposit material is required. In general, one complete copy or phonorecord of the best edition as first published is required. For more information about the deposit requirements, see Section 2116.5(A).
2113 Not Known if Work (or Larger Work) Was Registered for Original Term Generally, a Form RE/Addendum is appropriate only when a work (or the larger work) was not registered for the original term. If it is not known whether the work was registered for the original term, a search of the U.S. Copyright Office’s registration records should be conducted before the renewal claim is filed. When a renewal claim is filed prior to a search beinCgi rdcounlaer, t2h2e, HOoffwic eto m Inayve asdtivgiastee t thhee a Cpopplyicraignht tt oS tcaotnusd uofc ta a search Wbeoforkre, procCeirecduilnagr w23it, hT hree gCiosptryartiigohnt. CFaorrd i Cnafotarmloagt aionnd athbeo uOtn ilninvee Fstiliegsa otifn tgh eth Ceo cpoypriygrhitg ht Ostfafitcues3 of a work, see and . For more information about the administrative classifications for pre-1978 registration records, see U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, ADMINISTRATIVE CLASSIFICATIONS: 1870- 1978.
2114 Establishing Eligibility for Published Works Not Registered for the Original Term When a work was not registered for the original term, certain information must be provided to establish eligibility for renewal term registration. Factors that may determine eligibility include:
Chapter 2100 : 14 12/22/2014 First publication between 1964 and 1977.
• The author’s nationality and place of domicile at the time of first publication. The place of first publication.
• The manufacturing clause.
Chapter 2100 : 15 12/22/2014 I4d.
2115.1 Title Information
This space on Form RE should identify the work in which the renewal copyright is claimed. The complete title as first published, or as given in the original registration record is required.
2115.1(A) Additional Identifying Information for Periodicals When seeking a renewal registration for a periodical, the volume, number and issue date, if any, is required.
6 This section was expanded in 1912 to include motion pictures. Chapter 2100 : 16 12/22/2014 2115.1(B) Contribution to a Periodical or Published Collection When seeking a renewal registration for a contribution to a periodical or published collection, the title of the contribution and the title and identifying information (if any) of the periodical or published collection is required.
2115.1(C) New or Alternative Title for Published Work If the work has been published or reissued under a different title than the title given in the original registration record the new title may be provided as an alternative title.
2115.2 Original Term Information
This space of Form RE should provide information about certain facts in the original registration record, or the facts as they pertain to the original term, if the work was not registered for the original term.
2115.2(A) Publication Date If the work was published, the complete date of first publication (month/day/year) is required.
2115.2(B) Antedated Year Date(s) in Copyright Notice When a work was first published with a year date in the copyright notice that was earlier than the year of first publication, the term of copyright is determined by the year date in the copyright notice, rather than the year of first publication. Likewise, when a work is published with multiple year dates in the copyright notice, the year dates may affect the term of copyright. Multiple year dates in a copyright notice also indicate that an earlier version or a portion of the work was previously published. Therefore, all antedated year date(s) in the copyright notice(s) should generally be cited in the certificate of renewal registration and renewal registration record. For more information about the effect of publication with antedated and multiple year dates in the copyrigahvta niloatbiclee ,a stee U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA- noticerequirements.pdf.
2115.2(B)(1) Original Registration Record Cites Antedated Year Date(s) in Copyright Notice If the original registration record cites antedated year date(s) in the copyright notice, the applicant should include these year dates in Form RE. 2115.2(B)(2) Antedated Year Date(s) in Copyright Notice in Deposit Copy When a work is registered for the first time during the renewal term and it contains a year date in the copyright notice that is earlier than the year of first publication, the U.S Copyright Office will inquire about the facts of first publication and whether the deposit material represents the work as first published. When a work contains multiple year Chapter 2100 : 17 12/22/2014 dates in the copyright notice or multiple copyright notices with antedated year date(s), the Office also will inquire about whether the work or portions of it were previously published. The applicant should cite all antedated year dates in Form RE. 2115.2(C) Post-Dated Year Date in Copyright Notice When a work was first published with a year date in the copyright notice that is later than the year of first publication, there may be serious consequences for renewal registration. The Office’s action will depend on whether the year date is post-dated by one year or more. For more information about the effect of publication with a post- dated year date in thea vcaoiplaybrileg ht notice, see U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. Cat OPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA-noticerequirements.pdf. 2115.2(C)(1) Year Date is Post-Dated by One Year When the renewal claim is based on an original registration record that cites a post- dated year date in the notice, the Office will notify the applicant about the citation in the original registration record and will add an annotation to the certificate of renewal registration and a note in the renewal registration record regarding the post-dated year date. When a work is being registered for the first time during the renewal term the Office will inquire about the facts of publication. If the applicant confirms the publication facts, the certificate of renewal registration and renewal registration record should cite the post-dated year date. In either case, when a work was first published with a year date that is one year later than the year of first publication, renewal registration will be made under the rule of doubt.
7 This policy took effect in 2012 and represents a change from the longstanding Office practice not to note a post-dated year date on the certificate of renewal registration or in the renewal registration record. Before 1978, post-dated year dates were annotated in the original registration record, but not on the certificate of registration. Since 1978, a post-dated year date was not generally noted on either the certificate or original registration record. Compendium I Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, 8 This policy, which mirrors the policy under for original registration, takes effect for Third Edition renewal registration with the publication of the . Before then, a post-dated notice annotated in an original registration record was not referenced in the certificate of renewal registration or renewal record and such registrations were not made under the rule of doubt.
Chapter 2100 : 18 12/22/2014 2115.2(C)(2) Year Date is Post-Dated by More Than One Year When a work was first published with a year date in the copyright notice that is more than one year post-dated, the work is considered to have been first published without a copyright notice. In such cases, renewal registration is not possible. 2115.2(D) Registration Date for Unpublished Works The complete date of registration is required for all works registered before 1978 as unpublished works. The registration date is the date when the last element (application, copy, filing fee) was received in acceptable form in the U.S. Copyright Office. 2115.2(E) Original Copyright Claimant Statutory copyright was secured either by publication with notice in the name of the proprietor identified in the copyright notice, or by registration as an unpublished work in the name of the party identified as the copyright claimant in the registration record. Therefore, Form RE should name the proprietor(s) identified in the copyright notice (if the work was not registered for the original term), or the copyright claimant(s) named iEnx cthepe toiornig:inal registration record.
2115.2(E)(1) Work Registered for Original Term If the work was registered for the original term, the complete name(s) of the original copyright claimant(s) as given in the original registration record is required. 2115.2(E)(2) Published Work Not Registered for Original Term If a published work was not registered for the original term, the complete name(s) of the proprietor(s) as identified in the copyright notice is required. If the work is a contribution or a separate work or element of authorship first published with its own separate copyright notice, Form RE should name the proprietor identified in the separate notice.
Chapter 2100 : 19 12/22/2014 Exception:
2115.2(F) Ad Interim Copyright Information ad interim A renewal claim based on an registration record should provide information about the registration for the subsequent U.S. edition. Otherwise, renewal registration gEexnceepratilolyn sw: ill be refused.
• ad interim If copyright was subsisting when the country of the author’s nationality joineda tmhee nUd.Ce.dC b., ythe work did not have to be manufacture .1 d and published in the United States to secure the full original term of copyright Copyright Act of • 1909, ad Pinutbe.r Lim. No. 83-743, § 9(c), 68 Stat. 1030, 1031 (1954). i.e.
Chapter 2100 : 20 12/22/2014 1977, inclusive) copyright was extended to the full original term of copyright under • the transitional provisions of the Copyright Act of 1976. Finally, even when tahde itnwteor eimxceptions listed above do not apply, renewal registration may still be possible if the work was manufactured and published in the United States while copyright subsisted, but no registration was made for the U.S. edition. In this last siatuda itnitoenr iam renewal registration for the U.S. edition must be made under the rule of doubt before a renewal registration can be made for the foreign edition that secured copyright. This requirement ensures that the full original term of copyright was secured through compliance with the manufacturing clause.
NOTE:
Chapter 2100 : 21 12/22/2014
2115.3 Work or Material Claimed Information
2115.3(C) Revisions in a Derivative Work This option is appropriate when the claim to the renewal copyright is limited to a new version, or to new material added to a previously published or registered work. 2115.3(D) Separate Work or Element of Authorship First Published in Larger Work This option is appropriate whee.ng .a separate, distinct work or element of authorship wei.gth.in a larger work is owned separately from the larger work for the renewal term. Such a work is often adjunct ( , a foreword or annotated bibliography) oer.g a.uxiliary ( photographs in a biography) to the larger work as a whole, or it may be a separate work or element within a work that does not constitute joint authorship ( illustrations in a children’s book). It is not applicable to composite works that consist of inseparable contributions, or to component elements of a unitary work, such as a motion picture.
2115.3(E) Based on First Publication of a Work Registered as an Unpublished Work This option is appropriate when the sole basis of renewal registration is to register a renewal claim in the published edition of a work that secured statutory copyright under Chapter 2100 : 22 12/22/2014 the Copyright Act of 1909 by registration as an unpublished work. Generally, it applies only to certain works of the visual and performing arts that could be registered as unpublished works, but it also may apply to nondramatic literary works prepared for oral delivery, presentation, or performance when such works were registered for the original term as unpublished works. When a renewal registration is based on this option, the registration number and effective date of the original registration record for the unpublisSheeed work are required because the registration established the copyright term and the vesting date of the renewal copyright, regardless of the date of first publication. Section 2115.2(D).
Renewal registration on this basis is possible only when the copyright secured by the registration of the unpublished work was still in effect at the time of first publication, it was maintained by the published edition, and it is still subsisting at the time of renewal registration. To maintain the copyright secured by the original registration for the unpublished work, a work first published before January 1, 1978 had to meet the statutory requirements of the Copyright Act of 1909. Works first published between January 1, 1978 and March 1, 1989 had to meet the statutory requirements of the Copyright Act of 1976, as enacted at the time of first publication. Works of foreign origin also had to meet eligibility criteria as of the date of first publication. NOTE:
2115.4 Author Information
This space of Form RE identifies the party(ies) who created, or caused to be created, the work or material claimed. When the party is a person who created the work in his or her personal capacity, the party is referred to as an individual author. When the party is an 12 For information concerning the classes of works that could be registered under the 1909 Act, see Section 2114 and footnote 6.
Chapter 2100 : 23 12/22/2014 organization or an employer, the party is referred to as a proprietary author, and the work is considered to be a proprietary work.
In addition to identifying the author, this space of Form RE provides information regarding an author’s nationality and domicile, year of death, and contribution to certain classes of works when this information is required to make a complete and accurate renewal registration record.
2115.4(A) Full Legal Name or as Given in the Original Registration Record Generally, Form RE should provide the full legal name(s) of the author(s) at the time of creation or, if the work was registered for the original term, the names(s) as given in the original registration record.
For an exception to this rule, see Section 2119.2.
2115.4(A)(1) Pseudonymous and Anonymous Works When a work is pseudonymous or anonymous, the legal name of the individual author is not required, unless it was provided in the original registration record. If the pseudonym was provided in the original registration record, it should be given and identified as such in the renewal registration record. When a pseudonymous or anonymous work was not registered for the original term, the nationality and domicile of the author at the time of first publication is required to establish eligibility. In addition, the author of a pseudonymous work must be identified by providing the author’s legal name, the author’s pseudonym, or both.
NOTE:
13 Providing the nationality and domicile for the author of such works represents a policy change that took effect in 2014 with the amendment of Form RE. Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition 14 This provision represents a change of policy that occurred with the publication of the . Previously, the U.S. Copyright Office required the legal name of at least one author to establish eligibility. Chapter 2100 : 24 12/22/2014 2115.4(A)(2) Works Made for Hire The employer for hire should be identified by the employer’s full legal name at the time of creation. If the individual who was employed or hired to create the work is identified on the deposit copy, this information may also be provided. 2115.4(A)(3) Posthumous Works A deceased author should be identified by the author’s full legal name. 2115.4(A)(4) Composite Works The proprietary author Sseheould be identified by the full legal name at the time of creation, unless the renewal claim is based on an original registration record that did not identify the author. Section 2115.4(A).
2115.4(A)(5) Joint Works All authors who contributed to the joint work as a whole should be identified. 2115.4(B) Year of Death When an individual author is deceased at the time of renewal registration, the year of death is required.
2115.4(C) Nationality and Domicile Eligibility for renewal registration generally depends on the nationality and domicile of the author at the time of first publication.
NOTE:
2115.5 Vested Owner Information
This space of Form RE provides information about the party in whom the renewal copyright vested, and may provide information regarding ownership of the renewal copyright at the time of registration. At least one party must be identified as a vested owner and an acceptable statement must be provided as to the statutory basis for that vested owner’s claim to the renewal copyright. Generally, the vested owner is a statutory renewal claimant, but for information concerning the effect of a timely renewal registration, see Section 2115.5(D). While the vesting date generally has not been given in Form RE, it is the first fact that has to be determined in order to identify the parties entitled to claim the renewal copyright.
2115.5(A) Determining When the Renewal Copyright Vested For purpose of renewal term registration, the renewal copyright vested on the first day of the renewal term. For works that secured copyright from 1950 through 1977, the renewal term began on January 1st of the 29th year following the effective date of rEexgciesptrtiaotnio:n as an unpublished work or the date of first publication. When a woSreke was first published with an earlier year date in the copyright notice, the renewal copyright vested on January 1 of the 29th year from the year date in the copyright notice. Section 2115.2(B).
Generally the vesting date is clear, but when the facts of first publication are not known, or a work was first published with multiple year date(s) in the copyright notice, or when an error or omission in an original registration record calls into question when the original term began or ended, it may be difficult to determine the vesting date. When it appears that the renewal ownership information may be premised on an inaccurate vesting date, the U.S. Copyright Office will advise the applicant, and may refuse registration until the discrepancy is resolved. Likewise, when an applicant is unable to 16 Before 2007 (when Form RE was revised), renewal claims filed on behalf of a current owner provided the name of the vested owner and the vesting date in the basis of claim statement. Chapter 2100 : 26 12/22/2014 determine when the renewal copyright vested, the Office will refuse renewal registration.
2115.5(B) Determining the Party in Whom the Renewal Copyright Vested By law, certain parties are entitled to claim the renewal copyright. Generally, the U.S. Copyright Office will not question the identity of the vested owner or the statutory basis of a renewal claim when this information is consistent with the author facts in the original registration record or in the deposit copy, or with other facts provided at the time of renewal registration. When the vested owner is not identified, the statutory basis is not given, or this information is unclear, the Office will request written verification from the applicant to clarify the party in whom the renewal copyright vested and the statutory basis. When the statutory basis is inconsistent with the author facts in the original registration or the deposit copy, see Section 2134. If the identity of the vested owner or the statutory basis of the renewal claim is in dispute, see Section 2137.
NOTE:
2115.5(C)(1) Personal Works Generally, the individual author is entitled to claim the renewal copyright if the author is still alive on the last day of the original term or, if a timely renewal registration was made, on the effective date of the renewal registration. Otherwise, the following parties a• re entitled in this order:
2115.5(C)(2) Proprietary Works The law provides four exceptions to the general rule that the individual author (or the author’s heirs as described above) is entitled to claim the renewal copyright. For the following types of works, the proprietor of copyright on the last day of the original term (or on the effective date of a timely renewal registration) may claim the renewal c•o pyright:
Easter Seal Society for Crippled Children & Adults of Louisiana, 1966); ., 457 F.2d 1213, 1216 (2d Cir. 1972); ,
Chapter 2100 : 28 12/22/2014 Posthumous works. This exception as set forth in the Copyright Act of 1909 allows the proprietor to claim the renewal copyright when a work was first published after the death of the author.
work.
Works copyrighted by a corporate body other than as an assignee or licensee. This exception has little meaning within the scope of renewal registration because nearly all proprietary works to which it could apply more clearly qualify under one of the o• ther exceptions. Examples of types of works to which this exception may apply: A work to which stockholders of a corporation contributed indistinguishable • parts.
A motion picture when it is asserted that it was produced under special circumstances and was not copyrighted by an employer for whom the work was made for hire.
•T ypes of works to which this exception cannot apply:
• The original copyright proprietor was not a corporation. The individual author of an unpublished work transferred the common law literary property or the right to secure copyright to a corporation. Chapter 2100 : 29 12/22/2014 • A posthumous or composite work.
NOTE:
2115.5(D) Effect of Timely Renewal Registration When a timely renewal registration was made, it determined the party(ies) in whom the renewal copyright would vest at the beginning of the renewal term. Any renewal claim filed during the renewal term must identify another party entitled to claim the renewal copyright on the effective date of the timely renewal registration, or, if any party entitled on that date either died or ceased to exist before the renewal copyright vested, a successor or assignee of that party. In such cases, the certificate of renewal registration should cite the number and effective date of the timely renewal registration and identify both the statutory renewal claimant and the vested owner. It should also provide the statutory basis for the renewal claim and a statement explaining how the vested owner acquired the renewal copyright from the statutory renewal claimant(s). For examples of acceptable statements, see Section 2115.5(E)(3). 2115.5(E) Acceptable Basis of Claim Statements A renewal claim must state the statutory basis of the renewal claim in acceptable terms. 2115.5(E)(1) Personal Works E• xamples of acceptable statements for personal works include: • For an author: “Author.”
Chapter 2100 : 30 12/22/2014 For an executor named in the author’s will: “Executor of the deceased author (name • of author).”
NOTE:
2115.5(E)(2) Proprietary Works E• xamples of acceptable statements for proprietary works include: • If the work is a work made for hire: “Proprietor of copyright in a work made for hire.” • If the work is a composite work: “Proprietor of copyright in a composite work.” • If the work is a posthumous work: “Proprietor of copyright in a posthumous work.” If the work was created by a corporate body under certain exceptional circumstances: “Proprietor of copyright in a work copyrighted by a corporate body, otherwise than as an assignee or licensee.” As discussed in Section 2115.5(C)(2), this basis of claim is appropriate only in very limited circumstances. NOTE:
2115.5(E)(3) Statutory Renewal Claimant Is Not Vested Owner When the renewal copyright vested in a party which acquired the renewal copyright from a statutory renewal claimant as determined by a timely renewal registration, the renewal claim must provide the statutory basis for the claim to the renewal copyright and a statement showing how the vested owner acquired the copyright from the •st atutory renewal claimant. Examples of acceptable statements are: By will (or by intestate succession) of (name of deceased statutory renewal claimant), who was entitled on (effective date of timely renewal registration) to claim the renewal copyright as the (basis of claim statement from • Section 2115.5(E)(1)).
2115.5(F) Proprietary Work, Vested Owner Is Not the Original Copyright Claimant The right to claim the renewal copyright in a proprietary work flows from the original copyright claimant. Therefore, when the vested owner is not the original copyright claimant in a proprietary work, the U.S. Copyright Office may inquire about when and how the vested owner obtained the right to claim the renewal copyright from the original copyright claimant.
2115.5(G) Name of Vested Owner and Statutory Basis of Claim Statement Required The full legal name of the vested owner is required, even when the work is anonymous. When a work is pseudonymous and the vested owner is the author, the renewal claim may identify thSee evested owner by the author’s pseudonym. An acceptable statement explaining the statutory basis for the vested owner’s claim to the renewal copyright is also required. Section 2115.5(E). When the vested owner acquired the renewal copyright from the statutory renewal claimant as determSieneed by a timely renewal registration, the statement should also show how the vested owner acquired the renewal copyright from the statutory renewal claimant. Section 2115.5(E)(3). 2115.5(H) Multiple Vested Owners A renewal claim does not have to identify all vested owners of the work or material claimed. However, if there are multiple vested owners and they are represented by the party filing the renewal claim, they should all be identified as vested owners. Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition.
19 This policy took effect with the publication of the Chapter 2100 : 32 12/22/2014 2115.5(I) Current Mailing Address or Year of Death Required The vested owner’s current address should be provided unless the vested owner is deceased or defunct (in the case of an organization) at the time of renewal registration. In that case the applicant should provide the year of death (if the vested owner was an individual) or dissolution (if the vested owner was an organizational entity). 2115.5(J) Vested Owner Is Deceased or Defunct at Time of Renewal Registration If the vested owner is deceased or defunct at the time of renewal registration, the renewal registration record must identify the current owner of the renewal copyright. If it is unclear how or when the renewal copyright was derived from the vested owner, see Section 2115.6(C).
2115.6 Current Owner Information
A renewal claim filed during the renewal term may identify the current owner (assignee or successor) of the renewal copyright, provided that it also identifies the vested owner. 17 U.S.C. § 304(a)(3)(A)(ii) (allowing assignees or successors to register a claim to the renewed and extended term of copyright “if application is made in the name of” the vested owner). When the vested owner is deceased or defunct (as in the case of an organization) at the time of renewal registration, the renewal registration record must identify at least one current owner and provide information about how that party obtained the renewal copyright from the vested owner.
2115.6(A) Full Legal Name and Address for Current Owner When the renewal registration identifies the current owner of the renewal copyright, it should provide the full legal name and the current address at the time of renewal registration. When the party is commonly known by an alternative designation, that designation should also be provided.
2115.6(B) Acceptable Transfer Statements When the current owner of the renewal copyright is identified, the renewal registration must provide information about how the renewal copyright was acquired. Examples of a• cceptable transfer statements:
• By assignment from the vested owner dated (date).
• Successor under the will of (by intestate succession from) the vested owner. • By assignment from (name of party), successor by merger of the vested owner. By assignment dated (date) from (name of party), assignee of the vested owner by assignment.
Chapter 2100 : 33 12/22/2014 2115.6(C) Means or Date of Transfer Is Unclear When the relationship or the chain of title between the vested owner and the current owner is unclear, the U.S. Copyright Office may inquire about when, how, and from whom the party identified as the vested or current owner acquired the renewal copyright.
2115.6(D) Renewal Copyright Assigned During Original Term When the renewal copyright is assigned before it vests, it is a contingency right until the renewal copyright actually vests. An assignor may reserve that right by filing a timely renewal registration (thereby determining in whom the renewal copyright will vest), or by allowing the right to vest automatically. The U.S. Copyright Office will inquire about the date of an assignment and/or the identity of the assignor when this information is useful in establishing or verifying the identity of the vested owner. 2115.6(E) Renewal Registration Already on Record in the Name of a Vested Owner When a renewal registration is on the record in the name of a vested owner, the U.S. Copyright Office will refuse a renewal claim in the name of a current owner which derived the renewal copyright from that vested owner. In such cases, the appropriate action is to record the document of transfer. For information concerning this issue, see Section 2136.
2115.7 Certification Required
The name and signature of the person certifying the facts stated in the application are required. That person should be a vested owner or a current owner who derived the renewal copyright from the vested owner, or the authorized agent of a vested owner or current owner. The date of certification should also be provided. 2116 Additional Requirements for Published Works Not Registered for the Original Term: Form RE/Addendum When a published work (or the larger work in which it was first published) was not registered for the original term, additional information must be provided to show that the work met all statutory requirements to secure and maintain the full original term of copyright. A deposit copy is required, along with Forms RE and RE/Addendum and a separate filing fee for each application. The U.S. Copyright Office may request more information as needed to establish eligibility for renewal registration, or may require supporting documentation, or proof of certain facts regarding publication with the statutory or U.C.C. notice.
2116.1 Title Information
This space of Form RE/Addendum provides title information for the eligible work. Generally, the eligible work is the U.S. work, or an eligible work of foreign origin, that bore the statutory or U.C.C. notice at the time of first publication. When copyright was secured in a contribution to a periodical or published collection under a general Chapter 2100 : 34 12/22/2014 copyright notice, Form RE/Addendum should give the title of the collection. When a contribution was first published with its own separate copyright notice, Form RE/Addendum should identify the contribution as the eligible work. The complete title of the work as first published is required.
2116.2 Author Information
This space of Form RE/Addendum identifies at least one eligible author and provides the nationality and domicile of the author at the time of first publication. The author may be an individual or proprietary author.
2116.2(A) Name of Eligible Author The full legal name of the author at the time of first publication is required. If there are multiple joint authors, the name of only one joint author on whom eligibility is based is rEexqcuepirteiodn. s :
NOTE:
Chapter 2100 : 35 12/22/2014 2116.2(B) Nationality and Domicile of Eligible Author Both the nationality and domicile of the eligible author at the time of first publication are required. For works made for hire, when the employer is an individual, both nationality and domicile at the time of first publication is required. When the employer is a corporation, the country of incorporation is required in lieu of nationality or domicile. For posthumous works, eligibility may be based on either the nationality of the deceased author at the time of death, or the nationality and domicile of the original copyright claimant at the time of first publication.
2116.3 Publication Information
The complete date (month, day, and year) and the nation (as then known) of first publication are required.
2116.3(A) Date of First Publication Unknown When the actual date of publication is unknown, the applicant should still provide a complete date to the best of his or her knowledge, along with a separate written statement explaining the basis for determining the date given. 2116.3(B) Simultaneous Publication in the United States For renewal registration purposes, a work was simultaneously published in the United States when it was published in this country on the same day as it was published aEbxcroepatdi.o Snu:ch works are considered to be first published in the United States. For information regardinagd t ihnet eerfifmect of simultaneous publication in the United States on renewal registration of books and periodicals that would be otherwise eligible as U.C.C. works, or through copyright and compliance with manufacturing requirements, see Section 2118.3. For works of foreign origin that are published in the United States within thirty days of first publication abroad, see Part VII regarding restoration of copyright under the URAA.
2116.4 Manufacture Information
This space of Form RE/Addendum must be completed for allS neoendramatic literary works and two-dimensional prints and labels in the English language. Information as to where and how such works were manufactured is required. Section 2124. This information is also required for foreign language books when the eligible author was a national or domiciliary of the United States at the time the work was first published. 2116.4(A) Acceptable Terms to Describe Manufacturing Process The processes by which a work was manufactured may be described in general terms, such as “typeset,” “printed from plates,” “photoengraving process,” “lithographic process,” “offset,” “photo-offset,” or “binding.”
Chapter 2100 : 36 12/22/2014 2116.4(B) Works Manufactured by Other Processes When the applicant asserts that a work was manufactured by other processes and it appears the work may not have fully complied with the manufacturing requirements, the U.S. Copyright Office will require additional information about the manufacturing processes to determine whether the work secured the full original term of copyright in the United States. If such information cannot be provided, renewal registration may be refused.
2116.5 Deposit Information
This space of Form RE/Addendum describes the material deposited for registration of published works that were not registered for the original term. Renewal registration is generally dependent on the availability of a complete copy or phonorecord of the work as first published.
2116.5(A) Deposit Requirement The deposit requirement for renewal registration of published works that were not registered for the original term is one complete copy or phonorecord of the best edition as first published. For example, if a book was first published in a hardcover edition, a motion picture distributed in 35mm format, a sound recording released on an LP vinyl disk, a newspaper sold in print form, a complete copy in that format, including any packaging such as a dust cover, liner notes, and artwork is required. This requirement aEpxcpelipetsio tno: U.S. works and works of foreign origin. For information regarding the deposit requirements for renewal claims in contributions first published in a periodical or collection and separate works or elements of authorship in a larger work, see Section 2116.5(C). 22 The Copyright Act of 1909 provided for the first time that copyright could be secured by the act of publication with notice, after which it required “prompt” deposit of “two complete copies of the best edition thereof then published” for U.S. works and “one complete copy of the best edition then published” for works of foreign origin. To register a work for the original term, the Office required two complete copies of the best edition then published for U.S. works, and one complete copy of the best edition so published for works of foreign origin if a registration fee was paid, or two such copies if a catalog card was submitted in lieu of the fee. This policy seeks to meet both the basic registration requirement and the Library of Congress’s best edition criteria, while minimizing the impact of the deposit requirement on renewal registration of works that may be difficult to obtain or provide.
Chapter 2100 : 37 12/22/2014 NOTE:
NOTE:
2116.5(B)(3) Identifying Material In exceptional circumstances, the U.S Copyright Office may accept identifying material when it is not possible to provide a complete copy of the work as first published. In such c•a ses, the applicant should provide the following, in addition to the identifying material: A written request for a grant of special relief from the deposit requirement with an • explanation of why a complete copy as first published cannot be deposited; Material obtained directly from a copy of the work as first published that properly identifies the work and its contents, and shows the work was first published with • the statutory or U.C.C. notice; and A detailed description of how the deposit material differs from the work as first published, and how much of the original content is contained in the deposited material.
In each case, the Office will consider the specific circumstances in determining whether renewal registration should be made, even though the deposit requirement is not met. If identifying material is accepted, the Office will register the renewal claim under a grant of special relief when the damage, change, or revision in the deposit material is minimal, separate from, and does not include any portion of the authorship in which renewal is claimed and the work met all other statutory requirements to secure the full original term of copyright. If the situation is otherwise, the Office will either refuse renewal registration, or register the renewal claim under the rule of doubt with an annotation on the certificate of renewal registration and a note in the renewal registration record explaining that the deposit material does not comply fully with renewal registration requirements.
NOTE:
2116.5(C) Contribution First Published in a Periodical, Collection, or Larger Work The deposit requirement for a contribution first published in a periodical, collection, or larger work is identifying material including the complete contribution and the title and table of contents pages from the collection or larger work or the mast head of the periodical. If the contribution did not bear its own separate copyright notice, the page showing the position and content of the general copyright notice is required. If the periodical, published collection, or larger work was subject to the manufacturing clause, the pages containing information about how and where the work was printed and bound are required.
2116.5(D) Music or Other Component Element Embodied in a Published Motion Picture The deposit requirement for music or other component elements embodied in a published motion picture is identifying material consisting of a script, photograph, transcription, or reproduction on a phonorecord of the component element as contained in the motion picture, along with photographs or reproductions of the screens from the motion picture as first published showing the title and credits, and the content and position of the copyright notices for both the motion picture and the component element.
2116.6 Verification of Copyright Notice
G• enerally, renewal registration of a published work is premised on these facts: ad interim The full original term of copyright was secured upon first publication with the statutory or U.C.C. notice (or soon thereafter by securing copyright, during which the work was manufactured and published in the United States with • the required copyright notice); and Statutory copyright has been maintained uninterrupted through the full original term and into the renewal term, and subsists at the time of renewal registration. The U.S. Copyright Office requires written verification of these facts by a knowledgeable source. For information about notice requirements under the Copyraigvhati lAacbtl eo f 1909, see Uat.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA-noticerequirements.pdf. Regarding the notice requirements for specific classes of works, see Part IV. 2117 Effective Date of Renewal Registration The effective date of renewal registration is established when all of the elements required for renewal registration are received (filing fees, Form RE, Form RE/Addendum, if necessary, deposit materials, if any), and Form RE identifies the work by title or original registration number, and identifies at least one vested owner. If the initial deposit material is not in an acceptable format, but is accessible for examining purposes and contains all of the copyrightable authorship claimed, the effective date of the renewal registration will not be affected.
PART IV CLASSES OF WORKS AND RELATED REGISTRATION ISSUES This Part focuses on issues related to renewal claims in specific classes of works. Some issues arise from the original registration record; others arise when published works were not registered for the original term.
Chapter 2100 : 41 12/22/2014 2118 Nondramatic Literary Works (Books)
This class of works was registered for the original term under class A as published works and, since 1978 under class TX. Such works (fiction and nonfiction, poetry, etc.) were referred to as “books” in the Copyright Act of 1909. To be eligible for renewal registration, books had to secure the full original term of copyright in the United States by meeting certain requirements based on the language of the text, the nationality and domicile of the author, and the nation of first publication. U.C.C. works were exempt from some requirements, including the manufacturing requirements. Even so, the manufacturing clause remains a key factor in determining whether a book is eligible for renewal registration. •T he following types of books are subject to the manufacturing clause: • Books written in the English language (except U.C.C. works); • Books written by a U.S. national or domiciliary;
Another determining factor is the nationality and domicile of the author at the time of first publication; the place of publication is generally immaterial except when a book w• as:
• First published in the United States; or See First published in a U.C.C. country (other than the United States) and the author was not a U.S. national or domiciliary at the time of first publication. U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT RELATIONS OF CURRENT INTEREST (1960). In nearly all cases, books had to be published with a copyright notice as specified in Sections 19 and 20, or 9(c) of the Copyright Act of 1909 (as amended), whether pEuxcbelipsthioend: in the United States or abroda idn.t erim It was possible to secure a copyright in an English-language book published abroad without the required notice. However, to secure the full original term 25 For a discussion of unpublished, nondramatic literary works prepared for oral delivery (lectures, sermons, addresses), see Section 2122.4.
Chapter 2100 : 42 12/22/2014 ad interim of copyright in the United States, such books had to be manufactured and published in this country with the statutory or U.C.C. notice while copyright subsisted, and to maintain copyright, every copy published in the United States had to bear the required copyright notice.
2118.1 English Language Books
Generally, all English language books are subject to the manufacturing clause except Ethxocseep ttihoants :qualify under the U.C.C. exemption (“U.C.C. awdo irnktse”r)im. ad interim For information concerning works under copyright when a country joined the U.C.C. and works that secured, or were capable of securing, copyright as of December 31, 1977, see Section 2115.2(F). Also, when an author of a book was stateless on the date of first publication, renewal registration is possible regardless of the former or prospective citizenship or domicile of the author, or the place of manufacture or first publication.
2118.2 Foreign Language Books
Generally, foreign language books are subject to the manufacturing clause only if first pEuxcbelipsthioend: in the United States.
2118.3 Effect of Simultaneous Publication in the United States
Generally, when a book is otherwise eligible for renewal registration as a U.C.C. work, simultaneous publication in the United States will not prevent renewal registration under the rule of doubt. For an explanation of what constitutes simultaneous publication, see Section 2116.3(B).
2118.4 Illustrations in a Book
Renewal registration for an illustration contained in a book that is subject to the manufacturing clause depends on the process of reproduction. If the illustration was produced by lithographic or photoengraving processes it must be manufactured in the United States. For more information, see Section 2121.5.
2118.5 Unpublished Nondramatic Literary Material
Unpublished nondramatic literary material (other than those prepared for oral delivery) could not be registered under the Copyright Act of 1909 and did not come under statutory protection until January 1, 1978 under the Copyright Act of 1976. Therefore, renewal registration is not applicable to these works. For information about renewal registration of nondramatic literary works prepared for oral delivery, see Section 2122.4.
Chapter 2100 : 43 12/22/2014
2118.6 Literary Material Contained in a Published Phonorecord
Under the Copyright Act of 1909, the release of a sound recording on a phonorecord did not publish the recorded literary work. Therefore, a renewal claim in a published sound recording cannot extend to the recorded literary work.
2118.7 Text and Illustrations Owned Separately for the Renewal Term
When the renewal copyrights in these elements vested in different parties, or on different dates, each element must be registered separately for the renewal term, even if both elements were registered together for the original term. 2119 Periodicals / Serials Under the Copyright Act of 1909, published periodical issues were registered for the original term under class B and, since 1978 in class TX or as serials in class SE. Periodicals are subject to the manufacturing clause with regard to the textual content, and the guidelines for “books” are applicable to renewal claims in periodicals that were not registered for the original term. For information concerning these guidelines, see Section 2124.
2119.1 Title Information Should Include Volume / Number / Issue Date / ISSN (if any) To properly identify the specific issue of the periodical that is the subject matter of the renewal registration, all indicia particular to that issue should be provided in the title information.
2119.2 Identity of Author
When a renewal claim is based on an original class B registration record, the name of the author is not required, because the original registration record did not identify the author. If the periodical issue was not registered for the original term, the renewal registration must identify the proprietary or individual author. If the author is not the original copyright claimant, the U.S. Copyright Office will generally request information that supports the author facts.
26 This registration requirement represents a change from the practice applied to timely renewal registrations when the Office accepted both claims to the renewal copyrights on a single Form RE. Chapter 2100 : 44 12/22/2014
2119.3 Each Issue / Edition Must Be Registered Separately
Each issue of a periodical must be registered separately. Likewise, when an issue of a periodical is published in two or more separate editions containing different copyrightable content, separate renewal registrations are required.
2119.4 Extent of Renewal Claim
Generally, renewal registration for a periodical issue as a whole is made in the name of the proprietor on the statutory basis that the work is a composite work. However, not all periodicals/serials are composite works. In such cases, if the periodical was created as a work made for hire, the renewal copyright may be claimed by the proprietor on that statutory basis. If the periodical was not made for hire, the renewal copyright may be claimedS oene behalf of the individual author. In either case, the renewal registration should be limited to the material created by the employer for hire or individual author. Sections 2115.5(C)(2) and 2126.
2120 Computer Programs The U.S. Copyright Office began to register claims in computer programs in 1964 as “books” in class A. Since 1978, claims in computer programs have been registered in class TX or PA.
To be registrable for the renewal term, a computer program must meet the following r•e quirements: i.e.
2121.1 Maps
This class of works was registered for the original term under class F and, since 1978, in class VA. For renewal registration purposes, this type of work includes all published cartographic representations of area, such as terrestrial maps and atlases, marine charts, celestial maps, and such three-dimensional works as globes and relief models. To be registrable for the renewal term, a map should contain original cartographic material, such as drawings or pictorial representations of area based on original surveying or cartographic field work, or compilations resulting from the selection and ordering of essentially cartographic elements, such as roads, lakes or rivers, cities, political or geographic boundaries.
The copyright notice may consist of any acceptable form of the word “copyright” or the copyright symbol, along with the name of the copyright proprietor. The year date of publication may be included, but it is not required. An acceptable notice may also include the initials, monogram, mark, or symbol in place of the name of the copyright proprietor if the name of the proprietor appears on some permanently accessible portion of the work. All of the elements should appear together and be positioned in such manner and location as to give reasonable notice of the copyright claim. For more information about noatvicaei lraebqleu irements, see U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. Cat OPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA-noticerequirements.pdf. NOTE:
2121.2 Original Works of Art
This class of works was registered for the original term under class G, as both published and unpublished works, and, since 1978, in class VA. For renewal registration purposes, this type of work includes published and unpublished pictorial or graphic works, such as paintings, drawings, cartoons, etchings, engravings, and two-dimensional abstract or representational designs, and sculptural material, such as statuary, carving in relief, and three-dimensional abstract or representational designs. These works may be embodied in a variety of forms including ornamental or useful articles. To be registrable for the renewal term, a work of art should contain original pictorial, graphic, or sculptural material. In certain cases, the unrestricted public exhibition of a work of art may constitute a publication of the work.
Chapter 2100 : 46 12/22/2014 The copyright notice should be legible and permanently affixed to the work itself and the required elements should appear together. For information concerning the required elements and location of the notice, see Section 2121.1.
2121.3 Technical Drawings and Models
This class of works was registered for the original term under class I, as published and unpublished works and, since 1978, in class VA. For renewal registration purposes, this type of work includes published and unpublished two-dimensional drawings and three- dimensional plastic works designed for a scientific or technical use, such as architectural blueprints, mechanical drawings, engineering diagrams, and anatomical models. To be registrable for the renewal term, such works should contain original graphic, pictorial or sculptural material.
The copyright notice should be legible and permanently affixed to the work itself and the required elements should appear together. For information concerning the required elements and location of the notice, see Section 2121.1.
2121.4 Photographs
This class of works was registered for the original term under class J, as both published and unpublished works and, since 1978, in class VA. For renewal registration purposes, this type of work includes published and unpublished still photographic prints. To be registrable for the renewal term, a photograph should contain original photographic authorship in the various elements involved in its composition, such as time and light exposure, camera angle, or arrangement and disposition of the subjects depicted.
Generally a photograph is not considered published until copies have actually been placed on sale, sold, or publicly distributed; however, an unrestricted public exhibition may constitute publication. While photographs are not subject to the manufacturing clause, a lithographic or photoengraving reproduction is subject to this provision. NOTE:
Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA- nEoxctiecpetrieoqn:uirements.pdf.
NOTE:
2121.5 Prints and Pictorial Illustrations
Prints were registered for the original term under class K and reproductions of artistic works and photographs were registered in classes H and K, respectively. Since 1978 they have been registered in class VA. For renewal registration purposes, this type of work includes published prints (commercial or otherwise), posters, pictorial illustrations, greeting cards, picture postcards, gameboards, and labels, among other works produced by means of lithography, photoengraving, or other methods of reproduction.
To be registrable for the renewal term, a print or pictorial illustration should contain original graphic or pictorial material. A reproduction should contain original authorship such as drawing, sculpture, or molding, and the underlying work should be a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work. Because a reproduction is a derivative work, a renewal claim must describe the authorship in the reproduction. Prints and labels, as well as reproductions first published in books, were generally subject to the manufacturing clause. Chapter 2100 : 48 12/22/2014 2121.5(A) Manufacturing Requirements As a general rule, to be registrable for the renewal term a lithograph or photoengraving, whether first published as an illustration in a book or as a separate work, should be mExacneupftaiocntus:red in the United States.
• It qualifies for renewal registration as a U.C.C. work. It is first published as part of a larger work other than a book (for example a • periodical, a drama, or a musical composition).
NOTE:
2121.5(B) Notice Requirements The copyright notice must be permanently affixed to the work itself and the required elements should appear together. For information concerning the required elements and location of the notice, see Section 2121.1.
2121.6 Architectural Works
2122 Works of the Performing Arts This category of works includes classes C through E and L through N under the Copyright Act of 1909 and, since 1978, all categories of works currently registered in classes PA and SR. For renewal registration purposes, this category of works includes published and unpublished songs and musical works, dramatic works (with or without music), motion pictures and other audiovisual works, and unpublished lectures, sermons, interviews, and speeches prepared for oral delivery, presentation, or performance. From February 15, 1972, it also includes published sound recordings. Chapter 2100 : 49 12/22/2014
2122.1 Musical Works and Songs
This class of works was registered for the original term under class E, as both published and unpublished works, and since 1978 in class PA. For renewal registration purposes, this class of works includes published and unpublished musical works and songs. It does not include published works containing only lyrics. 2122.1(A) Published After Registration as Unpublished Work When a musical work or song was published following registration as an unpublished work before 1978, a renewal with addendum claim may be filSeede based on first publication to show proof that the song as first published met the statutory requirements to maintain the copyright secured by the original registration. Section 2115.3(E). 2122.1(B) First Published as a Component Element of a Motion Picture Soundtrack Renewal registration in a song or incidental music first published in a motion picture soundtrack is possible only if the song or incidental music was regSiesetered separately from the motion picture for the original term, or if the motion picture was first published with a separate copyright notice for the musical work. Section 2122.6(C). 2122.1(B)(1) Registered for Original Term as Unpublished Work When a musical work or song from a motion picture was registered for the original term as an unpublished work, a renewal registration may be based on the original registration record, even when the motion picture was published before the effective date of the original term registration. When registration records show the motion picture was published prior to the effective date of the original registration record, the U.S. Copyright Office will add an annotation to the certificate of renewal registration and a note in the registration record for the musical work regarding the registration record for the published motion picture, because of the effect of publication on the copyright term. 2122.1(B)(2) Renewal Claim Based on Motion Picture Registration Renewal registration for a musical work or song that was first published in a motion picture soundtrack cannot be based on the original registration record for the motion picture.
Chapter 2100 : 50 12/22/2014 2122.1(C) Released Only in a Phonorecord Under the Copyright Act of 1909, releasing a sound recording on a phonorecord did not constitute publication of the recorded musical work or song; however, such works were often registered as unpublished works to secure federal statutory protection. When the U.S. Copyright Office receives a claim in a musical work that was released in a recording before 1978 and it seems likely that the author or copyright owner would have registered the work to secure statutory protection when the recording was releCaisrecudl,a trh e2 2O, fHfiocew m toa y aIndvveisstei gtahtee a tphpel Cicoapnytr tiog hrte Sqtuaetsuts a o sf eaa Wrcohr okf 2 the reCciorrcdusla bre 2fo3r, eT hper oCcoepeydriinggh tw Ciathrd Catalog raengdi stthrea tOionnlin. eF oFril ems oorfe t hinef Coormpyartiigohnt oOnff isceearching Office records, see and Exception: .
2122.1(E) Notice Requirements The notice for a musical work or song should contain the word “copyright,” the abbreviation “Copr.,” or the symbol ©, the year in which copyright was secured and the name of the copyright proprietor and be placed either “upon its title page or the first page of music.” Copyright Act of 1909, Pub. L. No. 60-349, §§ 19-20, 35 Stat. 1075, 1079- 80 (1909). For lyrics published on an album cover or insert, the copyright notice should be placed on the cover or insert or near the title of the song. For musical works first published in a motion picture, the separate copyright notice should appear within the credits. For more information about copyright noticea vraeiqlaubirlee ments, see U.S. COPYRIGHT Oat FFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA-noticerequirements.pdf.
2122.2 Dramatic Works
This class of works was registered for the original term under class D, as both published and unpublished works and, since 1978, in class PA. For renewal registration purposes, these works are generally considered to be unitary works; therefore a renewal claim should generally name all of the authors who contributed to the work as a whole. Chapter 2100 : 51 12/22/2014 Exception:
2122.2(B) Made Available Only in Rental Copies See As with musical works, when a dramatic work was made available only in rental copies prior to 1978, publication may or may not have occurred. Section 2122.1(D). If publication did occur, renewal registration depends on whether the dramatic work was first published with the statutory or U.C.C. notice.
2122.2(C) Released Only in a Phonorecord See Dramatic works released only in sound recordings on phonorecords were not considered published under the Copyright Act of 1909. Section 2122.1(C). 2122.2(D) Notice Requirements Dramatic works first published in copies should bear the statutory or U.C.C. notice for books. If the work was first published in a motion picture, the separate notice should appear in the credits. For more information about notice requiremenatvsa, islaebe lUe .S. Cat OPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA-noticerequirements.pdf.
2122.3 Choreography and Works Containing Choreography
The 1909 Act did not recognize choreography as a distinct category of copyrightable authorship. A choreographic work was eligible for federal copyright protection only to the extent that it qualified as a “dramatic composition.” To satisSfye ethis requirement, a choreographic work had to tell a story, develop a character, or express a theme or emotion by means of specific movements and physical actions. U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, STUDY NO. 28: COPYRIGHT IN CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKS at 176 (1960). The U.S. Copyright Office registered choreographic works for the original term as published or unpublished “dramatico-musical compositions.” Copyright Office regulations promulgated under the 1909 Act stated that: Chapter 2100 : 52 12/22/2014 Choreographic work of a dramatic character, whether the story or theme be expressed in music or action combined or by actions alone, are subject to registration in Class D. However, descriptions of dance steps and other physical gestures, including ballroom and social dances or choreographic works which do not tell a story, develop a character or emotion, or otherwise convey a dramatic concept or idea, are not subject to registration in Class D. 37 C.F.R. § 202.7 (1959). When Congress enacted the 1976 Copyright Act it extended federal copyright protection to choreography, and since then, the Office has registered choreographic works in class PA.
To be registered ase .ag .dramatic work for the renewal term, a choreographic work should tell a story or convey a dramatic concept or idea. The work had to be fixed in a perceptible form ( a textual description, Laban notation, or videography) in enough detail that the work can be performed. Descriptions of dance steps that do not tell a story, develop a character or emotion, or otherwise convey a dramatic concept or idea, are not subject to registration as dramatic works. Also, it is not possible to register a mere dance step or variation. Ballroom, social, and folk dance steps are not registrable. 2122.3(A) Registered for Original Term as Dramatic Work When a renewal claim is based on an original registration record for a dramatic work, the renewal claim cannot extend beyond the dramatic elements of authorship described in the original registration record, even when the work is a choreographic work or a dramatic work that contains choreography.
