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 1112.