How much does a copyright cost?
How much does a copyright cost?
$45 – $85 average registration fee
$250 – $500 average copyright attorney fee
Copyright fees
Registering a copyright costs $45 to $85 on average, depending on the type of work you're copyrighting, how many authors there are, and whether you're filing online or through the mail. Hiring an attorney to help you register your creative content will cost $250 to $500 or more.
| Copyright fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Registration fees | |
| Original work of authorship | $45 (single author, electronic filing) $65 (standard application) $125 (paper filing) |
| Group of unpublished works | $85 |
| Group of published or unpublished photos | $55 |
| Group of songs on a published music album | $65 |
| Group of short online literary works | $65 |
| Other fees | |
| Copy of registration certificate | $55 |
| Other records or search reports | $200 per hour |
| Registration renewal | $125 (without addendum) $225 (including addendum) |
Copyright fees are set by the U.S. government and subject to change. The federal fee schedule always has updated pricing information.
Copyright registration fee
Registering for a copyright costs $45 to $85 for most people. You could end up paying more for legal help or if you have a complicated copyright situation. For example, you're one of multiple creators of collaborative work, you're registering content in a group of newspapers, or you're updating a database.
Other fees
A copy of your registration certificate costs $55. If you need to search for other records, you'll have to pay more. Copyrights for something created after January 1st, 1978, last for the life of the creator, plus 70 years. Renewal is optional and typically only used on works made before 1978.
What is a copyright?
A copyright is a federal certificate proving property rights for original works, whether they're published or unpublished. Copyrights protect all kinds of intellectual property, such as:
Books
Essays
Articles
Plays
Poems
Screenplays
Blogs
Logos
Images
Artwork
Films
Songs and recordings
Other tangible work (recorded, written, etc.)
Copyrights do not protect ideas, brand names, slogans, or inventions. For brands or slogans, you'll need a trademark, which costs $250 to $350. A patent for an invention costs $5,000 to $35,000+.
Copyright cost factors
These factors affect the overall cost of registering a copyright or hiring a service to do it for you:
Company or attorney fees: To simplify the process, you can hire a lawyer or copyright service. Paying an intellectual property lawyer to do this for you costs $250 to $500. Websites and companies like LegalZoom charge about $100 to $300 to file copyright paperwork on your behalf.
Registration method: If you prefer to mail in your registration documents instead of submitting them online, you'll pay a higher registration fee as well as costs for postage.
Type of works: Your registration fee will be lower if you are the sole author or owner of your creative work. Collaborative projects and databases are more complex and cost more to register.
Corrections: If you make a mistake in your paperwork, you'll pay more to make a correction or redo paperwork.
Expedited registration: You can pay $50 per application for expedited registering if the Copyright Claims Board pauses your application. This is only an option for infringement claimants or counterclaimants.
Registration process
Technically, all creators automatically own the copyright to an original, creative work as soon as it's "fixed in a tangible form of expression". However, it's still a good idea to register your copyright because you'll be able to prove your creation belongs to you if someone tries to steal your idea.
Then, if necessary, you'll be able to take someone to court for copyright infringement. Registering your copyright is a simple process that you can do either online or by mail:
Online: You can go to the U.S. Copyright Office website to register online.
Print: To register by mail, you have to download the proper form from the Copyright Office's forms page. Then you must fill it out and mail it with your payment.
Regardless of the method you choose, you will also have to send two copies of the best version of your work, whether it's a photo, song, book, video, or article.
Copyright infringement
If someone uses your work without permission or steals your intellectual property, you may decide to launch an infringement lawsuit. In this case, you'll pay the legal fees associated with that lawsuit. Copyright infringement can include:
Recording a movie while in the theater
Using copyrighted images
Downloading music or movies without paying for them
Passing off a literary or artistic work as your own
Making and selling merchandise with copyrighted images, words, or characters
Copyright FAQs
Can you copyright an essay?
Yes, you can copyright an essay. As soon as you finish any written work (whether it's an essay, poem, book, or article), it is in tangible form. This means you, as the author, have copyright protection over your original work and can apply for copyright if you wish.
How long does copyright last?
Copyright laws have changed since their inception, so the timing is slightly different depending on when the creator made the work:
For anything created after January 1st, 1978, the copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years.
For works made before 1978, the copyright lasts 95 years from the year of publication or 120 years from creation.
How can I find out who owns a copyright?
The CCB can help you find out who owns a copyright. However, for Copyright Office staff to conduct a manual search of our files, they charge $200 per hour or about $400 on average. There is no fee if you conduct a search in person at the Copyright Office.
Why aren't your conversations copyright protected?
Conversations aren't protected by copyright because they're typically spontaneous instead of planned and are generally not considered original. Plus, verbal conversations are not fixed in tangible form (unless recorded).
Questions to ask a copyright attorney
If you need help with your copyright registration, ask the following questions during your consultation or meeting:
How much experience do you have helping people register for copyrights?
Are you an attorney? When did you pass the bar?
What are your rates? Does that cover registration fees?
What sample of the work do I need to give you?
Will you give me a written estimate or contract before we start?
How common is this type of copyright?
Do I need a different kind of copyright if I worked with someone to do this?
How do you handle any mistakes or corrections in the paperwork?
How much do you charge for copyright infringement lawsuits?
What kind of evidence do I need for an infringement case?
Will you be able to prove someone infringed on my copyright?
Using our proprietary cost database, in-depth research, and collaboration with industry experts, we deliver accurate, up-to-date pricing and insights you can trust, every time.