2122.3(B) Published but not Registered for Original Term A choreographic work may be registered for the renewal term as a dramatic work, but o• nly when the work meets all of the following criteria for choreography: The work is an original creation of choreographed movements, such as a ballet, • modern dance composition, or similar theatrical work; The choreographic authorship is fixed in a perceptible form in sufficient detail to be • capable of performance; and The work has a dramatic element, such that the choreography tells a story, or develops a character, or expresses a theme, or conveys an emotion. If the renewal claim describes the work or authorship as “choreography,” rather than “dramatic work,” the U.S. Copyright Office will add an annotation to the certificate of renewal registration record and a note in the registration record that the work is registered as a dramatic work.
2122.3(C) Notice Requirements As a dramatic work, choreographic works first published in printed copies should bear the statutory or U.C.C. notice for books. If the work was first published in a motion picture, the separate notice should appear in the credits. For more information about Chapter 2100 : 53 12/22/2014 copyright naovtaiiclea breleq autirements, see U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA- noticerequirements.pdf.
2122.4 Works Prepared for Oral Delivery, Presentation, or Performance
In general, nondramatic literary works could only secure statutory protection under the Copyright Act of 1909 by the act of publication with the statutory or U.C.C. notice, followed by registration in class A, or since 1978, in class TX. However, certain literary works prepared specifically for performance or presentation to the public could secure statutory protection prior to publication by registration in class C. Because these works secured statutory protection by registration as unpublished works, a renewal claim based on an original class C registration cannot contain publication information. 2122.4(A) First Published in Copies While a presentation or performance (or a limited distribution of copies for the purpose of presentation or performance) may not have caused a work tSoe leo, see.g i.t,s E csotamtem oofn M laawrt in pLurothteecrt Kioinng u, nJrd.,e Irn tch. ev . CCoBpSy, rInigch.t Act of 1909 as an unpublished work, an uKnrinegst vr.i cMteisdt er Mdiastersitbruot, iIonnc .of a work to the general public may have done so. , 194 F.3d 1211, 1214-15 (11th Cir. 1999);
2122.4(B) First Published as a Component Element of a Motion Picture Soundtrack Renewal registration for a script, a speech, or an interview first published in a motion picture (such as a news broadcast or documentary) is not possible unless the underlySinege literary work was registered separately in class C prior to publication, or the motion picture as first published contained a separate copyright notice for the literary work. Section 2122.6(C). Renewal registration may not be based on the original registration record for the motion picture.
2122.4(C) Released Only in a Phonorecord Under the Copyright Act of 1909, releasing a sound recording on a phonorecord did not constitute publication of the literary work; however, reproducing any portion of the literary work on the album cover or insert material published that portion with the release of the phonorecord.
2122.4(D) Notice Requirements The notice requirSeemeents for literary works prepared specifically for performance, delivery or presentation to the public are the same as the notice requirements for dramatic works. Section 2122.2(D). For more information about copyright notice requirements, see U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chapter 2100 : 54 12/22/2014 available at Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA- noticerequirements.pdf.
2122.5 Sound Recordings
This class of works was added in SecSteioen 5 of the Copyright Act of 1909 under a 1971 amendment that provided statutory protection to published sound recordings that were fixed on or after February 15, 1972. Pub. L. No. 92-140, § 3, 85 Stat. 391, 392 (197s1e)e a(slstaot ing that the amendment “shall apply only to sound recordings fixed, published, a nd copyrighted on and after the effective date of this Act and before January 1, 1975”); 37 C.F.R. 202.15a (1972) (“Only those sound recordings fixed and published on or after February 15, 1972, are eligible for registration.”). Sound recordings published between 1972 and 1978 were registered for the original term under class N and, since 1978, in class SR.
For renewal registration purposes, this category of works includes only sound recordings fixed and published between February 15, 1972 and December 31, 1977. Sound recordings that were fixed prior to February 15, 1972, or fixed but not published between February 15, 1972 and DecemSbeeer 1977 are not eligible for renewal registration. To be registrable, a sound recording had to be published with the required copyright notice for sound recordings. Section 2122.5(G). NOTE:
Chapter 2100 : 55 12/22/2014 2122.5(B) Derivative Sound Recordings Renewal registration for a derivative sound recording that was first published before 1978 must be based on the changes or additional recorded sounds contained in the new version. If the renewal claim is based on an original registration record for the derivative sound recording, it cannot extend beyond the scope of the original registration record. If the derivative sound recording was not registered for the original term, the renewal claim cannot extend to any portion of the original sound recording that was fixed before February 15, 1972 or previously published or registered. To be registrable for the renewal term, a derivative sound recording must contain additional recorded material, or be different enough in substance from the original sound recording to be a “new work.” Changes that are purely mechanical, such as “rechanneling” or “declicking,” do not result in a “new work.” Generally, for a renewal claim to be based solely on the manipulation of sounds, the original sound recording should have been fixed in multiple tracks. In such cases, the U.S. Copyright Office will require a written statement describing how the sounds were manipulated and will refuse renewal registration unless it deems this authorship to be sufficient. 2122.5(C) Eligibility of Foreign Sound Recordings Renewal registration of foreign sound recordings is dependent on the nationality and domicile of the authorat the time of first publication. Renewal registration may be possible when the author was a national or domiciliary of (or, if an organization, was registered in) a country with which the U.S. had bilateral relations, or when the producer was a naSteieonal of (or if an organization, was registered in) a country that was a party to the Geneva PhonoCgirracmul aCro 3n8v,e Innttieornn aatti tohnea lt iCmoep yorfi gfihrst tC pounbvelinctaitoinons (on or after March 10, 1974). U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT RELATIONS OF CURRENT INTEREST (1960); (1977).
NOTE:
2122.5(D) Renewal Claims in Multi-Track Albums When two or more sound recordings were first published in an LP album or in a 45-inch disk or on tape (reel-to-reel, cassette, 8-track cartridge, etc.), registration for the original term was generally made for the album as a whole, unless the album contained separate copyright notices for the individual tracks. Generally, a single renewal claim should be filed for a multi-track album as a whole when it was first published with a general copyright notice for the sound recording.
2122.5(E) Renewal Claim Includes Underlying Material The release of a sound recording on a phonorecord prior to 1978 published the sound recording, but it did not constitute a publication of the recorded literary, musical, or dramatic work. 17 U.S.C. § 303(b). Therefore, a renewal claim in a sound recording cannot include a claim in the recorded literary, musical, or dramatic work, even when an original Chapter 2100 : 56 12/22/2014 registration record mistakenly includes a claim in the recorded material. For information regarding uncorrected errors in original registration records, see Section 2130. 2122.5(F) Renewal Claim Includes Artwork or Text on Album Cover or Insert To secure statutory copyright, visually perceptible authorship first published on an album cover or insert must have been first published with the statutory or U.C.C. notice for visually perceptible authorship. For renewal registration purposes, these elements must be registered separately from the sound recording, based on the separate c•o pyright notices for the sound recording and visually perceptible authorship, unless: The renewal claim is based on an original registration record for the sound • recording that included these elements; and The renewal copyrights vested in the same party and on the same date. NOTE:
2122.5(G) Notice Requirements Ⓟ i.e.
Section 19 of the Copyright Act of 1909 provided that the copyright notice for a sound recording should contain the symbol ( , the letter P in a circle), athmee ynedaerd o bfy first publication, and the name of the copyright proprietor, or a recognized abbreviation or alternative designation of the proprietor. Copyright Act of 1909, Pub. L.
No. 92-140, 85 Stat. 391, 391 (1971). If no other name appears in conjunction with the notice, but the producer of the sound recording was named on the labels or containers, this name should be considered a part of the notice. The notice should appear on the album covers or on the disk covers in such a way as to give reasonable notice of the claim to copyright.
For renewal registration purposes, when a sound recording is first published with a copyright notice that does not include the name of the copyright proprietor, but the record producer is named on the album cover or labels on the tape or disk of the phonorecord, the record producer will be identified in the renewal registration record as the original copyright claimant.
NOTE:
2122.6 Motion Pictures and Other Audiovisual Works
Motion pictures and other audiovisual works were registered for the original term under classes J, L, and M as published and unpublished works and, since 1978, in class PA. Motion pictures include “photoplays” (feature films, television shows and videos with a dramatic plot, animated cartoons, etc.) registered in class L, and other films (such as documentaries, educational or instructional filmstrips and videos, newsreels and other television shows that are not dramatic in nature) registered in class M. Motion pictures and audiovisual works may or may not contain an integrated soundtrack. When sounds were first published as part of a motion picture or audiovisual work, they are Chapter 2100 : 57 12/22/2014 “sounds accompanying an audiovisual work (or motion picture),” not “sound recordings.”
Audiovisual works, other than motion pictures, were generally registered for the original term in class J as photographs but they are included here with motion pictures based on the curer.gen. t law that defines motion pictures as a type of audiovisual work. For renewal registration purposes, audiovisual works include works such as filmstrips and slide films ( travelogs and educational slide shows). 2122.6(A) Publication of a Motion Picture Determining whether renewal registration is appropriate may depend on whether a motion picture was first published before 1978. Under the Copyright Act of 1909, publication was generally deemed to have taken place when prints of a film were placed on sale, sold, or distributed to the public, or to film exchanges, film distributors, exhibitors, or broadcasters under a lease or similar arrangement. The U.S. Copyright Office generally considers syndication to be publication. NOTE:
2122.6(B) Notice Requirements The copyright notice for a motion picture or other audiovisual work may consist of any acceptable form of the word “copyright” or the copyright symbol, along with the name of the copyright proprietor and the year date of first publication. Generally, it should be embodied in the motion picture or filmstrip, preferably in the title frames or near them, or embodied in or after the closing credits, and should be clearly visible when projected or broadcast. For more information about copyright notice requiremaevnatisla, bselee U.S. Cat OPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES Chs. 4, 8.2, & Supplementary Practice Nos. 18, 19, 27, 29, 35 & 37 (1st ed. 1973), http://copyright.gov/comp3/chap2100/doc/appendixA-noticerequirements.pdf. NOTE:
By regulation effective on May 12, 1975, renewal registration for a component element of a motion picture soundtrack ( , music, songs, screenplay, script) is possible only w• hen:
• A separate registration for the original term was made for that element, or The motion picture bore a separate copyright notice for the component element. Chapter 2100 : 58 12/22/2014 See 37 C.F.R. § 202.15 (1975); Motion Picture Soundtracks, 40 Fed. Reg. 12,500, 12,501 (Mar. 19, 1975).
NOTE:
Likewise, renewal registration is possible for a visual work or element (such as a painting or photograph) contained in a motion picture only when the work or element was registered separately for the original term, or the motion picture bore a separate copyright notice for the work.
NOTE:
PART V COPYRIGHT ISSUES RELATED TO RENEWAL REGISTRATION This Part focuses on several broad issues that affect renewal registration. Chapter 2100 : 59 12/22/2014 2124 Manufacturing Clause Section 15 of the Copyright Act of 1909 required that certain types of works be typeset, printed, and bound in the United States to secure the full original term of copyright. Proof must be provided that such works were manufactured in the United States.
2124.1 Classes of Works Subject to the Manufacturing Clause
T• he following works are subject to the manufacturing clause: All published nondramatic literary works (books and periodicals) except the f•o llowing:
Lithographs and photoengravings, either as illustrations in books or as separate •w orks such as two-dimensional prints and labels except the following: • Works exempt as U.C.C. works.
29 “Whether a … book which is mimeographed, typewritten, or produced by a similar process of manual duplication is required to be so produced in the U.S. is regarded as doubtful.” COMPENDIUM (FIRST) § 6.2.1.I.c (1ST ed. 1973).
Chapter 2100 : 60 12/22/2014 Works published in works other than books (periodicals, dramas, musical compositions).
NOTE:
2124.2 Effect of the Manufacturing Clause on Copyright Term
If such works did not comply fully with the manufacturing claauds ien taetr tihme time of first publication, copyright was laods ti nutpeorinm publication unless, in the case of an English language nondramatic literary waodrk i n(tienrcilmuding periodicals), copyright was secured. For such works, if copyright was secured and a U.S. edition was publishaedd ianntedr rimegistered before copyright expired, copyright waas de xintetenrdimed to the full original term of twenty-eight years. If a U.S. edition was not published before copyright expired, copyright was lost at the expiration of cEoxpceypritgiohnt:. In such cases renewal registration is not possible. ad interim If a work was manufactured and published inad t hinet Uerniimted States with the statutory copyright notice prior to the expiration of copyright, but the U.S. edition was not registered for the original term before copyright expired, renewal registration may be possible for both editions under the rule of doubt.
2124.3 Manufacturing Requirements
To comply with the manufacturing clause, all text had to be typeset and printed from plates made within the United States, or produced by lithographic or photoengraving processes wholly performed within the United States. If a book was first printed from type set abroad and the pages printed abroad were then reproduced in the United States by offset or other lithographic process, such reproduction may be considered to comply fully with the requirement. All binding processes, if any, had to be performed in the United States.
All illustrations and photographs within such works, as well as separate lithographs or photoengravings (aside from when the subjects represented are located abroad and illustrate a scientific work or reproduce an artistic work) reproduced by lithographic or photoengraving processes had to be wholly manufactured in the United States. Chapter 2100 : 61 12/22/2014 If a published collection was partially manufactured in the United States (including the binding, if any) renewal registration may be possible for the contributions manufactured in the United States.
2125 Unpublished Collections The provision for original term registration of a collection of unpublished material as a single work affects renewal registration for works of visual and performing arts, and certain literary works (lectures, addresses, interviews, etc.) prepared for oral delivery. A renewal registration based on an original registration record for an unpublished collection may extend to all, or some, or only one of the works contained in the collection. When some works are owned separately for the renewal term, separate renewal claims should be filed to clarify the author and owner facts for the renewal term. When the original registration record identified each work within the collection, separate renewal claims may be filed for each work.
2126 Published Collections When separate, distinct works are assembled and published together in a collection, renewal registration may be possible for both the collection and the contributions. The 30 Section 12 of the Copyright Act of 1909 provided for registration of certain classes of works in unpublished form. Pub. L. No. 60-349, § 12, 35 Stat. 1075, 1078 (1909). By Office practice, such works could be registered together for the original term as an unpublished collection when all of t•h e following conditions were met:
Chapter 2100 : 62 12/22/2014 extent of a renewal claim in a published collection as a whole depends on the statutory basis of the renewal claim.
Generally, when the published collection is a personal work the renewal claim cannot extend beyond the authorship contributed by the individual author, regardless of the extent of the original registration record. Likewise, when the renewal copyright is claimed on the basis that the work is a posthumous work, a work made for hire, or a work copyrighted by a corporate body other than as an assignee or licensee, the renewal claim cannot extend beyond the material that was published posthumously, or created as a work made for hire, or copyrighted by the corporate body. Generally, when the published collection is a composite work, the renewal claim may extend to the entire work. In such cases, however, the U.S. Copyright Office may request examining material or additional information to determine whether the extent aEnxcde tphteio snt:atutory basis of the renewal claim are appropriate. When the contributions first published in a collection bear separate copyright notices, renewal registration for the published collection does not extend to the contributions, regardless of the statutory basis of the renewal claim, and even when the renewal copyrights in the contributions and the published collection as a whole vested in the same party on the same date. In such cases, renewal registration for the collection should be limited to the compilation or editorial authorship. For more information about registration of a contribution first published with a separate notice, see Section 2127. To be registered for the renewal term on the statutory basis of being a composite work, a published collection must be a literary work having separate, distinct contributions by a number of authors on a variety of subjects. For example, a proprietor may claim the renewal copyright in a periodical or encyclopedia having separate, distinct contributions by various authors, or in an anthology of poetry by a number of authors 31 While the Copyright Act of 1909 and Office regulations did not refer to or define “collective work,” many nondramatic literary works published before 1978 were registered for the original term as “collective works” between 1978 and 2005. In addition, the term has been generally used for renewal registration purposes to describe published works in which an individual author may claim the renewal copyright in a contribution separate from the collection as a whole, as in Compendium of U.S.
Chapter 2100 : 63 12/22/2014 on a variety of subjects on the basis that the work is a composite work. By contrast, a proprietor may not claim the renewal copyright in a work such as a dictionary in which the contributions are interspersed, or in a collection of short stories or poems by only a few authors on the basis that the work is a composite work. NOTE:
NOTE:
2127 Contributions to Periodicals, Published Collections, and Other Larger Works The Copyright Act of 1909 provided for original registration of contributions by individual authors to periodicals, and renewal registration of contributions to periodicals, encyclopedic, or other composite works. Copyright Act of 1909, Pub. L. No. 60-349, §§ 12, 23, 35 Stat. 1075, 1078, 1080 (1909). The U.S. Copyright Office has e• xpanded the scope of this provision with regard to renewal registration to include: • Contributions by individual authors to published collections; Separate works and elements of authorship first published in other types of larger • works; and Contributions that were created as works made for hire. When a contribution or separate work or element of authorship was first published with its own separate copyright notice, it must be registered separately for the renewal term, even when it was registered for the original term together with the collection or as part of the larger work. For information regarding uncorrected original registration records, see Section 2130.
NOTE:
The Copyright Act of 1976 provided for supplementary registration, which then became the primary means of correcting and amplifying registration records, including original registration records for works that secured copyright under the Copyright Act of 1909. 17 U.S.C. § 408(d).
NOTE:
When a renewal claim is based on an original registration record that refers to, or is cross-referenced with a corrective action, the effect on renewal registration depends generally on the corrective action. For example, the Office generally will not register a renewal claim based on an original registration record that was corrected by a corrective registration; rather, the renewal claim will be based on the corrective registration. Conversely, when an original registration record was corrected by supplementary registration, a renewal claim cannot be based on the supplementary registration record; it must be based on the original registration record. When a document was recorded to add or correct information in an original registration record, the Office will take that information into consideration and will inform the applicant of the recorded document when it appears the applicant is unaware of it. For information about post-registration correction of renewal registration records, see Section 2138. 2132 Cancelled or Abandoned Original Registration Records While U.S. Copyright Office regulations did not provide for cancellation of records under the Copyright Act of 1909, Office practices required that certain registration records be cancelled when an Office error caused a record to be entered in error or in the wrong class, or when there was lack of payment. 37 C.F.R. § 201.5 (1977). Sometimes a party 33 This policy was instituted by the Office in 2006 after all original copyrights had expired. Supplementary registrations made during the renewal term to correct original registration records should not be considered to have been made in error. Chapter 2100 : 66 12/22/2014 recorded a document to “abandon” a particular registration record they had made. When an original registration record was cancelled or was putatively abandoned by the applicant by recordation of a document, the Office generally will refuse a renewal claim based on the cancelled or “abandoned” registration record. If it appears, however, that the work may have secured the full original term of copyright and may be eligible for renewal registration, the Office will advise the applicant accordingly. When a renewal registration is based on an “abandoned” original registration record, the Office will add an annotation to the certificate of renewal registration certificate and a note in the registration record regarding the recorded document.
2133 Abandonment of Copyright When a renewal claim is based on an original registration record that refers to a recorded document purporting to abandon the copyright in the work, the U.S. Copyright Office may register the renewal claim if, after advising the renewal applicant of the recorded document, the applicant verifies that no other action was taken to notify the public of the intent to abandon the copyright and reasserts the claim to the renewal copyright. If the author or proprietor took further action to notify the public of the intent to abandon the copyright (such as authorizing the publication of a statement in a number of well-known newspapers that the property rights in a particular work would no longer be enforced), the Office may refuse to register the renewal claim based on the original registration record.
2134 New or Different Information from the Original Registration Record Generally, when a renewal claim is based on an original registration record, it should reflect the facts given in that record; however, the U.S. Copyright Office may register renewal claims that contain facts not stated in the original registration record when such facts make the renewal registration record more useful or accurate. When a renewal claim provides information that is different from information in the original registration record, the applicant must provide supporting documentation, and recordation may be required. For information regarding uncorrected original registration records, see Section 2130.
When the statutory basis of a renewal claim is inconsistent with the author facts in the original registration record, the Office will advise the renewal applicant of the inconsistency and inquire about the circumstances under which the work was created. If the basis of the renewal claim indicates that the work is a proprietary work, the Office will request information to verify that the requirements to claim the renewal copyright under one of these exceptions are met. If the renewal claim is adverse to a renewal claim in process or a renewal registration already on the record, see Section 2137. NOTE:
Chapter 2100 : 67 12/22/2014 2135 Effect of Change of Policy When an original registration was entered into the record under U.S. Copyright Office policies then in effect, a renewal claim based on that original registration record generally will be registered, even when, under current policies, the original registration would not be entered.
PART VI POST-RENEWAL REGISTRATION ISSUES 2136 Multiple Renewal Claims, Including Duplicate Claims Once a renewal registration is made in a work, registration of a later claim will depend on whether that claim provides additional ownership information for the renewal term that appears on its face to be valid. Generally, the U.S. Copyright Office will register a renewal claim that identiif.iee.s at least one vested owner who is not identified as such in the renewal registration records for that work. The Office will not knowingly register a duplicate renewal claim, a renewal claim that identifies the same vested owner on the same statutory basis as an earlier renewal registration record for the same work. When a renewal claim is filed to identify the current owner of the renewal copyright who derived that right directly or indirectly from a party already identified as a statutory renewal claimant or vested owner in a renewal registration record, the Office will refuse renewal registration and will suggest recordation to show the change of ownership, unless the renewal claim is adverse to another renewal claim that is pending or already entered into the registration record. For a discussion of adverse renewal claims, see Section 2137.
2137 Adverse Renewal Claims An adverse renewal claim presents ownership facts for the renewal term that appear to be valid, but are in conflict with another pending renewal claim or completed renewal registration record. When such conflicts are brought to the U.S. Copyright Office’s attention, the Office will attempt to notify all parties involved in the dispute based on information in its records. The Office’s general practices for adverse claims apply to adverse renewal claims. For information concerning these practices, see Chapter 1800, SEexccteipotnio 1n8s0:7.
When a renewal claim is based on asserted facts that appear to be invalid or implausible, the Office will refuse registration as an adverse claim unless the applicant provides documentation that, in the view of the Office, sufficiently supports the asserted Chapter 2100 : 68 12/22/2014 facts. In such cases, the Office may require recordation of the document(s) to support the renewal claim, or in lieu of registration.
NOTE:
2138 Correcting and / or Amplifying Information in a Renewal Registration Record The use of a supplementary registration to correct or amplify renewal registration records is more limited than for other registration records. A party seeking to correct or amplify a renewal registration record may contact the U.S. Copyright Office in advance of filing for supplementary registration to obtain advice and instruction. NOTE:
2138.1 Appropriate Use of Supplementary Registration
With regard to renewal registration records, supplementary registration is generally appropriate to correct or amplify extremely minor errors or omissions or provide u• pdated contact information. Such information may include: New or alternate titles or other identifying information by which a work has been • published.
• Incorrect spelling or punctuation.
In exceptional cases, supplementary registration may be appropriate to correct the identity of a statutory renewal claimant or vested owner if “clear, convincing, objective documentation is submitted . . . which proves that an inadvertent error was made in failing to designate the correct living statutory renewal claimant . . . .” 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(iv). Such documentation may consist of a death or marriage certificate, a published obituary or death notice, a will, a court order, an assignment or other legal agreement or document of transfer.
Chapter 2100 : 69 12/22/2014 Supplementary registration may also be appropriate to correct the basis of claim for a statutory renewal claimant or vested owner. Again, the Office may require documents to prove that the basis is accurately stated and appears to be valid. In these exceptional cases, the Office may require that the supporting documentation be recorded and, in such cases, a reference to the recorded document will be added to the certificate of supplementary registration and to the supplementary registration record. NOTE:
2138.2 Parties Authorized to File for Supplementary Registration
Parties authorized to file for supplementary registration pertaining to renewal registration records include the party who filed the renewal claim and those identified in the record as a statutory renewal claimant, vested owner, or current owner of the renewal copyright, or their representatives. The U.S. Copyright Office may also accept a supplementary registration certified by a successor or assignee of a statutory renewal claimant, a vested owner, or current owner.
2138.3 Inappropriate Use of Supplementary Registration
W• ith regard to renewal registration records, supplementary registration cannot be used: ETxoc ceoprtrioenc:t or amplify a fact that was established in an original registration record. When an original term registration record contains an error or omission of fact pertaining to a previous registration that affects the term of copyright, the U.S. Copyright Office may accept a supplementary registration to add this • information to a renewal registration record.
To identify an assignee or successor who acquired the renewal copyright since the effective date of the renewal registration.
Chapter 2100 : 70 12/22/2014 • As a substitute for renewal term registration.
2139 Recordation With regard to renewal registration, documents may be recorded to support or provide proof of facts for a renewal claim or a supplementary registration, or to document life events, or to provide a public record of copyright assignments or other legal documents pertaining to the renewal copyright. Generally, a recorded document is not cross- referenced with a renewal registration record. However, a reference to a recorded document will be added to a certificate of renewal registration and to the renewal registration record when it provides support for the facts, or when the original registration record referred to the recorded document.
When supplementary registration is not possible or appropriate (such as, when the author facts stated in an original registration record are disputed, or the renewal copyright is transferred after the effective date of renewal registration), recordation may be the most appropriate means of providing information in the public record regarding a work or its renewal copyright.
2139.1 Types of Documents that May be Recorded
Any document pertaining to copyright(s) may be recorded, even if the work(s) to which it pertains have not yet been registered. For information about recordation, see Chapter 2300.
2139.2 When Recordation May Be Required
With regard to renewal registration, the U.S Copyright Office may require that a d• ocument be recorded in the following circumstances:
Chapter 2100 : 71 12/22/2014 A supplementary registration seeks to correct the statutory basis for a claim to the • renewal copyright.
In such cases, a reference will be added to the certificate of renewal registration and to the renewal registration record, although the recorded document will not be cross- referenced with the renewal or supplementary registration record. 2140 Cancellation of Renewal Registration Records The U.S. Copyright Office will not cancel a renewal registration record unless it qualifies for cancellation under 37 C.F.R. § 201.7. Generally, a request to cancel a renewal registration record should come from the party who filed the renewal claim, or a successor or assignee of that party. The fact that this party did not represent one or more of the statutory renewal claimants or vested owners at the time of renewal registration may not be sufficient cause to cancel a record. Instead, the Office may require that the party correct or amplify the record by supplementary registration. For additional information concerning cancellation, see Chapter 1800, Section 1806. 2141 Referral of Renewal Registration Records The U.S. Copyright Office will not refer a renewal registration record for correction or cancellation unless the record contains an error the Office should have recognized at the time of registration, or the Office made an error, or in some way failed to properly process the renewal claim. Administrative action will depend on the error and its effect on the renewal registration record. In certain cases the effective date of the renewal registration record may be affected and, if an applicant fails to respond to Office correspondence or remedy the deficiency, the renewal registration record may be cancelled. For additional information concerning referrals, see Chapter 1800, Section 1804. NOTE:
For a general discussion of restored works and the registration requirements for such works, see Chapter 2000, Section 2007.
2143 Renewal Registration Not Appropriate for Restored Copyrights To abde ienltigeirbimle for renewal term registration, a work must have secured statutory protection by first publication with the statutory or U.C.C. notice (or soon thereafter by registration), or by registration as an unpublished work, and continued to meet all statutory requirements to maintain copyright through the full original term and into the renewal term. Therefore, a work that failed to secure copyright in the United States at the time of first publication, or lost it at any time during the original or renewal terms, is not eligible for renewal registration, even when copyright was restored in the United States under the provisions of the URAA.
2144 Copyright Terms for Restored Copyrights Under Section 104A of the Copyright Act of 1976, restored works enjoy the remainder of the term that would have been granted in the United States had the copyrights not been lost. 17 U.S.C. §104A(a)(1)(B). Therefore, a work that initially secured copyright under the Copyright Act of 1909 by first publication with notice, or by registration as an unpublished work, but lost copyright at some point and then regained it under the URAA, enjoys the same term it would have been granted in the United States if copyright had remained uninterrupted. Likewise, a work that failed to secure copyright in the United States at the time of first publication enjoys the same term of copyright it would have been granted in the United States if statutory copyright had been secured upon publication.
NOTE:
2145 Registration Under the URAA After Copyright in Source Country Has Expired Provided a work of foreign origin met the eligibility requirements for restoration of copyright as of January 1, 1996 (or as of the date of adherence or proclamation of Chapter 2100 : 73 12/22/2014 the source country, if later), registration under the provisions of the URAA is possible for works governed by the Copyright Act of 1909 as long as the work remains under statutory protection in the United States.
PART VIII GLOSSARY OF TERMS This Glossary provides brief explanations of certain terms that are relevant to renewal registration. Definitions that are taken directly from the Copyright Act of 1909, the Copyright Act of 1976, or the Office’s regulations are enclosed in quotation marks. Definitions that are not enclosed in quotation marks are not legal definitions; they are intended to educate and inform legal practitioners and members of the public who file and process renewal claims.
NOTE:
(1977) of informing the Office and the public that a registration was made in error. Absence of a will.
34 “No correction or cancellation of a Copyright Office registration or other record will be made (other than a registration or record provisional upon receipt of fee as provided in 201.6) after it has been completed if the facts therein stated agree with those supplied the Office for the purpose of making such record. However, it shall be within the discretion of the Register of Copyrights to determine if any particular case justifies the placing of an annotation upon any record for the purpose of clarification, explanation, or indication that there exists elsewhere in the records, indexes or correspondence files of the Office, information which has reference to the facts as stated in such record.” 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(a) (1977).
Chapter 2100 : 74 12/22/2014 Acceptable alternative designation.
A claim to the renewal copyright that is in conflict with another renewal claim in process or already on the record. Anonymous work.
“An ‘anonymous work’ is a work on the copies or phonorecords of which no natural person is identified as author.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. Assignee.
A party that has acquired the renewal copyright in a work by assignment or other written document of transfer from the vested owner in whose name no renewal registration was previously made.
Author “ ”
Berne Union.
Chapter 2100 : 75 12/22/2014 Books.
Child or Children.
Contribution.
Corrective registration.
Current owner (of the renewal copyright).
Derivative work.
Domicile.
Dramatic work.
Executor.
Foreign author.
Inconsistent renewal claim.
Individual author.
Joint work.
Chapter 2100 : 78 12/22/2014 considered to be a “joint work” only as this concept found its way into the Copyright Act of 1976. For a general discussion of joint works, see Chapter 500, Section 505. Knowledgeable source.
Manufacturing clause.
Motion picture.
Multimedia work.
Next of kin.
Original copyright claimant.
Nondramatic literary works.
Pan-American Conventions.
Periodical / Serial.
Personal work.
Phonorecord.
Chapter 2100 : 80 12/22/2014 Posthumous work.
Proprietary work.
L. No. 61-281, § 24, 61 Stat. 652, 659 (1947).
Proprietor.
Pseudonymous work.
Published collection.
Recordation.
Renewal filing period.
L. No. 77-258, § 8, 55 Stat. 732 (1941). In such circumstances, after determining the nationality and domicile of the author or proprietor, the U.S. Copyright Office registered renewal claims within the time specified in the proclamation with an annotation referring to the extension-of-time proclamation.
Chapter 2100 : 82 12/22/2014 Renewal term registration.
Rule of doubt.
i es. Sound recordings do not include motion picture soundtracks. A procedure established by regulation under 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d) to authorize the U.S. Copyright Office to accept an optional deposit under Section 408(c) of the Copyright Act of 1976. It allows the Register of Copyrights to grant the applicant the option of depositing less than, or other than, that which is required under the general deposit regulations. In certain circumstances, this procedure may be applied to renewal r S e o g u is r t c r e a t c io o n u s n .
try.
A nation other than the U.S that is an eligible nation under the URAA. With regard to unpublished works, it is the eligible nation of which the author or rightholder, or the majority of the foreign authors or rightholders are nationals or domiciliaries or which has the “most significant contacts with the work.” 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(8)(B). For published works, it is the eligible country in which the work was first published or if published on the same day in two or more eligible countries, the country which has the “most significant contacts with the work.” Id. § 104A(h)(8)(C). Applies only to works eligible for registration under the URAA; is not applicable to renewal registration.
Stateless author.
r e gistration.
A registration made upon application under Section 408(d) of the Copyright Act of 1976, “to correct an error in a copyright registration or to amplify the information given in a registration. . . . The information in a supplementary registration augments but does not supersede that contained in the e S a y r n li d e i r c r a e ti g o is n t .
r ation.” 17 U.S.C. § 408(d).
For renewal registration purposes, the distribution of radio shows and television shows to multiple radio stations and television stations for broadcast by those stations. It was common where broadcast programming was scheduled by television networks with local independent affiliates, particularly here in the United States. Timely renewal registration.
A renewal registration made during the renewal filing p To er v io e d s .
t .
To give a fixed, noncontingent right of present or future enjoyment of the renewal copyright in a work. Although the vested right in a renewal copyright may have been determined by a timely renewal registration, the exercise of such right did not c U o .C m .
m C.
a l term.
The U.C.C. is an international copyright treaty to which the United States is a party. The treaty was drafted in Geneva in 1952 and came into force in the United States on September 16, 1955. The treaty was revised and the United States is a party to the version as revised at Paris in 1971 as of July 10, 1974. The practical purpose of the convention was to reduce formalities for securing copyright among participating countries for certain literary, artistic, and scientific works. As a general rule, the U.C.C. required a participating country to give the same protection to foreign works that meet the Convention requirements as it gives to its own domestic works. To be eligible for renewal registration under the Convention, a work should have been authored by a national of a participating country, or should have been published for the first time in a participating country. U.C.C. author.
A national of a participating U.C.C. country (other than the United States) who was not domiciled in the United States at the time of first publication. U.C.C. country.
A country, other than the United States, that adheres to the Universal Copyright Convention, Geneva, 1952. For a list of participating countries to the Convention, and their dates of adherence, see U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT RELATIONS OF CURRENT INTEREST (1960).
U.C.C. works.
United States.
URAA.
U.S. author.
Widow or Widower.
Work made for hire.
Chapter 2100 : 86 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
2202.1 Unpublished Works .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 2202.2 Post-Berne Works.............................................................................................................................................................. 5 2202.2(A) Advantages to Using Notice on Post-Berne Works ............................................................................................... 5 2202.2(B) Examination Guidelines for Post-Berne Works ..................................................................................................... 6 2203 Requirement of Notice ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 2203.1 Works First Published Between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 .................................................. 6 2203.2 Visually Perceptible Copies ............................................................................................................................................ 7 2203.3 Phonorecords ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7 2203.4 Omission of Notice on Works First Published Between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 .... 8 2204 The Form of the Notice .................................................................................................................................................... 8 2204.1 Notice for Works Fixed in Copies ................................................................................................................................ 8 2204.2 Notice for Sound RecoⓅrdings Fixed on Phonorecords ......................................................................................... 9 2204.3 Omission of the © or Ⓟ Symbol or the Word “Copyright” ................................................................................ 9 2204.4 Variations on the © or Symbol or the Word “Copyright” ............................................................................. 9 2204.4(A) Variants for the ©Ⓟ Symbol ........................................................................................................................................... 10 2204.4(B) Variants for the Symbol .......................................................................................................................................... 10 2204.4(C) Variants for the Word “Copyright” ........................................................................................................................... 10 2205 Elements of Notice ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 2205.1 Year ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 2205.1(A) Year of Publication ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 2205.1(B) Year of Publication Omitted........................................................................................................................................ 11 2205.1(C) Antedated Notice: Date in the Notice Earlier than the Actual Year of First Publication .................... 11 2205.1(D) Postdated Notice: Date in the Notice Later than the Actual Year of First Publication ........................ 12 2205.1(E) Dispersed Date in a Notice .......................................................................................................................................... 13 2205.1(F) Multiple Dates in a Notice............................................................................................................................................ 13 Chapter 2200 : 1 12/22/2014 2205.2 Name .................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 2205.2(A) Name of Copyright Owner ........................................................................................................................................... 13 2205.2(B) Name of Copyright Owner Omitted ......................................................................................................................... 14 2205.2(C) Owner Named in the Notice........................................................................................................................................ 14 2205.2(D) Variants, Abbreviations, Alternative Designations, or Pseudonyms for the Copyright Owner ....... 14 2205.2(E) Deceased Person Named in the Notice ................................................................................................................... 15 2205.2(F) Copyright Owner Identified by Reference ............................................................................................................ 16 2205.2(G) Multiple Names in the Notice ..................................................................................................................................... 16 2205.2(H) Name of the Copyright Owner Separated from Other Elements in the Notice ....................................... 16 2205.2(I) Error in the Name of the Copyright Owner .......................................................................................................... 16 2206 Affixation of the Notice ................................................................................................................................................. 17 2206.1 Affixation and Position of the Notice....................................................................................................................... 17 2206.2 Affixation of Notice on Copies .................................................................................................................................... 17 2206.3 Affixation of Notice on Phonorecords ..................................................................................................................... 17 2206.4 Handwritten, Typewritten, or Rubber-Stamped Notice on Published Copies or Phonorecords .... 17 2206.5 Legibility of the Notice .................................................................................................................................................. 17 2206.6 Microscopic Notice ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 2206.7 Concealed Notice............................................................................................................................................................. 17 2206.8 Notice Visible Upon Ordinary Use ............................................................................................................................ 18 2207 Location and Placement of the Notice .................................................................................................................... 18 2207.1 Literary Works ................................................................................................................................................................. 18 2207.1(A) Literary Works Published in Book Form ............................................................................................................... 18 2207.1(B) Single Leaf Works ........................................................................................................................................................... 19 2207.1(C) Dust Jackets ....................................................................................................................................................................... 19 2207.1(D) Literary Works Embodied in Phonorecords ........................................................................................................ 19 2207.1(E) Periodicals or Other Serials ........................................................................................................................................ 19 2207.2 Contributions to Collective Works ........................................................................................................................... 20 2207.3 Musical Works.................................................................................................................................................................. 20 2207.3(A) Musical Works Embodied in Copies ........................................................................................................................ 20 2207.3(B) Musical Works Embodied in Phonorecords ......................................................................................................... 21 2207.4 Sound Recordings ........................................................................................................................................................... 21 Chapter 2200 : 2 12/22/2014 2207.5 Dramatic Works .............................................................................................................................................................. 21 2207.5(A) Dramatic Works Embodied in Copies ..................................................................................................................... 21 2207.5(B) Dramatic Works Embodied in Phonorecords ...................................................................................................... 21 2207.6 Motion Pictures and Other Audiovisual Works................................................................................................... 22 2207.7 Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works ............................................................................................................... 22 2207.7(A) Works of Unusual Size or Characteristics ............................................................................................................. 23 2207.7(B) Works Consisting of Sheet-Like or Strip Material .............................................................................................. 23 2207.7(C) Works with Separable Parts Published in a Permanent Container ............................................................. 23 2207.7(D) Reversible Works ............................................................................................................................................................ 23 2207.7(E) Year of First Publication Omitted ............................................................................................................................. 23 2207.8 Multi-Part Works ............................................................................................................................................................ 24 2207.9 Works Published in Machine-Readable Copies ................................................................................................... 24 2208 Government Works ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 2209 General, Specific, and Restricted Notice................................................................................................................. 25 2209.1 General and Specific Notice ........................................................................................................................................ 25 2209.2 Restricted Notice............................................................................................................................................................. 25 Chapter 2200 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 2200 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
2202.1 Unpublished Works
A copyright notice has never been required for unpublished works. The U.S. Copyright Office will register an unpublished work that does not bear a notice, regardless of whether the work was created before or after March 1, 1989.
2202.2 Post-Berne Works
Notice is optional for works first published on or after March 1, 1989. The Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988 amended the Copyright Act of 1976 by making notice optional for works published on or after this date. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act amended the statute by restoring copyrights for foreign works that lost copyright protection in the United States for failure to comply with notice requirements prior to March 1, 1989. This includes (i) works created by an author who is a citizen of, or domiciled in, a country that has entered into a copyright treaty with the United States, and (ii) works first published, or sound recordings first fixed, in a country that has entered into a copyright treaty with the United States. For a detailed discussion of foreign works, see Chapter 2000.
For purpose of this Chapter, these types of works are collectively referred to as “Post- Berne Works.”
2202.2(A) Advantages to Using Notice on Post-Berne Works Although notice is optional for unpublished works, foreign works, or works published on or after March 1, 1989, the U.S. Copyright Office strongly encourages copyright owners to use a notice for the following reasons:
Chapter 2200 : 5 12/22/2014 • It puts potential users on notice that copyright is claimed in the work. In the case of a published work, a notice may prevent a defendant in a copyright infringement action from attempting to limit his or her liability for • damages or injunctive relief based on an innocent infringement defense. It identifies the copyright owner at the time the work was first published for parties • seeking permission to use the work.
NOTE : There is limited exception to this rule. Works published on or after March 1, 1989 may reqSueeire a notice that complies with Sections 401 or 402 to prevent a defendant from invoking an innocent infringement defense in a copyright infringement action. 17 U.S.C. §§ 401(d), 402(d), 504(c)(2).
2202.2(B) Examination Guidelines for Post-Berne Works Because a notice is not required for a Post-Berne work, the omission of a notice from the copies or phonorecords of that work has no effect on the validity of the copyright. However, if the information provided in the application is inconsistent with the information contained in the notice, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant.
2203 Requirement of Notice
2203.1 Works First Published Between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989
Prior to March 1, 1989, when a copyrighted work was published with the authority of the copyright owner in the United States or elsewhere, the copyright law generally required that a notice be placed “on all publicly distributed copies from which the work can be visually perceived.” Likewise, the copyright law generally required Stheeat a notice be placed “on all publicly distributed phonorecords of [a] sound recording” published in the United States or elsewhere with the authority of the copyright owner. Copyright Act of 1976, §§ 401(a), 402(a), 90 Stat. 2541, 2576-77 (1976) (current version at 17 Chapter 2200 : 6 12/22/2014 See U.S.C. §§ 401(a), 402(a)). However, certain omissions of notice before March 1, 1989 could be cured under the 1976 Act. Section 2203.4.
For a definition and discussion of publication, see Chapter 1900.
2203.2 Visually Perceptible Copies
Prior to March 1, 1989, a notice was required for visually perceptible copies of a work published with the authority of the copyright owner. Copies are “material objects, other than phonorecords, in which a work is fixed by any method now known or later developed, and from which the work can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or indirectly with the aid of a machine or device.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “copies”).
A copy is considered visually perceptible if the work is fixed in a tangible medium of expression and if the work can be visually perceived, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. Examples of works fixed in visually perceptible copies include books, sheet music, and photographs.
As a general rule, a literary, dramatic, or musical work fixed in a phonorecord is not considered a visually perceptible copy of that work.
2203.3 Phonorecords
Prior to March 1, 1989, a notice was required for phonorecords containing a sound recording that was published with the authority of the copyright owner. There is a fundamental distinction between a sound recording and a phonorecord. A sound recording is a work of authorship that results from the fixation of a series of sounds, such as a recording of a song, a recording of a speech, or other tye.pges of audio recordings. By contrast, a phonorecord is a material object that contains a sound recording, such as a vinyl disc, cassette, compact disc, digital audio file ( ., .mp3, .wav), or other recording medium. Specifically, the Copyright Act defines phonorecords as “material objects in which sounds, other than those accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work, are fixed by any method now known or later developed, and from which the sounds can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.” 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “phonorecords”).
Notice was required for sound recordings published on phonorecords prior to March 1, 1989. However, notice was not required for musical works, literary works, or dramatic works distributed on phonorecords, because a phonorecord is not a visually perceptible cCoopmyp oafr tehese types of works.
2203.4 Omission of Notice on Works First Published Between
January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 The omission of a notice on a work published between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 with the authority of the copyright owner does not invalidate the copyright, •p rovided that one of the following conditions has been met: The notice was omitted from no more than a relatively small number of copies • or phonorecords distributed to the public; or The work was registered before or within five years after the publication without notice and a reasonable effort was made “to add notice to all copies or phonorecords that are distributed to the public in the United States after the omission has been • discovered;” or The omission was “in violation of an express requirement in writing that, as a condition of the copyright owner’s authorization of the public distribution of copies or phonorecords, they bear the prescribed notice.”
17 U.S.C. § 405(a). Likewise, the omission of a notice on a work published between January 1, 1978 and FSeeberuary 28, 1989 does not invalidate the copyright in that work if the notice was removed from the copies or phonorecords without the authorization of the copyright owner. 17 U.S.C. § 405(c).
2204 The Form of the Notice
2204.1 Notice for Works Fixed in Copies
A notice for a work published before March 1, 1989 that has been fixed in copies should i•n clude the following elements:
• The symbol © or the word “Copyright” or the abbreviation “Copr.”; • The year of first publication for the work; and The name of the copyright owner, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner. 17 U.S.C. § 401(b). Each of these terms are discussed in Sections 2204.4 and 2205 below. The elements of the notice should appear as a single continuous statement containing the copyright symbol or the word “Copyright” or the abbreviation “Copr.,” followed by the yearE oxfa fmirsptl epsu: b lication, followed by the name of the copyright owner. © 1978 John Doe Chapter 2200 : 8 12/22/2014 • Copyright 1980 John Doe Copr. 1982 John Doe In the case of a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, the year of publication may be omitted if the work is reproduced on greeting cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or any useful article.
2204.2 Notice for Sound Recordings Fixed on Phonorecords
A notice for a sound recording fixed in phonorecords and published before March 1, 1• 989 should inclⓅudei. eth. e following elements:
• The symbol ( , the letter P in a circle);
• The year of first publication; and The name of the copyright owner for the sound recording, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner.
17 UⓅ.S.C. § 402(b). Each of these terms are discussed in Sections 2204.4 and 2205 below. The elements of the notice should appear as a single continuous statement containing the symbol, followed by the year of first publication, followed by the name of the copyrighEtx oawmnpeler:.
2204.3 Omission of the © or Ⓟ Symbol or the Word “Copyright”
If a U.S. work was publicly distributed by authority of the copyright owner between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989, and if the copies or phonorecords do not contain the word “Copyright,” the abbreviatioSne “eCopr.,” or an appropriate symbol that could reasonably be regarded as part of the notice, the U.S. Copyright Office considers the work to be published without any notice. 17 U.S.C. § 405.
2204.4 Variations on the © or Ⓟ Symbol or the Word “Copyright”
• The letter c with a parenthesis over the top.
• The letter c with a parenthesis under the bottom.
• (c • c)
E• xamples of unacceptable variants on the © symbol include the following: • CO • C i.e.
• C/O • @ ( , the letter a in a circle).
• The letter c with a circle attached to the bottom of the letter. The letter c in a square.
• The letter P with a parenthesis over the top.
• The letter P with a parenthesis under the bottom.
• (P • P)
2204.4(C) Variants for the Word “Copyright”
A misspelled or variant form of the word “Copyright” or the abbreviation “copr.” may be a• ccepted if it is clear that the term is intended to be “copyright.” Acceptable variants include: • Copyrighted • Copywrite • Copywritten • Copyright Pending • Copyright Applied For • Copyright and Registered • Registered U.S. Copyright Office Copy Copyr.
Chapter 2200 : 10 12/22/2014 The term “All Rights Reserved” or the like is not an element of the notice prescribed by U.S. law, and it is not an acceptable variant or substitute for the word “copyright” or the abbreviation “Copr.” The same is true for similar statements in other languages, such as “Todos los Derechos Reservados.” However, the use of such terms in juxtaposition with an accepEtxaabmlep nleost:i ce is permitted.
2205 Elements of Notice
2205.1 Year
2205.1(A) Year of Publication As a general rule, the notice on visually perceptible copies and on phonorecords of sound recordings must include the year of first publication. The notice on copies of a compilation or derivative work incorporating previously published material only requires the year of first publication for the compilation or derivative work. 17 U.S.C. §§ 401(b)(2), 402(b)(2).
