Filing Options for Copyright Office Services
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Library of Congress buildings have been closed and the U.S. Copyright Office has implemented extended telework requirements to reduce the number of onsite staff to essential personnel who come into the Office for the minimum amount of time necessary. In addition, the Office is aware that restrictions impeding mobility and temporary closures of businesses are limiting the public’s ability to access Office services.
To mitigate the impact of these restrictions, the Office is expanding its capabilities to receive electronic submissions for more services. The Office already permits online filing for most types of registration applications, and it strongly encourages applicants to file through the electronic registration system (“eCO”) as the most efficient and cost-effective method of registering claims in copyright. To further assist persons affected by the national emergency, the Office has implemented new electronic submission options for certain additional services, as indicated below. In addition, the Office recently adopted a final rule to facilitate electronic submission for other Office services as administrative processes are established.
The following charts summarize current submission options, including the new emergency electronic options, for various Copyright Office services. For services where an email submission option is provided, a member of the Office will respond to the request with instructions on how to submit payment. Attachments submitted by email must be submitted in a format that can be accepted through the Office’s email system and processed by staff. Attachments are limited to a maximum total file size of 10MB.
NOTE: As of July 2020, the Copyright Office has begun a phased restoration of onsite operations, including the processing of physical materials received while the Office has been closed to the public. Therefore, members of the public who already have submitted physical materials should NOT resubmit those materials by email. The Office is unable to identify duplicate requests for the same service, and therefore it will treat each submission as a separate request and require payment of a separate fee, as applicable. If you have questions about the status of a prior submission, please contact the Copyright Office at [email protected] for assistance.
A PDF version of the charts is also available.
Please note:The copyright registration options below provide information on how an application may be submitted to the Office. Applicants using these options still must comply with any applicable best edition requirements, including the submission of a physical deposit where required. For temporary relief for claims with physical deposits, see https://www.copyright.gov/coronavirus/.
SERVICE TYPE | PHYSICAL SUBMISSIONS | ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS |
---|---|---|
Most Registration Applications (Standard/Single applications: VA, TX, PA, SR, Single Serial Issues; Group registration applications: GRUPH, GRPPH, GRCP, Group serials, newspapers, newsletters, unpublished works, photographic databases); supplementary registrations for these applications |
Applicants are strongly encouraged to file electronic applications through the eCO system; paper application permitted for Standard VA, TX, PA, SR, and SE claims, but check the Office’s rules for specific application type and applicable deposit requirements |
eCO online registration system |
Preregistration |
Electronic only. |
eCO online registration system |
Other registration applications (vessel designs, group registration of updates to non-photographic databases); and supplementary registrations or corrections for restored copyrights, renewal claims, or group registration of non-photographic databases |
Complete applicable form and mail to the address provided. Copyright Office forms are available at https://www.copyright.gov/forms/ For vessel designs and group registration of non-photographic databases, applicants also must comply with the applicable deposit requirements. |
Complete applicable form and email the form to [email protected] For vessel designs and group registration of non-photographic databases, include a PDF copy of the appropriate deposit with the email. |
Special handling requests (when submitting application) |
Electronic only (paper requests cannot be processed while extended telework is in effect and Registration examiners are not yet on-site) |
eCO online registration system For temporary relief for special handling requests for claims with physical deposits, see https://www.copyright.gov/coronavirus/ |
Requests for reconsideration of refusals to register and requests for cancellation |
U.S. Copyright Office, |
Email request to: |
Requests to reopen claims closed as a no reply |
Electronic only |
Submit online form available at: |
Special relief requests from Copyright Office deposit requirements under 17 U.S.C. § 408 |
Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice, |
eCO online registration system: upload a cover letter or provide request in the “Note to Copyright Office” field Requests also can be made through email correspondence with registration examiner |
Special relief requests from mandatory deposit requirements under 17 U.S.C. § 407 |
Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice, |
Requests can be made by email in response to a demand |
SERVICE TYPE | PHYSICAL SUBMISSIONS | ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS |
---|---|---|
Request for special handling of documents submitted for recordation, including notices of termination |
Special Handling Copyright RAC Division P.O. Box 71380, |
Email the completed Special Handling Request Form, Form DCS or TCS (as applicable), document to be recorded, and Electronic Title List (if provided, must be validated using the ETL validator tool) to [email protected]. Please include “Special Handling” in the subject line of the email. The Office will make every effort to complete requests within 7 to 10 business days after payment for your request has been accepted. |
Notices of termination (standard, non-expedited processing) |
Copyright Office-Notices of Termination P.O. Box 71537, |
Email Form TCS and notice of termination to: [email protected] Requests for special handling of notices of termination should be emailed to [email protected] and follow the special instructions above. |
Declarations of Ownership in Musical Works (DOMWs) |
Copyright Office–DOMW |
Email Form DCS, document to be recorded, and Electronic Title List to: [email protected] |
Schedules of pre-72 sound recordings |
Electronic only |
Email cover sheet and schedule to: |
Notices of Noncommercial Use/ Opt-out notices relating to pre-72 sound recordings |
Electronic only |
Email cover sheet and notice to: |
Request for full-term retention of deposit |
Library of Congress, |
Email request to: |
SERVICE TYPE | PHYSICAL SUBMISSIONS | ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS |
---|---|---|
Section 111 filings |
Library of Congress |
|
Section 112 and 114 notices of use |
Library of Congress |
[email protected] (For inquiries only) |
Section 115 notices |
Library of Congress |
|
Sections 119 and 122 statements of account |
Library of Congress |
|
Chapter 10 (DART) statements of account |
Library of Congress |
[email protected] (For inquiries only) |
SERVICE TYPE | PHYSICAL SUBMISSIONS | ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS |
---|---|---|
General requests (registration certificates, copies of applications, recorded documents, recordation certificates, etc.) |
U.S. Copyright Office, |
To request a copy estimate, use the online form: |
Search requests |
U.S. Copyright Office, |
To request a search estimate, use the online form: |
Litigation statements (requests for deposit materials) |
U.S. Copyright Office, |
Submit the form available at: https://www.copyright.gov/forms/formlitigation.pdf by email to [email protected] |
SERVICE TYPE | PHYSICAL SUBMISSIONS | ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS |
---|---|---|
Requests to remove PII from registration records (registration certificates, copies of applications, recorded documents, recordation certificates, etc.) |
U.S. Copyright Office, |
Email request to: |
Section 512 DMCA designation of agent directory |
No physical submissions permitted |
Submit online at https://dmca.copyright.gov/osp/login.html |
Requests to waive physical address requirement and substitute with P.O. Box in Section 512 DMCA agent directory |
U.S. Copyright Office, |
Email request to: |
Complaints served on the Register of Copyrights pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 411(a) Court requests to the Register of Copyrights pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 411(b) |
If submission of a request via email is not feasible, please contact the Office of the General Counsel by telephone during normal business hours at 202-707-8380. |
Email: |
Court notices to the Register of Copyrights pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 508 |
If submission of a notice via email is not feasible, please contact the Office of the General Counsel by telephone during normal business hours at 202-707-8380. |
Email: |
FOIA requests and appeals |
P.O. Box 70400, clearly labeled “Freedom of Information Act Request” or “Freedom of Information Act Appeal” as appropriate. |
Email: |
Notice to Libraries and Archives of Normal Commercial Exploitation or Availability at Reasonable Price |
Library of Congress, |
Email: |