1103.4 (C) Publication / Completion
When registering a number of works with the unit of publication option, all of the works submitted for registration must be physically packaged or bundled together in a single unit and first distributed to the public as a unit.
When completing an online application, the applicant will be asked to provide the date of publication on the Publication/Completion screen. Specifically, the applicant should select “yes” in the drop down menu marked “Has this work been published?” In the field marked “Date of First Publication,” the applicant should provide the specific month, day, and year that the unit was distributed to the public for the first time. If the applicant indicates that the works have been published, but fails to provide the specific month, day, and year that publication occurred, the application will not be accepted by the electronic registration system.
When completing a paper application, the applicant should enter the month, day, and year of first publication on space 3 (B) under the heading “Date and Nation of First Publication of This Particular Work.”
When completing an online application, the applicant should identify the year that the component works were completed on the Publication/Completion screen in the field marked Year of Completion (Year of Creation). When completing a paper application, the applicant should identify the year that the author completed the component works on space 3 (A) under the heading “Year in which creation of this work was completed.” If the component works were created over a period of thirteen months or more, the applicant should provide the year of completion for the most recent work that will be submitted for registration.
For additional guidance in completing this portion of the application, see Chapter 600, Section 611.1.