•A notice may be accepteed.g if. the year of publication is presented in any of the following forms: • Arabic numerals ( , 1981). e.g.
• Abbreviations of Aera.gb.ic numerals ( , ’81).
• Roman numeralse (.g. , MCMLXXXI).
• Numeric words ( , Nineteen Hundred Eighty-One). e.g.
Chapter 2200 : 11 12/22/2014 Example:
If a U.S. work was publicly distributed by authority of the copyright owner between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 with an antedated notice, it is considered an error in the date. This error does not affect the validity of the copyright in that work. 17 U.S.C. § 406(b), (c).
If the date in the notice is only one year (or less) earlier than the date of publication specified in the application, the registration specialist will register the claim and will add an annotation, such as: “Regarding publication: year date in notice ____.” If the date is two or more years earlier than the date of publication specified in the application, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to determine if the publication date is correct. If the date specified in the application is incorrect, the specialist may add the correct date to the application, register the claim, and add a note to the registration record. If the date specified in the application is correct and the work is not a derivative work, the registration specialist will register the claim and add an annotation, such as: “Regarding publication: year date in notice ____. Publication date confirmed correct in phone call/email with ____ on ____.”
NOTE : Using an antedated notice in an anonymous work, pseudonymous work, or work made for hire may affect the term of the copyright if the work was first published in the United States between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989. In such cases, the term is computed from the year of publication that appears in the notice, rather than from the actual year of first publication.
2205.1(D) Postdated Notice: Date in the Notice Later than the Actual Year of First Publication A postdated notice is a notice that contains a date that is later than the year that the work waEsx fairmspt lpeu: blished.
If a work was publicly distributed by authority of the copyright owner with a postdated notice between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989, it is considered an error in the date. 17 U.S.C. § 406(b), (c).
If the date in the notice is no more than one year later than the date of publication specified in the application, the registration specialist generally will register the claim without communicating with the applicant, although he or she will add an annotation to the record, such as: “Regarding publication: year date in notice ____.” If a U.S. work was publicly distributed by authority of the copyright owner between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989, and if the date in the notice is two or more years Chapter 2200 : 12 12/22/2014 later than the year in which the work was first published, the U.S. Copyright Office considers the work to be published without any notice. If the work is submitted for registration more than five years after the date of first publication, the registration specialist will refuse to register the claim if he or she determines that the work is a U.S. work.
NOTE : This policy equally applies to certain works of visual art, such as jewelry, dolls, or toys that contain a postdated notice, notwithstanding the fact that a year date is not required in the notice for such works.
2205.1(E) Dispersed Date in a Notice A year of publication that is separated from the rest of the notice may be acceptable if it is an appropriate date and if it is reasonably identifiable as part of the notice. For example, an appropriate year of publication may be acceptable if it is the only date that appears on the same page as the other elements of the notice. Likewise, a year of publication that is prominently displayed elsewhere on copies or phonorecords may be acceptable if it is an appropriate date and if it can reasonably be considered part of the notice. For instance, the U.S. Copyright Office may accept a date that appears in the “Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data” or in the year of issue for a periodical, even if the date does not appear on the same page as the rest of the notice.
In those cases where a year is required and no year of publication can be reasonably identified as part of the notice, the Office will consider the work to be published without notice.
2205.1(F) Multiple Dates in a Notice If the notice contains two or more dates and if none of those dates represent the year of first publication, the registration specialist will use the most recent date to determine if the work was published with an adequate notice.
If the notice contains earlier dates as well as the actual year of first publication, the specialist may communicate with the applicant if it appears that the work is a derivative work and the earlier dates refer to the date of publication for an earlier version(s) or edition(s) of the work. In this case the specialist will ask the applicant to complete the Limitation of Claim field/space in order to limit the claim to the new material appearing in the derivative work for the first time. Likewise, the specialist may communicate with the applicant if it appears that the earlier dates refer to the date of registration for any unclaimable material that has been incorporated into the work.
2205.2 Name
2205.2(A) Name of Copyright Owner As a general rule, the copyright notice on both copies and phonorecords must include one of the following:
Chapter 2200 : 13 12/22/2014 The name of the owner of copyright in the work or an abbreviation by which the • name can be recognized, or A generally known alternative designation of the owner. 17 U.S.C. §§ 401(b)(3), 402(b)(3).
Ordinarily, the U.S. Copyright Office will not communicate with the applicant if the name in the notice appears sufficient to identify the copyright owner. 2205.2(B) Name of Copyright Owner Omitted If a U.S. work was publicly distributed by authority of the copyright owner between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 and if the notice does not contain a name that could reasonably be considered a part of the notice, the U.S. Copyright Office considers the work to be published without any notice.
2205.2(C) Owner Named in the Notice For purposes of notice, the copyright owner is the “claimant” or proprietor of all rights at the time the work was published. For purposes of registration, the copyright claimant must be (i) the author of the work or (ii) a person or organization that has obtained all the exclusive rights of copyright that initially belonged to the author. In most cases, the name provided in the application will be the same as the name that appears in the notice. In some cases, the claimant named in the application and the copyright owner named in the notice may be different. Both names may be correct, provided that the copyright was assigned to the copyright claimant between the date that the work was first published and the date that the application was submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office. In such situations, a transfer statement must be provided in the application.
If the claimant named in the application does not appear to be the author or owner of all U.S. rights in the work based on information provided elsewhere in the registration materials or obtained from other sources, the specialist will communicate with the applicant to resolve any inconsistency between the name provided in the application and the name in the notice.
2205.2(D) Variants, Abbreviations, Alternative Designations, or Pseudonyms for the Copyright Owner A notice may contain an abbreviation by which the copyright owner can be recognized or a generally known alternative designation. In such cases, the applicant should provide the legal name of the claimant and specify the relationship between the legal name and the name that appears in the notice.
A recognizable abbreviation for the copyright owner’s full name typically contains an abbreviaEtxioanm fpolre :e ach significant word in that name. Chapter 2200 : 14 12/22/2014 “Merc. Rec.” for Mercury Records Corporation.
A generally known alternative designation for the copyright owner’s full name may contain part of that name, the copyright owner’s well-known initials, or a completely differentE nxaammpel. e s:
If the notice appears to identify the copyright owner to people who are likely to obtain copies or phonorecords of the work, the notice will be considered acceptable. Likewise, if the name appearing in the notice is a pseudonym for an individual who is named in the application as a copyright claimant, the notice will be considered acceptable if the claimant is generally known by that pseudonym. If the name, abbreviation, or alternative designation in the notice is so vague, truncated, or ambiguous that it could not identify any person or entity as a copyright owner, the U.S. Copyright Office will consider the work to be published without any name in the notice. 2205.2(E) Deceased Person Named in the Notice A deceased person cannot own copyright or any other property. If the work was published during the owner’s lifetime and the name provided in the notice was correct, and if the work is submitted for registration after the owner’s death, the applicant must name the owner of all rights at the time the application is submitted for registration and provide a transfer statement explaining how that party obtained ownership of the copyright.
If the U.S. Copyright Office has reason to believe that the person named in the notice died before the first publication of the work, the Office will treat this as an error in the notice. If the publication was authorized by the copyright owner, the error will not affect the validity or ownership of the copyright in the work. However, it may allow a third party to assert an innocent infringement defense unless one of the following events has o• ccurred:
Chapter 2200 : 15 12/22/2014 2205.2(F) Copyright Owner Identified by Reference A notice that identifies the copyright owner by reference, such as “copyright by author” or “copyright by publisher,” is acceptable if the copies or phonorecords contain a name, abbreviation, or a generally known designation that identifies the copyright owner as the author, the publisher, or another person or legal entity. If the copies or phonorecords do not contain the name, an abbreviation of the name, or generally known designation that identifies the copyright owner, the U.S. Copyright Office considers the work to be published without notice. 17 U.S.C. § 406(c). 2205.2(G) Multiple Names in the Notice When two or more names appear in the notice, but only one of those parties is named in the application as the copyright claimant, the registration specialist generally will register the claim without communicating with the applicant. 2205.2(H) Name of the Copyright Owner Separated from Other Elements in the Notice If the copies or phonorecords contain a name, abbreviation, or generally known alternative designation for the copyright owner that is separated from the other elements of the notice, the notice may be accepted, provided that the name can reasonably be considered part of the notice.
If the copies or phonorecords contain two or more names, abbreviations, or alternative designations that are equally identifiable with the rest of the notice, the notice may be accepted if any of those names, abbreviations, or alternative designations is capable of identifying any person or entity as a copyright owner.
If none of the names, abbreviations, or alternative designations is identifiable with the rest of the notice, the U.S. Copyright Office considers the work to be published without any notice.
2205.2(I) Error in the Name of the Copyright Owner When the person named in the notice was authorized by the copyright owner to publish the work, but is not the actual copyright owner, it is considered to be an error in the name. This does not affect the validity or ownership of the copyright. In such cases, the work may be registered at any time before the copyright expires, provided that the applicant identifies the claimant who owns the copyright at the time when the application is submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office.
17 U.S.C. § 406(a).
Chapter 2200 : 16 12/22/2014 2206 Affixation of the Notice
2206.1 Affixation and Position of the Notice
The Copyright Act states that the notice shall be affixed on publicly distributed copies and phonorecords in such a manner and in a location that provides reasonable notice to the public of the claim to copyright.
In all cases, the acceptability of a notice depends upon its being permanently legible to an ordinary user of the work and affixed to the copies in such manner and position that it is not concealed from view upon reasonable examination.
2206.2 Affixation of Notice on Copies
If a notice is not affixed to copies or phonorecords in such manner and location as to give reasonable notice of the claim to copyright, the U.S. Copyright Office considers the work to be published without notice. 17 U.S.C. §§ 401(с), 402(c), 405.
2206.3 Affixation of Notice on Phonorecords
When a work is publicly distributed on phonorecords, a notice shall be placed on the surface of the phonorecord or on the label or container for the phonorecord in such manner and location as to give reasonable notice of the claim to copyright. 17 U.S.C. § 402(c).
2206.4 Handwritten, Typewritten, or Rubber-Stamped Notice on Published
Copies or Phonorecords As a general rule, if a handwritten, typewritten, or rubber-stamped notice appears on copies or phonorecords of a work published between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989, the U.S. Copyright Office may ask the applicant whether a similar notice appeared on all the copies or phonorecords when the work was first published.
2206.5 Legibility of the Notice
A blurred notice may be acceptable if it is legible, but a notice that is so badly blurred as to be illegible will be treated as an omission of notice.
2206.6 Microscopic Notice
In general, a notice that is so small that it cannot be read without a magnifying glass is considered unacceptable and will be treated as if the work was published without notice, unless the work itself requires magnification for its ordinary use and provided that the notice is readable when the work has been magnified.
2206.7 Concealed Notice
A concealed notice that is permanently covered so that it cannot be seen without damaging or tearing the work apart is unacceptable. The U.S. Copyright Office considers such works to be published without notice. To be acceptable, a notice must be legible to Chapter 2200 : 17 12/22/2014 an ordinary user of the work under normal conditions of usSee eand affixed to the copies in such a manner and position that when affixed it is not concealed from view upon reasonable examination by the Office or the ordinary user. 17 U.S.C. §§ 401(c), 4E0x2a(mc)p.l e s:
2206.8 Notice Visible Upon Ordinary Use
A notice that is not visible on casual inspection of the work may be acceptable if the notice beEcxoammepsle v: isible in the ordinary use of the work. A notice for a computer program that becomes visible when the program is run.
2207 Location and Placement of the Notice The Copyright Act directs the Register of Copyrights to adopt specific regulations for the placement of copyright notice for various works. 17 U.S.C. § 401(c). These regulations are found at 37 C.F.R. § 201.20.
2207.1 Literary Works
As used in this Section, the term “leaf” means a sheet of paper or the like, that may exist as a separate item or as a part of a book or similar publication. A “page” is a single side of a leaf.
2207.1(A) Literary Works Published in Book Form In the case of works published in book form, a notice is acceptable if it appears on the c•o pies in any of the following positions:
• The title page, if any.
• The page immediately following the title page, if any. Either side of the front cover, if any, or if there is no front cover, on either side of the • front leaf of the copies.
Chapter 2200 : 18 12/22/2014 • The first page of the main body of the work.
• The last page of the main body of the work.
2207.1(B) Single Leaf Works In the case of a literary work consisting of a single leaf, a notice is acceptable if it is reproduced in the copies anywhere on the front or back of the leaf. 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(e). 2207.1(C) Dust Jackets A notice of copyright on the dust jacket of a book is not an acceptable notice for the book, because the dust jacket is not permanently attached to the book. Likewise, a notice appearing in a book is not an acceptable notice for the dust jacket or any material appearing on that dust jacket, even if the book refers to the jacket or material appearing on the jacket.
2207.1(D) Literary Works Embodied in Phonorecords Literary works embodied in phonorecords are not considered visually perceptible copies and as such do not require a notice if the phonorecord was published prior to January 1, 1978. U.S. works published between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 require a notice, although works published on or after March 1, 1989 do not. 2207.1(E) Periodicals or Other Serials The notice for a work published as an issue of a periodical or other serial may be acceptable if it appears in any of the locations discussed in Section 2207.1(A) or if it is l•o cated:
• As part of, or adjacent to, the masthead, or on the page containing the masthead; or Adjacent to a prominent heading, appearing at or near the front of the issue, containing the title of the periodical or other serial and any combination of the volume and issue number and date of the issue.
37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(1)-(9).
Chapter 2200 : 19 12/22/2014
2207.2 Contributions to Collective Works
A general notice for a collective work as a whole covers the separate contributions that it contains (regardless of ownership), except for any advertisements inserted on behalf of persons other than the copyright owner for the collective work. In addition, a separate notice for a contribution to a collective work may be acceptable if i•t appears in any of the following positions:
Alternatively, a separate notice for a contribution to a collective work may be acceptable if it clearly appears in juxtaposition with a separate listing of the contribution by full t•i tle and author and is located either:
• On the page bearing the notice for the collective work as a whole (if any); or In a clearly identified and readily accessible table of contents or listing of acknowledgments appearing near the front or back of the collective work. If the contribution is a musical work, a notice is acceptable if it appears in any of the locations discussed above or if it is located on the first page of music for the contribution. 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(f).
If a collective work was publicly distributed with a notice for the collective work as a whole — but without a separate notice for the contributions to that work — the notice covers the contributions, even if the copyright owner named in the notice is not the copyright owner of those contributions (except for advertisements inserted on behalf of persons other than the owner of the collective work).
2207.3 Musical Works
2207.3(A) Musical Works Embodied in Copies In the case of a musical work published in visually perceptible copies, a notice is acceptable if it appears in any of the locations described in Sections 2207.1(A) or Chapter 2200 : 20 12/22/2014 2207.1(E) or if the notice appears on the first page of the music. 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(1)-(10).
2207.3(B) Musical Works Embodied in Phonorecords Musical works embodied in phonorecords are not considered visually perceptible copies and as such do not require a notice if the phonorecord was first published prior to January 1, 1978. U.S. works published between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 require a notice, although works published on or after March 1, 1989 do not.
2207.4 Sound Recordings
In the case of a sound recording, a notice should be placed on the surface of the phonorecord or on the phonorecord label or container. A notice placed anywhere on the surface of the phonorecord, the label, or a container is acceptable. 17 U.S.C. § 402(c). A container includes the jacket housing a disc, or the box or jewel case housing a cassette or compact disc, but does not include an outer mailing or packaging box, envelope, or other wrapper intended for disposal once the phonorecord is put into use. If the label(s) or container(s) for the phonorecord identify the producer of the sound recording and “if no other name appears in conjunction with the notice, the producer’s name shEaxlla bmep cloe:n sidered as part of the notice.” 17 U.S.C. § 402(b)(3). An application names Doe Recording Co. as author of the sound recording pubⓅlis hed in 1981. The work made for hire box is checked “yes.” The following notice appears on the left side of the label on a • 45 rpm disk: “ 1981.”
2207.5 Dramatic Works
2207.5(A) Dramatic Works Embodied in Copies In the case of a dramatic work published in visually perceptible copies, a notice is acceptable if it appears in any of the locations described in Sections 2207.1(A) or 2207.1(E) or if the notice appears on the first page of the work. 2207.5(B) Dramatic Works Embodied in Phonorecords Dramatic works embodied in phonorecords are not considered visually perceptible copies and as such do not require a notice if the phonorecord was first published before Chapter 2200 : 21 12/22/2014 January 1, 1978. U.S. works published between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989 require a notice, although works published on or after March 1, 1989 do not.
2207.6 Motion Pictures and Other Audiovisual Works
Acceptable methods for affixing and positioning the notice on a motion picture or •o ther audiovisual work include:
• at or immediately following the beginning of the work; or • at or immediately preceding the end of the work.
In the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual work that is distributed to the public for private use, the notice may be affixed, in any of the locations listed above, • or on the housing, or container if it is a permanent receptacle for the work. In the case of an untitled motion picture or other audiovisual work whose duration is sixty seconds or less, a notice is acceptable if it appears in any of the locations listed above or if it is embodied in the copies by a photomechanical or electronic process in such a position that it ordinarily would appear to the projectionist or broadcaster when preparing the work for performance, provided that it is located on the leader of the film or tape immediately preceding the beginning of the work. 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(h).
2207.7 Pictorial, Graphic, and Sculptural Works
Acceptable methods for affixing and positioning the notice on a pictorial, graphic, or s•c ulptural work include:
2207.7(A) Works of Unusual Size or Characteristics If it is impossible or extremely impractical to affix a notice directly to the copies or by means of a durable label because of the size or physical characteristics of the material in which the work is reproduced, a notice is acceptable if it appears on a tag that is of durable material, so as to withstand normal use, and if it is attached to the copy with sufficient durability that it will remain with the copy while it is passing through its normal channels of commerce. 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(3).
2207.7(B) Works Consisting of Sheet-Like or Strip Material Where a work is reproduced in copies consisting of sheet-like or strip material bearing m• ultiple or continuous reproductions of the work, the notice may be applied to: • The reproduction itself; or The margin, selvage, or reverse side of the material at frequent and regular • intervals; or If the material contains neither a selvage nor a reverse side, to tags or labels attached to the copies and to any spools, reels, or containers housing them in such a way that a notice is visible while the copies are passing through their normal channels of commerce.
37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(4).
2207.7(C) Works with Separable Parts Published in a Permanent Container As a general rule, when the separate component parts of a work are permanently housed in a container, such as a game or puzzle box, a single, general notice reproduced on the permanent container is acceptable for the visually perceptible parts. 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(5).
2207.7(D) Reversible Works In the case of a mold, decal, or other work that is the reverse of the product that is intended to result from its use, a notice is acceptable even if it is printed in reverse. 2207.7(E) Year of First Publication Omitted The year of publication may be omitted from a notice when a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work with accompanying text (if any) is reproduced in or on greeting cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or a useful article. NOTE : A label is not considered a useful article for these purposes. Textiles and fabrics are useful articles, but they do not require a year of publication. When a copyright notice for a textile or a fabric is contained on a label affixed to the textile or fabric and the year Chapter 2200 : 23 12/22/2014 of publication is omitted from the notice, the notice is acceptable with respect to the textile or fabric.
2207.8 Multi-Part Works
One notice per unit of publication is adequate for multi-part works ( , box sets, multimedia kits, score, and parts) published in copies or phonorecords, provided that a proper notice is used and it is affixed in a manner and location that gives reasonable notice of the claim to copyright in the entire unit of publication. Although one notice per unit of publication is legally sufficient, placing a notice on each part of a multi-part work ensures that the public is put on notice that the copyright owner hEaxs aamsspelretse: d a claim to copyright in each part of the unit. A notice on the first disk of a twelve disc collection is acceptable for the entire collection, but a notice on the sixth disc of a twelve disc • collection is only acceptable for that disc.
2207.9 Works Published in Machine-Readable Copies
For works published in machine readable copies, such as semiconductor chips, optical discs, magnetic tapes, or similar storage media that cannot ordinarily be perceived without the aid of a machine or device, a notice may be acceptable if it appears in the f•o llowing manner:
NOTE : Works that require the use of a machine or device to optically enlarge the work, such as films, filmstrips, and works published in any variety of microfilm, are not considered machine-readable works.
Chapter 2200 : 24 12/22/2014 2208 Government Works Protection under the Copyright Act is not available for any work of the United States government. However, if a works consists of both works of the United States government and works protectable under the Copyright Act, the notice should contain a statement identifying those portions of the copies or phonorecord that do or do not contain work(s) that are protected under the Copyright Act.17 U.S.C. §§ 105, 403. If the work was published on or after March 1, 1989, the U.S. Copyright Office may register the claim even if this statement does not appear in the notice. By contrast, if the work was published between January 1, 1978 and February 28, 1989, the failure to include this statement may be considered an omission of the notice. 2209 General, Specific, and Restricted Notice
2209.1 General and Specific Notice
A general notice is a notice that contains the elements listee.dg. in Sections 2204.1 or 2204.2 ( , © 1981 John Doe). A specific notice is a notice that identifies the portions or features of the work that belong to the copyright owner ( , “Introduction and illustrations © 1981 Popular Publishing Co.” or “Arrangement © 1981 Newstyle Music Co.”).
A general notice may be used on a work of authorship, even if the claim is limited to a specific portion of that work, such as the introduction to a biography or the new material that appears in the second edition of a textbook. If the work contains a specific notice that identifies specific aspects of the work, the registration specialist may communicate with the applicant if those aspects are not reflected in the application or if the claim is unclear.
2209.2 Restricted Notice
A restricted notice is a notice that contains a statement indicating that the notice does not coveErx caemrtpalien: m aterial that appears in the work. “Copyright 1980 XYZ Publisher, no copyright claimed in illustration.”
If the notice specifies only the material that has been excluded from the claim, the registration specialist may add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding deposit: in notice: [quote notice that appears on the deposit copy].” Chapter 2200 : 25 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
2304.1 Documents That Must Be Recorded ........................................................................................................................ 10 2304.1(A) Notices of Termination ................................................................................................................................................. 10 2304.1(B) Security Interests in Registered Works ................................................................................................................. 10 2304.1(C) Designation of Agent to Receive Notifications of Alleged Infringement Under Section 512(c) of the Copyright Act ........................................................................................................... 11 2304.2 Documents That May Be Recorded .......................................................................................................................... 11 2305 Overview of the Recordation Process ..................................................................................................................... 12 2306 Indexing .............................................................................................................................................................................. 13 2306.1 The Online Public Record ............................................................................................................................................ 13 2306.2 Indexing Guidelines ....................................................................................................................................................... 14 2306.3 Titles Listed in the Recorded Document ................................................................................................................ 14 2306.4 Registration Numbers Listed in the Recorded Document .............................................................................. 15 2306.5 Parties Named in the Recorded Document ........................................................................................................... 16 2306.6 Date of Execution ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 2306.7 Effective Date ................................................................................................................................................................... 17 2307 Special Handling .............................................................................................................................................................. 17 2308 Correcting Errors or Omissions in a Recordation .............................................................................................. 18 2308.1 Errors or Omissions in a Recorded Document .................................................................................................... 18 2308.2 Errors or Omissions in the Online Public Record for a Recorded Document .......................................... 19 2309 Recordation of Transfers of Ownership and Other Documents Pertaining to Copyright ................... 19 2309.1 What Is a Transfer of Ownership? ............................................................................................................................ 19 2309.2 What Is a Document Pertaining to Copyright? .................................................................................................... 20 2309.3 Benefits of Recording Transfers and Other Documents Pertaining to Copyright .................................. 20 2309.3(A) Constructive Notice........................................................................................................................................................ 21 Chapter 2300 : 1 12/22/2014 2309.3(B) Establishing Priority Between Conflicting Transfers ....................................................................................... 21 2309.3(C) Establishing Priority Between a Conflicting Transfer and a Nonexclusive License.............................. 21 2309.3(D) Limiting the Innocent Infringer Defense ............................................................................................................... 22 2309.3(E) Perfection of Security Interests ................................................................................................................................. 22 2309.4 Who May Record a Transfer or Other Document Pertaining to Copyright? ............................................ 22
2309.5 When May a Transfer or Other Document Pertaining to Copyright
Be Recorded? .................................................................................................................................................................... 22 2309.6 How to Record a Transfer or Other Document Pertaining to Copyright ................................................... 22
2309.7 Recordation Requirements for Transfers and Other Documents Pertaining
to Copyright ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23 2309.8 The Legibility Requirement ........................................................................................................................................ 23 2309.9 The Completeness Requirement ............................................................................................................................... 24 2309.9(A) Document Submitted without Attachments ......................................................................................................... 24 2309.9(B) Self-Contained Parts of a Larger Document ......................................................................................................... 25 2309.9(C) Incorporation by Reference ........................................................................................................................................ 25 2309.9(D) Failure to Identify the Work ....................................................................................................................................... 26 2309.9(E) Redacted Documents ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 2309.10 Signature Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 27 2309.10(A) Actual Signatures ............................................................................................................................................................ 27 2309.10(B) Date of Execution ............................................................................................................................................................ 28 2309.10(C) Photocopies or Other Reproductions of a Signed Document ........................................................................ 28 2309.10(C)(1) What Is a Sworn Certification? .................................................................................................................................. 28 2309.10(C)(2) Requirements for a Sworn Certification ................................................................................................................ 28 2309.10(C)(3) What Is an Official Certification? .............................................................................................................................. 29 2309.10(C)(4) Requirements for an Official Certification ............................................................................................................ 29 2309.10(D) Notarization and Certificate of Acknowledgement .......................................................................................... 30 2309.10(E) Unsigned Documents..................................................................................................................................................... 30 2309.11 The Filing Fee Requirement ....................................................................................................................................... 30 2309.11(A) The Basic Recording Fee and the Fee for Multiple Transactions ................................................................. 31 2309.11(B) The Fee for Additional Titles ...................................................................................................................................... 32 2309.11(B)(1) Identifying the Titles Listed in the Document ..................................................................................................... 32 2309.11(B)(2) Subtitles and Alternative Titles ................................................................................................................................. 33 Chapter 2300 : 2 12/22/2014 2309.11(B)(3) Translated Titles ............................................................................................................................................................. 33 2309.11(B)(4) Single Titles Distinguished from Multiple Titles ................................................................................................ 33 2309.11(B)(5) Descriptive Statements Indicating Multiple Works or Multiple Versions of the Same Work ............................................................................................................................................................ 34 2309.11(C) Refunds ............................................................................................................................................................................... 34 2309.12 Form DCS ........................................................................................................................................................................... 34 2309.12(A) Benefits of Using Form DCS ........................................................................................................................................ 34 2309.12(B) Form DCS Distinguished from an Instrument or Conveyance That Transfers the Copyright from One Party to Another ............................................................................................................. 36 2309.12(C) Completing Form DCS ................................................................................................................................................... 36 2309.12(C)(1) Spaces 1 and 2: First Party Name Given in the Document / First Title Given in the Document .............................................................................................................................................................. 36 2309.12(C)(2) Space 3: Total Number of Titles in the Document.............................................................................................. 36 2309.12(C)(3) Space 4: Return Receipt Requested ......................................................................................................................... 37 2309.12(C)(4) Space 5: Electronic Title List Enclosed ................................................................................................................... 37 2309.12(C)(5) Spaces 6 and 7: Amount of Fee Calculated / Fee Enclosed ............................................................................. 37 2309.12(C)(6) Space 8: Completeness of Document....................................................................................................................... 37 2309.12(C)(7) Space 9: Certification of Photocopied Documents ............................................................................................. 38 2309.12(C)(8) Space 10: Mailing Address and Contact Information ........................................................................................ 38 2309.12(D) Submitting the Document and Form DCS .............................................................................................................. 38 2309.13 Electronic Title Lists ...................................................................................................................................................... 39 2309.13(A) Preparing the Electronic Title List .......................................................................................................................... 40 2309.13(A)(1) The “Article” Column ..................................................................................................................................................... 40 2309.13(A)(2) The “Title” Column ......................................................................................................................................................... 41 2309.13(A)(3) The “Authorship Information” Column .................................................................................................................. 41 2309.13(A)(4) The “Registration Number(s)” Column .................................................................................................................. 42 2309.13(B) Submitting the Electronic Title List ........................................................................................................................ 42 2309.13(C) Correcting an Error or Omission in an Electronic Title List ........................................................................... 43 2309.14 Return Receipts for Transfers of Ownership or Other Documents Pertaining to Copyright ............ 44 2309.15 Date of Recordation for a Transfer or Other Document Pertaining to Copyright .................................. 45 2310 Notices of Termination ................................................................................................................................................. 45 2310.1 How to Terminate a Grant ........................................................................................................................................... 45 2310.2 What Types of Grants May Be Terminated? ......................................................................................................... 46 Chapter 2300 : 3 12/22/2014 2310.3 Terminating a Grant Under Section 203 ................................................................................................................ 47 2310.3(A) What Types of Grants May Be Terminated Under Section 203? .................................................................. 47 2310.3(B) Who May Terminate a Grant Under Section 203? .............................................................................................. 47 2310.3(C) When May a Grant Be Terminated Under Section 203? .................................................................................. 47 2310.3(C)(1) Terminating a Grant That Does Not Convey the Right of Publication ........................................................ 48 2310.3(C)(2) Terminating a Grant That Conveys the Right of Publication ......................................................................... 49 2310.3(C)(3) Gap Grants ......................................................................................................................................................................... 50 2310.3(D) How to Prepare and Serve a Notice of Termination Under Section 203 ................................................... 51 2310.3(D)(1) Content Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 51 2310.3(D)(1)(a) The Date of Execution and Date of Publication ................................................................................................... 52 2310.3(D)(1)(b) Naming the Authors of a Joint Work ....................................................................................................................... 52 2310.3(D)(1)(c) A Copy of the Grant Is Not Required ....................................................................................................................... 52 2310.3(D)(1)(d) Providing a Registration Number............................................................................................................................. 52 2310.3(D)(2) Signature Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 53 2310.3(D)(3) Service Requirements ................................................................................................................................................... 53 2310.4 Terminating a Grant Under Section 304(c) .......................................................................................................... 54 2310.4(A) What Types of Grants May Be Terminated Under Section 304(c)? ............................................................. 54 2310.4(B) Who May Terminate a Grant Under Section 304(c)? ........................................................................................ 55 2310.4(B)(1) Grants Executed by the Author ................................................................................................................................. 55 2310.4(B)(2) Grants Executed by Persons Other Than the Author ........................................................................................ 55 2310.4(C) When May a Grant Be Terminated Under Section 304(c)? ............................................................................. 56 2310.4(D) How to Prepare and Serve a Notice of Termination Under Section 304(c) ............................................. 56 2310.4(D)(1) Content Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 57 2310.4(D)(1)(a) A Copy of the Grant Is Not Required ....................................................................................................................... 58 2310.4(D)(1)(b) Date of Execution Not Required ................................................................................................................................ 58 2310.4(D)(1)(c) Naming the Author and His or Her Heirs .............................................................................................................. 58 2310.4(D)(1)(d) Providing a Registration Number............................................................................................................................. 58 2310.4(D)(2) Signature Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 58 2310.4(D)(3) Service Requirements ................................................................................................................................................... 59 2310.5 Terminating a Grant Under Section 304(d) .......................................................................................................... 59 2310.5(A) What Types of Grants May Be Terminated Under Section 304(d)? ............................................................ 59 Chapter 2300 : 4 12/22/2014 2310.5(B) Who May Terminate a Grant Under Section 304(d)? ....................................................................................... 60 2310.5(C) When May a Grant Be Terminated Under Section 304(d)? ............................................................................ 60 2310.5(D) How to Prepare and Serve a Notice of Termination Under Section 304(d) ............................................. 61 2310.5(D)(1) Content Requirements .................................................................................................................................................. 61 2310.5(D)(2) Signature Requirements .............................................................................................................................................. 62 2310.5(D)(3) Service Requirements ................................................................................................................................................... 62 2310.6 How to Record a Notice of Termination ................................................................................................................ 62 2310.7 Recordation Requirements for Notices of Termination .................................................................................. 63 2310.7(A) The Legibility Requirement ........................................................................................................................................ 63 2310.7(B) The Completeness Requirement ............................................................................................................................... 64 2310.7(C) The Signature Requirement........................................................................................................................................ 64 2310.7(D) The Filing Fee Requirement ....................................................................................................................................... 64 2310.8 Withdrawing a Notice of Termination .................................................................................................................... 65 2310.9 Examination Guidelines ............................................................................................................................................... 66 2310.10 Date of Recordation for a Notice of Termination ............................................................................................... 66 2310.11 Recording a Notice of Termination Distinguished from the Legal Sufficiency of a Termination Notice ................................................................................................................................................ 67 2310.12 Harmless Errors in a Notice of Termination ........................................................................................................ 67 2310.13 Is the Grant Subject to Termination Under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d)? ........................................ 67 2310.13(A) General Questionnaire .................................................................................................................................................. 68 2310.13(B) Termination Questionnaire for Sound Recordings ............................................................................................ 71 2310.13(C) Termination Questionnaire for Architectural Works ....................................................................................... 73 2311 Abandonment ................................................................................................................................................................... 74 2312 Designation of Agent to Receive Notifications of Alleged Infringement Under Section 512(c) of the Copyright Act ........................................................................................................... 75 2312.1 Who May Submit an Interim Designation of Agent? ......................................................................................... 76 2312.2 How to Submit an Interim Designation of Agent ................................................................................................ 76 2312.3 Filing Fee for an Interim Designation of Agent ................................................................................................... 77 2312.4 Amendments .................................................................................................................................................................... 77 2313 The Computer Shareware Registry.......................................................................................................................... 78 2313.1 What Is Computer Shareware? .................................................................................................................................. 78 2313.2 The Purpose of the Computer Shareware Registry ........................................................................................... 78 Chapter 2300 : 5 12/22/2014 2313.3 Registration Distinguished from the Computer Shareware Registry ......................................................... 78 2313.4 Recordation Requirements for Documents Pertaining to Computer Shareware .................................. 79 2313.5 Who May Record a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware? .......................................................... 79 2313.6 When May a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware Be Recorded? ............................................ 79 2313.7 How to Record a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware ................................................................ 79 2313.8 Filing Fee for Recording a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware .............................................. 80 2314 The Visual Arts Registry ............................................................................................................................................... 80 2314.1 What Is a Work of Visual Art? .................................................................................................................................... 80 2314.2 A Work of Visual Art Distinguished from Visual Art Works and Works of the Visual Arts ................ 81 2314.3 The Purpose of the Visual Arts Registry ................................................................................................................ 82 2314.4 Registration Distinguished from the Visual Arts Registry .............................................................................. 83 2314.5 Recordation Requirements for a Visual Arts Registry Statement ................................................................ 83 2314.6 Who May Record a Visual Arts Registry Statement? ......................................................................................... 84 2314.7 When May a Visual Arts Registry Statement Be Recorded? ........................................................................... 84 2314.8 How to Record a Visual Arts Registry Statement ............................................................................................... 84 2314.8(A) Statements Submitted by or on Behalf of the Author of a Work of Visual Art ........................................ 84 2314.8(B) Statements Submitted by or on Behalf of Building Owners ........................................................................... 85 2314.9 Filing Fee for Recording a Visual Arts Registry Statement ............................................................................. 86 2314.10 Date of Recordation for a Visual Arts Registry Statement .............................................................................. 86 2314.11 Recorded Statements .................................................................................................................................................... 86 2314.12 Amendments .................................................................................................................................................................... 86 Chapter 2300 : 6 12/22/2014 Chapter 2300 : 7 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
• Transfers of copyright ownership.
• Documents pertaining to copyright.
• Notices of termination.
• Abandonments.
• Documents pertaining to computer shareware.
For information concerning the recordation of statements pertaining to renewal claims, see Chapter 2100, Section 2139.
This Chapter does not discuss statements regarding the identity of authors of anonymous and pseudonymous works or statements relating to the life or death of authors. Although the Office is authorized to record these types of statements under Sections 302(c) or 302(d) of the Copyright Act, it has not issued specific regulations on this issue.
This Chapter does not discuss the following types of documents, which are recorded by t•h e Copyright Office’s Licensing Division:
Chapter 2300 : 8 12/22/2014 Notices of distribution of digital audio recording devices or media and statements of account filed under Sections 1003 and 1004 of the Copyright Act. This Chapter does not discuss the procedure for recording a notice of intent to enforce a restored copyright filed under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (“URAA”) or a statement of intent pertaining to the restoration of copyright protection for certain motion Cpiircctuurlaers 3a8nbd, wCooprykrsi gehmt bRoedstieodra tthioenre Uinn duenrd tehre t UheR ANAorth American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (“NAFTA”). For information concerning this procedure, see .
Likewise, this Chapter does not discuss the procedure for recording a distinctive identification for an owner of a vessel design. For information concerning this procedure, see Chapter 1300, Section 1309.3.
2302 The Recordation Section The U.S. Copyright Office is a federally designated agency of record that is authorized by law to maintain official records relating to copyright, including transfers of copyright ownership, notices of termination, and other documents pertaining to copyright. The Recordation Section is responsible for examining and recording documents that are filed with the Office under Sections 203, 205, 302, 304, 903, and 1320 of the Copyright Act. The Recordation Section is part of the Office of Public Records and Repositories. Among its other responsibilities, this Office is responsible for recording interim designation of agents that are filed under Section 512(c)(2) of the Copyright Act. 17 U.S.C. §§ 203(a)(4), 205(a), 302(c), 302(d), 304(c)(4)(A), 304(d)(1), 512(c)(2), 903(c), 1320(d). 2303 Recordation Distinguished from Registration Recordation and registration are separate procedures. The U.S. Copyright Office registers claims to copyright, while the Office records transfers of copyright ownership, documents pertaining to copyright, and other documents that are listed in Section 2304 below.
To register a claim to copyright, an applicant must submit an application, deposit copy(ies), and the appropriate filing fee. The registration specialist will examine the application and the deposit copy(ies) to determine if the material deposited constitutes copyrightable subject matter and if the other legal and formal requirements for registration have been met.
To record a document, a remitter must submit a signed document together with the appropriate filing fee. A separate application is not required, although a remitter may submit a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright together with a document cover sheet submitted on Form DCS. For information concerning this form, see Section 2309.6.
A transfer of copyright ownership, a document pertaining to copyright, and other types of documents may be recorded, even if the copyright has not been registered with the Chapter 2300 : 9 12/22/2014 Office. However, recording a document is not a substitute for registering a copyright claim, and registering a copyright claim is not a substitute for recording a document. For a general overview of the practices and procedures for registering a claim to copyright, see Chapter 200.
2304 What Types of Documents May or Must Be Recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office?
2304.1 Documents That Must Be Recorded
T• he following types of documents must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office: • Notices of termination.
• Security interests in registered works.
These types of documents are discussed in Sections 2304.1(A) through 2304.1(C) below. 2304.1(A) Notices of Termination The Copyright Act allows authors or their heirs, under certain circumstances, to terminate an agreement that transferred or licensed the author’s copyright to a third party. To terminate a grant, the author or the author’s heirs, must serve an advance written “notice of termination” on the grantee or the grantee’s successor-in-interest and must record a copy of that notice with the U.S. Copyright Office. A notice of termination must be recorded before the effective date of termination specified in the notice. If a notice of termination is not recorded in a timely manner the notice will be invalid, meaning thraet p“rthinet eadg rineement will continue according to its own terms” and “all rights covered by an existing grant will continue unchanged….” H.R. REP.
NO. 94-1476, at 126, 128 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5742, 5744. For information concerning notices of termination and the procedure for recording these types of documents, see Section 2310.
2304.1(B) Security Interests in Registered Works Some courts have held that a security interest in a registered work must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office as a condition for perfecting that interest. For information concerning security interests and the procedure for recording these types of documents, see Section 2309.3(E).
Chapter 2300 : 10 12/22/2014 2304.1(C) Designation of Agent to Receive Notifications of Alleged Infringement Under Section 512(c) of the Copyright Act The Copyright Act allows online service providers to limit their liability for copyright infringement claims involving material that has been posted on their systems or networks at the direction of a user. To invoke this safe harbor, service providerSse me ust designate an agent to receive notifications of alleged infringement and must provide the agent’s name, address, and other contact information to the U.S. Copyright Office. 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2).
For information concerning these types of documents and the procedures for recording them with the Office, see Section 2312.
2304.2 Documents That May Be Recorded
T• he following types of documents may be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office: • Transfers of copyright ownership.
• Documents pertaining to copyright.
• Documents pertaining to mask works.
• Documents pertaining to vessel designs.
• Abandonments.
• Documents pertaining to computer shareware.
• Visual Arts Registry Statements.
This is not an exhaustive list and other types of documents with a copyright interest may be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Transfers and other documents pertaining to copyright (as well as documents pertaining to mask works and vessel designs) are discussed in Section 2309 below. Abandonments are discussed in Section 2311. For a discussion of documents pertaining to computer shareware and Visual Arts Registry Statements, see Sections 2313 and 2314.
Chapter 2300 : 11 12/22/2014 2305 Overview of the Recordation Process The U.S. Copyright Office has recorded assignments and other documents related to copyright since 1897. Although the Office has performed this function for more than 100 years, the recordation process is frequently misunderstood. Typically, a party submits an original signed document or a legible reproduction of a signed document that has been certified to be a true copy of the original. The party that makes this submission is known as the “remitter.”
Upon request, the Office will provide a return receipt confirming that a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright has been received in the Office. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 2309.14 below.
A recordation specialist will examine the document to determine if it satisfies the requirements of the Copyright Act and the Office’s regulations and to determine if the correct filing fee has been paid. If the relevant requirements have been met, the document will be recorded and made a part of the Office’s public records. The Office does not provide or require special forms for preparing a notice of termination, a transfer of ownership, or any other document pertaining to copyright. Any written document will be accepted for recordation if it is legible, if it contains an actual signature, and if it satisfies the other requirements set forth in Sections 2309 through 2314 below.
The Office offers a document cover sheet known as Form DCS, and encourages remitters to complete and submit this form together with the document when recording a transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright. If a document contains 100 titles or more the remitter also may submit an electronic title list to facilitate the indexing of that document. For information concerning the benefits of using Form DCS or an electronic title list, see Sections 2309.12(A) and 2309.13 below. When a document is recorded, the Office will assign a unique identifying number to the document, such as V3575 D755 P1. The letters “V” and “D” refer to the volume and document numbers that have been assigned to the document, while the letter “P” refers the page number(s) within that document.
The Office will prepare a certificate of recordation bearing the date of recordation and the identifying number that has been assigned to that document. The certificate, the recorded document, and Form DCS (if it was submitted with the document) will be imaged aSnede stored in the Office’s electronic recordation system. These images will be made available to the general public for inspection and copying upon request. Chapter 2400, Section 2407.2. The Office then returns the original document to the remitter, along with the certificate of recordation. The Office creates an online public record that contains pertinent information about the recorded document. These records are made available to the general public through the Office’s website. For a discussion of the online public record and the information that these records typically contain, see Section 2306 below. Chapter 2300 : 12 12/22/2014 Although the Office will record a document after it has been executed, it does not issue or enforce notices of termination, transfers of ownership, or other documents pertaining to copyright. The Office only serves as an office of public record for such documents. For this reason, a document that is submitted for recordation should not consist of a letter or other written communication addressed to the Register of Copyrights or the U.S. Copyright Office.
The fact that a document has been recorded is not a determination by the U.S. Copyright Office concerning the validity or the effect of that document. That determination can only be made by a court of law. As discussed above, the Office only examines documents to determine if they comply with the requirements of the Copyright Act and the Office’s regulations. The Office will not attempt to interpret the substantive content of any document that has been submitted for recordation. Likewise, the Office will not attempt to determine whether a document satisfies the legal requirements that may be necessary for it to be effective or enforced.
Members of the general public who submit documents for recordation cannot expect the Office to screen a document for even obvious errors or discrepancies. Therefore, parties are strongly advised to review and scrutinize any document to ensure that the document is legally sufficient to accomplish the purpose for which it is intended before it is submitted for recordation.
As discussed above, a recorded document will be made available to the general public upon request. Therefore, parties should be aware that if a recorded document contains private, confidential, or personally identifiable information that information will be accessible to any person who submits a request to inspect or copy that document. 2306 Indexing When a document is recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office, the recordation specialist will create an online public record that contains pertinent information about the recorded document. This process is known as “indexing.”
2306.1 The Online Public Record
The online public record for a recorded document typically contains the following i•n formation: e.g., A brief statement identifying the type of document that has been recorded ( • assignment, exclusive license, memorandum of publishing rights aeg.gr.e,ement, etc.). The identifying number that has been assigned to the document ( V3487 D777 • P1).
• The date of recordation.
• The name(s) of the parties listed in the document.
2306.2 Indexing Guidelines
As a general rule, the recordation specialist will index a document using the information that appears in the document itself and any schedule, exhibit, appendix, or other attachments thereto. However, if the remitter submits a document together with an electronic title list, the specialist will index the titles and registration numbers (if any) using the information provided in that list.
When indexing a document, the specialist will not include information from any other source, such as a document cover sheet or an oral or written communication with the Office. Therefore, parties, titles, or other pertinent information should clearly be identified in the document itself, any attachments to that document, and in the electronic title list for that document (if any).
As a general rule, the specialist will not attempt to verify any of the information that appears in a document, except for the number of titles listed therein. Ordinarily, the specialist will transcribe titles, parties, dates of execution, and the like without verifying the accuracy of that information.
If the document contains minor but obvious typographical errors in the names or titles listed in the document, the specialist may index the document under the correct name orE txiatlme.p les:
2306.3 Titles Listed in the Recorded Document
When indexing a document, the recordation specialist will include all the titles that are listed in the document or the electronic title list for that document (if any). Titles typically appear in the online public record in the order they are listed in the document or the electronic title list. If the document does not contain any titles, the specialist will add an annotation to the record, such as: “No titles given.” Chapter 2300 : 14 12/22/2014
2306.4 Registration Numbers Listed in the Recorded Document
When indexing a document, the recordation specialist will include all the registration numbers that are listed in the document or the electronic title list for that document (if any). If the remitter submits a document together with an electronic title list, the specialist will transcribe the registration numbers using the format specified in the electronic title list, even if the registration numbers are presented in a different format in the actual document. For information concerning the proper format for preparing an electronic title list, see Section 2309.13(A)(4).
Registration numbers typically appear in the online public record for a particular document as part of the title field (where they are listed after the title of each work) as well as in a separate field titled “Registration Number Not Verified.” In the case of a document involving more than one work, registration numbers typically appear in the title and registration number fields of the online public records for those works, and those records typically are linked to the online public record for the document. To search for a registration number in the Office’s online database, the registration number must be entered in a twelve-character string, with every letter of the alphabetic prefix capitalized and with zeroes inserted between the alphabetic prefix and the numerical portion of the registration number. For example, the prescribed format for a registration for a published visual art work consisting of the alphabetic prefix “VA” and the numbers “999-9-999” would be “VA0009999999.” By contrast, the prescribed format for a registration for an unpublished visual art work consisting of the alphabetic prefix “VAu” and the numbers “999-9-999” would be “VAU009999999.” Often times, registration numbers are presented in documents using formats that do not follow the prescribed format for searching the online public record. If a registration number appears in a document with spaces, hyphens, or other punctuation (instead of following the prescribed format), the recordation specialist will remove those characters when he or she indexes the document. For example, if a registration number is written in a document as “VAu 9-999-999” the specialist will remove the hyphens, capitalize the letter “u,” insert zeroes, and index the registration number as VAU009999999 (rather than “VAu 9-999-999”).
