COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION: WHAT AUTHORS NEED TO KNOW

Many authors hear, “Your book is automatically copyrighted the moment you write it.” And that is true — you own copyright as soon as your work is fixed in a tangible form (like on paper or saved digitally). But automatic copyright doesn’t give you the full legal protection you may need.

Here’s what actually matters:

✅ 1. Registration is required to enforce your rights in the U.S. You cannot file a federal copyright infringement lawsuit unless your work is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office (or the Office refuses registration).

✅ 2. Registration gives you powerful legal advantages When your work is registered at the right time, you may receive:• Statutory damages (up to $150,000 for willful infringement)• Eligibility for attorney’s fees• A legal presumption that the facts on your certificate are correctThese remedies are generally unavailable without timely registration.

✅ 3. Registration strengthens your proof of ownership A copyright registration certificate serves as official evidence of your creation date, authorship, and ownership — and if registered early (generally within five years of first publication), it creates a court-recognized presumption of validity.

✅ 4. Quick note about AI Current U.S. Copyright Office policy generally requires human authorship for copyright protection.

✅ 5. There is only one official place to register a U.S. copyright:

👉 www.copyright.gov — the U.S. Copyright Office’s official website.