Collect Data For Legal Arizona Copyright Forms For Free

It takes six or more months to process a song copyright. A nonrefundable $35 filing fee for online applications and an $85 filing fee for paper applications as of this date. Fees can change, so always check the U.S. Copyright website.

How do I register my copyright? To register a work, submit a completed application form, and a nonreturnable copy or copies of the work to be registered. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section ?Registration Procedures., and Circular 4, Copyright Office Fees?.

Federal copyright law protects published and unpublished original musical works, including the song lyrics. A music copyright exists as soon as the musical composition has been created in a fixed format; i.e. sheet music or an audio recording. An idea for a song or melody cannot be copyrighted.

Luckily, this is really easy to do! In fact, music is automatically copyrighted the moment you create it in a tangible medium; like on paper or on an audio recording. That's right! All you have to do is write your original song down on paper or record it, and you own the copyright.

Although your work is protected by copyright from the moment it is fixed, you can register your work with the U.S. Copyright Office for additional benefits, including for U.S. works, access to federal courts in the case of infringement. Registering your work also makes a public record of your ownership.

Works that no longer attract copyright protection are said to be in the public domain, and you are free to use them without restriction. That includes no restrictions on copying and adapting, no need to seek permission, and no uncertainty about your rights as a user.