To speed the indexing of documents submitted for recordation, the Office strongly encourages parties to use the prescribed format when including registration numbers in a document that will be submitted for recordation. The following examples illustrate the prescribed format for searching for a registration number consisting of the numerals 9P9ub9l9is9h9e9d. Literary Works:
C orrect format: TX0009999999 Incorrect format: TX 999-9-999 Chapter 2300 : 15 12/22/2014 Published Work of the Performing Arts:
C orrect format: PA0009999999 Incorrect format: PA 9999999 Unpublished Work of the Visual Arts:
C orrect format: VAU009999999 Incorrect format: VAu 999 9 999 Renewal Registration:
Correct format: RE0009999999 Incorrect format: RE9999999 Musical Work Published Before January 1, 1978:
Correct format: E00009999999 Incorrect format: Registration No. E 999-9-999 Unpublished Dramatic Work Registered Before January 1, 1978: Correct format: DU0009999999 Incorrect format: Registration Number Du 9999999 Preregistration:
Correct format: PRE009999999 Incorrect format: Preregistration PRE 999-9-999 NOTE : Currently, when searching the online public record for recorded documents that contain a particular registration number, the user must conduct a “keyword” search rather than a “registration number” search. A search by “registration number” will retrieve the online public record for that registration and any other registration numbers that have been cross-referenced with that registration, such as a supplementary registration. However, a “registration number” search will not retrieve any recorded documents pertaining to that registration number.
2306.5 Parties Named in the Recorded Document
As a general rule, the recordation specialist will include the names of all the parties that are listed in the recorded document, even if one or more of those parties did not execute the document.
Chapter 2300 : 16 12/22/2014 If only one party is named in the recorded document, such as an affidavit or a declaration, the recordation specialist will index the document under that party’s name. NOTE : There is a limited exception to this rule. If two or more parties are named in the body of the document and if a signature space has been provided for each party, the specialist will record the document even if some of these spaces have been left blank. However, when indexing the document, the specialist will not include the names of the parties that did not provide a signature.
If there is a reconcilable variance between the name that appears the body of the document and the corresponding name that appears in the signature, the specialist generally will index the document under the fullest form of that party’s legal name. When a document has been signed by an officer or employee of a corporation or other legal entity, the specialist will index the document under the name of that entity, rather than the name of the individual who actually signed the document. Likewise, when a duly authorized agent has signed a document on behalf of a party named therein, the specialist will index the document under the name of the party that the agent represents.
2306.6 Date of Execution
If the recorded document specifies a date of execution, the recordation specialist will include that information in the online public recored..g If the date of execution appears to be incomplete ( , a month and day, but no year), the specialist will include whatever information that is specified in the document. If the document does not specify a date of execution, the specialist will add an annotation to the online public record, such as: “No date given.”
2306.7 Effective Date
If the recorded document states that it is effective as of a particular date, the recordation specialist will include that date in the online public record. In the case of a notice of termination, the specialist will include the effective date of termination that is specified in the notice.
2307 Special Handling Special handling is a procedure for expediting the recordation of a transfer, a notice of termination, or other document pertaining to copyright. The U.S. Copyright Office offers this service in certain circumstances where a copyright owner or other interested parties have a compelling reason for the expedited issuance of a certificate of recordation.
Chapter 2300 : 17 12/22/2014 For a detailed discussion of this procedure, see Chapter 600, Section 623. 2308 Correcting Errors or Omissions in a Recordation
2308.1 Errors or Omissions in a Recorded Document
A document recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office will be made a permanent part of the public record, and the Office will not modify that document or remove it from the record once a certificate of recordation has been issued. The Recordation Section will not make any changes or corrections to a document that has been submitted for recordation, even if the recordation specialist has been authorized or instructed to do so by the party that submitted the document. If the remitter discovers an error or omission in a document that has been submitted for recordation, the remitter may send a corrected version of that document to the address specified in Section 2309.6. The document should be submitted together with a cover letter explaining that the document is a corrected version of a document that was previously submitted for recordation. If the remitter previously discussed the error or omission with a recordation specialist, the letter should be addressed to that specialist. If the corrected version is received within ten business days after the date that the document was initially received in the Office, the Recordation Section will substitute the corrected version for the incorrect version.
In all other cases, the remitter may correct an error or omission in a document by using o• ne of the following options:
If the relevant requirements have been met, the Office will record the corrected document and will return that document to the remitter, along with a certificate of recordation. In addition, the Office will create an online public record for the corrected document that contains the information set forth in Section 2306.1 above. When the Office records a corrected document, it does not cancel the recordation or the identifying number for the document that was initially submitted to the Office. Likewise, the Office will not change the information set forth in the certificate of recordation or the online public record for that document. Instead, the Office will assign a separate identifying number and date of recordation to the corrected document. The recordation Chapter 2300 : 18 12/22/2014 for the initial document and the corrected document will coexist with each other in the public record, and the recordation for the corrected document augments — but does not supersede — the recordation for the initial document.
2308.2 Errors or Omissions in the Online Public Record for a Recorded Document
If the remitter submits a document together with an electronic title list and if that list contains errors or omissions, similar errors or omissions may appear in the online public record for that document. In such cases, the remitter may correct the record by submitting a corrected version of the electronic title list. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 2309.13(C).
If the Office made a clerical or typographical error in indexing a document that was not caused by a corresponding error in the electronic title list for that document (if any), the remitter should contact the Office in writing using the form posted on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/help/general-form.html). If appropriate, the Office will attempt to correct the error in the online public record. 2309 Recordation of Transfers of Ownership and Other Documents Pertaining to Copyright Sections 2309.1 through 2309.13 discuss the practices and procedures for recording a transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright. The practices and procedures described in these Sections also apply to documents pertaining to mask works and vessel designs.
2309.1 What Is a Transfer of Ownership?
Section 205(a) of the Copyright Act states that “[a]ny transfer of copyright ownership . . . may be recorded in the Copyright Office if the document filed for recordation bears the actual signature of the person who executed it, or if it is accompanied by a sworn or official certification that it is a true copy of the original, signed document.” Section 101 of the Copyright Act states that a “transfer of copyright ownership” is “an assignment, mortgage, exclusive license, or any other conveyance, alienation, or hypothecation of a copyright or of any of the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright, whether or not it is limited in time or place of effect . . .” It also states that a nonexclusive license is not a transfer of copyright ownership.
The copyright in a work of authorship initially belongs to the author or co-authors of that work. Section 201(d)(1) of the Copyright Act states that “[t]he ownership of a copyright may be transferred in whole or in part by any means of conveyance or by operation of law, and may be bequeathed by will or pass as personal property by the applicable laws of intestate succession.”
As a general rule, a transfer of copyright ownership must be made in writing and it must be signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or the owner’s duly authorized agent. 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 201(d), 204(a).
Chapter 2300 : 19 12/22/2014
2309.2 What Is a Document Pertaining to Copyright?
A document pertaining to copyright is a document that has a direct or indirect relationship to the existence, scope, duration, or identification of a copyright, or a direct or indirect relationship to the ownership, division, allocation, licensing, transfer, or exercise of rights under a copyright. These relationships may be past, present, future, or potentiaEl.x amples:
• Declarations.
• Bankruptcy decrees.
• Certificates of change of corporate title.
Statements regarding a change of address.
If a document does not appear to have any direct or indirect relationship to a copyright claim, the recordation specialist may communicate with the remitter and may refuse toE rxeacmoprdle :t h e document.
2309.3 Benefits of Recording Transfers and Other Documents Pertaining
to Copyright As discussed in Section 2304.1(B), some courts have held that a security interest in a registered work must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office as a condition for perfecting that interest. As discussed in Section 2304.1(A), a notice of termination must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office in a timely manner in order for the notice to take effect. For additional information concerning security interests and notice of termination, see Sections 2309.3(E) and 2310.
By contrast, recording a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright is optional, although it does provide certain benefits that are discussed in Sections 2309.3(A) through 2309.3(D).
Chapter 2300 : 20 12/22/2014 2309.3(A) Constructive Notice Recording a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright may provide constructive notice — a legal concept meaning that members of the public are deemed to have knowledge of the facts stated in the document.
Section 205(c) of the Copyright Act states that recordation “gives all persons constructive notice of the facts stated in the recorded document,” but only if (i) “the document, or material attached to it, specifically identifies the work to which it pertains so that, after the document is indexed by the Register of Copyrights, it would be revealed by a reasonable search under the title or registration number of the work,” and (ii) the work has been registered with the Office.
2309.3(B) Establishing Priority Between Conflicting Transfers Recording a transfer of ownership with the U.S. Copyright Office may establish priority between two or more transfers involving the same copyrighted work. If a copyright owner issues two transfers involving the same work, the transfer that was executed first will prevail, provided that the document is recorded (i) within one month after the transfer was executed (in the case of a transfer executed in the United States), (ii) within two months after execution (in the case of a transfer executed in another country), or (iii) at any time before the other document was recorded with the Office. Otherwise, the later transfer will prevail, provided that (i) the transfer is taken in good faith, for valuable consideration or on the basis of a binding promise to pay royalties, (ii) the transfer is taken without notice of the earlier transfer, and (iii) the transfer is recorded in a manner required to give constructive notice. 17 U.S.C. § 205(d).
2309.3(C) Establishing Priority Between a Conflicting Transfer and a Nonexclusive License If a copyright owner issues a transfer of copyright ownership and a nonexclusive license involving the same work, the license will prevail (regardless of whether it has been recorded with the Office), provided that the license is evidenced by a written instrument signed by the owner of the rights licensed or such owner’s duly authorized agent, and •p rovided that one of the following conditions has been met: • The license was taken before the execution of the transfer; or The license was taken in good faith before the transfer was recorded with the Office and without notice of that transfer.
17 U.S.C. § 205(e).
Chapter 2300 : 21 12/22/2014 2309.3(D) Limiting the Innocent Infringer Defense Recording a transfer of ownership with the Office may limit a defendant’s ability to assert an innocent infringement defense in a copyright infringement action involving a work published before March 1, 1989.
If the person named in the notice is not the copyright owner, the defendant may assert a defense in an infringement action by proving that he or she was misled by the notice and that he or she used the work in good faith based on a purported transfer or license from the person named in that notice. However, the innocent infringement defense does not apply (i) if the work was registered in the name of the copyright owner before the infringement began, or (ii) if a document executed by the person named in the notice and showing the ownership of the copyright was recorded before the infringement began.
17 U.S.C. § 406(a).
2309.3(E) Perfection of Security Interests Some courts have held that a security interest in a registered work must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office in order to perfect the creditor’s interest. In order to perfect the creditorS’ese i,n et.egr.,e Aset rionc aonn uEnnrgeigniesetreirnegd, Iwnco.r vk., Ssiolimcoen c Voaulrltesy hBaavnek h (eInld r teh Wato trhlde iAnutxeirleiasrty m Puoswt ebre C roe.corded under a state law version Mofo Argratinc lCer 9e eokf Pthreo dUuncitfioornms, Inc. v. CFroamnmcheisrec iPailc Ctuordees. LLC In re Franchise Pictures LLC ), 303 F.3d 1120 (9th Cir. 2002);
2008).
A security interest in a registered or unregistered work may be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office by following the practices and procedures described in Sections 2309.1 through 2309.13 concerning the recordation of transfers of ownership or other documents pertaining to copyright.
2309.4 Who May Record a Transfer or Other Document Pertaining to Copyright?
Any person may record a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright, provided that he or she complies with the recordation requirements set forth in Sections 2309.7 through 2309.11. The person who submits a document for recordation is known as the “remitter.”
2309.5 When May a Transfer or Other Document Pertaining to Copyright
Be Recorded? A transfer or other document pertaining to copyright may be recorded at any time.
2309.6 How to Record a Transfer or Other Document Pertaining to Copyright
To record a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright, the remitter should submit a signed, complete, and legible copy of the document to the following address together with the appropriate filing fee:
Chapter 2300 : 22 12/22/2014 Library of Congress U.S. Copyright Office-DOC 101 Independence Avenue SE Washington, DC 20559-6000 For information concerning the legibility, completeness, and signature requirements, see Sections 2309.8 through 2309.10 below. For information concerning the procedure for calculating the filing fee, see Section 2309.11 below. For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5. When recording a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright, remitters are encouraged—but not required—to submit the document together with Form DCS. For information concerning the benefits of submitting this form, see Section 2309.12(A) below. For guidance in completing and submitting Form DCS, see Section 2309.12(C).
2309.7 Recordation Requirements for Transfers and Other Documents Pertaining
to Copyright A transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to copyright may be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that the following requirements have b• een met:
• The document is legible.
• The document is complete.
The legibility, completeness, signature, and filing fee requirements are discussed in more detail in Sections 2309.8 through 2309.11 below.
2309.8 The Legibility Requirement
A transfer or other document pertaining to copyright may be recorded, provided that the document is legible and is capable of being imaged or otherwise reproduced in legible copies using the technology employed by the U.S. Copyright Office. A document should be submitted in a visually perceptible form, it should be sufficiently legible for the recordation specialist to examine and index the contents of that document, and it should be sufficiently legible for the Office to scan the document into Chapter 2300 : 23 12/22/2014 the public record. To facilitate the imaging process, documents and any attachments thereto should be 8 ½ by 11 inches in size, and the pages should be clipped together rather than stapled.
If the document is illegible or if it cannot be legibly reproduced by the Office, the recordation specialist may communicate with the remitter or may refuse to record the document.
2309.9 The Completeness Requirement
A transfer or other document pertaining to copyright may be recorded, provided that the document is complete by its own terms. A document is considered complete by its own terms if it is submitted for recordation together with any exhibit, schedule, appendix, addendum, or similar attachment that is referenced in the document. If the document appears to be incomplete, the recordation specialist may communicate with theE rxeammipttleers :o r may refuse to record the document. An assignment of copyright is submitted with an attachment titled “Schedule A.” The first sentence of the assignment reads: “The assignor hereby assigns the copyright in the musical composition(s) listed in Schedule A to this Assignment to the Assignee.” The recordation specialist will record the assignment and the • attachment thereto without communicating with the remitter. A publishing agreement is submitted together with three attachments titled “Exhibit A: Assignment,” “Exhibit B: Bill of Sale,” “Exhibit C: Servicing Agreement.” Each attachment appears to be a self-contained part of the publishing agreement. The recordation specialist will record the publishing agreement together with the attachments thereto without communicating with the remitter. 2309.9(A) Document Submitted without Attachments If a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright indicates that an exhibit, schedule, appendix, addendum, or other attachment has been made a part of the document or has been attached thereto, the recordation specialist may communicate with the remitter if the document is submitted without the attachment. The remitter may respond by submitting a legible copy of the attachment referenced in the document. If so, the document will be recorded together with the attachment, and the date of recordation will be based on the date that the attachment was received by the Office. In the alternative, the recordation specialist may return the document to the remitter upon request. The remitter may delete the reference to the missing attachment and resubmit the document, provided that the deletion is signed or initialed by the person or persons who executed the document or their authorized representatives. If so, the document will be recorded, and the date of recordation will be based on the date that the amended document was received by the Office.
Chapter 2300 : 24 12/22/2014 In the alternative, the remitter may ask the recordation specialist to record the d• ocument without the attachment, provided that the remitter confirms the following: • The attachment is completely unavailable for recordation; • The attachment is not essential to identify the subject matter of the document; and It would be impossible or wholly impracticable for the person(s) who executed the document (or their representatives) to sign or initial an amendment deleting the reference to the attachment.
The remitter may provide this information in a cover letter or other written communication, or by completing Form DCS and checking the box containing the phrase “One or more attachments referenced in this document is missing.” In this situation, the specialist will record the document without communicating with the remitter and will add an annotation to the record, such as: “Document is not complete. Recorded ‘as is.’” The annotation will appear on both the certificate of recordation and the online public record for that document.
For information concerning Form DCS, see Section 2309.12. 2309.9(B) Self-Contained Parts of a Larger Document An exhibit, schedule, appendix, addendum, or other attachment that is a self-contained part of a larger document may be recorded if the remitter confirms in writing that the document is complete by its own terms. The remitter may provide this information by submitting a cover letter or other written communication or by completing Form DCS and checking the box marked “All attachments referenced in this document are includedE.”x aFmorp ilne:f ormation concerning Form DCS, see Section 2309.12. The Office receives an assignment marked “Exhibit A” and a bill of sale marked “Attachment B.” Each document appears to be a self- contained part of a larger document. In both cases the remitter submitted Form DCS and checked the box marked “All attachments referenced in this document are included.” The recordation specialist will record the documents without communicating with the remitter.
2309.9(C) Incorporation by Reference If the transfer or other document pertaining to copyright merely references another document or merely incorporates terms set forth in another document, the recordation specialisEtx wamillp rleec: ord the document without communicating with the remitter. The Office receives an assignment of copyright. The first sentence reads: “In accordance with the terms of mutual understanding Chapter 2300 : 25 12/22/2014 previously entered into between the parties on January 2, 2008, which are incorporated by reference herein, the assignor hereby assigns the copyright in the musical composition to the assignee.” The recordation specialist will record the assignment without communicating with the remitter.
2309.9(D) Failure to Identify the Work The Office will record a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright, even if it does not identify the work that is the subject of the transaction. In this situation, the recordation specialist will record the document without communicating with the remitter, but will add an annotation to the record, such as: “No titles given.” Although the document will be recorded, the recordation may not provide constructive notice of the facts stated in the document. As discussed in Section 2309.3(A), a recordation provides constructive notice only if the work has been registered and if “the document or the materials attached to it, specifically identifies the work to which it pertains so that, after the document is indexed by the Register of Copyrights, it would be revealed by a reasonable search under the title or registration number of the work.” 17 U.S.C. § 2E0x5a(mc)p.l e:
The remitter may redact an entire page of a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright, provided that the page contains a brief statement indicating that the entire page has been redacted and provided that the page numbers for the entire document (if any) remain visible. If pages appear to be missing, the recordation specialist will return the document to the remitter and explain that the completeness requirement has not been met.
Chapter 2300 : 26 12/22/2014 Although the Office will record a redacted document, the Office does not intend to suggest that it is appropriate to redact large portions of a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright. Remitters should redact only those portions of a document that contain sensitive information, such as financial terms. Excessive redactions limit the benefits of constructive notice, because this presumption only applies to the “facts stated in the recorded documents.” 17 U.S.C. § 205(c).
NOTE:
(Aug. 1, 2005).
2309.10 Signature Requirements
To be recordable, a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to copyright must be signed by the person who executed the document. A photocopy or other reproduction of a signed document may be recorded, provided that the document is submitted with a sworn certification or an official certification confirming that the reproduction is a true copy of the signed original.
These requirements are discussed in Sections 2309.10(A) through 2309.10(E) below. 2309.10(A) Actual Signatures The signature that appears on the document should be the actual signature of an individual person and the signature should contain that individual’s own name. If an individual executed thee.g document on behalf of another person or organization, the signature should contain that individual’s own name as well as the name of the party that he or she represents ( ., “Robert Penn on behalf of Cursive Enterprises, LLC”). The following are representative examples of signatures that satisfy these r•e quirements:
• A handwritten signature.
A handwritten or hand-printed signature does not need to be legible. A signature does not need to include the full name of the individual that signed the document, provided that his or her name is sufficiently identified elsewhere in the document. Likewise, the Office may accept a signature consisting of an individual’s mark if it is accompanied by another individual’s signature attesting to the authenticity of that mark. •T he following are representative examples of signatures that may be questioned: • A printed signature.
• A typewritten signature.
Chapter 2300 : 27 12/22/2014 • A signature consisting of initials or a monogram.
2309.10(B) Date of Execution When signing a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright, parties are encouraged to provide the month, day, and year that the document was executed. As discussed in Sections 2309.3(B) and 2309.3(C), recordation may establish priority in the event of a conflicting transfer involving a particular work, depending on the date that the document was executed and recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office. If the document specifies the precise month, day, and year that it was executed, then as discussed in Section 2306.6, the recordation specialist will include that information in the online public record. If the date of execution appears to be incomplete, the specialist will include whatever month, day, and/or year that is specified in the document. If the document does not specify a date of execution, the specialist will record the document with an annotation, such as: “No date given.”
2309.10(C) Photocopies or Other Reproductions of a Signed Document The Office may record a legible photocopy or other legible facsimile reproduction of a signed document, provided that the remitter submits a sworn certification or an official certification stating that the reproduction is a true copy of the signed document. These options are discussed in Sections 2309.10(C)(1) through 2309.10(C)(4) below. 2309.10(C)(1) What Is a Sworn Certification? A• sworn certification is defined as:
2309.10(C)(2) Requirements for a Sworn Certification As a general rule, a sworn certification may be used to verify that a photocopy or other reproduction of a signed document is a true copy of the original. Chapter 2300 : 28 12/22/2014 The certification must be signed under oath by one of the parties to the document or by an authorized representative of that party. The certification does not need to be signed by the actual person or persons who executed the original document. However, the Office cannot accept a certification that has been signed by a successor in interest to one or more of the parties to the document. Likewise, the Office cannot accept a statement from a notary public confirming that the photocopy or other reproduction of a signed document is a true copy of the original (as opposed to a statement from a notary confirming the identity of the individual who signed the certification). The oath may be self-administered by providing an appropriate statement, such as: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the accompanying document is a true and correct copy of the original document. Executed on [date].” As discussed in Section 2309.12(C)(4), the remitter may provide this statement by completing space 9 of Form DCS. The remitter also may provide this statement in a cover letter or other written communication with the U.S. Copyright Office. In the alternative, the oath may be administered by a notary public or any other person authorized to administer oaths. The sworn certification should be submitted together with a legible reproduction of the signed document. The certification should contain the original signature of the party that executed the certification. The Office cannot accept a photocopy or other reproduction of a signed certification.
NOTE : A sworn certification cannot be used if the original signed document has been validated by or filed with a government office. In this situation, the reproduction must be submitted with an official certification, as discussed in Section 2309.10(C)(4) below. 2309.10(C)(3) What Is an Official Certification? An official certification is a certification, issued by an appropriate government official, that the original of the document is on file in a public office and that the reproduction is a true coEpxya mofp tlhees: o riginal.
Chapter 2300 : 29 12/22/2014 The official certification should state that the original signed document is on file in the public office and that the reproduction is a true copy of the original. In all cases, the reproduction should be submitted together with the original official certification. The Office cannot accept a photocopy or other reproduction of an official certification.
2309.10(D) Notarization and Certificate of Acknowledgement A signed document may be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office, regardless of whether the signature(s) have been verified by a notary public. Likewise, a signed document may be recorded, regardless of whether the signature(s) have been verified by a certificate of acknowledgment.
2309.10(E) Unsigned Documents As discussed in Section 2309.10(A), a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright should contain the actual signature or signatures of the person or persons who executed the document. Documents that have not been signed will be returned to the remitter. If the remitter subsequently submits a signed copy of the document, the recordation specialist may record the document if the requirements set forth in Section 2309.7 have been met. The date of recordation will be based on the date that the signed document was received by the Office.
2309.11 The Filing Fee Requirement
To record a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright, the remitter must submit the correct filing fee. The current fee is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule. 37 C.F.R. § 201.3. The amount of the fee is based on the number of transactions and the number of titles listed in the document.
Specifically, the remitter must pay a basic recording fee for each document that is submitted for recordation. The basic recording fee is listed in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Recordation of Documents: Recordation of a document, including a notice of intention to enforce (containing no more than 1 title)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
If the document contains multiple transactions the remitter must pay the basic recording fee plus an additional fee. The additional fee is listed in the fee schedule under the heading “Recordation of Documents: Additional transfer (each).” If the document contains multiple titles the remitter must pay the basic recording fee plus an additional filing fee. The additional fee is listed in the fee schedule under the heading “Recordation of Documents: Additional titles (per group of 10 or fewer titles).” These fees are discussed in more detail in Sections 2309.11(A) and 2309.11(B) below. For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5.
Chapter 2300 : 30 12/22/2014 2309.11(A) The Basic Recording Fee and the Fee for Multiple Transactions The amount of the filing fee for a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright varies depending on the number of transactions listed in the document. If the document contains only one transaction the remitter should submit the basic recording fee discussed in Section 2309.11. If the document contains multiple transactions, the remitter must pay the basic recording fee and an additional fee for each additional transaction, even if two or more transactions appear on the same page of the doEcxuammepnlet.s :
Chapter 2300 : 31 12/22/2014 2309.11(B) The Fee for Additional Titles The amount of the filing fee for a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright v• aries depending on the number of titles listed in the document. If the document contains only one title the remitter should submit the basic • recording fee discussed in Section 2309.11.
Chapter 2300 : 32 12/22/2014 2309.11(B)(2) Subtitles and Alternative Titles When counting the number of titles, the remitter should include any subtitles, alternative titles, or variant titles listed in the document, including “previous titles,” “formerly known as titles,” or “also known as titles” that have been assigned to the same work. Example of a single title:
2309.11(B)(3) Translated Titles When the title of a work is listed in the document together with a translation of that title, botEhx tahme polreisg oinf aml utilttliep laen tdit tlehse: translated title should be counted as separate titles. • “On the Water” (“Auf dem Wasser”).
There is a limited exception to this rule. When the same title is repeated multiple times throughout the same document followed by different issue numbers, volumes numbers, chapter numbers, installment numbers, or the like, each entry should be counted as a separateE txiatlme pwlehse onf cmaluclutilpaltein tgit ltehse: additional filing fee. • Fan Club News Fan Club News Fan Club News, vol. 1, no. 3 (June 2011)
By contrast, when the same title is repeated multiple times throughout the same document with different version numbers, publication dates, author names, or other descriptEivxea minpfolersm oaft miounl,t eipalceh t ietnletsr:y should be counted as a separate title. “You Are The One (from Summer Romance)”
InkJet Writer (v. 3.0)
InkJet Writer (v. 4.0)
2309.11(C) Refunds Once a document has been submitted for recordation, the Office will not refund the basic recording fee, regardless of whether the Office issues a certificate of recordation. If the Office refuses to record a document containing multiple titles and if the fee for the additional titles is more than $50, the Office will refund the fee automatically. If the fee is $50 or less the Office may issue a refund if the remitter makes a specific request.
2309.12 Form DCS
2309.12(A) Benefits of Using Form DCS When recording a transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright, the remitter is strongly encouraged but not required to submit the document together with F• orm DCS. Submitting this form is optional, but it does provide certain benefits. Form DCS assists the recordation specialist in determining whether the remitter complied with the requirements for recording the document with the Office. For • information concerning these requirements, see Sections 2309.8 through 2309.11. Upon request, the Office will issue a return receipt confirming that the document was received on a particular date, but only if the remitter submits the document Chapter 2300 : 34 12/22/2014 together with two copies of Form DCS. For information concerning this procedure, • see Section 2309.14 below.
When the remitter submits a document together with Form DCS, the form becomes part of the public record for that submission. If the Office subsequently records the document, the Office will return the original document to the remitter along with a certificate of recordation and a copy of the form. In this respect, Form DCS serves as a summary of the newly created record and improves recordkeeping and communication between the Office and the remitter.
NOTE : A document submitted with Form DCS will be processed in the same manner as a document submitted without a cover sheet. As discussed in Section 2306.2, recordation specialists will index the document by transcribing information from the document itself or the electronic title list for that document (if any) but will not transcribe any information from Form DCS. Likewise, documents submitted with or without a form will not be processed on an expedited basis unless the remitter requests special handling. FSeoer gae dniesrcaulslysion of this procedure, see Section 2307. Changes to Recordation Practices, 79 Fed. Reg. 41,470, 41,471 (July 16, 2014).
Chapter 2300 : 35 12/22/2014 2309.12(B) Form DCS Distinguished from an Instrument or Conveyance That Transfers the Copyright from One Party to Another Form DCS is distinct from a legal instrument, conveyance, or other document that transfers copyright ownership from one party to another. A document cover sheet does not convey any rights in the copyright; it is merely a form that may be used to facilitate the recordation of a transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright.
2309.12(C) Completing Form DCS This Section provides guidance for completing Form DCS. Remitters may obtain copies of this form from the Office’s website (http://copyright.gov/forms/formdcs.pdf) or by contacting the Public Information Office at the address specified in Chapter 200, Section 204.1(B)(3).
NOTE : Form DCS should only be used if the remitter intends to record a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to copyright. It should not be used if the remitter intends to record a notice of termination, an interim designation of agent for an online service provider, statements identifying anonymous or pseudonymous authors, statements concerning the death of an author, a document pertaining to shareware, or visual arts registry statements. Likewise, it should not be used to file documents with the Licensing Division.
2309.12(C)(1) Spaces 1 and 2: First Party Name Given in the Document / First Title Given in the Document In space 1 of Form DCS, the remitter should provide the name of the first party listed in the document. In space 2, the remitter should provide the first title listed in the document.
The Office may use this information to connect the form with the document in the event they are separated from each other. However, the recordation specialist will not use the information in spaces 1 or 2 when he or she creates the online public record for the document. When indexing a document, the specialist may include the parties and titles listed in the document itself, in the attachments to the document, or in the electronic title list for that document (if any), but as discussed in Section 2306.2, the specialist will not include parties or titles listed on Form DCS.
2309.12(C)(2) Space 3: Total Number of Titles in the Document In space 3 of Form DCS the remitter should provide the total number of titles listed in the document.
As discussed in Section 2309.11(B), the fee for recording a document is based, in part, on the number of titles listed therein (if any). The recordation specialist may use the information provided in space 3 to determine whether the correct fee has been paid. For guidance in counting the number of titles listed in a document, see Sections 2309.11(B)(1) through 2309.11(B)(5).
Chapter 2300 : 36 12/22/2014 2309.12(C)(3) Space 4: Return Receipt Requested Upon request the Office will issue a return receipt acknowledging that a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright has been received in the Office. To request a receipt, the remitter must check the box on space 4 of Form DCS and must submit the document to the Office together with two copies of the form and a self-addressed envelope bearing an appropriate amount of postage. For more information concerning this option, see Section 2309.14.
2309.12(C)(4) Space 5: Electronic Title List Enclosed The remitter should check the box in space 5 of Form DCS if the remitter intends to submit the document together with an electronic title list. For information concerning this option, see Section 2309.13.
2309.12(C)(5) Spaces 6 and 7: Amount of Fee Calculated / Fee Enclosed A transfer or other document pertaining to copyright should be submitted together with the appropriate filing fee. The remitter should specify the amount of the filing fee in space 6 of Form DCS, and in space 7 the remitter should specify whether the fee will be paid by check, by money order, or with a deposit account. If the remitter intends to use a deposit account, the remitter should provide the account number and the name of the account holder.
As discussed in Section 2309.11(B), the fee for recording a document is based, in part, on the number of titles listed therein (if any). For guidance in calculating the filing fee, see Sections 2309.11(A) and 2309.11(B). For additional information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5. 2309.12(C)(6) Space 8: Completeness of Document As discussed in Section 2309.9, a transfer or other document pertaining to copyright may be recorded, provided that the document is complete by its own terms. If the document appears to be incomplete, the recordation specialist may communicate with the remitter, which may delay the examination of the document. For example, the specialist may communicate with the remitter if the document appears to be an exhibit, schedule, appendix, addendum, or other attachment to another document. However, if the remitter checks the box in space 8 of Form DCS marked “All attachments referenced in this document are included,” the specialist will record the document without communicating with the remitter. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 2309.9(B) above.
Likewise, if the document indicates that an exhibit, schedule, appendix, addendum, or other attachment has been made a part of the document or is attached thereto, the specialist may communicate with the remitter if the document is submitted without the attachments. However, the specialist will record the document without communicating if the remitter checks the box in space 8 of Form DCS attesting to the following statement: “One or more attachments referenced in this document is missing but (a) the attachment is completely unavailable for recordation; (b) the attachment is not essential Chapter 2300 : 37 12/22/2014 to the identification of the subject matter of the document; and (c) it would be impossible or wholly impracticable to have the parties to the document sign or initial a deletion of the reference to the attachment.” For information concerning this procedure, see Section 2309.9(A) above.
2309.12(C)(7) Space 9: Certification of Photocopied Documents If the remitter intends to submit a photocopy or other reproduction of a signed document, the remitter must submit a sworn certification stating that the reproduction is a true copy of the original.
As discussed in Section 2309.10(C)(2), this certification may be provided by completing space 9 of Form DCS. The certification must be signed by one of the parties to the document or an authorized representative of that party. The date provided in space 9 should be the date that the certification was signed (rather than the date that the original document was signed).
NOTE : If the remitter intends to submit a photocopy or other reproduction of a document that has been validated by or is on file with a public office, the reproduction must be submitted together with an official certification. The certification that appears on space 9 of Form DCS cannot be used for this purpose. For information concerning official certifications, see Section 2309.10(C)(4).
2309.12(C)(8) Space 10: Mailing Address and Contact Information As discussed in Section 2305, when a document is recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office, the Office will scan the document and return the original to the remitter along with the certificate of recordation.
When completing Form DCS, the remitter should provide the name of the person or organization to whom the document and the certificate should be sent, along with the street address, city, state, and zip code for that person and/or organization. In addition, the remitter should provide the email address, phone number, and/or fax number for the person or persons who should be contacted if the recordation specialist has questions or concerns regarding the submission.
2309.12(D) Submitting the Document and Form DCS The remitter should prepare two copies of Form DCS for each transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright that will be submitted for recordation. One copy will be used to image the form for the public record while the other copy may be used to create a return receipt for the remitter.
The remitter should place the document, the filing fee, and the forms in the same envelope or package and should mail them to the address specified in Section 2309.6. If the remitter intends to submit an electronic title list, then as discussed in Section 2309.13(B), the remitter should include that item in the envelope or package that contains the rest of the submission. If the remitter would like to receive a return receipt confirming that the Office received the submission, then as discussed in Section 2309.14, Chapter 2300 : 38 12/22/2014 the remitter should check box 4 of Form DCS and should include a self-addressed postage-paid envelope with the submission.
2309.13 Electronic Title Lists
When recording a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to copyright, the remitter may submit the document together with an electronic title list if the document contains 100 titles or more. The procedures for preparing and submitting an electronic title list are discussed in Sections 2309.13(A) and 2309.13(B) below. Submitting an electronic title list is optional, but it does provide certain benefits. At the present time, documents must be submitted for recordation in paper form. When the recordation specialist indexes a document, the specialist manually transcribes certain information from the document, including the titles and registration numbers for the works listed therein. Once this information has been converted into an electronic format, the specialist prepares an online public record for the document. Transcribing the titles and registration numbers listed in a document is a labor-intensive and time- consuming process, since many documents contain hundreds or even thousands of titles and registration numbers.
To facilitate this process, the remitter may submit a document together with an electronic file containing a list of the titles and registration numbers specified in the document. This reduces the amount of time and labor needed to index the document, the potential for inaccuracies in the public record, and the amount of time needed to record the document and issue a certificate of recordation. Submitting an electronic title list is not mandatory. However, this option may only be used if the document contains 100 titles or more (including titles listed in any exhibit, schedule, appendix, addendum, or other attachment to the document). If the remitter submits a document together with an electronic title list, the recordation specialist will index the titles and registration numbers specified in the document using the information provided in the electronic title list. In addition, the specialist will add a note to the online public record indicating that the document was indexed using an electronic title list.
The specialist may “spot check” some of the entries in the electronic title list and may communicate with the remitter if he or she discovers discrepancies. However, the remitter will bear the consequences (if any) if there are inaccuracies in the list or discrepancies between the information contained in the list and the information contained in the actual document. Therefore, remitters are strongly encouraged to confirm that the electronic title list fully and accurately reflects the information contained in the document before it is submitted to the Office. For information concerning the procedure for correcting an error or omission in an electronic title list, see Section 2309.13(C).
Chapter 2300 : 39 12/22/2014 See generally Changes to Recordation Practices, 79 Fed. Reg. 55,633, 55,634-35 (Sept. 17, 2014); Changes to Recordation Practices, 79 Fed. Reg. 41,470, 41,471-72 (July 16, 2014).
2309.13(A) Preparing the Electronic Title List To prepare an electronic title list, the remitter should create a table that contains a complete list of all the titles listed in the document. The title of each work should be provided in a separate row of the table, and the titles should be listed in the same order that they appear in the document. If the document lists the author of a particular work and/or the registration number for that work, the remitter should include that information in the table.
The table must be submitted in Excel (.xls) format or an equivalent electronic format that has been approved by the Office, and should contain only letters, numbers, or other printable characters that appear in the ASCII 128 character set. The remitter should divide the table into four columns with headings from left to right entitled “Article,” “Title,” “Authorship Information,” and “Registration Number(s).” The remitter should complete each column using the procedures described in Sections 2309.13(A)(1) through 2309.13(A)(4).
The remitter should include all four columns in the table, even if the remitter does not intend to enter information in one or more of those columns. For example, the remitter should include a column entitled “Authorship Information” even if the document does not identify the author of each work and should include a column entitled “Registration Number(s)” even if the works have not been registered with the Office. The remitter should not provide the title, author, or registration number for a particular work unless that information is listed in the actual document or the attachments thereto. For example, if the document merely lists the title for a particular work, the remitter should include that information in the “Title” column but should not include the name of the author or the registration number in the columns titled “Authorship Information” and “Registration Number(s).” Instead, those columns should be left blank.
If the remitter fails to comply with these requirements the Office may communicate with the remitter or may refuse to accept the electronic title list. This will delay the examination of the document, which in turn, will delay the issuance of the certificate of recordation.
2309.13(A)(1) The “Article” Column If any of the titles in the document begin with an article, such as “a,” “an,” “the,” or any other article listed below, the remitAt eSru sithaobuleld B soeyparate that article from the rest of the tiAtle and should place it in the first column under the headiTnhge e Mntoitolre’ds L“aAsrtt iScilgeh.” For example, if the title of the work isT “he ,” the remitter should place the word “ ” in the first column. Similarly, if the title of the work is “ ,” the remitter should place the word “ ” in the first column. Separating these articles from the rest of the title will assist the Office in sorting the records within its database. Chapter 2300 : 40 12/22/2014 •In alEl ncagsliessh,- tlahneg fuoallgoew tiintgle asrticles should be included in the first column of the table: • Spanish-language titles: A, An, The.
• French-language titles : Un, UnaL, 'EInl, nLoam, Lmoa, bLlaes, Los. • German-language title:s :L’ (as in ), Le, La, Les, Un, Une. Der, Die, Das, Einer, Eine, Ein.
If a particular title does not begin with an article, or if the title begins with an article that is not listed above, or if the title is written in a language other than English, Spanish, French, or German, the remitItle Pr osshtoinuold include the first column in the table but the “Article” column for that particular work should be left blanIkl”. For instance, if the document contains the title “ ,” the remitter should include the “Article” column in the table, but the remitter should not include the article “ in that portion of the table.
2309.13(A)(2) The “Title” Column The title of each work listed in the document should be included in the second column of the table. However, if a title begins with any of the articles listed in Section 2309.13(AA )N(e1w), tHhoep reemitteTrh esh Eomupldir ien Sclturidkee st hBaatc akrticle in the first column entitled “AArticle” Trahteher than the second column entitled “NTeitwle .H” oFpoer” exampElme, pifi rteh Set triitklee so Bf athcek work is “ ” or “ ,” the remitRteetru srhno oufl dth peu Jte dthie words “ ” and “ ” in the first column and should put “ and “ ” in the second column. By contrast, if the title of the work is “ ,” the remitter should leave the first column blank and should put the entire title in the second column.
2309.13(A)(3) The “Authorship Information” Column In the third column the remitter should provide the names of the authors who are listed in the document. In each case, the entry should include the word “By” followed by the name of the author or co-authors of the work, as in “By Steven Sondheim” or “By Benny Andersson, Tim Rice, and Björn Ulvaeus.”
If an author is identified in the document with a designation such as “performer known as,” “also known as,” or the like, the remitter should include that designation in the “Authorship Information” column, as in “By Gerald Sheldon Herman, also known as Jerry Herman.”
If the document contains an abbreviated designation – such as a.k.a. (also known as), d/b/a (doing business as), or the like – the remitter should include that abbreviation in the third column without punctuation between the letters, as in “By Ella Yelich- O’Connor pka Lorde,” rather than “By Ella Yelich-O’Connor p/k/a Lorde.” NOTE : As discussed in Section 2309.13(A), the remitter should include the “Authorship Information” column in the table, even if the document does not identify the authors of the works listed therein.
Chapter 2300 : 41 12/22/2014 2309.13(A)(4) The “Registration Number(s)” Column In the fourth column the remitter should include any copyright registration numbers that are listed in the document. If there are multiple registration numbers for a particular work, the remitter should place a comma between each number. Regardless of how they appear in the document, the remitter should use the following f•o rmat when providing registration numbers in an electronic title list: Each registration number should begin with a prefix. The prefix should contain one, two, or three letters, such as E, EU, SR, or VAU. The prefix should be presented in capital letters (as in “PAU” rather than “PAu” or “pau”) and there should be no • spaces, hyphens, or other punctuation between the letters. Each registration number should contain twelve characters, including the prefix and the numbers that follow. If a registration number contains less than twelve characters, the remitter should insert zeroes between the prefix and the numeric portion of that registration number. For example, if the document contains registration number “SR-320-918,” that number should be transcribed in the fourth column as “SR0000320918.” If the document contains registration number “VAu- 598-764,” that number should be transcribed in the fourth column as “VAU000598764.” For additional examples that illustrate the proper format for • t N r O an TE scribing registration numbers, see Section 2306.4. : As discussed in Section 2309.13(A), the remitter should include the “Registration Number(s)” column in the table, even if the document does not identify the registration numbers for the works listed therein. 2309.13(B) Submitting the Electronic Title List The table should be saved on a compact disc, flash drive, or other digital storage medium approved by the Office, and should be clearly labeled with the following •in formation:
• The name of the remitter.
• The name of the first party listed in the document.
• The first title listed in the document.
• The number of titles listed in the document.
2309.13(C) Correcting an Error or Omission in an Electronic Title List If an electronic title list contains errors or omissions, corresponding errors or omissions may appear in the online public record for that document. To correct these errors or omissions the remitter may submit a corrected version of the electronic title list. A corrected title list may be submitted at any time after the Office issued a certificate of recordation and created an online public record for the document. Specifically, the party that submitted the document should prepare a table using the procedures described in Section 2309.13(A). The table must be prepared in Excel (.xls) format or an equivalent electronic format that has been approved by the Office. The table should contain a complete list of all the titles listed in the recorded document, and each row that contains corrected information should be identified with colored highlighting. The header for the table should contain the phrase ‘‘CORRECTED TITLE LIST,’’ the volume and document number that the Office assigned to the recorded document, as well as the name of the computer file containing the corrected title list. The table should be saved on a compact disc, flash drive, or other digital storage medium approved by the Office. The file name for the table should include the volume number and document number that the Office assigned to the recorded document. The s•t orage device should be clearly labeled with the following information: • The name of the remitter that submitted the document for recordation. • The name of the first party listed in the recorded document. • The first title listed in the recorded document.
• The number of titles listed in the recorded document. The date the document was mailed or delivered to the Office for recordation. In addition, the remitter should prepare a cover letter that contains the following i•n formation:
• The name of the remitter that submitted the document for recordation. • The name of the first party listed in the recorded document. The first title listed in the recorded document.
The remitter should place the storage medium, the cover letter, and the appropriate filing fee in the same envelope or package and should mail them to the address specified in Section 2309.6. To request a return receipt acknowledging the Chapter 2300 : 43 12/22/2014 receipt of these items, the remitter should use the procedure described in Section 2309.14.
The current filing fee for submitting a corrected title list is set forth in the U.S. Copyright Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Correction of online Public Catalog data due to erroneous electronic title submission (per title)”(www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). The amount of the fee is based on the number of titles included in the corrected list. A recordation specialist will review the submission, and if appropriate, will correct the errors or omissions that appear in the online public record. In addition, the specialist will add a note indicating that the record has been corrected and the date that the Scoeerr geecntieornasll yw ere made.
2309.14 Return Receipts for Transfers of Ownership or Other Documents Pertaining to Copyright When a transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright is submitted for recordation it may be several months or more before the remitter receives word from the Office concerning the status of the submission. Upon request the Office will provide a return receipt confirming that the Office received a document. To request a receipt, the remitter must check the box on space 4 of Form DCS, and must submit two copies of the form in the same envelope or package with the document, the filing fee, and a self-addressed envelope bearing the appropriate amount of postage. When the submission is received, the Office will attach a date-stamped receipt to one of the forms and will mail these items to the remitter in the self-addressed envelope.
NOTE : Form DCS should only be used if the remitter intends to record a transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright. It should not be used if the remitter intends to record a notice of termination, an interim designation of agent for an online service provider, or any other type of document discussed in this Chapter. To request a return receipt for these types of documents the remitter should follow the procedures described in Sections 2310.6, 2311, 2312.2, 2313.7, or 2314.8. Requesting a return receipt is optional. A receipt indicates that the Office received the document described in the form on a particular date, but it does not establish that the document is eligible for recordation or guarantee that the Office will issue a certificate of recordation. Moreover, if the document is recorded, the date stamped on the receipt mSeaey g oern emraayll ynot be the same as the date of recordation set forth in the certificate. Changes to Recordation Practices, 79 Fed. Reg. 41,470, 41,472 (July 16, 2014).
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2309.15 Date of Recordation for a Transfer or Other Document
Pertaining to Copyright When the Office records a transfer of ownership or other document pertaining to copyright, the Office assigns a date of recordation to the certificate of recordation. The date of recordation is the date when the Office receives a proper filing fee and a proper document regardless of when the recordation specialist examines and records the document. If the document and the filing fee are received on different dates, the date of recordation is based on the date of receipt for the last item that is received by the Office. Likewise, if the document is returned to the remitter for correction, the date of recordation is based on the date that the corrected document is received by the Office. 3E7 xCa.mF.Rpl. e§: 201.4(c) and (e).
2310 Notices of Termination The Copyright Act allows authors or their heirs, under certain circumstances, to terminate an agreement that transferred or licensed the author’s copyright to a third party. These termination provisions are set forth in Sections 203, 304(c), and 304(d) of the statute.
2310.1 How to Terminate a Grant
To terminate a grant, the author or the author’s heirs must serve an advance written “notice of termination” on the grantee or the grantee’s successor in title and must record a copy of that notice with the U.S. Copyright Office.
The notice of termination must specify the date that the termination goes into effect. The effective date must fall within a five-year termination period. The beginning and ending of this five-year period is based on a number of factors, such as whether the grant was executed before or after January 1, 1978.
The notice must be served and recorded before the effective date of termination. Specifically, the notice must be served on the grantee no less than two years and no more than ten years before the effective date, and the notice must be recorded with the Office before the effective date.
Failing to specify an effective date that falls within the five-year termination period, or failing to serve and record the notice in a timely manner is a fatal mistake. If the author or the author’s heirs do not comply with these requirements the notice of termination will be invalid, “the agreement will continue according to its own terms,” and “all rights Chapter 2300 : 45 12/22/2014 reprinted in covered by an existing grant will continue unchanged….” H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476, at 126, 128 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5742, 5744.
The types of grants that may be eligible for termination are discussed in Section 2310.2. The specific procedures for terminating a grant are discussed in Sections 2310.3 through 2310.5, including who may terminate a grant, when a grant may be terminated, what should be included in the notice of termination, and how the notice should be served. The procedure for recording a notice of termination with the U.S. Copyright Office is discussed in Sections 2310.6 and 2310.7.
2310.2 What Types of Grants May Be Terminated?
Sections 203, 304(c), and 304(d) allow authors or their heirs to terminate an exclusive or nonexclusive transfer or license of the copyright in the author’s work or an exclusive or nonexclusive transfer or license of any right under a copyright. This includes assignments, mortgages, exclusive licenses, or any other conveyances, alienations, or hypothecations of a copyright or any of the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright. However, the termination provisions do not apply to grants made by will, grants involving a work made for hire, or grants involving rights arising under any other federal, state, or foreign law.
Determining whether a particular grant is subject to termination under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d) depends on a number of factors, including the date the grant was executed, the person(s) who executed the grant, and in some cases, the date that c•o pyright was secured in the work.
The Office has developed a series of questionnaires that may be useful in determining whether a particular grant may be eligible for termination under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d). These questionnaires are set forth in Section 2310.13. The specific procedures for terminating a grant under Section 203 are discussed in Section 2310.3. The specific procedures for terminating a grant under Sections 304(c) and 304(d) are discussed in Sections 2310.4 and 2310.5. 17 U.S.C. §§ 203, 304(c), and 304(d).
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2310.3 Terminating a Grant Under Section 203
2310.3(A) What Types of Grants May Be Terminated Under Section 203? A grant may be terminated under Section 203, but only if the grant was executed by the author on or after January 1, 1978.
Act. Likewise, Section 203 does not apply to grants made by will, grants involving a work made for hire, or grants involving rights arising under any other federal, state, or foreign law.
2310.3(B) Who May Terminate a Grant Under Section 203? A grant made by the author of a work may be terminated by that individual. If the grant was executed by two or more authors of a joint work, the grant may be terminated by a majority of the joint authors who executed the grant. By contrast, if the joint authors executed separate grants, then each grant may be terminated by the individual who executed that grant.
If an author or joint author is deceased, and if that individual did not exercise his or her right to terminate under Section 203, the grant may be terminated by a majority of the author’s heirs. The heirs may include the author’s widow or widower, the author’s children, and/or the children of any child who predeceased the author. The Copyright Act defines a “widow” or “widower” as “the author’s surviving spouse under the law of the author’s domicile at the time of his or her death, whether or not the spouse has later remarried.” The author’s “children” are defined as “that person’s immediate offspring, whether legitimate or not, and any children legally adopted by that person.” If all of the author’s heirs are deceased, and if the author never exercised his or her right to terminate under Section 203, the grant may be terminated by the author’s executor, administrator, personal representative, or trustee.
17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 203(a).
2310.3(C) When May a Grant Be Terminated Under Section 203? A grant may be terminated under Section 203 during a five-year “termination period.” The beginning and ending of this period varies depending on whether the author c•o nveyed the right to publish his or her work.
In all cases, the author or the author’s heirs (if the author is deceased) must comply with •th e following requirements in order to terminate a grant under Section 203: Select an effective date of termination that falls within the five-year termination • period;
17 U.S.C. § 203(a)(4).
If the terminating party selects an effective date that does not fall within the five-year termination period, fails to serve the notice in a timely manner, or fails to record the notice with the Office before the effective date, the termination will be invalid. 2310.3(C)(1) Terminating a Grant That Does Not Convey the Right of Publication If the author did not convey the right to publish his or her work, then the beginning and ending of the termination period is based on the month, day, and year that the grant was executed. Specifically, the termination period begins thirty-five years after the date that the grant was executed, and it ends forty years after the date of execution. 17 U.S.C. § 203(a)(3).
NOTE : The beginning and the end of the termination period are not based on the beginning or end of the calendar year, unless the date of execution happens to fall on January E1xsat morp Dlee: cember 31st.
The Office has developed a table that may be useful in identifying the beginning and ending of the termination period for a grant that did not convey the right of publication. This table may also be useful in selecting an effective date of termination and for calculating the relevant deadlines for serving a notice of termination on the grantee and for recording the notice with the Office. The table is posted on the following page of the Office’s website: copyright.gov/comp3/docs/termination-table-section203rp.pdf . 2310.3(C)(2) Terminating a Grant That Conveys the Right of Publication If the author conveyed the right to publish his or her work, then the beginning and ending of the termination perSioede may be based on the month, day, and year that the grant was executed, or in the alternative, it may be based on the month, day, and year that the work was published. 17 U.S.C. § 203(a)(3).
Specifically, the termination period either begins thirty-five years after the date that the work was published under the grant or forty years after the date that the grant was executed (whichever is earlier).
NOTE : The beginning and the end of the termination period are not based on the beginning or end of the calendar year, unless the date of execution or the date of publication happened to fall on January 1st or December 31st. Moreover, the date of publication under the grant may or may not be the same as the date that the work was first published or the date of publication specified in the certificate of registration for that worEkx. a mple:
Chapter 2300 : 49 12/22/2014 Generally, the beginning and ending of the termination period should be based on the date of publication rather than the date of execution if the work was published less than five years after the date of execution. Conversely, if the work was never published under the grant or if the work was published more than five years after the grant was executed, the termination period should be based on the date of execution rather than the date of publication. The following chart may be useful in making this determination:
Is the date identified in line 4 earlier than the date identified in line 3? If so, the beginning and ending of the termination period should be calculated using the date that the work was published under the grant.
The Office has developed a set of tables that may be useful in identifying the beginning and ending of the termination period for a grant involving the right of publication. These tables also may be useful in selecting an effective date of termination and for calculating the relevant deadlines for serving a notice of termination on the grantee and for r•e cording the notice with the Office.
2310.3(C)(3) Gap Grants What if the author signed a written agreement or entered into an oral agreement before January 1, 1978 involving a work that was created on or after that date? These types of grants are known as “gap grants.”
As discussed above, Section 203 applies to grants executed by the author on or after January 1, 1978. The Office has concluded that gap grants may be terminated under this provision, “because as a matter of copyright law, a transfer that predates the existence Chapter 2300 : 50 12/22/2014 of the copyrighted work cannot be effective (and therefore cannot be ‘executed’) until the work of authorship (and the copyright) come into existence.” Gap in Termination Provisions, 76 Fed. Reg. 32,316, 32,316 (June 6, 2011). In cases where the author agreed, prior to January 1, 1978, to transfer or license the copyright in a work that was created on or after January 1, 1978, the Office may record a notice of termination under Section 203 if the notice states that the date of execution for the grant is the date that the work was created. 37 C.F.R. § 201.10(f)(5). 2310.3(D) How to Prepare and Serve a Notice of Termination Under Section 203 The regulatory requirements for terminating a grant under Section 203 are discussed in Sections 2310.3(D)(1) through 2310.3(D)(3).
2310.3(D)(1) Content Requirements To terminate a grant under Section 203, the notice of termination must include a clear i•d entification of the following:
• A statement that the grant is being terminated under Section 203. The name of each grantee whose rights are being terminated or the name of the • grantee’s successor in title.
• A statement identifying each address at which the notice is being served. • The date of execution of the grant.
If an author is deceased and if the right to terminate the grant under Section 203 is being exercised by his or her heirs, the notice also should include the following i•n formation:
A specific indication of the person or persons executing the notice who constitute more than one-half of that author’s termination interest. In the alternative, the notice may include a statement containing as much information concerning the author’s heirs “as is currently available to the person or persons signing the notice, with a brief explanation of the reasons why full information is or may be lacking,” and “[a] statement that, to the best knowledge and belief of the person or persons signing the notice, the notice has been signed by all persons whose signature is necessary to terminate the grant under section 203 of title 17, U.S.C., or by their duly authorized agents.” 37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(2)(vii)(A)-(B). NOTE : The use of the word “currently” is intended to avoid any implication that the terminating party is required to conduct an investigation in order to comply with this portion of the regulations.
In all cases, the terminating party or parties must provide “a complete and unambiguous statement of facts in the notice itself, without incorporation by reference of information in other documents or records.” 37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(3). 2310.3(D)(1)(a) The Date of Execution and Date of Publication As discussed in Section 2310.3(C), the beginning and the ending of the termination period are based on the date the grant was executed or, in the case of grants covering the right of publication, the earlier of forty years from the date of execution of the grant or thirty-five years from the date of publication. For these reasons, the notice must specify the date the grant was executed, and if a work was published under the grant, it also must specify the date that the work was published. 2310.3(D)(1)(b) Naming the Authors of a Joint Work If the grant was executed by two or more authors of a joint work, then as discussed in Section 2310.3(B), the grant may be terminated by a majority of the joint authors who executed the grant or by a majority of his or her heirs if joint author is deceased. For these reasons, the notice of termination should identify all of the joint authors who executed the grant.
2310.3(D)(1)(c) A Copy of the Grant Is Not Required In most cases, the party issuing the notice of termination may not have a copy of the grant that is being terminated or may not have access to a copy. For these reasons, the terminating party does not need to identify the location of the grant, offer to produce a copy of the grant, or attach a copy of the grant to the notice. 2310.3(D)(1)(d) Providing a Registration Number Parties are encouraged to provide a registration number for each work listed in the notice of termination (if any), because this information may be useful in identifying the Chapter 2300 : 52 12/22/2014 work to which the notice applies. However, this information needs to be provided only if it is possible and practicable.
2310.3(D)(2) Signature Requirements The notice of termination must be signed by each author who is terminating the grant or by his or her duly authorized agent.
If an author is deceased the notice must be signed by the required number and proportion of the owners of that author’s termination interest or by their duly authorized agents. In addition, the notice shall contain a brief statement specifying each person’s relationship to the deceased author, such as “widow,” “widower,” “child,” or “grandchild.”
If the notice is signed by a duly authorized agent, the notice shall clearly identify the person or persons that the agent represents.
In all cases, the notice should contain a handwritten signature and a typewritten or legibly hand printed statement containing the full name and address of each party or agent who signed the notice.
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(c)(3)-(5).
2310.3(D)(3) Service Requirements This Section discusses the requirements for serving a notice of termination under Section 203. The same requirements also apply to notices issued under Sections 304(c) or 304(d).
A notice of termination must be served upon each grantee whose rights are being terminated, or the grantee’s successor in title. The notice must be served by personal service or by first class mail. Service by registered mail or certified mail is not required. The notice must be sent to the address that, after a reasonable investigation, is found to be the last known address of the grantee or successor in title. The service requirements set forth in the statute will be satisfied if the terminating party •ta kes the following steps:
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(d)(1)-(3)
2310.4 Terminating a Grant Under Section 304(c)
2310.4(A) What Types of Grants May Be Terminated Under Section 304(c)? Under the previous copyright law, the copyright in a work could be secured by publishing the work with a proper copyright notice or by registering the work with the U.S. Copyright Office. The term of the copyright was divided into two consecutive terms: an initial term of twenty-eight years and a renewal term that lasted for another twenty- eight years. The initial term began when the copyright was originally secured through registration or publication with notice. The renewal term began twenty-eight years thereafter if the copyright owner filed a renewal application with the Office. When Congress enacted the current copyright law, it maintained the renewal system for works that were protected by copyright as of January 1, 1978. In addition, Congress extended the length of the copyright term to seventy-five years, consisting of an initial term of twenty-eight years and a renewal term of forty-seven years. The nineteen additional years that Congress added to the renewal term are known as the “extended renewal term.”
At the same time, Congress created a procedure that allows an author or the author’s heirs to terminate a grant that transferred or licensed Stehee gceonpeyrraigllhyt to a third party and to reclaim the copyright rfoerp rtihnet eddu irnation of the extended renewal term. This procedure is set forth under Section 304(c) of the Copyright Act. H.R. REP. NO. 94- 1476, at 140-42 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 5756-58; S. REP. NO. 94-473, at 123 (1975); Notice of Termination, 66 Fed. Reg. 22,139, 22,139 (May 3, 2001). Section 304(c) of the Copyright Act may be used to terminate a grant executed before January 1, 1978 involving the copyright in the renewal term or any right under the renewal term, provided that the grant was executed by one or more of the following p• arties:
• The author of the work.
• The author’s widow, widower, or children.
• The author’s executors.
Chapter 2300 : 54 12/22/2014 See 17 U.S.C. § 304(a)(1)(C), (c).
Grants executed on or after January 1, 1978 are not subject to termination under Section 304(c). Likewise, this provision does not apply to grants made by will, grants involving a work made for hire, or grants involving rights arising under any other federal, state, or foreign law.
2310.4(B) Who May Terminate a Grant Under Section 304(c)? 2310.4(B)(1) Grants Executed by the Author A grant executed by the author of a work may be terminated by that individual under Section 304(c).
If the grant was executed by two or more authors of a joint work, the grant may be terminated by any of the joint authors who executed the grant. “There is no requirement of unanimity, majority interest, or the like, among granting co-authors.” Termination of Transfers and Licenses Covering the Extended Renewal Term, 42 Fed. Reg. 45,916, 45,917 (Sept. 13, 1977). When a particular author issues a notice of termination under Section 304(c), the termination only applies to that author’s share of the ownership of the renewal copyright.
If an author or co-author is deceased and if that individual never exercised his or her right to terminate, the grant may be terminated under Section 304(c)(1)-(2) by a majority of the author’s heirs. The heirs may include the author’s widow or widower, the author’s children, and/or the children of any child who predeceased the author. If all of the author’s heirs are deceased and if the author never exercised his or her right to terminate, the grant may be terminated under Section 304(c)(2)(D) by the author’s executor, administrator, personal representative, or trustee. 2310.4(B)(2) Grants Executed by Persons Other Than the Author As discussed above, a grant executed by one or more of the following persons may be •te rminated under Section 304(c):
• The author’s widow, widower, or children.
• The author’s executors.
If the grant was executed by one person, the right to terminate must be exercised by that individual.
If the grant was executed by two or more persons, the grant must be unanimously terminated by all of the individuals who executed the grant. If one or more of those persons is deceased, the grant must be unanimously terminated by the other persons who are alive as of the date that the termination is made. Chapter 2300 : 55 12/22/2014 2310.4(C) When May a Grant Be Terminated Under Section 304(c)? A grant may be terminated under Section 304(c) during a five-year termination period. The beginning and the end of this period are based on the month, day, and year that copyright was originally secured in the work. Specifically, the termination period begins fifty-six years after the date that the work was originally secured or January 1, 1978, whichever is later. The termination period ends sixty-one years after the original registration or publication date.
NOTE : The beginning and end of the termination period is not based on the beginning or end of the calendar year, unless the work happened to be registered or published on January 1st or December 31st.
To terminate a transfer or license under Section 304(c), the author or the author’s heirs •(i f the author is deceased) must comply with the following requirements: e.g., Select an effective date of termination that falls within the five-year termination period ( at least fifty-six years after the date that the work was originally registered or published with a proper copyright notice (whichever is earlier), but no • more than sixty-one years after the original date of registration or publication); Serve a notice of termination on the grantee or the grantee’s successor in title not less than two years and not more than ten years before the effective date of • termination; and Record the notice with the U.S. Copyright Office before the effective date of termination.
If the author or the author’s heirs (if the author is deceased) select an effective date that does not fall within the five-year termination period, fail to serve the notice in a timely manner, or fail to record the notice before the effective date, the termination will be invalid.
The Office has developed a table that may be useful in identifying the beginning and ending of the termination period for a grant that is eligible for termination under Section 304(c). The table may also be useful in selecting an effective date of termination and for calculating the relevant deadlines for serving a notice of termination on the grantee and for recording the notice with the Office. The table is posted on the following page of the Office’s website: copyright.gov/comp3/docs/termination-table-section304c.pdf. 2310.4(D) How to Prepare and Serve a Notice of Termination Under Section 304(c) The regulatory requirements for terminating a grant under Section 304(c) are discussed in Sections 2310.4(D)(1) through 2310.4(D)(3).
Chapter 2300 : 56 12/22/2014 2310.4(D)(1) Content Requirements To terminate a grant under Section 304(c), the notice of termination must include a clear identification of the information listed below. The same requirements also apply to •n otices issued under Section 304(d):
• A statement that the grant is being terminated under Sections 304(c) or 304(d). The name of each grantee whose rights are being terminated or the name of the • grantee’s successor in title.
• A statement identifying each address at which the notice is being served. For each work covered by the notice of termination, the title of the work, the name of at least one author, the date copyright was originally secured, and if possible and • practicable, the original copyright registration number. A brief statement reasonably identifying the grant to which the notice of • termination applies.
If the grant was executed by a person or persons other than the author, the notice also should include a list of the surviving person or persons who executed the grant. If an author is deceased and if the right to terminate the grant under is being exercised b• y his or her heirs, the notice also should include the following information: The names of the following individuals and a statement identifying his or her relat−i onship to the author:
2310.4(D)(1)(c) Naming the Author and His or Her Heirs Parties are encouraged to provide the name of at least one author of the work(s) listed in the notice of termination, because this information may be useful in identifying the work(s) to which the notice applies.
As discussed in Section 2310.4(B)(1), a grant may be terminated under Section 304 by any of the granting authors, or that author’s surviving heirs, to the extent of that author’s share of the copyright. For this reason, there is no need to identify all the authors of the work or to demonstrate unanimity, majority interest, or the like, among granting co-authors.
Likewise, when issuing a notice of termination on behalf of an author who is deceased, there is no need to provide information as to other, non-terminating, surviving authors or the surviving heirs of other deceased authors.
2310.4(D)(1)(d) Providing a Registration Number Providing a registration number may be useful in identifying the work to which the notice of termination applies. However, this information is not required. 2310.4(D)(2) Signature Requirements This Section discusses the signature requirements for terminating a grant under Section 304(c). The same requirements also apply to a notice of termination issued under Section 304(d).
Chapter 2300 : 58 12/22/2014 If the grant was executed by one or more of the authors of the work, the notice of termination for any one author’s share must be signed by that author or by his or her duly authorized agent.
If the author is deceased the notice must be signed by the required number and proportion of the heirs who own that author’s termination interest or by their duly authorized agSeenet s. In addition, the notice shall contain a brief statement specifying each person’s relationship to the deceased author, such as “widow,” “widower,” “child,” or “grandchild.” Termination of Transfers and Licenses Covering Extended Renewal Term, 42 Fed. Reg. 45,916, 45,919 (Sept. 13, 1977).
If the grant was executed by the author’s widow, widower, children, executors, or next of kin, the notice must be signed by all of the surviving person or persons who executed the grant or by their duly authorized agents.
If the notice is signed by a duly authorized agent, the notice shall clearly identify the person or persons whom the agent represents.
In all cases, the notice should contain a handwritten signature and a typewritten or legibly hand printed statement containing the full name and address of each party or agent who signed the notice.
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(c)(1)-(2), (4)-(5).
2310.4(D)(3) Service Requirements For information concerning the requirements for serving a notice of termination under Section 304(c), see Section 2310.3(D)(3).
2310.5 Terminating a Grant Under Section 304(d)
2310.5(A) What Types of Grants May Be Terminated Under Section 304(d)? In 1998 Congress amended the copyright law by adding another twenty years to the copyright term. For works that were protected by copyright as of January 1, 1978, the length of the copyright term was extended to ninety-five years, consisting of an initial term of twenty-eight years and a renewal term of sixty-seven years. At the same time, Congress created a procedure that allows an author or the author’s heirs to terminate a grant that transferred or licensed the copyright to a third party and to reclaim the copyright for the duration of the twenty-year extension. This procedure is set forth under Section 304(d) of the Copyright Act.
Section 304(d) may be used to terminate a grant executed before January 1, 1978 involving the copyright in the renewal term or any right under the renewal term, provided that the following requirements have been met: Chapter 2300 : 59 12/22/2014 The grant involves the copyright in a work that was originally registered • or published with notice between January 1, 1923 and October 26, 1939. The −g rant was executed by one or more of the following parties: − The author.
• The author’s next of kin.
Grants executed on or after January 1, 1978 are not subject to termination under Section 304(d). This provision does not apply to grants involving a work that was originally registered or published on or after October 27, 1939. It does not apply to grants made by will, grants involving a work made for hire, or grants involving rights arising under any other federal, state, or foreign law. Likewise, it does not apply if the author or the author’s heirs already exercised their right to terminate under Section 304(c). 17 U.S.C. § 304(d); 37 C.F.R. § 201.10.
2310.5(B) Who May Terminate a Grant Under Section 304(d)? As discussed above, a grant may be terminated under Section 304(d), provided that the author or the author’s heirs have not exercised their right to terminate under Section 304(c).
If the grant was executed by the author of a work, the grant may be terminated by any of the parties listed in Section 2310.4(B)(1).
If the grant was executed by the author’s widow, widower, children, executor, or next of kin, the grant may be terminated by any of the parties listed in Section 2310.4(B)(2). NOTE : When a joint author terminates a grant under Section 304(c), the termination only applies to that author’s share of the ownership of the renewal copyright. In other words, Section 304(c) permits joint authors to exercise their termination rights separately. Therefore, if a joint author has not exercised his or her right to terminate under Section 304(c), that author or his or her heirs may terminate the grant under Section 304(d) — even if other joint author(s) have exercised their right to terminate the grant under Section 304(c).
2310.5(C) When May a Grant Be Terminated Under Section 304(d)? A grant may be terminated under Section 304(d) during a five-year termination period. The beginning and the end of this period are based on the month, day, and year that copyright was originally secured in the work. Specifically, the termination period begins Chapter 2300 : 60 12/22/2014 seventy-five years after the date that the work was originally registered with the U.S. Copyright Office or the date that the work was originally published with a proper copyright notice (whichever is earlier). The termination period ends eighty years after that original registration or publication date.
NOTE : The beginning and the end of the termination period are not based on the beginning or end of the calendar year, unless the work happened to be registered or published on January 1st or December 31st.
To terminate a transfer or license under Section 304(d), the author or the author’s heirs •(i f the author is deceased) must comply with the following requirements: i.e., Select an effective date of termination that falls within the five-year termination period ( at least seventy-five years after the date that the work was originally registered or published with a proper copyright notice (whichever is earlier), but no • more than eighty years after the original date of registration or publication); Serve a notice of termination on the grantee or the grantee’s successor in title not less than two years and not more than ten years before the effective date of • termination; and Record the notice with the U.S. Copyright Office before the effective date of termination.
If the author or the author’s heirs (if the author is deceased) select an effective date that does not fall within the five-year termination period, fail to serve the notice in a timely manner, or fail to record the notice with the Office before the effective date, the termination will be invalid.
The Office has developed a table that may be useful in identifying the beginning and ending of the termination period for a grant that is eligible for termination under Section 304(d). This table may also be useful in selecting an effective date of termination and for calculating the relevant deadlines for serving a notice of termination on the grantee and for recording the notice with the Office. The table is posted on the following page of the Office’s website: copyright.gov/comp3/docs/termination-table-section304d.pdf. 2310.5(D) How to Prepare and Serve a Notice of Termination Under Section 304(d) The regulatory requirements for terminating a grant under Section 304(d) are discussed in Sections 2310.5(D)(1) through 2310.5(D)(3).
2310.5(D)(1) Content Requirements To terminate a grant under Section 304(d), the notice of termination must include a clear identification of the following information:
Chapter 2300 : 61 12/22/2014 • A statement that the grant is being terminated under Section 304(d). A statement that termination of renewal term rights under Section 304(c) has not • been previously exercised.
2310.5(D)(3) Service Requirements For information concerning the requirements for serving a notice of termination under Section 304(d), see Section 2310.3(D)(3).
2310.6 How to Record a Notice of Termination
Any person may record a notice of termination with the U.S. Copyright Office, provided that the grant is eligible for termination under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d) of the Copyright Act, and provided that he or she complies with the recordation requirements set forth in Sections 2310.7. The person who submits a notice for recordation is known as the “remitter.”
The remitter should submit a signed copy of the notice to the following address together with the appropriate filing fee:
In the alternative, the notice and the filing fee may be delivered by hand to the Public Information Office at the address specified in Chapter 200, Section 204.1(B)(3). The Public Information Office will provide the remitter with a date-stamped receipt that lists the title of no more than one of the works listed in the notice. Submitting the notice to any other address may result in substantial delays in the receipt and examination of the notice. If the notice does not comply with the statutory or regulatory requirements, the remitter may be required to resubmit the notice or may be required to serve another notice on the grantee. This will change the date of recordation, and in some cases, it may prevent the remitter from recording the notice in a timely manner. Because a delay in examination may have serious consequences, Chapter 2300 : 62 12/22/2014 remitters should send the notice and the filing fee to the appropriate address in all cases.
NOTE : The remitter should not submit a notice of termination with Form DCS. As discussed in Sections 2309.7 and 2309.12, Form DCS should only be used if the remitter intends to record a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to copyright.
2310.7 Recordation Requirements for Notices of Termination
A notice of termination may be recorded with the Copyright Office, provided that the grant is eligible for termination under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d) of the Copyright A• ct and provided the following requirements have been met: • The notice is legible.
• The notice is complete.
The legibility, completeness, signature, and filing fee requirements are discussed in more detail in Sections 2310.7(A) through 2310.7(D) below. 2310.7(A) The Legibility Requirement A notice of termination may be recorded, provided that it is legible and is capable of being imaged or otherwise reproduced in legible copies using the technology employed by the U.S. Copyright Office.
A notice should be submitted in a visually perceptible form, it should be sufficiently legible for the recordation specialist to examine and index the contents of the notice, and it should be sufficiently legible for the Office to scan the notice into the public record. To facilitate the imaging process, notices and any attachments thereto should be 8 ½ by 11 inches in size, and the pages should be clipped together rather than stapled. When the Office records a notice of termination, it creates a public record that reflects the nature of the document. These records may be searched by entering certain key information, such as the title of the work. If the notice is illegible or if it cannot be legibly reproduced by the Office, the recordation specialist may communicate with the remitter or may refuse to record the notice.
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(f)(1)(iii).
Chapter 2300 : 63 12/22/2014 2310.7(B) The Completeness Requirement A notice of termination will be recorded, provided that the remitter submits a complete and exact duplicate of the notice that was served on the grantee. NOTE : If the terminating party served separate copies of the same notice on more than one grantee or successor in title, the remitter should submit only one copy of the notice. e.g., The document submitted for recordation should contain a statement specifying the date that the notice was served on the grantee and the manner of service ( by personal service, by first class mail). This statement may be provided in the notice itself or in a separate document.
NOTE : If the notice was served by first class mail, the date of service is the date that the notice was deposited with the U.S. Postal Service.
If the notice of termination appears to be incomplete, if it does not appear to be an exact duplicate of the notice that was served on the grantee, or if it does not specify the date and manner of service, the recordation specialist may communicate with the remitter or may refuse to record the notice.
2310.7(C) The Signature Requirement A notice of termination may be recorded, provided that it contains the actual signature or a reproduction of the actual signature of the person or persons who signed the notice. The Office will record a legible photocopy or other legible facsimile reproduction of a signed notice. In such cases, there is no need to submit a sworn certification or an official certification stating that the reproduction is a true copy of the signed notice. Likewise, a signed notice may be recorded, regardless of whether the signature(s) have been verified by a notary public or a certificate of acknowledgment. Notices that have not been signed will be returned to the remitter. If the remitter subsequently submits a signed copy of the notice, the recordation specialist may record the document if the requirements set forth in Section 2310.7 have been met. The date of recordation will be based on the date that the signed notice was received by the Office. 2310.7(D) The Filing Fee Requirement To record a notice of termination, the remitter must submit the correct filing fee. The current fee is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule. 37 C.F.R. § 201.3(c)(16). The amount of the fee is based on the number of grants and the number of titles listed in the notice. Specifically, the remitter must pay a basic recording fee for each grant that is identified in the notice. The basic recording fee is listed in the fee schedule under the heading “Recordation of a document, including a notice of intention to enforce (single title)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
If the notice contains two or more titles the remitter must pay the basic recording fee plus an additional filing fee. The additional filing fee is listed in the fee schedule under Chapter 2300 : 64 12/22/2014 the heading “Additional titles (per group of 10 or fewer titles).” The amount of the additional filing fee is based on the number of titles listed in the notice. Factsheet SL 4d,Calculating Fees for Recording Documents and Notices of FToerrm geinnaetriaoln g iuni dthaen Cceo piny rciaglhctu Olaftfiinceg the filing fee for notices that contain two or more titles, see . For guidance in identifying the number of titles listed in a notice, see Sections 2309.11(B)(1) through 2309.11(B)(5). For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5.
2310.8 Withdrawing a Notice of Termination
On occasion a party serves a notice of termination on a grantee, records the notice with the U.S. Copyright Office, and then subsequently enters into a written agreement with the grantee whereby the terminating party expressly agrees to withdraw the notice of termination. The Office refers to this type of document as a “withdrawal.” A withdrawal may be recorded under Section 205(a) of the Copyright Act as a document p• ertaining to copyright, provided that the following requirements have been met: • The withdrawal is legible.
• The withdrawal is complete.
See The withdrawal is submitted together with the correct filing fee. 17 U.S.C. § 205(a); 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c).
The legibility, completeness, signature, and filing fee requirements are discussed in more detail in Sections 2309.8 through 2309.11. If a withdrawal does not comply with these requirements, the recordation specialist may communicate with the remitter or may refuse to record the document.
The remitter should submit a signed copy of the withdrawal to the following address together with the appropriate filing fee:
When preparing a withdrawal, parties are strongly encouraged to attach a copy of the notice of termination to the document, and if the notice has been recorded, to provide Chapter 2300 : 65 12/22/2014 the identifying number that the Office assigned to that notice (if any). In such cases, the recordation specialist will include the identifying number for the notice in the online public record for the withdrawal.
2310.9 Examination Guidelines
To record a notice of termination, the terminating party must submit an exact duplicate of the notice that was served on the grantee or the grantee’s successor in title. The copy must include either actual signatures or reproductions of signatures, a statement setting forth the date the notice was served, an indication of the manner of service, and must be submitted together with the appropriate filing fee. The recordation specialist will review a notice of termination for each of these elements and may refuse to record the notice if any of them are missing.
Failing to serve and record a notice of termination in a timely manner is a fatal mistake that prevents the termination from taking effect. Therefore, the specialist will examine each notice to confirm that the relevant statutory deadlines have been met. However, the specialist will not attempt to confirm the validity of the alleged facts that are set forth in a notice.
The Office may refuse to record a document as a notice of termination if the notice appears to be untimely. In such cases, the recordation specialist will take the following a• ctions:
The following are representative examples of situations where a notice of termination •m ay be considered untimely:
2310.10 Date of Recordation for a Notice of Termination
To be effective, a notice of termination must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office before the effective date of termination.
Chapter 2300 : 66 12/22/2014 The date of recordation for a notice of termination is the date when the Office receives the proper filing fee and a notice that satisfies the relevant requirements set forth in Section 201.10(f) of the regulations, regardless of when the recordation specialist examines and records the notice.
If the notice and the filing fee are received on different dates, the date of recordation is based on the date of receipt for the last item that is received by the Office. Likewise, if the notice is returned to the remitter for correction, the date of recordation is based on tSheee date that the corrected nsoeteic ael siso received by the Office. 37 C.F.R. § 201.10(f)(3); Filing of Agreements Between Copyright Owners and Public Broadcasting Entities, Termination of Transfers and Licenses Covering the Extended Renewal Terms, Etc., 41 Fed. Reg. 221, 221 (Nov. 15, 1976).
2310.11 Recording a Notice of Termination Distinguished from the Legal
Sufficiency of a Termination Notice Recording a notice of termination with the U.S. Copyright Office is a mandatory requirement for terminating a grant under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d). However, the fact that the Office recorded a notice of termination does not create a legal presumption that the termination has been properly effected or that the notice is valid.
2310.12 Harmless Errors in a Notice of Termination
Harmless errors in a notice of termination do not render the notice invalid. The following are representative examples of harmless errors that will not affect the validity of a notice, provided that the errors were made in good faith and without any intention t•o deceive, mislead, or conceal relevant information:
• Errors in identifying the date of registration or registration number. • Errors in listing the names of the author’s heirs.
2310.13 Is the Grant Subject to Termination Under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d)? The author or the author’s heirs—not the U.S. Copyright Office—must determine whether a grant is eligible for termination under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d). Upon request, the Office will provide general information about these provisions and will explain the relevant procedures for recording a notice of termination. The Office cannot provide specific legal advice on the rights of persons, issues involving a particular use of a copyrighted work, or other matters of a similar nature. Chapter 2300 : 67 12/22/2014 2310.13(A) General Questionnaire This questionnaire may be useful in determining whether a grant may be eligible for termination under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d) of the Copyright Act (although if the grant involves a sound recording or an architectural work the questionnaires set forth iQnu Seestcitoionn 1s: 2W3a1s0 t.1he3 (gBr)a notr m23a1d0e .b1y3 (wCi)l ls, hboequulde sbte, o urs oetdh ienrs ftoeramd )o. f inheritance? If the answer is “yes,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 304(c) or 304(d).
QuestionI f2 t:h Ies tahnes wwoerrk i sa “ “nwoo,”r pk rmocaedeed f otor hQiuree”s?t i on 2. NOTE : The U.S. Copyright Office has created a separate “work made for hire questionnaire,” which may be useful in determining whether a particular work may be considered a work made for hire. This questionnaire is set forth in Chapter 500, Section 506.4(B). If the answer is “yes, the work is a work made for hire,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d).
QuestionI f3 t:h We aasn tshwee grr iasn “tn eox,”e cpurtoecde ebdy tthoe Q auuetshtoior no f3 t. he work? If the answer is “yes,” proceed to Question 4.
Chapter 2300 : 68 12/22/2014 If the answer is “no, the work was created on or before December 31, 1977,” the grant cannot be terminated under Section 203. To determine if the grant may be eligible for termination under Sections 304(c) Questiono 6r :3 W04a(sd t)h, ep groracneet de xteoc Qutueeds btiyo nth 6e. a uthor? Was the grant executed by the author’s heirs? NOTE : If the author is deceased, the author’s “heirs” may include the author’s widow, widower, or children (if any), the author’s executor (if the author’s widow, widower, and children (if any) are deceased), or the author’s next of kin (if the author died without leaving a will). If the answer to either of these questions is “yes,” proceed to Question 7. If the answer to both of these questions is “no,” the grant cannot be Questiont e7r: mHiansa ttheed wuonrdke br eSeenc tpiounbsli s2h0e3d,? 3 04(c), or 304(d). If the answer is “yes,” proceed to Question 8.
QuestionI f8 t:h We aasn tshwee wr oisr k“n foir”s tp proucbeliesdh etdo oQnu eosr tbioenfo 1re0 .D ecember 31, 1977? If the answer is “yes,” proceed to Question 9.
Chapter 2300 : 69 12/22/2014 Question 11: Was the work first registered with the Copyright Office on or before December 31, 1977? If the answer is “yes,” proceed to Question 12.
Chapter 2300 : 70 12/22/2014 Question 16: Was the work first registered with the U.S. Copyright Office on or after January 1, 1933? If the answer is “yes,” proceed to Question 17.
2310.13(B) Termination Questionnaire for Sound Recordings This questionnaire may be useful in determining if a grant involving a sound recording may be eligible for termination under Sections 203 or 304(c) of the Copyright Act. (A grant involving this type of work cannot be terminated under Section 304(d) of the statute.)
NOTE : If the grant involves an architectural work, the questionnaire set forth in Section 2310.13(C) may be used to make this determination. The questionnaire set forth in SQeucetsitoinon 2 13:1 W0.1as3 (tAhe) gmraayn tb me uasdeed b iyf wthiell ,g breaqnut eisntv, oolrv oetsh aenr yfo ortmhe orf tiynphee roitf awnocerk? . If the answer is “yes,” the agreement cannot be terminated under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d).
QuestionI f2 t:h Ies tahnes swoeurn ids r“encoo,”r dpirnogc ae e“dw toor kQ mueasdteio fno r2 h. ire”? NOTE : The U.S. Copyright Office has created a “work made for hire questionnaire,” which may be useful in determining whether a Chapter 2300 : 71 12/22/2014 particular sound recording may be considered a work made for hire. This questionnaire is set forth in Chapter 500, Section 506.4(B). If the answer is “yes, the sound recording is a work made for hire,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d). QuestionI f3 t:h We aasn tshwee sro iusn “dn ore,”c porrdoicnege dfi rtsot Qfiuxeedst oionn o 3r .a fter February 15, 1972? If the answer is “yes,” proceed to Question 4.
If the answer is “no, the sound recording was first published on or after January 1, 1978,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 304(c) or 304(d). To determine if the grant may be eligible for termination Questionu 1n0d:e Wr Saesc tthioe ns o2u0n3d, prercoocredeidn gto f iQrsute psutibolnis h3e. d on or after February 15, 1972? If the answer is “yes,” the grant may be eligible for termination under Section 304(c). For information concerning the procedure for terminating a grant under this provision, see Section 2310.4. If the answer is “no,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 304(c) or 304(d). To determine if the grant may be eligible for termination under Section 203, proceed to Question 3.
2310.13(C) Termination Questionnaire for Architectural Works This questionnaire may be useful in determining if a grant involving an architectural work may be eligible for termination under Sections 203 of the Copyright Act. (A grant involving this type of work cannot be terminated under Sections 304(c) or 304(d) of the statute.)
NOTE : If the grant involves a sound recording, the questionnaire set forth in Section 2310.13(B) may be used to make this determination. The questionnaire set forth in Section 2310.13(A) may be used for a grant involving any other type of work. Chapter 2300 : 73 12/22/2014 Question 1: Was the grant made by will, bequest, or other form of inheritance? If the answer is “yes,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d).
QuestionI f2 t:h Ies tahnes awrecrh iitse “cntour,”a pl rwoocreke da t“ow Qoruke mstaiodne 2fo. r hire”? NOTE : The U.S. Copyright Office has created a separate “work made for hire questionnaire,” which may be useful in determining whether a particular architectural work may be considered a work made for hire. This questionnaire is set forth in Chapter 500, Section 506.4(B). If the answer is “yes, the architectural work is a work made for hire,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d). QuestionI f3 t:h We aasn tshwee grr iasn “tn eox,”e cpurtoecde ebdy tthoe Q auuetshtoior no f3 t. he work? If the answer is “yes,” the grant may be eligible for termination under Section 203. For information concerning the procedure for terminating a grant under this provision, see Section 2310.3. If the answer is “no,” the grant cannot be terminated under Sections 203, 304(c), or 304(d).
2311 Abandonment The U.S. Copyright Office may record an affidavit, declaration, statement, or any other document purporting to abandon a claim to copyright or any of the exclusive rights granted to copyright owners under Sections 106 or 106A of the Copyright Act, provided t•h atC tohnet feonllto owf tinhge dreoqcuuimreemnte.nts have been met: The document should identify the claim that is subject to the abandonment, preferably including the author(s), title(s), and registration number(s) for the works (if any). It should provide the full name of the party who signed the document, and it should state that the party is the current owner or co- owner of the copyright and/or the exclusive rights in the work. It should state that the rights specified in the document have been abandoned. The document does not need to provide a reason or justification for the owner’s decision to abandon the copyright and/or the exclusive rights specified in the document. However, the document should be legible and capable of being imaged or otherwise reproduced by the technology employed by the Office at the time of its submission. 37 C.F.R. § • 2Si0g1n.a4t(ucr)(e3).
To record an abandonment, the remitter should submit a signed copy of the document to the following address together with the appropriate filing fee: Library of Congress U.S. Copyright Office-DOC 101 Independence Avenue SE Washington, DC 20559-6000 In the alternative, the document and the filing fee may be delivered by hand to the Public Information Office at the address specified in Chapter 200, Section 204.1(B)(3). The Public Information Office will provide the remitter with a date-stamped receipt that lists the title of no more than one of the works listed in the abandonment. The Office will record an abandonment as a document pertaining to copyright without offering any opinion as to the legal effect of the document. The document will be returned to the party that submitted it, along with a certificate of recordation. In addition, the Office will create an online public record that identifies the title and registration number (if any) for the first work listed in the document, the name of the party who executed the document, the date of execution, the document number assigned to the recorded document, and the date of recordation. However, the Office will not cross-reference this record with the online public record for the registration(s) referenced in the document (if any).
2312 Designation of Agent to Receive Notifications of Alleged Infringement Under Section 512(c) of the Copyright Act Section 512(c) of thSee Ceopyright Act limits the liability of online service providers for copyright claims involving material residing on their systems or networks at the direction of a user. 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2). To invoke this provision, service providers must satisfy certain conditions. In particular, the service provider must deSseigen, ea.tge. ,a n Oagpepnetn thoe irmeceeri vv.e A nllovtoifiicceast, iIonncs., of alleged infringement and must provide the agent’s name, address, and other contact information to the U.S. Copyright Office. 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 80323, at *17 (N.D. Cal. June 10, 2014) (holding that an online service provider “may not invoke the safe harbor found Chapter 2300 : 75 12/22/2014 Perfect 10, Inc. v.
iRna Speidcstihoanr e5 A12.G(.c,)(1) with respect to infringing conduct that occurred prior to . . . designating a DMCA-related agent with the Copyright Office”); 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 146053, at *22 (May 18, 2010) (“The language of the DMCA clearly states that a service provider can take advantage of the safe harbor only if the service provider has given the Copyri gShete O gfefniceer aslplye cific information regarding its designated agent.”). This type of record is known as an “interim designation of agent to receive notification of claimed infringement.” Designation of Agent to Receive Notification of Claimed Infringements, 63 Fed. Reg. 59,233 (Nov. 3, 1998). These records are posted on the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/onlinesp/list/a_agents.html.
NOTE : The Office has issued a proposed regulation that may modify the practices and procedures for recording an interim designation of agent. Designation of Agent To Receive Notification of Claimed Infringement, 76 Fed. Reg. 59,953 (Sept. 28, 2011). Information concerning this rulemaking is available on the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/onlinesp/NPR/).
2312.1 Who May Submit an Interim Designation of Agent?
An interim designation of agent may be submitted by a service provider or its duly authorized agent. A service provider is defined as “a provider of online services or network access, or the operator of facilities therefore,” and includes “an entity offering the transmission, routing, or providing of connections for digital online communications, between or among points specified by a user, of material of the user’s choosing, without modification to the content of the material as sent or received.” 17 U.S.C. § 512(k)(1).
2312.2 How to Submit an Interim Designation of Agent
An interim designation of agent should be made in writing and should contain the f•o llowing information:
• All names under which the online service provider does business. • The name of the agent designated to receive notifications of claimed infringement. The designated agent’s full address, including a specific name and number for the street address or rural route. A post office box or similar address is not sufficient • unless it is the only address that may be used in that geographic location. • The designated agent’s telephone number, fax number, and email address. The signature of an appropriate officer or representative of the service provider that designated the agent, along with the printed or typewritten name and title of that individual and the date of the signature.
Chapter 2300 : 76 12/22/2014 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(c).
Service providers are not requiredSe teo use a specific form for preparing an interim designation of agent, although the Office does offer a suggested form on its website (www.copyright.gov/onlinesp/). 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(b).
Interim designations should be sent by mail to the following address together with the filing fee specified in Section 2312.3:
2312.3 Filing Fee for an Interim Designation of Agent
To record an interim designation of agent, the remitter must submit the correct filing fee. The current fee is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule. 37 C.F.R. § 201.3. Specifically, the remitter must pay a basic recording fee for each document that is submitted for recordation. The basic recording fee is listed in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Online service provider designation (recordation of an interim designation of agent to receive notification of claimed infringement under Section 512(c)(2)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
If the document contains multiple names, the remitter must pay the basic recording fee plus an additional fee. The additional fee is listed in the fee schedule under the heading “Alternative names, including websites (per group of 10 or fewer).” The amount of the additional fee is based on the number of names listed in the document. Specifically, the remitter should submit an additional filing fee for each group of ten names or less that are listed in the document.
For information concerning the methods for paying this fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections
1403.4 and 1403.5.
2312.4 Amendments
If there is any change in the information reported in an interim designation of agent, the service provider should file an amended interim designation containing the information set forthS iene Section 2312.2. The amendment should be sent to the address specified in Section 2312.2, together with the appropriate filing fee specified in Section 2312.3. 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(f).
Chapter 2300 : 77 12/22/2014 If a service provider terminates its operations, the provideSre oer its duly authorized agent should notify the Office in writing. The notification should be sent to the address specified in Section 2312.2 by certified or registered mail. 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(g). 2313 The Computer Shareware Registry This Section discusses the procedure for recording documents pertaining to computer shareware with the U.S. Copyright Office.
2313.1 What Is Computer Shareware?
Shareware is a method for marketing computer programs, rather than a specific type of program. Under this approach, the copyright owner distributes copies of his or her program to third parties to give potential users the opportunity to test and review the program. If a user decides to use the program, that person may be required to register his or her use with the copyright owner and to pay a registration fee. Typically, the party that owns the copyright in the computer program generates income through these registration fees, which tend to be lower than the purchase price for similar programs that are sold through commercial channels.
NOTE . See reprinted in : Electronic databases or other works of authorship are not considered computer shareware H.R. REP. NO. 101-735, at 17 (1990), 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6935, 6Se9e4 g8e. nerally General Provisions—Computer Shareware Registry, 58 Fed. Reg. 29,105 (May 19, 1993); General Provisions—Registry of Documents Pertaining to Computer Shareware and the Donation of Public Domain Software, 56 Fed. Reg. 50,657 (Oct. 8, 1991).
2313.2 The Purpose of the Computer Shareware Registry
When Congress created a rental right for computer programs, interested parties expressed concern that this might adversely affect the shareware industry. Allowing interested parties to record documents pertaining to shareware was intenSdeeed to address this consecee ranl sboy providing “a means for notifying three ppurbinltice do fi nthe licensing terms applicable to individual programs marketed on a shareware basis.” 58 Fed.
Reg. at 29,106; H.R. REP. NO. 101-735, at 16 (1990), 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 6947 (explaining that the legislation was intended “to encourage individuals desiring to permit unrestricted, or liberal, use of software they create, to file documents to that effect with the Copyright Office”).
2313.3 Registration Distinguished from the Computer Shareware Registry
Recording a document pertaining to computer shareware is optional, but it is not a substitute for registering the copyright in a computer program. In particular, it does not provide copyright owners with the ability to claim statutory damages or attorney’s fees under Section 412 of the Copyright Act. Nor does it create a presumption concerning the validity of the copyright in a shareware program.
Chapter 2300 : 78 12/22/2014 Likewise, recording a document pertaining to shareware is not a substitute for recording a document that transfers ownership of the copyright in a shareware program, such as an assignment, exclusive license, security interest, or other type of transfer. If the copyright in a shareware program has been transferred, that document should be recorded as a transfer of ownership under Section 205 of the Copyright A bcto,n a friadteher than a document pertaining to shareware. Recording a license or other document pertaining to shareware does not provide constructive notice against a subsequent purchaser of the same rights. It simply creates a public record concerning the terms oSef eu sgee nfoerr atlhlyat program.
2313.4 Recordation Requirements for Documents Pertaining to Computer Shareware
2313.5 Who May Record a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware?
A document pertaining to computer shareware may be recorded by the author or copyright owner of that program or his or her duly authorized representative. The person who submits the document for recordation is known as the “remitter.”
2313.6 When May a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware Be Recorded?
A document pertaining to computer shareware may be recorded at any time.
2313.7 How to Record a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware
To record a document pertaining to computer shareware, the remitter should submit a legible photocopy or other facsimile reproduction of the document. The document should be clearly designated as a document pertaining to computer shareware and should be sent to the following address together with the filing fee specified in Section 2313.8:
2313.8 Filing Fee for Recording a Document Pertaining to Computer Shareware
The term work of visual art is defined in Section 2314.1 below. The purpose of the Visual Arts Registry and the procedure for recording statements pertaining to a work of visual art are discussed in Sections 2314.3 through 2314.9.
2314.1 What Is a Work of Visual Art?
S• ection 101 of the Copyright Act defines a work of visual art as: “A painting, drawing, [or] print … existing in a single copy, [or] in a limited edition of • 200 copies or fewer that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author …”; A “sculpture, existing in a single copy, in a limited edition of 200 copies or fewer that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author, … in multiple cast, carved, or fabricated sculptures of 200 or fewer that are consecutively numbered by the • author and bear the signature or other identifying mark of the author;” or “[A] still photographic image produced for exhibition purposes only, existing in a single copy that is signed by the author, or in a limited edition of 200 copies or fewer that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
In other words, to qualify as a work of visual art, the work must be a painting, a drawing, a print, a sculpture, or a still photographic image produced for exhibition, and the work must exist in a single copy or in a limited edition of 200 copies or fewer that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author.
The legislative history explains that “courts should use common sense and generally accepted standards of the artistic community in determining whether a particular work Chapter 2300 : 80 12/22/2014 reprinted in falls within the scope of [this] definition.” H.R. REP. NO. 101-514, at 11 (1990), 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6915, 6921. For example, the term “paintIidn.g” includes “murals, works created on canvas, and the like,” and the term “‘sculpture’ includes, but is not limited to, castings, carvings, modelings, and constructions.” However, the statute e• xpressly states that the following types of works do not qualify as work of visual art: • Posters.
• Maps, globes, or charts.
• Technical drawings, diagrams, or models.
• Applied art.
• Motion pictures or other audiovisual works.
• Books, magazines, newspapers, or periodicals.
• Merchandising items.
17 U.S.C. § 101.
2314.2 A Work of Visual Art Distinguished from Visual Art Works and
Works of the Visual Arts TherCeo ims panen idmiupmortant distinction between a “work of visual art” and the terms “work of the visual arts” and “visual art work,” which are used in Chapter 900 and elsewhere in this .
The term work of visual art is defined in Section 101 of the statute. As the legislative history explains, this term “is not synonymous with any otherer pdreinfitneidti oinn in the Copyright Act and, in particular, it is narrower than the [statutory] definition of ‘pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works.’” H.R. REP. NO. 101-514, at 11 (1990), 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 6921. Specifically, the work must be a painting, a drawing, a print, a sculpture, or a still photographic image Spereo diduced for exhibition, and the work must exist in a single copy or in a limited edition of 200 copies or fewer copies that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author. .
The terms “work of the visual arts” and “visual art works” are synonymous with each other. The U.S. Copyright Office uses these terms when referring to (i) pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works, and (ii) architectural works. In other words, a work qualifies as a “work of the visual arts” or a “visual art work” if it falls within the statutory definition of an architectural work or a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, regardless of whether the work exists in a single copy or in multiple copies and regardless of whether the Chapter 2300 : 81 12/22/2014 copies have been signed or numbered by the author. For a definition and discussion of these terms, see Chapter 900, Section 903.
2314.3 The Purpose of the Visual Arts Registry
Section 106A of the Copyright Act protects the reputation of certain artists and the work of visual art that they create. Specifically, it provides the author of a work of visual art w• ith the right of attribution and the right of integrity. The right of attribution allows artists (i) to claim authorship of the work of visual art they create, (ii) to prevent others from identifying them as the author of any work of visual art that they did not create, and (iii) to prevent others from using the ar.t ist’s Sneaeme in connection with a work of visual art that has been distorted, mutilated, or modified in a way that would be prejudicial to the artist’s honor or reputation • 17 U.S.C. § 106A(a)(1), (2).
The rights of attribution and integrity apply to work of visual art that have been incorporated in or made a part of a building, such as murals, frescos, mosaics, stained glass windows, architectural sculptures, and similar installations. However, there are a number of exceptions to the right of integrity, which are set forth in Sections 106A(c) and 113(d) of the Copyright Act.
If the owner of a building wishes to remove a work of visual art from a building and if it can be removed without destroying, distorting, mutilating, or modifying the work, the owner may remove that work without violating the author’s right of integrity, provided •th at the following conditions have been met:
The statute states that a building ownerI d“s.hall be presumed to have made a diligent, good faith attempt” to notify the author of a work of visual art if the owner sent the notice to the author by registered mail.
In response to this directive, the Office created the Visual Arts Registry. It is intended to benefit both “authors sereekpirningt teod pinrotect their rights” and “building owners attempting diligently, and in good faith, to notify these authors of proposed removals.” H.R. REP. NO. 101-514, at 21 (1990), 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 6930-31.
2314.4 Registration Distinguished from the Visual Arts Registry
Recording a Visual Arts Registry Statement is optional, but it is not a substitute for registering the copyright in a work of visual art. In particular, it does not provide authors or copyright owners with the ability to claim statutory damages or attorney’s fees under Section 412 of the Copyright Act. Nor does it create a presumption concerning the validity of the copyright in a work of visual art. Likewise, recording a Visual Arts Registry Statement is not a substitute for recording a document that transfers ownership of the copyright in that work, such as an assignment, exclusive license, security interest, or other type of transfer. If the copyright in a work of visual art has been transferred, that document should be recorded as a transfer of ownership under Section 205 of the Copyright Act, rather than recording a statement on tSheee Visual Art Registry.
2314.5 Recordation Requirements for a Visual Arts Registry Statement
A Visual Arts Registry Statement may be recorded with the Office, provided that the f•o llowing requirements have been met:
• The statement is designated as a “Visual Arts Registry Statement.” See The statement pertains to a work of visual art that has been incorporated in a • building. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(f).
See The statement is submitted together with the correct filing fee. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c), (d).
As a general rule, the recordation specialist will not examine the statement or verify the accuracy or completeness of the information set forStehe therein. However, the ssepee cialist malsaoy refuse to record a statement if it is illegible or if it does not pertain to a work of visual art that has been incorporated in a building. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(f); General Provisions—Registry of Visual Art Incorporated in Buildings, 56 Fed. Reg. 38,340, 38,341 (Aug. 13, 1991).
Chapter 2300 : 83 12/22/2014
2314.6 Who May Record a Visual Arts Registry Statement?
A Visual Arts RegSisetery Statement may be recorded by the author of that work, the owner of a building that incorporates that work, or their duly authorized representatives. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(a). The person who submits a statement for recordation is known as the “remitter.”
2314.7 When May a Visual Arts Registry Statement Be Recorded?
A Visual Arts Registry Statement may be recorded at any time.
2314.8 How to Record a Visual Arts Registry Statement
To record a Visual Arts Registry Statement, the remitter should submit a legible photocopy or other facsimile reproduction of the statement. Statements submitted by or on behalf of the author of the work should contain the information set forth in Section 2314.8(A). Statements submitted by or on behalf of a building oSweener should contain the information set forth in Section 2314.8(B). In all cases, the information contained in the statement should be accurate and as complete as possible. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c), (f).
The statement should be sent to the following address together with the filing fee specified in Section 2314.9:
Chapter 2300 : 84 12/22/2014 • The dimensions and physical description of the work.
• The registration number for the work (if known).
• The name (if any) and address of the building that incorporates the work. The name or other identifying information for the owner of the building (if known). In addition, remitters are encouraged, but not required, to submit photographs of the work, photographs of the building, and photographs of the location within the building where the work appears. The images should be clear and in focus and should be submitted on good quality photographic paper.
37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c)(2).
2314.8(B) Statements Submitted by or on Behalf of Building Owners Statements submitted by or on behalf of the owner of a building that incorporates a work of visual art should be designated as follows: “Visual Arts Regulatory Statement: Registry of Visual Art Incorporated in a Building—Building Owner’s Statement.” T• he statement should contain the following information: • The name or other identifying information for the building owner. The name of a person who represents the building owner, along with a telephone • number (if this information is publicly listed).
• The name (if any) and address of the building.
• The title of the work of visual art (if known).
• The dimensions and physical description of the work.
In addition, remitters are encouraged, but not required, to submit eight by ten inch photographs of the building and the work of visual art. The images should be clear and in focus and should be submitted on good-quality photographic paper. Chapter 2300 : 85 12/22/2014 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c)(3).
2314.9 Filing Fee for Recording a Visual Arts Registry Statement
The filing fee for recording a Visual Arts Registry Statement is the same as the fee for recording a document pertaining to copyright. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(d). For information concerning this fee, see Section 2309.11 above. For information concerning the methods for paying the filing fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.3 through 1403.5.
2314.10 Date of Recordation for a Visual Arts Registry Statement
When the Office records a Visual Arts Registry Statement, the Office assigns a date of recordation to the certificate of recordation. The date Soef er ecordation is the date when the Office receives a statement that satisfies the requirements set forth in Section 201.25(c) of the regulations and the proper filing fee. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(e). If the statement and the filing fee are received on different dates, the date of recordation is based on the date of receipt for the last item that is received by the Office.
2314.11 Recorded Statements
When a Visual Arts Registry Statement has been recorded, the Office will return the statement to the remitter, along with a certificate of recordatSioeen. If the remitter submitted photographs or other documentation, the Office may retain these materials or may offer them to the Library of Congress for its collections. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(e). The Office will create an online public record that identifies the title and registration number (if any) for the work listed in the statement, the name of the party who executed the statement, the date of execution, the document number assigned to the recorded statement, and the date of recordation. However, the Office will not cross-reference this record with the online public record for the registration(s) referenced in the statement (if any).
The fact that a statement has been recorded with the Office is not a determination by the U.S. Copyright Office that the statement is accurate, complete, or in compliance with Section 113(d) of the Copyright Act. The fact that information may be omitted from a statement shall not, in and of itself, invalidateS tehee recordation, unless a court of competent jurisdiction finds that the statement is materially deficient and fails to meet the minimum requirements of Section 113(d). 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(f).
2314.12 Amendments
If there is any change in the information reported in a Visual Arts Registry Statement, the author, the building owner, or his or her duly authorized representative may submit an amended statement. The amendment should contain the information set forth in Sections 2314.8(A) or 2314.8(B) and should correct or supplement the information set forth in Stheee previously recorded statement. The amendment should be sent to the address specified in Section 2314.8, together with the filing fee specified in Section 2314.9. 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c)(4).
Chapter 2300 : 86 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
2405.1 Reader Registration Cards ............................................................................................................................................. 7 2405.2 Restricted Records ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 2405.3 Limitations on Services ................................................................................................................................................... 8 2405.4 Delays for Requests Submitted by Mail..................................................................................................................... 8 2406 Searches of U.S. Copyright Office Records ................................................................................................................ 8 2406.1 Searches Conducted by Members of the Public ..................................................................................................... 8 2406.2 Searches Conducted by RRCS ........................................................................................................................................ 9 2406.2(A) Who May Request a Search? .......................................................................................................................................... 9 2406.2(B) How to Request a Search ................................................................................................................................................ 9 2406.2(C) Search Fees ........................................................................................................................................................................ 10 2406.3 Limitations on Information Available for Searches ........................................................................................... 10 2407 Viewing, Inspecting, and Copying U.S. Copyright Office Records ................................................................. 11 2407.1 Registration Records ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 2407.1(A) Who May View, Inspect, or Obtain Copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Registration Records? ................................................................................................................................................... 12 2407.1(B) Registration Records That May be Viewed, Inspected, or Copied ............................................................... 13 2407.1(B)(1) Registrations, Applications, and Correspondence ............................................................................................. 13 2407.1(B)(2) Deposits for Claims that Have Been Registered or Refused ........................................................................... 13 2407.1(B)(3) Pending Applications .................................................................................................................................................... 13 2407.1(B)(4) Deposits for Pending Applications ........................................................................................................................... 14 2407.1(C) How to Request an Inspection of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Registration Records ............................. 14 2407.1(C)(1) Registrations, Applications, and Correspondence ............................................................................................ 14 2407.1(C)(2) Deposits .............................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 2400 : 1 12/22/2014 2407.1(D) How to Request Copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Registration Records ........................................... 15 2407.1(D)(1) Applications, Correspondence, and Other Registration Records ................................................................. 15 2407.1(D)(2) Deposits .............................................................................................................................................................................. 16 2407.1(E) Limitations on Inspections and Copying of Registration Records ............................................................... 18 2407.1(E)(1) In Process Files ................................................................................................................................................................ 18 2407.1(E)(2) Custody of Deposits ....................................................................................................................................................... 18 2407.2 Recordation Records ..................................................................................................................................................... 19 2407.2(A) Who May View, Inspect, or Obtain Copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Recordation Records? ................................................................................................................................................... 19 2407.2(B) Recordation Records That May Be Viewed, Inspected, or Copied ............................................................... 19 2407.2(B)(1) Recordations ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 2407.2(B)(2) Pending Recordations ................................................................................................................................................... 19 2407.2(C) How to Request an Inspection of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Recordation Records ............................. 20 2407.2(D) How to Request Copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Recordation Records ........................................... 21 2407.2(E) Limitations on Inspections and Copying of Recordation Records ............................................................... 21 2407.2(E)(1) In Process Files ................................................................................................................................................................ 21 2407.2(E)(2) Refused Recordations ................................................................................................................................................... 21 2407.3 Administrative Manuals ............................................................................................................................................... 21 2407.4 Notices of Intent to Enforce Restored Copyrights ............................................................................................. 22 2407.5 Designation of Agent Information ............................................................................................................................ 22 2407.6 Inspection and Copying Fees ...................................................................................................................................... 22 2408 Additional Certificates of Registration or Renewal ........................................................................................... 22 2408.1 Who May Obtain an Additional Certificate of Registration or Renewal? .................................................. 23 2408.2 How to Obtain an Additional Certificate of Registration or Renewal ......................................................... 23 2408.3 Fees for Additional Certificates of Registration or Renewal .......................................................................... 23 2409 Certification of U.S. Copyright Office Records...................................................................................................... 24 2409.1 Who May Obtain Certification of U.S. Copyright Office Records? ................................................................. 24 2409.2 Records That May Be Certified .................................................................................................................................. 25 2409.2(A) Search Reports ................................................................................................................................................................. 25 2409.2(B) Certificates of Registration.......................................................................................................................................... 25 2409.2(C) Registration Records ..................................................................................................................................................... 25 2409.2(D) Deposits .............................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Chapter 2400 : 2 12/22/2014 2409.2(D)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) and Identifying Material ......................................................................................................... 26 2409.2(D)(2) Actual Deposits ................................................................................................................................................................ 26 2409.2(E) Certificates of Recordation.......................................................................................................................................... 27 2409.2(F) Recorded Documents .................................................................................................................................................... 27 2409.2(G) Prints or Labels Deposited in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Before July 1, 1940 .................. 27 2409.2(H) Other Records Maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office .................................................................................. 28 2409.3 How to Request Certified Copies of U.S. Copyright Office Records ............................................................. 28 2409.4 Certification Fees ............................................................................................................................................................ 28 2409.5 Limitations on Certification of U.S. Copyright Office Records ....................................................................... 28 2410 Full-Term Retention of Deposits............................................................................................................................... 29 2410.1 Who May Request Full-Term Retention? .............................................................................................................. 29 2410.2 How to Request Full-Term Retention ..................................................................................................................... 29 2410.3 Full-Term Retention Fees ............................................................................................................................................ 30 2411 Expedited Service ........................................................................................................................................................... 30 2411.1 Who May Request Expedited Service?.................................................................................................................... 30 2411.2 How to Request Expedited Service .......................................................................................................................... 30 2411.3 Fees for Expedited Service .......................................................................................................................................... 31 2412 Services Provided to Other U.S. Government Agencies.................................................................................... 31 2413 Denial of Service and Appeals .................................................................................................................................... 31 Chapter 2400 : 3 12/22/2014 Chapter 2400 : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
S• pecifically, RRCS provides the following services to the public: Providing access to the Office’s completed catalogs, indexes, and/or other public • records.
• Facilitating requests to inspect deposits and other public records. Providing copies of the Office’s public records for use in litigation or other • authorized purposes.
• Preparing additional copies of certificates of registration or renewal. Certifying Office records.
These services are described in more detail in Sections 2406 through 2409 below. Chapter 2400 : 5 12/22/2014 RRCS is part of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Office of Public Records and Repositories. Among other responsibilities, this Office processes requests for full-term retention of deposits. This service is discussed in Section 2410 below. 2403 Contact Information for RRCS RRCS is located in Room LM-453 of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20559. The section is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (except on legal holidays). To request a search of the Office’s public records or to request a cost estimate for a search, members of the public may contact RRCS using the following information: Email: copysearch@loc.gov Telephone: (202) 707-6850 Facsimile: (202) 252-3485 To request a cost estimate for a search, members of the public may contact RRCS by email or telephone or may submit an online request using the form posted on the Office’s website (http://www.copyright.gov/forms/search_estimate.html). For information concerning other services provided by RRCS, members of the public may contact RRCS staff using the following information: Email: copycerts@loc.gov Telephone: (202) 707-6787 Facsimile: (202) 252-3485 Search requests, requests for copies of public records, or requests for other services provided by RRCS may be submitted by mail by sending the request to the following address:
2404 The Public Records Reading Room The public may access many of the public records maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office in person in the Office’s Public Records Reading Room, which is located in Room LM-404 of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Avenue SE, Chapter 2400 : 6 12/22/2014 Washington, DC 20559. The Public Records Reading Room is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (except on legal holidays). 2405 Limitations on U.S. Copyright Office Services and Information
2405.1 Reader Registration Cards
Members of the public must obtain a reader registration card from the Library of Congress in order to search for, view, or inspect certain records that are maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office. Reader registration cards are not required to access records that are made available through the Office’s website.
Reader registration cards may be obtained by completing an application and presenting a valid driver’s license, passport, or other photo identification at one of the following r•e ader registration stations:
2405.2 Restricted Records
The following records will not be made available to the public, except to the extent that t•h ey are available under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”): Correspondence, memoranda, reports, opinions, and similar material relating to internal matters of personnel and procedures, office administration, or security • matters.
Records relating to pending applications or pending documents will not be made available to the general public, although specific persons may be permitted to access these records provided that they meet the requirements set forth in the Office’s regulations. For information concerning these requirements, see Sections 2407.1(B)(3), 2407.1(B)(4), and 2407.2(B)(2) below.
Direct public access will not be permitted to any financial or accounting records, including those related to deposit accounts. Circular 1B, Limitations on the Information Furnished by the Copyright Office For additional information concerning restricted records, see .
Chapter 2400 : 7 12/22/2014 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b)(6), (c)(3).
2405.3 Limitations on Services
T• he U.S. Copyright Office generally does not provide the following services: Certifying records maintained by any person or organization other than the U.S. • Copyright Office (including works held in the collections of the Library of Congress). • Providing legal advice.
• Assisting with the publication, performance, or production of a work. Comparing deposits submitted for registration to determine whether a work • contains infringing material or is substantially similar to another work. • Granting permission to use a copyrighted work.
• Conducting copyright enforcement.
See Issuing ISBN, ISSN, or ISRC numbers.
2405.4 Delays for Requests Submitted by Mail
Members of the public who request services from RRCS via U.S. mail should be aware that all mail sent to the U.S. Copyright Office will be screened offsite before it is delivered. This will delay the delivery of any communication sent to the Office by U.S. mail. Delivery of Mail to the U.S. Copyright Office For more information on mail delay, see (www.copyright.gov/mail.html).
2406 Searches of U.S. Copyright Office Records
2406.1 Searches Conducted by Members of the Public
Any member of the public may search the U.S. Copyright Office’s public records using the Copyright Office’s Public Catalog. This database is available through the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov/records/). It contains records concerning registrations issued by the Office and documents recorded with the Office since January 1, 1978. It also contains records concerning preregistrations issued since November 15, 2005, registrations for vessel designs issued by the Office since July 29, 1999, and registrations for mask works issued since January 7, 1985.
Chapter 2400 : 8 12/22/2014 Catalog of Copyright Entries Records relating to works registered before January 1, 1978, may be searched using the Office’s card catalog, the , or other physical records maintained by the Office. Many of these records are stored in the Public Records Reading Room and may be accessed by any member of the public who presents a reader registration card. Circular 22, How to Investigate the Copyright Status of a Work Circular 23, The Copyright Card Catalog and Fthoer Oandldiniteio Fnilaels i noff otrhme Catoipoynr oignh ct oOnffdicuecting sCeilrf-csuelaarrc 6h, eOsb, staeien ing Access to and Copies of Copyright Records and Deposits ;
2406.2 Searches Conducted by RRCS
Upon request and for a fee, RRCS staff will conduct a search of the Office’s public records and will prepare a written report concerning the information disclosed in any particular deposits, registrations, or recorded documents. As discussed in Section 2409.2(A), search reports prepared by the Office may be certified upon request. The Office’s fees for these services are discussed in Sections 2406.2(C) and 2409.4 below. When conducting a search, RRCS staff may consult registrations, renewals, and recorded documents, pending applications and requests for recordation, or other pertinent records maintained by the Office.
The procedure for requesting a search of the Office’s records is discussed in Section 2406.2(B) below.
2406.2(A) Who May Request a Search? Any member of the public may ask RRCS staff to conduct a search of the U.S. Copyright Office’s public records.
2406.2(B) How to Request a Search To request a search of the Office’s public records, members of the public should submit a written request to RRCS. Written requests may be submitted by email, facsimile, mail, or in person, and should be sent to the address specified in Section 2403, together with the appropriate search fee. For information concerning the search fee, see Section 2406.2(C).
When requesting a search involving a work of authorship, members of the public should provide (i) the title of the work, (ii) the name(s) of the author(s), and (iii) the name(s) of t•h e copyright claimant(s). The following information (if available) may also be useful: • Variation(s) on the title of the work.
• Pseudonym(s) for the author of the work.
• The name(s) of the probable copyright owner(s).
When requesting a search involving a recorded document, members of the public should provide as much information about the document as possible. The following information (•i f known) may be helpful:
• The document recordation number(s).
• The title(s) of the work(s) and registration numbers listed in the document (if any). The name(s) of the party(ies) who executed the document(s). 2406.2(C) Search Fees The current fees for conducting a search of the Office’s public records and for preparing a written report concerning the results of the search are set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Searches of Records”
(www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
2406.3 Limitations on Information Available for Searches
Searches conducted by RRCS are not necessarily conclusive, and members of the public should not assume that a work is protected by copyright or in the public domain based on the information or the lack of information in the Office’s records. Information concerning a particular work may be incomplete or nonexistent for many reasons, i•n cluding the following:
• The work may be registered under a different title or as a part of a larger work. A work may or may not be registered as of the date that the search is conducted, because registration is optional for works created or first published on or after January 1, 1978, and registration for such works may be made at any time during • the term of the copyright.
The Office does not maintain records related to trademarks and patents. For information concerning these types of records, visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website at www.uspto.gov.
2407 Viewing, Inspecting, and Copying U.S. Copyright Office Records The U.S. Copyright Office allows authorized parties to view, inspect, and obtain copies of the Office’s public records, and it provides indexes to assist in locating and retrieving such records. Some records are available online or in the Public Records Reading Room, but not all. “Viewing” a public record may be accomplished by accessing the Office’s website (www.copyright.gov) or by visiting the Office’s Public Records Reading Room. “Inspecting” a public record may be accomplished only by submitting a written request to RRCS.
The specific parties who are authorized to view, inspect, and obtain copies of applications, deposits, and other registration records are discussed in Section 2407.1(A) below. The procedures for requesting an inspection or obtaining copies of these records are discussed in Sections 2407.1(C) and 2407.1(D) below. The specific parties who are authorized to view, inspect, and obtain copies of recorded documents and other recordation records are discussed in Section 2407.2(A) below. The procedures for requesting an inspection or obtaining copies of these records are discussed in Sections 2407.2(C) and 2407.2(D) below.
For information concerning the procedures for inspecting or obtaining copies of the Office’s administrative manuals, notices of intent to enforce restored copyrights, or Chapter 2400 : 11 12/22/2014 designations of agents to receive notification of claimed infringement, see Sections
2407.3 through 2407.5 below.
2407.1 Registration Records
2407.1(A) Who May View, Inspect, or Obtain Copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Registration Records? Online Records : Any member of the public may view or make copies of the registration records that are made available through the U.S. Copyright Office’s website R(wecwowrd.sc oinp ythrieg Phut.bgloivc /Rreeccoorrddss R/)e.a ding Room : Certain registration records may be viewed or copied by any member of the public who presents a reader registration card, iPnecnlduidnign gA pthpeli creactioorndss located in the Public Records Reading Room. : As a general rule, records relating to pending applications may be inspected or copied only by the claimant named in a pending application or the claimant’s duly authorized agents. The specific types of records that may be inspected or copied and the specific parties who may inspect or obtain copies of those records are dDiespcoussiste Cdo ipny (Sieecs)tion 2407.1(B)(3) below. : The deposit copy(ies) for a work that has been registered or refused by the Office may be inspected by any member of the public who presents a reader registration card. By contrast, the claimant named in the application and his or her duly authorized agent are generally the only parties who may inspect the deposit copy(ies) for a pending application.
Any of the parties listed below may request a certified or uncertified copy of the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a copyright claim, provided that the party satisfies t•h e conditions set forth in Section 2407.1(D)(2):
• The claimant of record for the copyright.
• A designated agent for the claimant of record.
The specific procedures for requesting an inspection or copies of the Office’s public records are discussed in Sections 2407.1(C) and 2407.1(D) below. Chapter 2400 : 12 12/22/2014 2407.1(B) Registration Records That May be Viewed, Inspected, or Copied 2407.1(B)(1) Registrations, Applications, and Correspondence As a general rule, registration records for claims that have been registered or refused by the U.S. Copyright Office may be viewed or copied by any member of the public, including certificates of registration, completed applications, and any written communications between the applicant and the Office.
2407.1(B)(2) Deposits for Claims that Have Been Registered or Refused As a general rule, the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a claim that has been registered or refused by the U.S. Copyright Office may be inspected by any member of the public, provided that the Office has retained a copy of that material. As discussed in Section 2407.1(A), certain parties who satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 2407.1(D)(2) may obtain a reproduction of the deposit for a claim that has been registered or refused.
2407.1(B)(3) Pending Applications Records related to pending applications for registration may be inspected or copied by the claimant named in the application or an authorized representative of the claimant, provided that the records were submitted to the Office within twelve months prior to the request. This includes the application and any written communications between the applicant and the Office concerning the claim. It also includes any request for reconsideration that is currently pending before the Office. In exceptional circumstances, the Register of Copyrights may allow someone other than the copyright claimant to inspect or obtain copies of a pending application or the correspondence file for a pending application, provided that (i) the request is made in writing, (ii) the person making the request is properly and directly concerned, and (iii) there is good cause for providing access to the requested materials. Members of the general public may obtain limited information concerning pending applications using the computers located in the Public Records Reading Room. This i•n formation may include:
• The title(s) of the work(s). e.g., • The administrative classification for the work ( TX, PA, VA, SR, etc.). • The correspondent or the author named in the application. • The claimant named in the application.
• The date that the application, deposit, and/or filing fee were received by the Office. • The case number/service request number assigned to the application. The status of the application.
Chapter 2400 : 13 12/22/2014 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b)(3)(i), (b)(5), and (c)(1)-(2).
NOTE : The computers in the Public Records Reading Room cannot be used to determine whether a claim is pending or whether it has been registered or refused. Members of the public may ask RRCS to prepare a written report concerning a pending application. The Office charges a fee for this service, which is discussed in Section 2406.2(C) above. The limited information that will be included in the report is set forth in Section 201.2(b)(3)(i) of the regulations.
2407.1(B)(4) Deposits for Pending Applications The deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a pending application may be inspected by the claimant named in the application or an authorized representative of the claimant, provided that the deposit was submitted to the Office within twelve months prior to the request.
As discussed in Section 2407.1(A), certain parties who satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 2407.1(D)(2) may obtain a reproduction of the deposit for a pending application.
2407.1(C) How to Request an Inspection of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Registration Records This Section discusses the procedure for requesting an inspection of the Office’s registration records. The specific parties who are authorized to inspect these records are discussed in Sections 2407.1(A) through 2407.1(B)(4) above. If the request is approved, the requested records will be made available for inspection at the Office during normal business hours. In all cases, the requesting party must present a reader registration card before he or she will be allowed to inspect any public records maintained by the Office.
2407.1(C)(1) Registrations, Applications, and Correspondence To inspect the certificate of registration, application, or correspondence file for a pending application or a claim that has been registered or refused by the Office, an authorized party should submit a written request to RRCS that contains the following i•n formation:
• The party’s name and contact information.
• A description of the material the party wishes to inspect. • The date the party wishes to inspect the materials.
2407.1(C)(2) Deposits To inspect the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a pending application or a claim that has been registered or refused by the Office, authorized parties should submit a written request to RRCS at the address specified in Section 2403 together with the appropriate fee. The request should include the information set forth in Section 2407.1(C)(1).
In addition, the requesting party must complete and sign a form titled “Request for Inspection of Copyright Deposit.” Copies of this form may be obtained from RRCS at the address provided in Section 2403 above. By signing this form the requesting party agrees not to copy or deface the deposit. Willfully removing, mutilating, obliterating, damaging, or destroying any record deposited with the U.S. Copyright Office is a crime that is punishable under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1361, 2071(a).
During the inspection, the requesting party may take limited notes directly on this form. When the inspection is complete and before the party leaves the inspection area, RRCS staff will review the form to ensure that the party’s notes (if any) do not constitute prohibited copying.
NOTE : Physical deposits are stored offsite. Therefore, requesting parties should make an appointment with RRCS and should request the item(s) they wish to inspect well in advance of their visit to the Office.
2407.1(D) How to Request Copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Registration Records This Section discusses the procedure for requesting copies of the Office’s registration records. The specific parties who may obtain copies of these records are discussed in Sections 2407.1(A) through 2407.1(B)(4) above.
2407.1(D)(1) Applications, Correspondence, and Other Registration Records To obtain copies of an application, correspondence, or other records related to a pending application or a claim that has been registered or refused by the Office, Chapter 2400 : 15 12/22/2014 authorized parties should submit a written request to RRCS containing the following i•n formation:
• The party’s name and contact information. e.g A clear identification of the type of records to be copied ( ., correspondence, • copies of deposits, etc.).
− The registration number (if any).
For information concerning the procedure for requesting an additional certificate of registration or renewal, see Section 2408.
2407.1(D)(2) Deposits To obtain certified or uncertified reproductions of the deposit copy(ies), phonorecords, or identifying material for a copyright claim, authorized parties should submit a written request to RRCS containing the information set forth in Section 2407.1(D)(1). The Office may provide a reproduction of the deposit for a pending application or a registered or refused claim, provided that the Office has retained the material and p• rovided that one of the following conditions has been met: The Office receives written authorization from the copyright claimant of record or • his or her designated agent.
Chapter 2400 : 16 12/22/2014 The Office receives a court order pursuant to 37 C.F.R. Part 205 for the reproduction of the deposited copy(ies), phonorecord(s), or identifying material for a registered work that is the subject of litigation, provided that the order is issued by a court with jurisdiction over the case and provided that the reproduction is to be • submitted as evidence.
In the case of a request from an attorney representing the plaintiff or defendant in actual or prospective litigation, RRCS will ask the attorney to complete and submit a signed litigation statement on Form LS (http://copyright.gov/forms/formlitigation.pdf) containing the information set forth above for each deposit requested, along with the attorney’s bar number or equivalent identifying information. However, the litigation statement may not be necessary if the attorney represents the copyright claimant of record in the litigation and if he or she is the designated agent for that claimant. In all cases, the request for copies and the written authorization for that request should be sent to the address specified in Section 2403, along with the appropriate fee. For information concerning the copying fee, see Section 2407.6. If the deposit consists of a phonorecord, RRCS will provide a proximate reproduction of the sound recording or the underlying musical, dramatic, or literary work embodied in the deposit, along with a photocopy of the title and the registration number (if any) that appears on the phonorecord. Upon request, RRCS will provide a copy of any printed or other visually perceptible material that appears in the deposit. If the deposit consists of identifying material, RRCS will provide a copy that depicts or reproduces the deposit with varying degrees of fidelity depending on the requesting party’s needs, such as a photocopy of a photograph.
If the work was submitted in a digital format, RRCS will provide a copy of the work in pSereinted form or in digital form on a CD, DVD, or other storage medium. 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(d)(2)-(3).
Chapter 2400 : 17 12/22/2014 2407.1(E) Limitations on Inspections and Copying of Registration Records 2407.1(E)(1) In Process Files It is the general policy of the U.S. Copyright Office to deny direct public access to in- process files and to any work space or other areas where such files are kept. 2407.1(E)(2) Custody of Deposits Once a claim has been registered or refused, the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material may or may not be retained by the Office. As a general rule, if the work is unpublished or if the applicant uploaded a digital copy or phonorecord of the work through the electronic registration system, the Office will retain the deposit copy or identifying material until the copyright expires. By contrast, the Office may or may not retain the deposit for a published work, but will do so if the applicant requests full-term retention. For a discussion of this procedure, see Section 2410. If the applicant submits physical copies or phonorecords of a published work, the deposit will be offered to the Library of Congress for its collections. If the Library does not select the work for use in its collection, the deposit copies may be retained by the Office, they may be offered to another agency, library, or nonprofit institution, or they may be discarded.
As noted in Sections 2407.1(B)(2) and 2407.1(D)(2), the Office does not provide inspection or copies of deposits that have not been retained by the Office, including c•o pies of works contained in the Library of Congress’s collections. To request copies of an audiovisual work or other multimedia work contained in the Library’s collections, members of the public should contact the Library’s Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division (www.loc.gov/rr/mopic/copies.html) by sending an email to • mpref@loc.gov.
2407.2 Recordation Records
2407.2(A) Who May View, Inspect, or Obtain Copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Recordation Records? Online Records : Any member of the public may view or make copies of the recordation records that are made available through the Office’s website R(wecwowrd.sc oinp ythrieg Phut.bgloivc /Rreeccoorrddss R/)e.a ding Room : Certain recordation records may be viewed or copied by any member of the public who presents a reader registration card, iPnecnlduidnign gR ethcoe rrdescords that are located in the Public Records Reading Room. : Records relating to pending documents may be inspected or copied only by a party who executed a document that has been submitted for recordation or that party’s duly authorized agent. The specific types of records that may be inspected or copied are discussed in Section 2407.2(B)(2) below.
The specific procedures for requesting an inspection or copies of the Office’s public records are discussed in Sections 2407.2(C) and 2407.2(D) below. 2407.2(B) Recordation Records That May Be Viewed, Inspected, or Copied 2407.2(B)(1) Recordations Documents that have been recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office may be viewed or copied by any member of the public, along with the certificate of recordation for each document and the document cover sheet (if any). Likewise, any member of the public may inspect or obtain a copy of any written communications between the remitter and the Office concerning a recorded document or a document that has been refused by the Office. 2407.2(B)(2) Pending Recordations Documents that have been submitted for recordation may be inspected or copied by one of the persons who executed the document or an authorized representative of the aforementioned persons, provided that the document was submitted to the Office within twelve months prior to the request. The aforementioned persons also may inspect or obtain copies of any written communications between the remitter and the Office concerning a pending document, including the document cover sheet (if any). Members of the general public may obtain limited information concerning pending documents using the computers located in the Public Records Reading Room. This information may include (i) the title(s) of the work(s) listed in the document, (ii) the name(s) of the parties who executed the document(s), and (iii) the date that the document was received by the Office, though much of this information may be incomplete.
Chapter 2400 : 19 12/22/2014 NOTE : The computers in the Public Records Reading Room cannot be used to determine whether a document has been recorded, and the fact that a document has been submitted for recordation does not necessarily mean that a recordation has been made. In the alternative, members of the public may ask RRCS to prepare a written report concerning a pending document. The Office charges a fee for this service, which is discussed in Section 2406.2(C) above.
2407.2(C) How to Request an Inspection of the U.S. Copyright Office’s Recordation Records This Section discusses the procedure for requesting an inspection of the Office’s recordation records. The specific persons who are authorized to inspect these records are discussed in Sections 2407.2(A) through 2407.2(B)(2) above. In all cases, authorized parties must present a reader registration card before they will be allowed to view or inspect any public records maintained by the Office.
Documents that have been recorded with the U.S. Copyright Office may be viewed in the Public Records Reading Room, including the certificate of recordation for each document and the document cover sheet (if any).
To inspect a pending document that has been submitted for recordation or any written communications concerning a recorded document or pending document, authorized p• arties should submit a written request to RRCS containing the following information: • The party’s name and contact information.
• The date on which the party would like to inspect the materials. • The recordation number (if any).
• The name(s) of the part(ies) who executed the document(s). • The date the document was received by the Office.
Documents that have been recorded with the Office may be copied in the Public Records Reading Room, including the certificate of recordation for each document and the document cover sheet (if any).
In the alternative, members of the public may submit a written request to RRCS •co ntaining the following information:
• The person’s name and contact information.
• The volume and page number for the recorded document. Whether the copies should be certified or uncertified.
To request copies of a pending document that has been submitted for recordation or any written communications concerning a recorded document or a pending document, authorized parties should submit a written request to RRCS containing the information set forth above.
In all cases, the request should be sent to RRCS at the address specified in Section 2403, together with the appropriate fee. For information concerning this fee, see Section 2407.6. 2407.2(E) Limitations on Inspections and Copying of Recordation Records 2407.2(E)(1) In Process Files As discussed in Section 2407.1(E)(1), it is the general policy of the U.S. Copyright Office to deny direct public access to in-process files and to any work space or other areas where such files are kept.
2407.2(E)(2) Refused Recordations The Office will retain a copy of any document that has been recorded with the Office and any written communications concerning that document. The Office will not retain a copy of a document if recordation has been refused, although it will retain a copy of any written communications between the remitter and the Office concerning such documents.
2407.3 Administrative Manuals
Chapter 2400 : 21 12/22/2014
2407.4 Notices of Intent to Enforce Restored Copyrights
The U.S. Copyright Office maintains a complete list of all notices of intent to enforce restored copSyereights that have been filed with the Office under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (“URAA”) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”). 17 U.S.C. § 104A(e)(1)(B)(ii). These records may be viewed or copied from the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/gatt.html or in the Public Information Office. For a definition and general discussion of restored works, see Chapter 2000, Section 2007.
2407.5 Designation of Agent Information
The Office maintains a directory of agents who have been designated to receive notifications of alleged copyright infringement under Section 512(c) of the Copyright Act. These records may be viewed or copied from the Office’s website at www.copyright.gov/onlinesp/list/a_agents.html. For additional information concerning these records, see Chapter 2300, Section 2312.
2407.6 Inspection and Copying Fees
The current fees for obtaining copies of the Office’s public records are set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Copying of Copyright Office Records by staff” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
Although the Office does not charge a fee for inspecting its records, requesting parties are required to pay a fee for locating and retrieving the requested materials before the materials will be made available for inspection.
The current fees for locating and retrieving copies of the Office’s public records for inspection or copying are set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Retrievals and Copies of Records” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying these fees, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
2408 Additional Certificates of Registration or Renewal An additional certificate is a certified copy of an original certificate of registration or renewal. Additional certificates are issued under the seal of the U.S. Copyright Office and they have the same legal effect as the original copy of the certificate. The form of an additional certificate varies depending upon the date of the original r•e gisCterrattiifoicna. tes of Registration and Renewal Issued on or before December 31, 1977 : An additional certificate for a claim registered or renewed on or before December 31, 1977 consists of a photocopy of the original application together with a preprinted certification statement containing the registration or renewal number and the date of the certification. If the Office is unable to prepare a photocopy of the original application, the additional certificate may be created by typing the title of the work, Chapter 2400 : 22 12/22/2014 the date of publication, the name of the copyright claimant, the registration or renewal number, and the effective date of registration on a preprinted certification • fCoerrmtif. i cates of Registration or Renewal Issued on or after January 1, 1978 : Generally, an additional certificate for a claim registered or renewed on or after January 1, 1978, consists of either a photocopy of the original application or an electronically generated document containing pertinent information from the original application. For some registrations stored on microfilm, an additional certificate may consist of an image from the microfilm attached to a cover sheet that contains the seal of the Office, the signature of the Register of Copyrights, and a statement certifying the facts contained in the image from the microfilm.
In all cases, the signature of the Register of Copyrights and the official seal of the U.S. Copyright Office will appear on the certificate along with a stamp that identifies the document as an additional certificate.
NOTE : The Office will not issue an additional certificate for a registration that has been cancelled.
2408.1 Who May Obtain an Additional Certificate of Registration or Renewal?
Any member of the public may ask RRCS staff to provide an additional certificate of registration or renewal.
2408.2 How to Obtain an Additional Certificate of Registration or Renewal
To obtain an additional certificate of registration or renewal, the requesting party s•h ould submit a written request to RRCS containing the following information: • The party’s name and contact information.
• The registration number.
2408.3 Fees for Additional Certificates of Registration or Renewal
The current fee for obtaining an additional certificate of registration or renewal is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Retrievals and Copies of Records: Additional certificate of registration” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). For information concerning the methods for paying this fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections
1403.4 and 1403.5.
Chapter 2400 : 23 12/22/2014 2409 Certification of U.S. Copyright Office Records A certification is an official statement from the U.S. Copyright Office attesting to the authenticity of the records and/or search reports specified in the certification. In most cases, a certification consists of a copy of one or more of the Office’s records or the relevant portions of those records, and a statement certifying that the record is a true representation of what it purports to be.
Certifications are issued under the name of the Register of Copyrights. They bear the official seal of the U.S. Copyright Office and the date that the certification was issued. For an image of the current seal, see Chapter 100, Section 101.4.S ee The Office has changed the appearance of its seal over time. Notice of New Copyright Office Seal, 68 Fed. Reg. 71,171 (Dec. 22, 2003); New Copyright Office Seal, 42 Fed. Reg. 64,747 (Dec. 28, 1977). A certification issued under a prior seal is valid, notwithstanding the fact that the Office currently uses a different seal. A record that lacks the official seal of the U.S. Copyright Office and/or the name of the Register of Copyright is not validly certified. In particular, records bearing the seal of the Library of Congress or any seal other than that used by the U.S. Copyright Office are not validly certified records of the U.S. Copyright Office. The specific types of records that may be certified by the Office are discussed in Section S2e4e0 g9e.2n ebrealollwy .
2409.1 Who May Obtain Certification of U.S. Copyright Office Records?
Any member of the public may ask RRCS staff to certify the records discussed in Sections 2409.2(A), 2409.2(B), 2409.2(E), 2409.2(G), or 2409.2(H). Certain records may be certified upon request from any member of the public, including recorded documents and certain types of registration records. By contrast, records relating to pending applications or pending documents may be certified only upon request from the claimant named in a pending application, the party who executed a document that has been submitted for recordation, their duly authorized agents, or by court order. The specific types of records that may be certified and the specific parties who may request this service are discussed in Sections 2409.2(C) and 2409.2(F) below. As discussed in Section 2407.1(A), the Office may provide a certified copy of the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a pending application or a claim that has been registered or refused by the Office to certain parties that satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 2407.1(D)(2).
The procedure for requesting a certification is discussed in Section 2409.3 below. Chapter 2400 : 24 12/22/2014
2409.2 Records That May Be Certified
2409.2(A) Search Reports RRCS will certify any search report that has been prepared by the U.S. Copyright Office. For information concerning search reports prepared by RRCS staff, see Section 2406.2. 2409.2(B) Certificates of Registration The original copy of a certificate of registration is a certified copy of that record, but a photocopy or other reproduction of the original certificate is not considered a certified copy.
As discussed in Section 2408, the Office will issue an additional certificate of registration to any member of the public upon request. An additional certificate of registration, like the original certificate of registration, is considered a certified copy, but a photocopy or other reproduction of an additional certificate is not. Although a separate certification is not required for the original copy of a certificate issued by the Office, RRCS will issue a so called “double certification” for these types of records if requested to do so.
RRCS will issue a certified copy of a cancelled registration that has been cancelled by the Office, although as discussed in Section 2408, it will not issue an additional certificate for a registration that has been cancelled.
2409.2(C) Registration Records RRCS will certify records related to claims that have been registered or refused by the U.S. Copyright Office, including completed applications and any written communications between the applicant and the Office.
Records related to pending applications may be certified, provided that the request is submitted by the claimant named in the application or an authorized representative of the copyright claimant. This includes the application and any written communications between the applicant and the Office concerning the claim. It also includes any request for reconsideration that is currently pending before the Office. •A certification for these types of records typically contains the following information: • A photocopy of the record specified in the request.
• A certified statement that identifies the records.
• The signature of the Register of Copyrights.
• The official seal of the U.S. Copyright Office.
Chapter 2400 : 25 12/22/2014 2409.2(D) Deposits As discussed in Sections 2407.1(A) and 2409.1, RRCS may provide a certified copy of the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a pending application or a claim that has been registered or refused by the Office to certain parties that satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 2407.1(D)(2).
2409.2(D)(1) Deposit Copy(ies) and Identifying Material A certification for the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a registered or r•e fused claim typically contains the following information: A copy or phonorecord of the deposit or the portion of the deposit specified in the • request.
• The signature of the Register of Copyrights.
• The official seal of the U.S. Copyright Office.
I•n some cases, the certification may also contain the following information: A copy of the page or surface bearing any visually perceptible copyright notice that • appears on the deposit.
2409.2(D)(2) Actual Deposits Upon receiving a valid court order issued pursuant to 37 C.F.R. Part 205, the U.S. Copyright Office will certify the actual deposit copy(ies) or identifying material that was submitted for registration (as opposed to certifying a reproduction of the deposit), provided that the deposit has been under the Office’s continuous control since the date that it was received. Actual deposits will be made available upon the condition that they will be promptly returned to the custody of the Office within a specified period of time. When certifying an actual deposit, RRCS will prepare a certified statement confirming that the content of the copy, phonorecord, or identifying material is the same as the content of the copy, phonorecord, or identifying material used in support of the registration.
Chapter 2400 : 26 12/22/2014 2409.2(E) Certificates of Recordation The original copy of a certificate of recordation is a certified copy of that record, but a photocopy or other reproduction of the original certificate is not considered a certified copy.
Although a separate certification is not required for the original copy of a certificate of recordation issued by the Office, RRCS will issue a so called “double certification” for these types of records if requested to do so.
2409.2(F) Recorded Documents RRCS will certify any document that has been recorded with the Office, as well as any written communications between a remitter and the Office concerning a recorded document or a document that has been refused by the Office. Documents that have been submitted for recordation and any written communications between the remitter and the Office concerning a pending document may be certified, provided that the request is submitted by one of the persons who executed the document or an authorized representative of the aforementioned persons. •A certification for a recorded document typically contains the following information: • A photocopy of the document or other record specified in the request. • A photocopy of the certificate of recordation (if any). • A photocopy of the document cover sheet (if any).
• The signature of the Register of Copyrights.
• The official seal of the U.S. Copyright Office.
2409.2(G) Prints or Labels Deposited in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Before July 1, 1940 Prior to July 1, 1940, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) retained carbon copies of each certificate of registration for prints or labels issued by the USPTO. Copies of these records were transferred to the U.S. Copyright Office on July 1, 1940. An additional certificate of registration for a print or label registered by USPTO before July 1• , 1940, consists of the following:
• A photocopy of the index card from the Copyright Card Catalog; A carbon copy of the original certificate of registration issued by USPTO; and Chapter 2400 : 27 12/22/2014 A certified statement that identifies the record.
2409.2(H) Other Records Maintained by the U.S. Copyright Office Compendium RRCS will certify indexes of the Office’s records, blank application forms, information circulars, administrative manuals (including this as well as out-of-date publications), and all other public records maintained by the Office.
2409.3 How to Request Certified Copies of U.S. Copyright Office Records
To obtain a certified copy of records maintained by the Office, the requesting party should submit a written request to RRCS containing the following information: • The party’s name and contact information.
• A clear identification of the records to be certified. A clear and specific request for certification.
The request should be sent to RRCS as the address specified in Section 2403 together with the appropriate fee.
2409.4 Certification Fees
The requesting party must pay a separate certification fee for each record that is certified by the U.S. Copyright Office. The current fee for certifying a search report or other records is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the headings “Searches of Records: Certification of search report (per hour)” and “Retrievals and Copies of Records: Certification of records, including search reports (per hour)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
In addition, the requesting party will be required to pay a fee for locating, retrieving, and copying the requested materials. For information concerning these fees, see Section 2407.6.
For information concerning the methods for paying these fees, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1403.4 and 1403.5.
2409.5 Limitations on Certification of U.S. Copyright Office Records
As noted in Sections 2407.1(B)(2) and 2407.1(D)(2), certain records may or may not be retained by the Office once a claim has been registered or refused. As discussed in Section 2405.3, the Office will not certify records that have not been retained by the Office. In particular, the Office will not certify works contained in the Library of Congress’s collections, except for deposit copies that are temporarily on exhibit at the Library. For information concerning the procedure for obtaining copies of materials maintained by the Library, see Section 2407.1(E)(2) above. Chapter 2400 : 28 12/22/2014 2410 Full-Term Retention of Deposits As a general rule, the U.S. Copyright Office will retain the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for an unpublished work for the full term of the copyright. The deposit for a published work may be retained under the control of the Office for the longest period considered practicable and desirable by the Register of Copyrights and the Librarian of Congress. At the end of this period, the work may be destroyed. Upon request and payment of the appropriate fee, the Office will retain the deposit copies for a published work for a period of seventy-five years from the date of publication. This service is known as “full-term retention.” 17 U.S.C. § 704(d)-(e).
2410.1 Who May Request Full-Term Retention?
Full-term retention may be requested by the applicant who submitted the initial application or the copyright owner of record for the registered work. 37 C.F.R. § 202.23(a)(1).
2410.2 How to Request Full-Term Retention
To request full-term retention, the requesting party should submit a signed, written r•e quest containing the following information:
• The name and contact information of the applicant or the copyright owner of record. • A clear statement of request for full-term retention. • The title of the work as it appeared in the application for registration or renewal. • The date of publication for the work.
Chapter 2400 : 29 12/22/2014 If the request is approved, the Office will send a written communication to the requesting party acknowledging payment of the fee and identifying the deposit for which full-term retention has been granted.
The Office may grant a request for full-term retention, provided that the request is made by an authorized party and provided that the Office has retained at least one copy, one phonorecord, or one set of identifying material in its control when the request is received. This includes deposits retained in a federal records center, but it does not include deposits that have been transferred to the collections of the Library of Congress. The Office may deny a request for full-term retention if the deposit has been selected by the Library of Congress for its collections. Likewise, the Office may deny a request for full-term retention (i) if the storage would place an unreasonable burden on the Office due to the excessive size, fragility, or weight of the deposit, or (ii) if the retention would result in a health or safety hazard. The Office may nonetheless grant the request in such cases if the requesting party pays for the cost of preparing acceptable identifying materials in lieu of the actual deposit and provided that the payment is received within sixty days after the date that the Office denied the initial request. 37 C.F.R. § 202.23.
2410.3 Full-Term Retention Fees
The current fee for full-term retention is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Full-term retention of published copyright deposit” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
For information concerning the methods for paying this fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections
1403.4 and 1403.5.
2411 Expedited Service Expedited service is a procedure for accelerating the time period for satisfying a request for a search report, certified or uncertified copies of the U.S. Copyright Office’s records, or other services provided by the Office. The Office charges an additional fee for expedited service, as discussed in Section 2411.3 below.
2411.1 Who May Request Expedited Service?
Any member of the public may request expedited service.
2411.2 How to Request Expedited Service
A request for expedited service should be submitted in writing and should contain the f•o llowing information:
• A description of the service to be provided.
2411.3 Fees for Expedited Service
The requesting party must pay an additional fee for expedited service, which will be added to the fee for the primary service provided by the staff of RRCS. The additional fee must be paid for each service for which expedited service is requested and granted. The current fee for an expedited search report is set forth in the Office’s fee schedule under the heading “Searches of Records: Expedited report (surcharge per hour for first two hours plus $200 per hour base fee)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html). The current fee for obtaining certified or uncertified copies of the Office’s records on an expedited basis is set forth under the heading “Retrievals and Copies of Records: Surcharge for expedited retrievals, certification, and copying ($/hr)” (www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html).
For information concerning the methods for paying this fee, see Chapter 1400, Sections
1403.4 and 1403.5.
2412 Services Provided to Other U.S. Government Agencies The United States government and any of its agencies, employees, or officers are expected to pay all fees prescribed by the Copyright Act, although the Register of Copyrights has the discretion to waive these fees in occasional or isolated cases involving relatively small amounts. 17 U.S.C § 708(c). A request for a waiver of fees should be made in writing and should be submitted along with the request for service. 2413 Denial of Service and Appeals The U.S. Copyright Office may deny a request for service for one or more of the following r•e asons:
• The requested record is not subject to viewing, inspection, or copying. • The Office has not retained the requested record.
If the Office determines that the service cannot be provided, it will notify the requesting party in writing or by telephone and will explain the reasons for its decision. Chapter 2400 : 31 12/22/2014 If the Office declines to provide a requested service because the requesting party is not authorized to view, inspect, or obtain copies of the requested record, the party may submit an appeal to the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Copyright Office. For information concerning this procedure, the requesting party should contact the Office of the General Counsel.
Chapter 2400 : 32 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M Glossary This Glossary provides brief definitions for certain terms as they apply to registration, recordation, and other services provided by the U.S. Copyright Office. Definitions that are taken directly from the Copyright Act or the Office’s regulations are enclosed in quotation marks. Definitions that are not enclosed in quotation marks are not legal definitions; they are intended to educate and inform legal practitioners and members of the public who file applications, record documents, and conduct other business with the Office.
1909 Copyright Act:
Pub. L. No. 60-349, 35 Stat. 1075 (1909). This law as amended was the copyright law of the United States from July 1, 1909 through December 31, 1977. It was repealed effective January 1, 1978 and replaced with the 1976 Copyright Act. 1976 Copyright Act:
Act:
Annotation:
Anonymous work:
Applicant:
Audiovisual work:
See “database.”
Basic registration:
Berne Convention:
Board:
CAD:
Certification:
Choreographic works:
101. A collective work is a form of compilation.
Compilation:
Computer:
Copies:
Copyright Card Catalog:
Copyright claimant:
Copyright notice:
• The year of first publication of the work; and The name of the copyright owner.
A copyright notice is no longer legally required to secure copyright on works first published on or after March 1, 1989, although it does provide legal benefits. Copyrightable:
Created : “A work is ‘created’ when it is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time; where a work is prepared over a period of time, the portion of it that has been fixed at any particular time constitutes the work as of that time, and where the work has been prepared in different versions, each version constitutes a separate work.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
Database:
Date of recordation:
Deposit account:
Deposit copy(ies):
Derivative:
Derivative work:
Display:
Document cover sheet:
Document pertaining to copyright:
EDR:
Effective Date of Registration (“EDR”):
(A) becomes a WTO member country after the date of the enactment of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act;
(B) on such date of enactment is, or after such date of enactment becomes, a nation adhering to the Berne Convention;
(C) adheres to the WIPO Copyright Treaty;
(D) adheres to the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty; or (E) after such date of enactment becomes subject to a proclamation under [17 U.S.C. § 104A] subsection (g).”
17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(3).
Exclusive license:
Exclusive rights:
1. “To reproduce the copyrighted work in copies or phonorecords.” 2. “To prepare derivative works based upon the copyrighted work.” 3. “To distribute copies or phonorecords of the copyrighted work to the public by sale or other transfer of ownership, or by rental, lease, or lending.” Glossary : 6 12/22/2014 4. “In the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and motion pictures and other audiovisual works, to perform the copyrighted work publicly.”
5. “In the case of literary, musical, dramatic, and choreographic works, pantomimes, and pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, to display the copyrighted work publicly.” 6. “In the case of sound recordings, to perform the copyrighted work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission.”
17 U.S.C. § 106.
These rights are subject to certain limitations that are defined in Sections 107 through 122 of the Copyright Act.
Filing fee:
Fixation:
Fixed:
Form:
Form CON:
Form DCS:
Glossary : 7 12/22/2014 Form G/DN : A paper application used to register a group of daily newspapers or daily newsletters.
Form GATT:
Form GATT/CON:
Form GATT/GRP : A paper application previously used to register a claim to copyright in a group of related works restored under the 1994 Uruguay Round Agreements Act. Form GR/CP : A paper application used in conjunction with Form TX, Form PA, or Form VA for registering a group of contributions to a periodical or newspaper. Form GR/PPh/CON:
Form MW:
Form SE : A paper application used to register a single issue of a published or unpublished serial.
Form SE/GROUP:
Form VA:
GATT:
1. Failure to comply with certain “formalities” of United States law. These formalities include:
2. Lack of subject matter protection in the case of sound recordings fixed before February 15, 1972.
3. Lack of national eligibility.
Registration using Form GATT can be for a “single work” or for a “series of works published under a single title in multiple episodes, installments, or issues during the same calendar year.” GATT/Group registration, which allowed a broader scope for group registration, was eliminated effective July 1, 2006. GATT registration:
Group registration:
• Daily newspapers.
• Daily newsletters.
• Contributions to periodicals.
Glossary : 9 12/22/2014 A group of updates or revisions to a database.
ID material : An abbreviation for “identifying material.”
Identifying material (“ID material”):
An abbreviation for “International Standard Recording Code.” International Standard Recording Code (“ISRC”):
A unique identifier assigned to a sound recording by designated agencies in each country participating in the program. The U.S. Copyright Office does not assign these numbers to published works. In the United States, ISRCs are administered by the Recording Industry Association of America (www.usisrc.org).
ISSN:
License:
Limitation of claim:
LIT:
Mandatory deposit copy:
Mask work:
(A) having or representing the predetermined, three-dimensional pattern of metallic, insulating, or semiconductor material present or removed from the layers of a Glossary : 11 12/22/2014 semiconductor chip product; and (B) in which series the relation of the images to one another is that each image has the pattern of the surface of one form of the semiconductor chip product.” 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(2). A three-dimensional design formed on or in the layers of a semiconductor chip. This term does not apply to sculptural masks. Mask works are protected under the Semiconductor Chip Protection Act of 1984 and may be registered by the U.S. Copyright Office.
Motion pictures:
• Unauthorized fixations of live performances or telecasts. • Live telecasts that are not fixed simultaneously with their transmission. Filmstrips and slide sets which, although consisting of a series of images intended to See be shown in succession, are not capraebplrei notfe cdo innv eying an impression of motion. H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476 at 56 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5659, 5669. Nature of Authorship : The portion of a paper application that identifies the copyrightable material created by the author named in the application. In the online application, this portion of the application is referred to as the “Author Created” field. Nonexclusive license:
ed. 2009).
Notice : See “copyright notice.”
Object code:
Official certification : “An official certification is a certification, by the appropriate Government official, that the original of the document is on file in a public office and that the reproduction is a true copy [of] the original.” 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(a)(3)(ii) (italics omitted).
OGC:
Glossary : 12 12/22/2014 PA:
Performing arts works : See “works of the performing arts.”
Phonorecords : “‘Phonorecords’ are material objects in which sounds, other than those accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work, are fixed by any method now known or later developed, and from which the sounds can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device. The term ‘phonorecords’ includes the material object in which the sounds are first fixed.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
PIA:
Pictorial works:
Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works:
PIE:
PIO:
(v) computer programs (including videogames); or (vi) advertising or marketing photographs. Works that do not fall within these classes are not eligible for this procedure.
Pseudonymous work:
Public Catalog:
Public display:
Public domain:
Publicly:
Public performance:
Public performance and public display:
1. to perform or display it at a place open to the public or at any place where a substantial number of persons outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances is gathered; or 2. to transmit or otherwise communicate a performance or display of the work to a place specified by clause (1) or to the public, by means of any device or process, whether the members of the public capable of receiving the performance or display receive it in the same place or in separate places and at the same time or at different times.”
Glossary : 14 12/22/2014 17 U.S.C. § 101.
Public record:
RAC:
Recordation:
Recordation specialists:
Register of Copyrights:
Registration:
101. The principle function performed by the U.S. Copyright Office under the provisions of Section 408 of the Copyright Law. The process for putting a claim on record in the U.S. Copyright Office; a type of copyright service available for a fee. Registration is a possible result of the U.S. Copyright Office’s examination of an application to register a claim of copyright in an original work of authorship. Registration involves examining the claim, and if the claim is approved by the U.S. Copyright Office, numbering the claim, issuing a certificate of registration, and creating a public record. Registration materials:
Registration specialists:
Remitter:
Renewal c S l e a e im “r :
Renewal registration:
Request for reconsideration : A request for reconsideration to the Registration Program Office or a request for reconsideration to the Review Board is an administrative review of a refusal to register a claim in copyright by an applicant. Review Board (also referred to as the “Board”):
RRCS:
Scènes à faire:
Screen displays:
Sculptural works:
Secure test:
Semiconductor chip product:
(A) having two or more layers of metallic, insulating, or semiconductor material, deposited or otherwise placed on, or etched away or otherwise removed from, a piece of semiconductor material in accordance with a predetermined pattern; and (B) intended to perform electronic circuitry functions.” 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1).
Serial:
Series of musical, spoken, or other sounds:
Shipping slip:
Sound recordings:
Source code:
Source country:
(A) a nation other than the United States;
(B) in the case of an unpublished work—
(C) in the case of a published work—
17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(8).
Special handling:
Statutory license:
Sui generis:
Sworn certification:
Transfer:
Transfer of copyright ownership:
Transfer statement:
Translation:
Glossary : 18 12/22/2014 Treaty party:
United States work : “For purposes of section 411 [of the 1976 Act], a work is a ‘United States work’ only if— 1. in the case of a published work, the work is first published—
2. in the case of an unpublished work, all the authors of the work are nationals, domiciliaries, or habitual residents of the United States, or, in the case of an unpublished audiovisual work, all the authors are legal entities with headquarters in the United States; or 3. in the case of a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work incorporated in a building or structure, the building or structure is located in the United States.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
Unit of publication:
Unpublished : See “unpublished work.”
Unpublished collection:
Glossary : 19 12/22/2014 Unpublished work : A work for which publication, as defined in the Copyright Law, has not occurred.
URAA:
Uruguay Round Agreements Act (“URAA”):
Uruguay Round General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (“GATT”): See “General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).”
Useful article:
VA:
Visual arts works:
1. a painting, drawing, print or sculpture, existing in a single copy, in a limited edition of 200 copies or fewer that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author, or, in the case of a sculpture, in multiple cast, carved, or fabricated sculptures of 200 or fewer that are consecutively numbered by the author and bear the signature or other identifying mark of the author; or 2. a still photographic image produced for exhibition purposes only, existing in a single copy that is signed by the author, or in a limited edition of 200 copies or fewer that are signed and consecutively numbered by the author.
A work of visual art does not include— (A) (i) any poster, map, globe, chart, technical drawing, diagram, model, applied art, motion picture or other audiovisual work, book, magazine, newspaper, periodical, data base, electronic information service, electronic publication, or similar publication;
Glossary : 20 12/22/2014
(B) any work made for hire; or (C) any work not subject to copyright protection under this title.” 17 U.S.C. § 101. “Works of visual art” is a specific class of works that are eligible for protection under the Visual Artists Rights Act.
Widow or widower : “The author’s ‘widow’ or ‘widower’ is the author’s surviving spouse under the law of the author’s domicile at the time of his or her death, whether or not the spouse has later remarried.” 17 U.S.C. § 101.
WIPO:
Work made for hire:
1. a work prepared by an employee within the scope of his or her employment; or 2. a work specially ordered or commissioned for use as a contribution to a collective work, as a part of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, as a translation, as a supplementary work, as a compilation, as an instructional text, as a test, as answer material for a test, or as an atlas, if the parties expressly agree in a written instrument signed by them that the work shall be considered a work made for hire. For the purpose of the foregoing sentence, a ‘supplementary work’ is a work prepared for publication as a secondary adjunct to a work by another author for the purpose of introducing, concluding, illustrating, explaining, revising, commenting upon, or assisting in the use of the other work, such as forewords, afterwords, pictorial illustrations, maps, charts, tables, editorial notes, musical arrangements, answer material for tests, bibliographies, appendixes, and indexes, and an ‘instructional text’ is a literary, pictorial, or graphic work prepared for publication and with the purpose of use in systematic instructional activities.” In determining whether any work is eligible to be considered a work made for hire under paragraph (2), neither the amendment contained in section 1011(d) of the Intellectual Property and Communications Omnibus Reform Act of 1999, as enacted by section 1000(a)(9) of Public Law 106-113, nor the deletion of the words added by that amendment— (A) shall be considered or otherwise given any legal significance, or (B) shall be interpreted to indicate congressional approval or disapproval of, or acquiescence in, any judicial determination, by the courts or the Copyright Office. Paragraph (2) shall be interpreted as if both section 2(a)(1) of the Work Made for Hire and Copyright Corrections Act of 2000 and section 1011(d) of the Intellectual Property and Communications Omnibus Reform Act of 1999, as enacted by section 1000(a)(9) of Glossary : 21 12/22/2014 Public Law 106-113, were never enacted, and without regard to any inaction or awareness by the Congress at any time of any judicial determinations.” 17 U.S.C. §101.
Works of the Performing Arts:
Copyright Office uses the term “works of the performing arts” to refer collectively to the following works of authorship: musical works, including any accompanying words; sound recordings; dramatic works, including any accompanying music; choreographic works; pantomimes; audiovisual works; and motion pictures. “This class includes all published and unpublished works prepared for the purpose of being performed directly before an audience or indirectly by means of a device or process.” 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(ii).
Works of the Visual Arts:
World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”):
WTO:
Glossary : 22 12/22/2014 COMPENDIU M:
Contents Table of Authorities U.S. Constitution ................................................................................................................................................................. 3 United States Code ............................................................................................................................................................ 3 Intern ational Treaties ................................................................................................................................................... 17 Cases:U.S. Supreme Court........................................................................................................................................... 17 Cases: U.S. Courts of Appeals ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Cases: U.S. District Co urts ............................................................................................................................................ 21 Legislative Materials:Hearings ................................................................................................................................. 22 Legislative Materials: Reports ................................................................................................................................... 22 Legislative Materials: Floor Debates ....................................................................................................................... 23 Legislative Materials: Congressional Rules .......................................................................................................... 23 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Regulations ........................................................................ 23 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Administrative Manuals ................................................ 41 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Studies.................................................................................. 41 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Circulars and Factsheets ............................................... 41 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Public Announcements, Policy Statements, and Interpretive Rules .................................................................................................................................................. 42 Treatises ............................................................................................................................................................................. 47 Other Authorities ............................................................................................................................................................ 47 Table of Authorities : 1 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Table of Authorities : 2 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition COMPENDIU M:
U.S. Constitution Table of Authorities Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8: 102.1 United States Code 5 U.S.C. § 500: 1706 5 U.S.C. § 553: 102.2(B)
15 U.S.C. § 8111(b)(3)(A)(ii): 101.1 15 U.S.C. Chapter 23: 313.6(C)(1)
17 U.S.C. § 26 (1973): Chapter 2100 Part VII (definition of “Phonorecord”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “anonymous work”): 614.1(E), 615.1(A), Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Anonymous work”), Glossary (definition of “Anonymous work”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “architectural works”): 903.2, 923, 923.2, 1509.3(D), Glossary (definition of “Architectural work”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “audiovisual work”): 807.1, 807.2(C), 807.3(C), 1509.2(E), Glossary (definition of “Audiovisual work”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “best edition”): 1504, 1511.1, Glossary (definition of “Best edition”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “children”): 2310.3(B)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “collective work”): 312.3, 509.1, 613.8, 618.7, 711, 712.2, 801.10, 1109.2, Glossary (definition of “Collective work”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “compilation”): 307, 312.2, 312.3, 313.6(B), 508.1, 509.1, 613.7, 613.8, 618.6, 707.1, 710, 711, 801.9, 802.6(J), 805.7, 1006.4, 1008.7, Glossary (definition of “Compilation”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “computer program”): 721.1, 721.6, 724, Glossary (definition of “Computer program”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “copies”): 305, 801.3(A), 1008.3(B), 2203.2, Glossary (definition of “Copies”)
Table of Authorities : 3 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “created”): 512, 611, 611.3, 721.8, 721.9(D), 1008.5, Glossary (definition of “Created”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “derivative work”): 507.1, 613.6, 618.5, 621.9(A)(2), 709, 709.3, 709.4, 718, 721.2, 721.8, 801.8, 805.6, 807.6, 808.8, Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Derivative work”), Glossary (definition of “Derivative work”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “display”): Glossary (definition of “Display”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “fixed”): 305, 705, 801.3, 802.4, 803.4, 803.4(A), 807.4, 904, 2003.2(C), Glossary (definition of “Fixed”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “joint work”): 505.1, 708, 801.6, 804.8(A), 808.10(A)(3), 1003.1, Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Joint work”), Glossary (definition of “Joint work”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “literary work”): 703, 706, 707.1, 721.1, 807.2(D), Glossary (definition of “Literary works”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “motion picture”): 808.1, 1603.1, 1605, Glossary (definition of “Motion pictures”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “perform or display a work ‘publicly’”): 805.5(B)(2), 1008.3(A), Glossary (definitions of “Perform” and “Public performance and public display”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “phonorecords”): 305, 801.3(B), 1008.3(B), Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Phonorecord”), 2203.3, Glossary (definition of “Phonorecords”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works”): 808.11(D), 903.1, 924, 924.2, Glossary (definition of “Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “pseudonymous work”): 614.1(E), 615.2(A), Glossary (definition of “Pseudonymous work”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “publication”): 612.2, 721.9(E), 802.8(F), 803.8(F), 1008.3(A), 1008.3(B), 1603.4, 1902, 1905.1, 1906.1, 1906.2, 1907, 1908, 1908.1, 1908.2, 1908.3, 1908.4, Glossary (definition of “Publication”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “registration”): Glossary (definition of “Registration”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “sound recording”): 803.1, 803.2(B), 803.8(F)(1), 807.2(B), 808.2(B), 1603.1, Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Sound recordings”), Glossary (definition of “Sound recordings”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “transfer of copyright ownership”): 408, 620.1, 2309.1, Glossary (definition of “Transfer of copyright ownership”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “treaty party”): Glossary (definition of “Treaty party”) Table of Authorities : 4 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “transmission program”): 1511.5 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “United States work”): 1602, Glossary (definition of “United States work”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “useful article”): 924.1, Glossary (definition of “Useful article”)
17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “widow or widower”): Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Widow or widower”), 2310.3(B), Glossary (definition of “Widow or widower”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work made for hire”): 506.1, 613.4, 710, 711, 716, 720, 808.10(A)(1), 1003.1, 1606.4, Glossary (“Work made for hire”) 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “work of visual art”): 901, 2314.1, 2314.2, Glossary (definition of “Work of visual art”)
17 U.S.C. § 102: 310.3, 1509.1(C)(4)(d)
17 U.S.C. § 102(a): 102.2, 102.2(A), 102.4, 202, 302, 305, 307, 311.1, 312.1, 313.1, 313.2, 313.3, 313.4, 313.4(G), 502, 503.1(A), 512, 613.2, 623.1, 705, 707, 707.1, 710, 801.2, 802.4, 804.3(D)(1), 805.3(A), 805.3(C), 805.4, 805.4(C), 805.6, 805.7, 806.3(A), 806.3(C), 904, 906, 1006, 1509.1(C)(4)(d), 1603.2 17 U.S.C. § 102: 1702 17 U.S.C. § 102(a)(4): 102.2(A), 805.1, 805.4, 805.4(A), 805.5(B), 805.5(B), 805.5(B)(2), 805.5(B)(3), 805.7, 805.9, 806.1, 806.4, 806.5(B), 806.7 17 U.S.C. § 102(a)(5): 924.2 17 U.S.C. § 102(a)(6): 807.2(A)
17 U.S.C. § 102(a)(8): 102.5, 923 17 U.S.C. § 102(b): 310.5, 313.3(A), 313.4(G), 313.4(K), 608, 618.8(A)(2), 618.8(A)(5), 618.8(A)(6), 618.8(A)(7), 618.8(C)(2), 618.8(C)(3), 618.8(C)(5), 707.1, 714, 716, 717.1, 717.3, 721.7, 721.8, 724, 725, 805.3(D)(1), 805.5(B)(3), 806.5(B), 808.11(E), 905, 920.3, 922, 924.3(B), 1007, 1007.1, 1603.3 17 U.S.C. § 103: 1702 17 U.S.C. § 103(a): 307, 313.6(B), 503.1(B), 507.2, 509.2, 608, 802.6(A), 803.6(A), 803.6(B)(2), 803.6(B)(5), 803.6(B)(6)
17 U.S.C. § 103(b): 311.2, 313.6(D), 507.2, 508.2, 509.2, 618.6, 710, 725 17 U.S.C. § 104: 608, 1702, 1806.4(D), 2003 Table of Authorities : 5 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 104(a): 304, 313.6(A), 617.1, 617.7(D), 2003.1 17 U.S.C. § 104(b): 304, 313.6(A), 612.7(J), 612.7(L), 617.1, 2003.2, 2003.2(A) 17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(1): 617.7(C), 2003.2(A), 2005.4 17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(2): 617.7(D), 2003.2(B)
17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(3): 2003.2(C)
17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(4): 2003.2(D)
17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(5): 313.6(C)(2), 2003.2(E)
17 U.S.C. § 104(b)(6): 2003.2(F)
17 U.S.C. § 104(d): 2004.1 17 U.S.C. § 104A: 202.1, 808.10(K)(1), 1402.9, 2144 17 U.S.C. § 104A(a)(1)(B): 2144 17 U.S.C. §104A(a)(h)(3): Glossary (definition of “Eligible country”) 17 U.S.C. § 104A(e)(1)(B)(ii): 2407.4 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6): 2007.1 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6)(B): 2007.1 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6)(C): 2007.1 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6)(D): 2007.1 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(6)(E): 2007.1 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(8): Glossary (definition of “Source country”) 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(8)(B): Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Source country”) 17 U.S.C. § 104A(h)(8)(C): Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Source country”) 17 U.S.C. § 105: 313.6(C)(1), 608, 717.1, 2208 17 U.S.C. § 106: 102.2, 102.5, 1805, 2311, Glossary (definition of “Exclusive rights”) 17 U.S.C. § 106(2): 801.8 17 U.S.C. § 106A: 102.7, 901, 1805, 2311, 2314.3 Table of Authorities : 6 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 106A(a)(1): 2314.3 17 U.S.C. § 106A(a)(2): 2314.3 17 U.S.C. § 106A(a)(3): 2314.3 17 U.S.C. § 106A(c): 2314.3 17 U.S.C. § 107: 102.2(A), 102.4, 1903 17 U.S.C. § 108: 102.2(A), 1903 17 U.S.C. § 111: 101.2(H)(2), 2301, Glossary (definition of “Licensing Division”) 17 U.S.C. § 113(b): 312.1, 922, 923.1 17 U.S.C. § 113(d): 2314.3, 2314.11 17 U.S.C. § 113(d)(2): 2314.3 17 U.S.C. § 113(d)(3): 2314.3 17 U.S.C. § 114(b): 803.6, 803.6(B)
17 U.S.C. § 115: 101.2(H)(2), 801.8, 802.6(B), 1903, Glossary (definition of “Licensing Division”)
17 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1): 802.6(B)
17 U.S.C. § 115(a)(2): 802.6(B)
17 U.S.C. § 115(c)(1): 202 17 U.S.C. § 117: 102.7 17 U.S.C. § 118: 1903 17 U.S.C. § 119: 101.2(H)(2), 2301, Glossary (definition of “Licensing Division”) 17 U.S.C. § 121: 1903 17 U.S.C. § 201(a): 503.4, 505.3, 613.2, 620.1, 708 17 U.S.C. § 201(b): 506.5, 613.2, 614.1(B)
17 U.S.C. § 201(c): 509.2 17 U.S.C. § 201(d): 620.1, 2309.1 Table of Authorities : 7 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 201(d)(1): 620.9(A), 2309.1 17 U.S.C. § 201(d)(2): 407 17 U.S.C. § 202: 619.4, 620.10(C)(4), 718, 721.6 17 U.S.C. § 203: 102.2(A), 506.5, 2302, 2306.1, 2310, 2310.2, 2310.3(A), 2310.3(B), 2310.3(C), 2310.3(C)(3), 2310.3(D), 2310.3(D)(1), 2310.3(D)(3), 2310.6, 2310.7, 2310.9, 2310.11, 2310.13, 2310.13(A), 2310.13(B), 2310.13(C)
17 U.S.C. § 203(a): 2310.3(B)
17 U.S.C. § 203(a)(3): 2310.3(C), 2310.3(C)(1), 2310.3(C)(2), 2310.9 17 U.S.C. § 203(a)(4): 101.3(A), 2302, 2310.3(C)
17 U.S.C. § 203(a)(4)(A): 623.1 17 U.S.C. § 204(a): 503.4, 620.1, 620.10(C)(1), 2309.1 17 U.S.C. § 205: 101.3(A), 202.3, 2302, 2313.3, 2314.4 17 U.S.C. § 205(a): 2302, 2309.1, 2310.8, 2310.9 17 U.S.C. § 205(c): 623.1, 1802.7(B), 2309.3(A), 2309.9(D), 2309.9(E) 17 U.S.C. § 205(c)(1): 202 17 U.S.C. § 205(c)(2): 202 17 U.S.C. § 205(d): 1802.7(B), 2309.3(B)
17 U.S.C. § 205(e): 1802.7(B), 2309.3(C)
17 U.S.C. § 301(a): 102.5 17 U.S.C. § 301(c): 102.5, 803.5(D)
17 U.S.C. § 302: 203, 2302 17 U.S.C. § 302(a): 102.2(A), 616.2 17 U.S.C. § 302(b): 505.3 17 U.S.C. § 302(c): 102.2(A), 505.3, 506.5, 611, 614.1(D), 614.1(E), 615.1(A), 615.1(B), 615.2(A), 615.2(B), 616.2, 619.13(C), 2301, 2302 17 U.S.C. § 302(d): 2301, 2302 Table of Authorities : 8 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 303: 203 17 U.S.C. § 303(a): 616.2, 1903 17 U.S.C. § 303(b): 802.8(F), 2122.5(E)
17 U.S.C. § 304: 202.1, 203, 621.5, 1806.2, 2302, 2306.1, 2310.4(D)(1)(c) 17 U.S.C. § 304(a): 2101, 2102 17 U.S.C. § 304(a)(1)(C): 2310.4(A)
17 U.S.C. § 304(a)(3)(A): 2108 17 U.S.C. § 304(a)(3)(A)(ii): 2115.6 17 U.S.C. § 304(b): 2102 17 U.S.C. § 304(c): 102.2(A), 506.5, 2310, 2310.2, 2310.3(D)(3), 2310.4(A), 2310.4(B)(1), 2310.4(B)(2), 2310.4(C), 2310.4(D), 2310.4(D)(1), 2310.4(D)(2), 2310.4(D)(3), 2310.5(A), 2310.5(B), 2310.5(D)(1), 2310.6, 2310.7, 2310.11, 2310.13, 2310.13(A), 2310.13(B), 2310.13(C)
17 U.S.C. § 304(c)(1): 2310.4(B)(1)
17 U.S.C. § 304(c)(2): 2310.4(B)(1)
17 U.S.C. § 304(c)(2)(D): 2310.4(B)(1)
17 U.S.C. § 304(c)(3): 2310.9 17 U.S.C. § 304(c)(4): 101.3(A)
17 U.S.C. § 304(c)(4)(A): 623.1, 2302 17 U.S.C. § 304(d): 102.2(A), 506.5, 2310, 2310.2, 2310.3(D)(3), 2310.4(D)(1), 2310.4(D)(2), 2310.5(A), 2310.5(B), 2310.5(C), 2310.5(D), 2310.5(D)(1), 2310.5(D)(2), 2310.5(D)(3), 2310.6, 2310.7, 2310.11, 2310.13, 2310.13(A), 2310.13(B), 2310.13(C)
17 U.S.C. § 304(d)(1): 101.3(A), 2302 17 U.S.C. § 304(d)(2): 2310.9 17 U.S.C. § 305: 203, 2102 17 U.S.C. § 401: 2202.2(A)
Table of Authorities : 9 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 401(a) (1978): 2203.1 17 U.S.C. § 401(b): 2204.1 17 U.S.C. § 401(b)(2): 2205.1(A)
17 U.S.C. § 401(b)(3): 2205.2(A)
17 U.S.C. § 401(c): 2206.2, 2206.7, 2207 17 U.S.C. § 401(d): 2202.2(A)
17 U.S.C. § 402: 2202.2(A)
17 U.S.C. § 402(a) (1978): 2203.1, 2203.3 17 U.S.C. § 402(b): 2204.2 17 U.S.C. § 402(b)(2): 2205.1(A)
17 U.S.C. § 402(b)(3): 2205.2(A), 2207.4 17 U.S.C. § 402(c): 2206.2, 2206.3, 2206.7, 2207.4 17 U.S.C. § 402(d): 2202.2(A)
17 U.S.C. § 403: 2208 17 U.S.C. § 405: 2204.3, 2206.2 17 U.S.C. § 405(a): 2203.4 17 U.S.C. § 405(b): 2202.2(A)
17 U.S.C. § 405(c): 2203.4 17 U.S.C. § 406(a): 2202.2(A), 2205.2(E), 2205.2(I), 2309.3(D) 17 U.S.C. § 406(b): 2205.1(C), 2205.1(D)
17 U.S.C. § 406(c): 2205.1(C), 2205.1(D), 2205.2(F)
17 U.S.C. § 407: 101.2(H)(3), 202, 1502, 1505.2, 1511, 1511.3, Glossary (definition of “Mandatory deposit copy”)
17 U.S.C. § 407(a): 101.3(A), 1010.7, 1502 17 U.S.C. § 407(a)(1): 1511 Table of Authorities : 10 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 407(a)(2): 1511 17 U.S.C. § 407(b): 1511, 1511.7(D)
17 U.S.C. § 407(c): 1511.3 17 U.S.C. § 407(d): 1511, 1511.4, 1511.7(C)
17 U.S.C. § 407(e): 1511.5 17 U.S.C. § 408: 101.3(A), 621.5, 1503, 1511 17 U.S.C. § 408(a): 202, 203, 402, 408, 502, 619.10, 621.9(J), 623.1, 1806.2 17 U.S.C. § 408(b): 202, 625.5, 1502, 1506 17 U.S.C. § 408(b)(1): 1503 17 U.S.C. § 408(b)(2): 1511.7(A)
17 U.S.C. § 408(c): Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Special relief”) 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(1): 609.2, 1104.1, 1117.1, 1402.1, 1402.2, 1502, 1509, 1806.2 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(2): 202.1, 1104.2, 1115 17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(2)(B): 1115.8(B)
17 U.S.C. § 408(c)(3): 2128 17 U.S.C. § 408(d): 202.1, 1402.2, 1802, 1802.8(A), 1806.2, 2131, Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Supplementary registration”), Glossary (definition of “Supplementary registration”)
17 U.S.C. § 408(e): 510.1, 619.11, 721.5, 1802.7(C), 1803 17 U.S.C. § 408(f): 621.9(J), 1802.4 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(1): 1602, 1603.1, 1603.4, 1603.5 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(2): 1602, 1603.1 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(3): 202, 1604.1 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(4): 1604.1 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(4)(A): 1604.1 17 U.S.C. § 408(f)(4)(B): 1604.1 Table of Authorities : 11 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 409: 602.2, 618.1, 621.3, 1402.1, 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(1): 619.1, 1106.3(G), 1107.4(H), 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(2): 613.1, 616.2, 617.1, 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(3): 617.1, 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(4): 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(5): 503.4, 614.1(F), 620.2, 620.4(B), 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(6): 610, 721.9(B), 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(7): 611, 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(8): 612.1, 1402.2, 1903 17 U.S.C. § 409(9): 618.5, 618.6, 721.8, 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 409(10): 1402.2 17 U.S.C. § 410: 101.3(A), 1509.1(C)(4)(d)
17 U.S.C. § 410(a): 206, 209, 302, 309, 602, 607, 625.4, 625.5, 801.11, 1509.1(C)(6) 17 U.S.C. § 410(b): 302, 625.5, 1702, 1806.1 17 U.S.C. § 410(c): 101.3(A), 607, 625.5, 1116.2, 1903 17 U.S.C. § 410(d): 209, 625, 625.5, 1117.8, 1705, 1802.12, Glossary (definition of “Effective Date of Registration”)
17 U.S.C. § 411: 101.3(A), 102.4, 625.5 17 U.S.C. § 411(a): 202, 210, 623.1, 625.5, 1602, 1604.1, 1604.2, 1706 17 U.S.C. § 412: 101.3(A), 203, 623.1, 1115.6, 1116.5, 1602, 1604.1, 1604.2, 1903, 2313.3, 2314.4 17 U.S.C. § 412(c): 202 17 U.S.C. § 504: 202 17 U.S.C. § 504(c): 1903 17 U.S.C. § 504(c)(1): 1008.4, 1008.7, 1104.5 17 U.S.C. § 504(c)(2): 2202.2(A)
Table of Authorities : 12 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 505: 202, 1903 17 U.S.C. § 506(e): 211.1, 309.2, 602.4(D), 624.1, 1106.3(L), 1107.4(M), 1109.7(J), 1112.4, 1802.8(F)
17 U.S.C. § 512: 102.7 17 U.S.C. § 512(c): 101.3(A), 2301, 2302, 2304.1, 2312, 2407.5 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2): 2302, 2304.1(C), 2312 17 U.S.C. § 512(k)(1): 2312.1 17 U.S.C. § 601 (1976): Glossary (definition of “Manufacturing Clause) 17 U.S.C. § 701: 101.1, 101.3(C)
17 U.S.C. § 701(a): 805.5 17 U.S.C. § 701(c): 101.4, 2409 17 U.S.C. § 701(e): 101.3(B), 102.2(B), 102.3 17 U.S.C. § 702: 101.3(B), 102.2(B), 625.5, 805.5 17 U.S.C. § 703: 1806.4(C), 1806.4(D)
17 U.S.C. § 704: 1502 17 U.S.C. § 704(a): 1510.1 17 U.S.C. § 704(d): 713, 2410 17 U.S.C. § 704(e): 2410 17 U.S.C. § 705(a): 205, 1509.1(C)(4)(a), 1606.1 17 U.S.C. § 705(b): 205, 720.1, 1509.1(C)(4)(a), 1606.1 17 U.S.C. § 706(b): 102.3 17 U.S.C. § 708: 625.5 17 U.S.C. § 708(b): 1403.1 17 U.S.C. § 708(c): 2412 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(1): 1204.1, Glossary (definition of “Semi-conductor chip product”) Table of Authorities : 13 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(2): 1202, Glossary (definition of “Mask work”) 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(3): 1204.1 17 U.S.C. § 901(a)(5): 1204.4, 1213 17 U.S.C. § 902: 1204 17 U.S.C. § 902(a): 1204.4 17 U.S.C. § 902(b)(1): 1205.1 17 U.S.C. § 902(b)(2): 1204.2, 1205.1 17 U.S.C. § 902(c): 1204.3, 1212.8(D), 1212.8(E)
17 U.S.C. § 903: 2302 17 U.S.C. § 903(b): 1208.1, 1212.5(C)
17 U.S.C. § 903(c): 2302 17 U.S.C. § 903(d): 1208.3 17 U.S.C. § 904: 1206 17 U.S.C. § 905: 1207 17 U.S.C. § 906(a): 1207.1 17 U.S.C. § 906(b): 1207.2 17 U.S.C. § 908: 1806.2 17 U.S.C. § 908(a): 1204.5(A)
17 U.S.C. § 908(e): 1204.5(B)
17 U.S.C. § 908(f): 1204.5(C)
17 U.S.C. § 909: 1209 17 U.S.C. § 909(a): 1209 17 U.S.C. § 909(b): 1209.1 17 U.S.C. § 910: 1204.5(C)
17 U.S.C. chapter 10: 101.2(H)(2), Glossary (definition of “Licensing Division”) Table of Authorities : 14 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 1101: 808.10(K)(1)
17 U.S.C. § 1301: 1304 17 U.S.C. § 1301(a)(1): 1304 17 U.S.C. § 1301(a)(2): 1304 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(1): 1304.1, 1303.5 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(2): 1303.7 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(3): 1303.8 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(4): 1303.2 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(5): 1303.6 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(6): 1303.4 17 U.S.C. § 1301(b)(7): 1303.1 17 U.S.C. § 1302(1): 1305.2 17 U.S.C. § 1302(2): 1305.2 17 U.S.C. § 1302(3): 1305.2 17 U.S.C. § 1302(4): 1305.2 17 U.S.C. § 1302(5): 1304.2, 1304.4, 1305.4 17 U.S.C. § 1303: 1304.3 17 U.S.C. § 1304: 1306.1 17 U.S.C. § 1305(a): 1306.1 17 U.S.C. § 1305(b): 1306.1 17 U.S.C. § 1306: 1312.9(A)
17 U.S.C. § 1306(a): 1309.1, 1309.2 17 U.S.C. § 1306(b): 1309.1, 1309.4 17 U.S.C. § 1308: 1307 17 U.S.C. § 1309: 1307 Table of Authorities : 15 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 17 U.S.C. § 1310: 1311, 1312 17 U.S.C. § 1310(a): 1310.1 17 U.S.C. § 1310(b): 1303.3, 1304.4, 1310.1, 1312.6 17 U.S.C. § 1310(c): 1311.2 17 U.S.C. § 1310(d): 1312.2(B)
17 U.S.C. § 1310(e): 1311.2 17 U.S.C. § 1310(g): 1312.3 17 U.S.C. § 1310(h): 1313.1 17 U.S.C. § 1311: 1306.2, 1312, 1312.5 17 U.S.C. § 1312: 1312 17 U.S.C. § 1313: 1312, 1806.2 17 U.S.C. § 1313(a): 1315 17 U.S.C. § 1313(b): 1316 17 U.S.C. § 1314: 1310.2, 1312, 1315 17 U.S.C. § 1315: 1312, 1315 17 U.S.C. § 1319: 1317 17 U.S.C. § 1320: 2302 17 U.S.C. § 1320(a): 1308 17 U.S.C. § 1320(b): 1308.1 17 U.S.C. § 1320(d): 1308.2, 2302 17 U.S.C. § 1321(a): 1307, 1310.2 17 U.S.C. § 1321(b): 1316 17 U.S.C. § 1329: 1305.5 17 U.S.C. § 1332: 1305.1 18 U.S.C. §§ 700-716: 314 Table of Authorities : 16 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 18 U.S.C. § 1361: 2407.1(C)(2)
18 U.S.C. § 2071(a): 2407.1(C)(2)
35 U.S.C. § 2(c)(5): 101.1 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1): 717.3 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)(1): 717.3 36 U.S.C. § 220506: 314 International Treaties Buenos Aires Convention of 1910: 2004.1 Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms, Geneva, 1971: 2004.1, 2122.5(C) Universal Copyright Convention, Geneva, 1952: 2004.1, Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “U.C.C. country”)
Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works: 101.3(C), 102.6, 2004.1 North American Free Trade Agreement: 808.10(K), 808.10(K)(2) World Intellectual Property Organization Copyright Treaty: 102.7, 2004.1 WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty: 102.7, 2004.1 Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights: 2004.1 Cases: U.S. Supreme Court American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. v. Aereo, Inc.
Baker v. Selden , 134 S. Ct. 2498 (U.S. 2014): 1908.3 Banks v. Manch,e 1s0te1r ,U.S. 99 (1879): 313.4(G)
Bleistein v. Donaldson 1 L2i8th Uo.gSr. a2p4h4i n(g1 8C8o8.): 313.6(C)(2) Burrow-Giles Lithographic Co. v. Sarony,, 188 U.S. 239 (1903): 310.2 Christensen v. Harris County 111 U.S. 53 (1884): 306, 313.2, 613.1 Community for Creative Non,- V5i2o9le Un.cSe. 5v.7 R6e (id2000): Introduction at 2 , 490 U.S. 730 (1989): 506.2, 506.5, 613.1,
1606.4
Table of Authorities : 17 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Eldred v. Ashcroft Feist Publications,, 5In3c7. vU. .RSu. 1ra8l6 T (e2le0p0h3o)n: e1 S0e2r.v1i ce Co., Inc ., 499 U.S. 340 (1991): 308, 308.1, 308.2, 310.1, 310.3, 310.7, 312.2, 313.3(A), 313.3(C), 313.4(B), 508.2, 707.1, 7G0o7la.2n, v8. 0H1o.l4d, e8r06.4(B), 1007.2, 1010.6(D) Harper & Row P, u1b3l2is Sh.e Crst,. I8n7c3. v(.2 N0a1t2io):n 1E0n2te.1rp, 2ri0s3es, 3e1t 3a.l6(D), 621.6 ., 471 U.S. 539 (1985): 102.1, 3In1t3e.r3n(aAt)io nal News Service v. Associated Press Kalem Co. v. Harper Bros., , 248 U.S. 215 (1918): 313.3(C) Kewanee Oil Co. v. Bicron C2o2r2p U.S. 55 (1911): 806.1, 806.3(B), 806.4(C) New York Times Co. v. Tasini ., 416 U.S. 470 (1974): 1509.1(C)(4)(a) Petrella v. Metro-Goldwyn-M,a 5y3er3, UIn.Sc.. 483 (2001): 509.2 Skidmore v. Swift & Co , 132 S. Ct. 1962 (2014): 202 Trade-Mark Cases ., 323 U.S. 134 (1944): Introduction at 2 , 100 U.S. 82 (1879): 306 Cases: U.S. Courts of Appeals Aerocon Engineering, Inc. v. Silicon Valley Bank (In re World Auxiliary Power Co.) , 303 FA.l3adsk 1a1 S2t0o c(k9,t LhL CCi.r v. .2 H0o0u2g)h: t2o3n0 M9i.3ff(liEn) Harcourt Publishing Co ., 747 F.3d 673 (9th Cir.
2A0lf1re4d) :B Ienllt r&o Cdou.c vti. oCna taatl 2da, 2 F0in2e, 6A1r3ts.1, I0n(cF) Apple Computer, Inc. v. Franklin Comput.e, r1 C9o1r Fp.2d 99 (2d Cir. 1951): 311.2, 709 ., 714 F.2d 1240 (3d Cir. 1983): 721.3, 7A2ta1r.4i G ames Corp. v. Oman Bartok v. Boosey & Hawkes,, 9In7c9., F.2d 242 (D.C. Cir. 1992): 807.5 523 F.2d 941 (2d Cir. 1975): 2115.5(C)(2), Chapter 2B1ea0n0 vP.a Preta VrIsIoI n( dEedfuinciattioionn ,o Ifn “cP.osthumous works”) , 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 19869 (9th Cir. Oct. 10, 2014):
6B1ea3n.1 v0.( HF)o u ghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Co ., 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 19858 (9th Cir.
Oct. 10, 2014): 613.10(F)
Table of Authorities : 18 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Belcher v. Tarbox Brattleboro Publi,s h4i8n6g FC.o2.d v 1. W08in7m (9iltlh P Cuibrl.i s1h9i7n3g )C: o 3r1p0.2 ., 369 F.2d 565 (2d Cir. 1966):
2C1ha1m5.b5e(Crl)i(n2 v). nU.r1i7s Sales Corp Darden v. Peters ., 150 F.2d 512 (2d. Cir. 1945): 311.2 Durham Industri,e 4s8, I8n cF.. 3v.d T 2o7m7y ( C4othrp Cir. 2007): 918.2 Easter Seal Society for Crippled Childr.,e 6n3 &0 AFd.2udlt 9s 0o5f L(o2udi sCiiarn. 1a,9 I8n0c). :v .3 P1la1y.2b oy Enterprises , 8E1ff5ec Fts.2 Ads 3so2c3ia (t5etsh, ICnicr.. v1. 9C8o7h)e:n 2115.5(C)(2) n.17 Eltra Corp. v. Ringer , 908 F.2d 555 (9th Cir. 1990): 1008.3(D) Esquire, Inc. v. Ringe,r 5,79 F.2d 294 (4th Cir. 1978): 313.3(D) Estate of Martin Luthe r5 9K1in Fg.,2 Jdr. ,7 I9n6c. (v1. 9C7B8S), I(nDc..C. Cir. 1978): 924.2(B) , 194 F.3d 1211 (11th Cir. 1999):
2Fa1b2r2i.c4a(,A In) c. v. El Dorado Corp Falcon Enterprises, Inc. v. Publ.i,s 6h9er7s FS.e2rdv i8c9e,0 I n(9cth Cir. 1983): 906.8 ., 438 Fed. App’x. 579 (9th Cir. 2011):
1G0ib0r8a.n3 (vD. N) ational Committee of Gibran Harris v. Coca-Cola Co., , 255 F.2d 121 (2d Cir. 1958): 2115.5 (C)(1) 73 F.2d 370 (5th Cir. 1934): Chapter 2100 Part VIII n.35 H(doeefhinliintigo vn. oUfn “iJvoeirnsta Wl Coitryk ”S)t udios, Inc Horgan v. Macmillan, Inc ., 618 F.2d 972 (2d Cir. 1980): 313.3(C), 313.4(I) ., 789 F.2d 157 (2d Cir. 1986): 805.1, 805.2(B), 805.2(C), 8H0o5w.3el(lD v). (M3)il,l 8er05.4(A), 805.4(B), 805.4(D), 805.5(A), 805.7 Inhale, Inc. v. St,a 9rb1u Fz.z 1 T2o9b (a6ctcho ,C Iinr.c 1898): 313.6(C)(2) ., 739 F.3d 446 (9th Cir. 2014): Introduction at 2, 9It2a4r-.2T(aBs)s Russian News Agency v. Russian Kurier, Inc Johnson v. Jones ., 153 F.3d 82 (2d Cir. 1998): 102.6.
Kitchens of Sara, L1e4e9, IFn.3c.d v 4. N94if t(y6 Ftho oCdirs .C 1o9r9p8): 1008.3(D) ., 266 F.2d 541 (2d Cir. 1959): 313.4(C)
Table of Authorities : 19 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition L. Batlin & Son v. Snyder Leadsinger, Inc. v. BMG M, 5u3si6c FP.u2bdl i4sh8i6n g(2d. Cir. 1976): 310.1, 310.6, 311.2, 313.4(A) Masquerade Novelty, Inc. v. Unique Indus,t 5ri1e2s, FIn.3cd 522 (9th Cir. 2008): 807.3(C) ., 912 F.2d 663 (3d Cir. 1993):
9M2e4tr.3o(pAo)l(it3a)n Regional Information Systems Inc. v. American Home Realty Network, LLC , 7M2id2w Fa.3yd M 5a9n1u (fa4cthtu Criirn.g 2 C0o1.3 v). :A Irntitcr oIndtuecrtnioanti oant a2l,, 6In1c3.10(F), 1005 ., 704 F.2d 1009 (7th Cir. 1983):
8M0it7c.h3e(Bll )B rothers Film Group v. Cinema Adult Theater Montgomery v. Noga , 604 F.2d 852 (5th Cir. 1979): 315 Morgan Creek Produc, t1i6on8s F, I.3ndc. 1v2. F8r2a (n1c1htihse C Piric. t1u9r9es9 )L:L C7 21In.2 r e Franchise Pictures LLC ( ), 3M8o9r rBis.R v.. 1B3u1si (nBeassn Ckor.n Cc.eDp.t Cs,a Iln. c2008): 2309.3(E) Murray v. Gelderman ., 259 F.3d 65 (2d Cir. 2001): 509.2, 712.3 Nash v. CBS, Inc. , 566 F.2d 1307 (5th Cir. 1978): 2115.5(C)(2) n.17 National Confere, n8c9e9 o Ff .B2adr 1 E5x3a7m (i7ntehr sC ivr.. M19u9lt0is)t: a 3te1 L3e.3g(aCl) S tudies, Inc ., 692 F.2d 478 (7th NCiirc.h 1o9ls8 v2.) U: n7i2ve0r.1sa l Pictures Corp Picture Music, Inc. v. Bourne, Inc ., 45 F.2d 119 (2d Cir. 1930): 313.3(B) Publications International v. Mer.,e 4d5it7h FC.o2rdp 1213 (2d Cir. 1972): 2115.5(C)(2) n.17 Reyher v. Children’s Television Workshop ., 88 F.3d 473 (7th Cir. 1996): 313.4(F) Satava v. Lowry , 533 F.2d 87 (2d Cir. 1976): 804.6(B)
Schrock v. Learn, i3n2g3 C Fu.r3vde 8In0t5e r(n9athti oCnira.l 2, I0n0c3): 313.3(B) Sega Enterprises, Ltd. v. Accolade, Inc ., 586 F.3d 513 (7th Cir. 2009): 311.2 Shapiro, Bernstein & Co., Inc. v. Jerry V.,o 9g7e7l M F.u2sdic 1 C5o1.,0 I n(9cth Cir. 1992): 313.3(B) ., 161 F.2d 406 (2d Cir. 1946):
CShhaappitreor, 2B1er0n0s tPeainrt &V ICIoI . ,n I.n3c6. v(.d Jeefrirnyi tVioong eolf M“Juosiinct CWo.o, rInkc”) ., 221 F.2d 569 (2d Cir. 1955):
Chapter 2100 Part VIII n.37 (definition of “Joint Work”) Table of Authorities : 20 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Southco, Inc. v. Kanebridge Corp Subafilms, Ltd. V. MGM-Pathe Co.m, 3m9u0n Fic.3adti 2on7s6 C(o3d Cir. 2004): 707.1 U.S. Auto Parts Network, Inc. v. Parts Geek, LLC ., 24 F.3d 1088 (9th Cir. 1994): 102.6 , 692 F. 3d 1009 (9th Cir. 2012): 506.2, 6W1a3l.d1m an Publishing Corp. v. Landoll, Inc Walker v. Time Life Films, Inc ., 43 F.3d 775 (2d Cir. 1994): 311.2 White v. Kimmell ., 784 F.2d 44 (2d Cir. 1986): 313.4(I) Williams Electron, i1c9s,3 I nFc.2. vd. 7A4rt4i c( 9Inthte Crnira. t1io9n5a2l), :I n 1c905.1 Yardley v. Houghton Mifflin Co ., 685 F.2d 870 (3d Cir. 1982): 721.3 ., 108 F.2d 28 (2d Cir. 1939): 2115.5(C)(2) n.17 Cases: U.S. District Courts Bikram’s Yoga College of India, L.P. v. Evolation Yoga, LLC , 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 177671 (BCr.iDdg. Cemal.a Dne Acr. t1 L4i,b 2r0a1ry2,) L: t d8.0 v5. .C5o(Bre)l( 3C)o,r 8p06.5(B) ., 36 F. Supp. 2d 191 (S.D.N.Y. 1999): 313.4(A), 9C0ad9e.3n ce Industries Corp. v. Ringer Coach, Inc. v. Peters , 450 F. Supp. 59 (S.D.N.Y. 1978): 2115.5(E)(2) Craigslist Inc. v. 3Ta,p 3s8 I6n cF. Supp.2d 495 (S.D.N.Y. 2005): 913.1 ., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61837 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 30, 2013): 6D1a3ly.1 v0. (PFa)l mer Data General C, o6r pF.e vd. . GCrausm. 1m1a3n2 S(yCs.Cte.Sm.Ds .SNu.Ypp. 1o8rt6 C8o) r(pNo. 3,552): 806.2(D) ., 825 F. Supp. 340 (D. Mass. 1993):
1G5C0A9 C.1o(rCp). (v4. C)(hba)n ce King v. Mister Maest,r 2o1, I7n Uc.S.P.Q. 718 (N.D. Cal. 1982): 721.5 Letter Edged in Black Press.,, 2In2c4. vF.. PSuubplpic. 1B0u1il d(iSn.Dg .CNo.Ym. m19is6s3io)n: o2f1 C2h2i.c4a(gAo) , 320 F. Supp.
M13a0lj3a c(Nk .PDr.o Idllu. c1t9io7n0s) :I n Cch. va.p UteArV 2 C1o0r0p .Part VIII (definition of “Publication”) , 964 F. Supp. 1416 (C.D. Cal. 1997): 804.8(D), 8M0c8L.a1r0e(nJ) v(.4 C)h ico’s FAS, Inc ., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 120185 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 9, 2010): Introduction at 2 Table of Authorities : 21 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Midway Manufacturing Co. v. Strohon Muench Photography, Inc. v. Houghton, 5M6i4ff lFin. S Huaprpc.o 7u4r1t P(Nub.Dli.s Ihliln. 1g9 C8o3): 721.9(E) ., 712 F. Supp. 2d 84 O(Sp.Dpe.Nn.hYe. i2m0e1r0 v).: A 6ll1v3oi.1ce0s(,F I)n c. , 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 80323 (N.D. Cal. June 10, 2014): 2P3au1l2 M orelli Design, Inc. v. Tiffany & Co., Perfect 10, Inc. v. Rapidshare A.G. 200 F. Supp. 2d 482 (E.D. Pa. 2002): 310.10 Rogers v. Better Business Bureau ,o 2f 0M1e0t rUo.pSo. Dlitiastn. LHEoXuIsSto 1n4, 6In0c53 (May 18, 2010): 2312 ., 887 F. Supp. 2d 722 (S.D.
TSiegxn. o2 0T1ra2d):i n Ign Itnrotedruncattiioonn aatl, 2L td. v. Gordon Teller v. Dogge , 535 F. Supp. 362 (N.D. Cal. 1981): 709.1 William. A. Mei,e 1r 1G0la Uss.S v.P. A.Qn.2chdo 1r 3H0o2c k(Din.g N Gelva. s2s0 C1o3r)p: 806.4(D) ., 95 F. Supp. 264 (W.D. Pa 1951):
ZCahmapbtietor 2v.1 P0a0r aPmarot uVnItI IP i(cdteufriensi tCioonrp of “Publication”) ., 613 F. Supp. 1107 (E.D.N.Y 1985): 313.4(I), 804.6(B)
Legislative Materials: Hearings Condition of the Library of Congress: Hearings Before the Joint Committee on the Library, reprinted in 54th Cong. (1897), S. REP. NO. 54-1573 (1897): 101.1 Legislative Materials: Reports reprinted in H.R. REP. NO. 94-1476 (1976), 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N 5659: 305, 307, 310.1, 310.2, 311.1, 311.2, 312.2, 312.3, 313.1, 313.3(A), 313.3(D), 313.6(B), 313.6(C)(1), 503.1(C), 505.1, 505.2, 505.3, 507.1, 507.2, 508.1, 508.2, 509.1, 509.2, 510, 615.1(B), 615.2(B), 616.2, 625, 625.5, 703, 706, 710, 716, 721.7, 721.8, 727.2, 801.2, 801.6, 802.6(A), 803.6(A), 805.1, 805.5(B), 805.5(B)(1), 805.5(B)(2), 805.7, 806.1, 808.3(B), 924.2, 924.2(B), 924.2(C), 1008.3(A), 1104.1, 1110, 1115.8(B), 1116.1, 1117.2, 1506, 1509.1(C)(1), 1511, 1902, 1905.1, 1905.2, 1906.1, 1908, 1908.1, 1908.2, 1908.3, Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Posthumous Works”), 2304.1(A), 2310.1, 2310.3(A), 2310.4(A), Glossary (definitions of “Choreographic works” and “Motion pictures”)
S. REP. NO. 94-473 (1975): 305, 503.1(C), 505.1, 505.2, 505.3, 507.1, 508.1, 509.1, 509.2, 510, 706, 710, 716, 721.7, 721.8, 801.2, 801.6, 802.6(A), 803.6(A), 805.1, 805.5(B), Table of Authorities : 22 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 805.5(B)(1), 805.5(B)(2), 805.7, 806.1, 808.3(B), 2310.3(A), 2310.4(A), Glossary (definition of “Choreographic works”)
H.R. REP. NO. 98-781 (1984): 1204.2 H.R. REP. NO. 100-609 (1988): r 6e2p5ri.n5t ed in H.R. REP. NO. 101-514 (1990), 1990 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6915: 2314.1, 2314.2,
2314.3 reprinted in
H.R. REP. NO. 101-735 (1990), reprinte 1d 9in90 U.S.C.C.A.N. 6935: 2313.1, 2313.2 H.R. REP. NO. 109-33, pt. 1 (2005), 2005 U.S.C.C.A.N. 220: 1602, 1605 Legislative Materials: Floor Debates 126 CONG. REC. 29,895 (1980) (statement of Rep. Kastenmeier): 721.1 134 CONG. REC. S14554 (daily ed. Oct. 5, 1988) (Joint Explanatory Statement on Amendment to S. 1301): 625.5 151 CONG. REC. S495 (daily ed. Jan. 25, 2005) (statement of Sen. Hatch): 1601 Legislative Materials: Congressional Rules House Rule X: 101.1 Senate Rule XXV: 101.1 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Regulations 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a): 2405.3 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a)(2): 409 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a)(3): 505.2, 506.4(B), 605.1 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b)(3)(i): 2407.1(B)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b)(5): 2407.1(B)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b)(6): 2405.2 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b)(7): Introduction at 1, Introduction at 4 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(c)(1): 2407.1(B)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.2(c)(2): 2407.1(B)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.2(c)(3): 2405.2 Table of Authorities : 23 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(c)(4): 605.1 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(d)(2): 2407.1(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 201.2(d)(3): 2407.1(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 201.3: 1403.2, 2309.11, 2312.3 37 C.F.R. § 201.3(c)(6): 1110.6, 1111.6 37 C.F.R. § 201.3(c)(16): 2310.7(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.3(d)(4)(i): 1703.1 37 C.F.R. § 201.3(d)(4)(ii): 1704.1 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(a)(2): Glossary (definition of “Document pertaining to copyright”) 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(a)(3)(i): 2309.10(C)(1), Glossary (definition of “Sworn certification”) 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(a)(3)(ii): Glossary (definition of “Official certification”) 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c): 2309.15, 2310.8 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(1): 1806.4(E), 2311 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(3): 2311 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(e): 2309.15 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(e)(2): Glossary (definition of “Date of recordation”) 37 C.F.R. § 201.5 (1977): 2132 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(a) (1977): Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Abandonment”) 37 C.F.R. § 201.5: 1802 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(a)(1)(i): 1802.3 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(a)(2): 1802.9(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(1): 1802.1, 1802.8(F)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(1) n.1: 1802.1, 1802.11 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(i): 1802.5, 1802.9(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(ii): 1802.5 Table of Authorities : 24 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(ii)(A): 1802.6(D), 1802.6(F)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(iii)(A): 1802.7(B)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(iii)(B): 1802.7(E)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(b)(2)(iv): 2138.1 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(i): 1802.8(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(ii): 1802.8(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(iii): 1802.8(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(iv): 1802.8(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(v): 1802.8(B)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(vi)(C): 1802.8(C)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(vii)(B): 1802.8(G)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(viii)(A): 1802.8(F)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(viii)(B): 1802.8(F)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(1)(viii)(C): 1802.8(F)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(2): 1802.8 37 C.F.R. § 201.5(c)(3): 1802.8(I)
37 C.F.R. § 201.5(d)(2): 1802 37 C.F.R. § 201.6(a): 625.3(A), 1403.4 37 C.F.R. § 201.6(b): 625.3(A), 1403.5 37 C.F.R. § 201.6(c): 1403.6 37 C.F.R. § 201.7: 2140 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(b): 1806.3 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c): 1806.3, 1806.4(E)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(1): 1806.4, 1806.4(C), 1806.5 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(2): 1403.7, 1806.4, 1806.4(B)
Table of Authorities : 25 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(3): 1806.4, 1806.4(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4): 1806.4, 1806.4(C), 1806.4(D), 1806.5 37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(i): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(ii): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(iii): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(iv): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(v): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(vi): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(vii): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(viii): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(ix): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(x): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(c)(4)(xi): 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.7(d): 1804.1 37 C.F.R. § 201.8: 1708.3 37 C.F.R. § 201.8(b): 1806.4(C), 1806.4(D)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10: 2310.5(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(ii): 2310.5(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(iii): 2310.5(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(iv): 2310.5(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(v): 2310.5(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(vi): 2310.5(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(vii): 2310.5(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(vii)(A): 2310.4(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(1)(vii)(B): 2310.4(D)(1)
Table of Authorities : 26 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(2)(vii)(A): 2310.3(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(2)(vii)(B): 2310.3(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(b)(3): 2310.3(D)(1), 2310.4(D)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(c)(1): 2310.4(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(c)(3): 2310.3(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(c)(4): 2310.3(D)(2) 2310.4(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(c)(5): 2310.3(D)(2), 2310.4(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(d)(1): 2310.3(D)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(d)(2): 2310.3(D)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(d)(3): 2310.3(D)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(f): 2310.10 37 C.F.R. § 201.10(f)(1)(iii): 2310.7(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.10(f)(3): 2310.10, Glossary (definition of “Date of recordation”) 37 C.F.R. § 201.10(f)(5): 2310.3(C)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 201.20: 2207 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(1): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(2): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(3): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(4): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(5): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(6): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(7): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(8): 2207.1(A), 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A) 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(9): 2207.1(E), 2207.3(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.20(d)(10): 2207.3(A)
Table of Authorities : 27 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(e): 2207.1(B)
37 C.F.R. § 201.20(f): 2207.2 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(g): 2207.9 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(h): 2207.6 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(1): 2207.7 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(2): 2207.7 37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(3): 2207.7(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(4): 2207.7(B)
37 C.F.R. § 201.20(i)(5): 2207.7(C)
37 C.F.R. § 201.25(a): 2314, 2314.6 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c): 2314.5, 2314.8, 2314.10 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c)(2): 2314.8(A)
37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c)(3): 2314.8(B)
37 C.F.R. § 201.25(c)(4): 2314.12 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(d): 2314.5, 2314.9 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(e): 2314.10, 2314.11 37 C.F.R. § 201.25(f): 2314.5, 2314.8, 2314.11 37 C.F.R. § 201.26(d)(1): 2313.4 37 C.F.R. § 201.26(e): 2313.4, 2313.8, Glossary (definition of “Date of recordation”) 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(b): 2312.2 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(c): 2312.2 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(f): 2312.4 37 C.F.R. § 201.38(g): 2312.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.1: 618.8(C)(1), 618.8(C)(2), 618.8(C)(3), 618.8(C)(4), 618.8(C)(5), 618.8(C)(6), 618.8(D)(1), 621.9(E)(2), 621.9(E)(6), 714, 803.8(H), 808.11(E), 1007 Table of Authorities : 28 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(a): 313.3(D), 313.4(C), 313.4(F), 313.4(J), 313.4(K), 707.1, 713, 716, 723, 802.5(B), 803.5(B), 804.6(B), 805.5(A), 806.5(A), 906.2, 906.3, 906.4, 921,
1007.2
37 C.F.R. § 202.1(b): 313.3(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.1(c): 313.4(G), 921, 924.3(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.1(d): 313.4(D), 313.4(E), 802.5(A), 924.3(C) 37 C.F.R. § 202.1(e): 313.3(D), 723, 906.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.2: 2114 n.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(a)(3): 404, 407, 408, 614.1(F), 618.8(B), 619.1, 619.5, 619.13(T), 1106.3(G), 1107.4(H), 1606.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b): 609.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(i): 703, 713, 714, 716, 721.11, 1509.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(ii): 721.11, 801.2, 1509.2, Glossary (definition of “Work of the Performing Arts”)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(iii): 713, 714, 716, 721.11 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(1)(v): 618.7(C), 712.1, 1109.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(2)(ii)(C): 609.2(C), 803.9(A), 1402.4(B), 1402.4(C) 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4): 1008.7, 1106.3(A), 1107.4(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(A): 802.8(H), 803.8(H), 1107.2, 1509.1(C)(8) 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B): 803.8(G), 1102, 1106.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B)(1): 802.8(G)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B)(2): 802.8(G)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B)(3): 802.8(G)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(i)(B)(4): 802.8(G)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(4)(ii): 611, 721.9(D)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(i)(A): 1117.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(i)(B): 1117.3 Table of Authorities : 29 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(i)(C): 1117.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(i)(D): 1117.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(i)(E): 1117.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(i)(F): 1117.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(ii)(A): 727.3, 1117.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(5)(ii)(B): 1117.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6): 1107.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(i): 1109.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(ii): 1109.5(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(iv): 1109.5(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(v): 1109.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(v)(A)(2): 1109.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(v)(A)(3): 1109.5(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(v)(B)(2): 1109.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(6)(v)(B)(3): 1109.5(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i): 1110.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(B): 1110.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(C): 1112.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(D): 1110.5(A), 1110.5(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(E): 1110.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(i)(F): 1110.6 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(7)(ii): 1110.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(i)(A): 1115.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(i)(B): 1115.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(i)(C): 1115.2 Table of Authorities : 30 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(i)(D): 1115.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(i)(E): 1115.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(ii): 1115.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(ii)(A) n.3: 1106.3(B), 1115.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(8)(ii)(C): 1115.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9): 1111.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(i): 1111.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vi)(A): 1111.5(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vi)(B): 1111.5(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vi)(C): 1114 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(vii): 1111.6 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(9)(viii): 1111.3, 1111.4, 1112.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10): 1008.7, 1116.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(i): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(ii): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(iii): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(iv): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(v): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(vi): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(vii): 1116.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(viii): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(ix): 1116.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(x): 1116.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(10)(xi): 727.3, 1116.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11): 510, 611.3, 619.11, 621.5 Table of Authorities : 31 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(i): 510.1, 619.11, 721.5, 1802.7(C), 1803 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(ii): 510.2, 619.11, 1803 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b)(11)(iii): 510.3, 619.11, 1802.7(G), 1803 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c): 1112.4, 2007.2(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(1): 402, 619.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(i): 624.2, 624.3(B), 1117.7(G)
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(ii): 624.3(A), 624.3(B), 1109.7(J) 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(iii): 624.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.3(c)(2)(iv): 624.4(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.5: 1217, 1316, 1802.9(G)
37 C.F.R. § 202.5(a): 1611 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(b)(1): 1703.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(b)(2): 1703.1, 1708.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(b)(3): 1703.1, 1708.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(b)(4): 1703.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c): 1806.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(1): 1704.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(2): 1704.1, 1708.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(3): 1704.1, 1708.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(c)(4): 1704.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(d): 1708.2, 1806.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(e): 1708.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(f): 1704.2, 1806.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.5(g): 1706 37 C.F.R. § 202.7 (1959): 2122.3 Table of Authorities : 32 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.10(a): 913.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.10(b): 913.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.11: 608, 1702 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(b)(2): 923.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c): 923 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(2): 923.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(3): 923.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(4): 923.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(c)(5): 923.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(d): 923.2(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.11(d)(1): 923.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.11(d)(3)(i): 923.2(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.11(d)(3)(ii): 923.2(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.12(c)(4)(i): 1509.1(J)
37 C.F.R. § 202.15 (1975): 2122.6(C), Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Motion picture”)
37 C.F.R. 202.15a (1972): 2122.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.16: 1603 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(1): 1603.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(i): 1603.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii)(A): 1603.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii)(B): 1603.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii)(C): 1603.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii)(D): 1603.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii)(E): 1603.3 Table of Authorities : 33 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii)(F): 1603.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(2)(ii): 1603.3, 1603.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(b)(3): 1603 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(2): 1603.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(3): 1606 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(4): 1606.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(5): 1606.10 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6): 1606.7, 1607 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(i): 1606.7(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(ii): 1606.7(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(iii): 1606.7(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(iv): 1606.7(D)
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(v): 1606.7(E)
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(6)(vi): 1606.7(F)
37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(7): 1607 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(8): 1606.9 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(9): 1609 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(10): 1608 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(11): 1608 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(12): 1608 37 C.F.R. § 202.16(c)(13): 1604.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.17(b)(3): Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Posthumous Works”) 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(1): 1504 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(1)(i): 1511.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(1)(iii): 1511.1 Table of Authorities : 34 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(1)(iii)(B): 1511.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(2): 1509.2(B)(2), 1511.2(A), 1511.2(B), 1511.2(D), 1511.2(E) 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(2)(i): 1511.2(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(2)(ii): 1511.2(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(b)(4): 1010.7, 1511.6 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(1): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(2): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(3): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(4): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(5): 1010.7, 1511.2(E), 1511.3, 1511.6 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(6): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(7): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(8): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(9): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(10): 1511.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(11): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(c)(12): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(1)(i): 1511.8 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(1)(ii): 1511.8 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(i): 1511.8(F)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(ii): 1511.8(D)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(iv): 1511.8(E)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(v): 1511.8(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(vi): 1511.8(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(vii): 1511.8(A)
Table of Authorities : 35 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(d)(2)(viii): 1511.8(G)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(e)(1): 1511.9 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(e)(3): 1511.9 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(e)(4): 1511.9 37 C.F.R. § 202.19(f)(1): 1511.7(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.19(f)(3): 1511.7(D)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(1): 1010.2, 1504, 1507.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2): 1505 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(i): 1106.2, 1505.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(ii): 1107.3, 1505.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(A): 1505.3 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(B): 1109.5(C), 1505.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(C): 1109.5(C), 1508.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iii)(D): 625.2(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(iv): 1505.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(v): 1509.2(B)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(vi)(A): 1509.2(A)(4)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(vi)(B): 1509.2(A)(4)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(2)(vii): 1509.2(F)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(b)(4): 720.1, Glossary (definition of “Secure test”) 37 C.F.R. 202.20(c)(1)(i): 1106.2, 1503, 1509.1, 1509.1(B) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(iii): 1107.3, 1503, 1509.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(1)(iv): 1107.3, 1503, 1509.1(I), 1509.2(G), 1509.3(E)(1) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(A): 1509.3(B)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(C): 1509.3(A)(5)
Table of Authorities : 36 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(E): 1509.2(A)(4)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(G): 1509.1(B), 1509.3(B)(2), 1509.3(B)(2) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(I): 1509.2(A)(5), 1509.2(D)(2) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(J): 1509.1(F), 1509.3(A)(6) , 1509.3(A)(8) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(i)(K): 1509.1(A), 1509.3(A)(10) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(ii): 1509.2(F)(1), 1509.2(F)(4), 1509.2(F)(4)(g) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(iv): 1503, 1509.3(A)(1), 1509.3(A)(3), 1509.3(E)(1) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(v): 1509.3(A)(9)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vi): 720.1, 720.4(C), 1509.1(G) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii): 1117.1, 1506, 1509.1(C), 1509.1(C)(1) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(A)(1): 1509.1(C)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(A)(2): 1509.1(C)(4)(b), 1509.1(C)(4)(c), 1509.1(C)(4)(d) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(B): 1509.1(C)(6)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(C)(1): 1509.1(C)(7)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(C)(2): 1509.1(C)(7)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D): 1117.6(A), 1509.1(D)(2) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(1): 1509.1(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(2): 727.1, 1117.1, 1509.1(D)(2) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(3): 1509.1(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(4): 1509.1(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(5): 1117.6(A), 1117.6(C) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(6): 1117.6(C), 1509.1(D)(2) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(7): 1117.6(C), 1509.1(D)(2) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(vii)(D)(8): 727.3, 1117.6(B), 1509.1(D)(3) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(viii): 1509.2(E)(2)
Table of Authorities : 37 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(viii)(B): 1509.2(E)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(x): 1509.3(A)(4)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(A): 1503 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(A)(1): 1506, 1509.1(B), 1509.3(B)(1) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(A)(2): 1509.3(B)(1)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(B): 1509.1(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(B)(2): 1506, 1509.3(B)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(B)(3): 1509.1(B), 1509.3(B)(2) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(B)(4): 1509.3(A)(10)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xi)(B)(5): 1509.3(B)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xii): 1509.2(A)(5)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xvii): 1109.5(A), 1109.5(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xviii): 1509.3(D)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xviii)(B): 1509.3(D)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix): 1117.6(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(A): 1509.1(C)(5), 1509.1(D)(1), 1509.1(E), 1509.2(E)(1), 1509.3(A)(11)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xix)(B): 1509.1(C)(5), 1509.1(D)(1), 1509.1(E), 1509.3(A)(11) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(c)(2)(xx): 1116.4 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d): 1115.5, Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Special relief”) 37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d)(1): 1508.8(A)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d)(1)(iv): 1509.1(C)(4)(e)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d)(3): 1508.8(B)
37 C.F.R. § 202.20(d)(4): 1508.8(D)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21: 720.4, 1508.8(A), 1511.8 Table of Authorities : 38 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 202.21(a): 1506, 1509.3(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21(b): 1506, 1509.3(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21(d): 1509.3(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21(e): 1509.3(C)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21(f): 1509.2(A)(5), 1509.2(C)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21(g)(1): 1509.2(F)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21(g)(2): 1509.2(F)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 202.21(h): 1509.2(F)(3)
37 C.F.R. § 202.22(b)(1): 1511.5 37 C.F.R.§ 202.22(d): 1511.5 37 C.F.R. § 202.23: 2410.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.23(a): 1510.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.23(a)(1): 2410.1 37 C.F.R. § 202.23(b): 1510.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.23(c): 1510.2 37 C.F.R. § 202.24: 1511.2(E), 1511.3, 1511.6 37 C.F.R. § 202.24(a): 1010.7, 1511.6 37 C.F.R. § 202.24(c)(3): 1511.3 37 C.F.R. Part 202, Appendix B: 904, 1010.2, 1504, 1509.1, 1509.1(I), 1509.2(A)(2), 1509.2(B)(2), 1509.2(C)(2), 1509.2(D)(2), 1509.2(G), 1509.3(E)(1), 1511.1 37 C.F.R. pt. 202, app. B, ¶ X.A.1: 1110.5(A), 1111.5(B) 37 C.F.R. Part 205: 2407.1(D)(2), 2409.2(D)(2)
37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b): 1210.2 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b)(2): 1211, 1212.10(A)
37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b)(2)(ii): 1208 Table of Authorities : 39 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(b)(3)(ii): 1212.10(C)
37 C.F.R. § 211.4(c)(1): 1210 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(c)(2): 1210, 1210.1, 1212.8(C)
37 C.F.R. § 211.4(d): 1212.8(C)
37 C.F.R. § 211.4(e): 1210.1 37 C.F.R. § 211.4(f): 1216, 1802.4 37 C.F.R. § 211.5: 1210.2(C)
37 C.F.R. § 211.5(b)(1): 1213.1 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(b)(2)(i): 1213.3, 1213.5 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(b)(2)(ii): 1213.4 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(c)(1): 1213.2 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(d): 1213.6 37 C.F.R. § 211.5(e): 1213.7 37 C.F.R. § 211.6: 1209.2 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(b): 1311 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(c): 1311.2 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(1): 1313.1 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(2): 1313.1 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(3): 1313.3 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(3)(ii): 1313.4 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(3)(iii): 1313.4 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(e)(4): 1313.2 37 C.F.R. § 212.3(h): 1312.5 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(a)(1): 1309.4 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(a)(2): 1309.4 Table of Authorities : 40 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(b): 1309.2 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(c): 1309.3 37 C.F.R. § 212.4(d): 1309.4 37 C.F.R. § 212.5: 1309.3 37 C.F.R. § 212.8(a)(3): 1317, 1802.4 37 C.F.R. § 212.8(c): 1317 37 C.F.R. § 212.8(c)(2): 1802.4 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Administrative Manuals U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES (1st ed. 1973): Introduction at 4, 2115.2(B), 2115.2(C), 2115.2(E)(2), 2115.2(F) n.10, 2124.1 n.29, 2116.6, 2120, 2121.1, 2121.4(A), 2122.1(E), 2122.2(D), 2122.3(C), 2122.4(D), 2122.6(B), 2123, 2125 n.30 U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COMPENDIUM OF U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES (2d ed. 1988): Introduction at 4 Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Studies U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, STUDY NO. 3: THE MEANING OF “WRITINGS” IN THE COPYRIGHT CLAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION (1956): 2114 n.4 U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, STUDY NO. 12: JOINT OWNERSHIP OF COPYRIGHTS (1958): Chapter Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “unitary work”)
U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, STUDY NO. 31: RENEWAL OF COPYRIGHT (1960): Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Published Collection”)
U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, COPYRIGHT OFFICE STUDY NO. 28, COPYRIGHT IN CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKS (1961): 805.2(C), 805.2(D), 805.2(F), 805.3(B), 805.3(C), 805.4(B), 805.5(B), 805.5(B)(1), 805.5(B)(2), 805.5(B)(3), 805.8(D), 806.2(D), 806.5(B), 2122.3 U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, REPORT OF THE REGISTER OF COPYRIGHTS ON THE GENERAL REVISION OF THE U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW 17 (Comm. Print 1961): 805.2(D)
Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Circulars and Factsheets Circular 1B, Limitations on the Information Furnished by the Copyright Office: Circular 3, Copyright Notice: 2405.2 Circular 5, How to Obtain and2 M11ai4n nta.3in, a Copyright Office Deposit Account : 1312.8 Table of Authorities : 41 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Circular 6, Obtaining Access to and Copies of Copyright Records and Deposits Circular 7B, Best Edition of Published Copyrighted Works for the Collections o: f 2th4e0 L6i.1b rary of Congress:
Administrative Materials: U.S. Copyright Office Public Announcements, Policy Statements, and Interpretive Rules U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, UNITED STATES COPYRIGHT RELATIONS OF CURRENT INTEREST (1960): 2118, 2122.5(C), Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definitions of “Geneva Phonogram Convention” and “U.C.C. Country”)
Inspection and Copying of Records and Other Documents, 32 Fed. Reg. 9314 (June 30, 1967): Introduction at 4 Motion Picture Soundtracks, 40 Fed. Reg. 12,500 (Mar. 19, 1975): 808.4(J), 808.10(G), 2122.6(C), Chapter 2100 Part VIII (definition of “Motion Picture”) Filing of Agreements Between Copyright Owners and Public Broadcasting Entities, Termination of Transfers and Licenses Covering the Extended Renewal Terms, Etc., 41 Fed. Reg. 221 (Nov. 15, 1976): 2310.10.
Table of Authorities : 42 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Termination of Transfers and Licenses Covering the Extended Renewal Term, 42 Fed.
Reg. 45,916 (Sept. 13, 1977): 2310.4(B)(1), 2310.4(D)(1), 2310.4(D)(2) Application for Registration of Claim to Copyright Under Revised Copyright Act, 42 Fed.
Reg. 48,944 (Sept. 26, 1977): 502, 510, 510.2, 619.7, 619.11, 1803 Deposit Requirements: Proposed Rulemaking, 42 Fed. Reg. 59,302 (Nov. 16, 1977): 720.1, 720.2 New Copyright Office Seal, 42 Fed. Reg. 64,747 (Dec. 28, 1977): 2409 U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, ADMINISTRATIVE CLASSIFICATIONS: 1870-1978: 2113 Corrections and Amplifications of Copyright Registrations; Import Statements; and Recordation of Documents, 43 Fed. Reg. 771 (Jan. 4, 1978): 1802.7(B), 1802.9(D) Part 202 — Registration of Claims to Copyright, 43 Fed. Reg. 763 (Jan. 4, 1978): 1104.1 Part 202 - Registration of Claims to Copyright, 43 Fed. Reg. 965 (Jan. 5, 1978): 404, 405, 510, 619.1, 1104.1, 1115.2 Deposit Requirements; Motion Pictures, 43 Fed. Reg. 12,320 (Mar. 24, 1978): 1509.2(F)(4).
Part 202—Registration of Claims to Copyright, Deposit Requirements 43 Fed. Reg. 41,975 (Sept. 19, 1978): 1508.8(C) , 1509.1(A), 1509.1(B), 1509.3(A)(7), 1509.3(B)(2) Registration of Claims to Copyright: Inquiry—Blank Form, 44 Fed. Reg. 69,977 (Dec. 5, 1979): 720 Registration of Claims to Copyright: Notice of Termination of Inquiry Regarding Blank Forms, 45 Fed. Reg. 63,297 (Sept. 24, 1980): 313.4(G), 921, 924.3(B) Policy Decision Regarding Immediate Cancellation of Registration in Uncollectible Check Cases, 46 Fed. Reg. 30,221 (June 5, 1981): 1806.4(B)
Registration of Claims to Copyright: Notice of Termination of Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Registration of Claims to Copyright in the Graphic Elements involved in the Design of Books and Other Printed Publications, 46 Fed. Reg. 30,651 (June 10, 1981): 707.3, 1007.4 Policy Decision Announcing Fee for Special Handling of Applications for Copyright Registration, 47 Fed. Reg. 19,254 (May 4, 1982): 623.1, 623.6 Notice of Inquiry Deposit of Computer Programs and Other Works Containing Trade Secrets, 48 Fed. Reg. 22,951 (May 23, 1983): 1509.1(C)(4)(a), 1509.1(C)(4)(e), 1509.1(C)(6)
Table of Authorities : 43 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Compendium of Copyright Office Practices, 49 Fed. Reg. 23,125 (June 4, 1984): Introduction at 4 Cancellation of Completed Registrations, 50 Fed. Reg. 40,833 (Oct. 7, 1985): 1806.1, Policy Decision Announcing an Increase in the Fee for Special Handling of Applications for Copyright Registration, 49 Fed. Reg. 39,741 (Oct. 10, 1984): 623.7 Cancellation of Completed Registrations, 50 Fed. Reg. 33,065 (Aug. 16, 1985): 1806.4, 1806.4(B)
Policy Decision Fixing Fees for the Special Handling of Import Statements and Documents, 50 Fed. Reg. 46,206 (Nov. 6, 1985): 623.1, 623.2 Registration of Claims to Copyright; Deposit Requirements for Computer Programs Containing Trade Secrets, 51 Fed. Reg. 34,667 (Sept. 30, 1986): 1509.1(C)(4)(a), 1509.1(C)(6)
Operating Guidelines Regarding the Child Protection Act; Public Availability, 52 Fed. Reg. 10,177 (Mar. 30, 1987): 315 Copyright Registration for Colorized Versions of Black and White Motion Pictures, 52 Fed. Reg. 23,443 (June 22, 1987): 313.4(K), 808.8(E), 906.3 Compendium of Copyright Office Practices, 53 Fed. Reg. 20,392 (June 3, 1988): Introduction at 4 Registration Decision: Registration and Deposit of Computer Screen Displays, 53 Fed.
Reg. 21,817 (June 10, 1988): 721.7, 721.10(A), 721.10(B), 1509.1(C)(7) Policy Decision on Copyrightability of Digitized Typefaces, 53 Fed. Reg. 38,110 (Sept. 29, 1988): 313.4(F), 716 Registration of Claims to Copyright Deposit Requirements for Computer Programs Containing Trade Secrets and for Computer Screen Displays: 721.7, 1509.1(C)(1), 1509.1(C)(4)(a), 1509.1(C)(4)(d), 1509.1(C)(6), 1509.1(C)(7) Registration of Claims to Copyright, Registration and Deposit of Databases, 54 Fed. Reg. 13,177 (Mar. 31, 1989): 1117, 1117.1, 1117.2, 1117.6, 1117.6(A) Registration of Claims to Copyright; Mandatory Deposit of Machine-Readable Copies, 54 Fed. Reg. 42,295 (Oct. 16, 1989): 1509.1(C)(5)
Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serials, 55 Fed. Reg. 50,556 (Dec. 7, 1990): 1104.3, 1109, 1109.5(A)
Policy Decision: Revised Special Handling Procedures, 56 Fed. Reg. 37,528 (Aug. 7, 1991): 623.1, 623.2, 623.6, 623.7 Table of Authorities : 44 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition General Provisions—Registry of Visual Art Incorporated in Buildings, 56 Fed. Reg. 38,340 (Aug. 13, 1991): 2314.4, 2314.5 Registration of Claims to Copyright: Deposit of CD-ROM Format, 56 Fed. Reg. 47,402 (Sept. 19, 1991): 1509.1(C)(5)
General Provisions—Registry of Documents Pertaining to Computer Shareware and the Donation of Public Domain Software, 56 Fed. Reg. 50,657 (Oct. 8, 1991): 2313.1, 2313.3 Registrability of Costume Designs, 56 Fed. Reg. 56,530 (Nov. 5, 1991): 924.3(A), 924.3(A)(2), 924.3(A)(3)
Registrability of Computer Programs that Generate Typefaces, 57 Fed. Reg. 6,201 (Feb. 21, 1992): 313.3(D), 723 Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Daily Newspapers, 57 Fed.
Reg. 39,615 (Sept. 1, 1992): 1110 General Provisions—Computer Shareware Registry, 58 Fed. Reg. 29,105 (May 19, 1993): 2313.1, 2313.2, 2313.3 Copyright Restoration of Certain Motion Pictures in Accordance with the North American Free Trade Agreement: List of Titles for Which Statements of Intent to Restore Copyright Were Received, 60 Fed. Reg. 8252 (Feb. 13, 1995): 808.10(K)(2) Proclamation No. 6780, 60 Fed. Reg. 15,844 (Mar. 27, 1995): 1204.4 Registration of Claims to Copyright; Group Registration of Daily Newsletters, 60 Fed.
Reg. 15,874 (Mar. 28, 1995): 1111, 1111.1 Change in Procedure for Recording Certain Multiple Title Documents, 63 Fed. Reg. 23,475 (Apr. 29, 1998): Introduction at 4 Designation of Agent to Receive Notification of Claimed Infringements, 63 Fed. Reg. 59,233 (Nov. 3, 1998): 2312 Corrections and Amplifications of Copyright Registrations; Applications for Supplementary Registration, 63 Fed. Reg. 59,235 (Nov. 3, 1998): 618.1, 621.3, 1802.6(F) Registration of Claims to Copyright; Group Registration of Daily Newsletters, 64 Fed.
Reg. 29,522 (June 1, 1999): 1111, 1114 Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Photographs, 65 Fed. Reg. 26,162 (May 5, 2000): 1116.1, 1116.5 Registration of Claims to Copyright, 65 Fed. Reg. 41,508 (July 5, 2000): 618.8(I) Notice of Termination, 66 Fed. Reg. 22,139 (May 3, 2001): 2310.4(A) Table of Authorities : 45 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Photographs, 66 Fed. Reg. 37,142 (July 17, 2001): 1116, 1116.2, 1116.4 Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Contributions to Periodicals, 67 Fed. Reg. 10,329 (Mar. 7, 2002): 1115.5 Notice of New Copyright Office Seal, 68 Fed. Reg. 71,171 (Dec. 22, 2003): 101.4, 2409 Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration of Published Photographs, 70 Fed. Reg. 15,587 (Mar. 28, 2005): 1116.1, 1116.2, 1116.6(B) Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 42,286 (July 22, 2005): 1602, 1603, 1603.1, 1603.4, 1604.1, 1604.2, 1605, 1606, 1606.2, 1606.7, 1607, 1608, 1612 Recordation of Documents, 70 Fed. Reg. 44,049 (Aug. 1, 2005): 2309.9(E) Preregistration of Certain Unpublished Copyright Claims, 70 Fed. Reg. 61,905 (Oct. 27, 2005): 1602, 1603, 1603.1, 1604.1, 1606, 1606.1, 1606.3, 1606.6(C), 1606.9, 1608 Correction of Errors in Certificates of Registration of Vessel Hull Designs, 71 Fed. Reg. 46,402 (Aug. 14, 2006): 1802.4 Online Registration of Claims to Copyright, 72 Fed. Reg. 36,883 (July 6, 2007): 618.8(A), 621.9, 624.3(A), 1109.7(J)
Registration of Claims to Copyright, Group Registration Options, 73 Fed. Reg. 23,390 (Apr. 30, 2008): 1109.7(F), 1116.6(A)(6)
Fees for Special Handling of Registration Claims, 74 Fed. Reg. 39,900 (Aug. 10, 2009): 623.1, 623.2 Mandatory Deposit of Published Electronic Works Available Only Online, 75 Fed. Reg. 3863 (Jan. 25, 2010): 1511.2(E), 1511.6 Registration of Claims to Copyright, 76 Fed. Reg. 4072 (Jan. 24, 2011): 727.3, 1116.2, 1117.4, 1117.6(B), 1402.6(D), 1509.1(D)(3)
Deposit Requirements for Registration of Automated Databases That Predominantly Consist of Photographs, 76 Fed. Reg. 5,106 (Jan. 28, 2011): 1117.6(B), 1509.1(D)(3) Gap in Termination Provisions, 76 Fed. Reg. 32,316 (June 6, 2011): 2310.3(C)(3) Designation of Agent To Receive Notification of Claimed Infringement, 76 Fed. Reg. 59,953 (Sept. 28, 2011): 2312 Copyright Office Fees, 78 Fed. Reg. 18,742 (Mar. 28, 2012): 1708.1 Table of Authorities : 46 12/22/2014 COMPENDIUM OF US COPYRIGHT OFFICE PRACTICES, Third Edition Registration of Copyright: Definition of Claimant, 77 Fed. Reg. 29,257 (May 17, 2012): 402, 404, 405, 407, 619.7, 619.9, 624.2(C)
Deposit Requirements for Registration of Automated Databases that Predominantly Consist of Photographs, 77 Fed. Reg. 40,268 (July 9, 2012): 1117 Registration of Claims to Copyright, 77 Fed. Reg. 37,605 (June 22, 2012): 307, 311.1, 312.1, 313.3, 313.4(G), 503.1(B), 624.2(C), 710, 805.4(B), 805.5(B), 805.5(B)(3), 805.7, 805.8(C), 805.8(D), 806.5(B), 806.6(B), 914 Registration of Claims to Copyright: Group Registration of Serial Issues Filed Electronically, 77 Fed. Reg. 66,920 (Nov. 8, 2012): 1109, 1109.3, 1109.5(B) Single Application Option, 78 Fed. Reg. 38,843 (June 28, 2013): 609.1 Changes to Recordation Practices, 79 Fed. Reg. 41,470 (July 16, 2014): 2309.13,
2309.14
Changes to Recordation Practices, 79 Fed. Reg. 55,633 (Sept. 17, 2014): 2309.13, 2309.13(C)
Fees for Submitting Corrected Electronic Title Appendices, 79 Fed. Reg. 68,622 (Nov. 18, 2014): 2309.13(C)
Treatises 4 MELVILLE & DAVID NIMMER, NIMMER ON COPYRIGHT §13.03[A][1][c] (2013): 310.4 Other Authorities BLACK’S LAW DICTIONARY (9th ed. 2009): Glossary (definition of “Exclusive licensee”) Ann Hutchinson Guest, CHOREO-GRAPHICS: A COMPARISON OF DANCE NOTATION SYSTEMS FROM THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY TO THE PRESENT (1989): 805.3(D)(1) NATIONAL COMMISSION ON NEW TECHNOLOGICAL USES OF COPYRIGHTED WORKS, FINAL REPORT (1979): 721.1 Table of Authorities : 47 12/22/2014