1509.1(N) Deposit Requirements for Literary Works: At a Glance
The following charts provide a brief summary of the deposit requirements for registering various types of literary works. For a detailed discussion of these requirements, see Sections 1509.1 (A) through 1509.1(M) above.
If the applicant is unable to submit a deposit that satisfies these requirements, the applicant may ask for special relief. For information concerning this procedure, see Section 1508.8.
General Requirements
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Unpublished works | n/a | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Works first published in the United States before 1/1/78 | Two complete copies of the work as first published | n/a |
| Works first published in the United States between 1/1/78 and 3/1/89 that are not listed below | Two complete copies of the best edition of the work (including the copyright notice for the first published edition) | n/a |
| Works first published in the United States after 3/1/89 that are not listed below | Two complete copies of the best edition of the work | n/a |
| Works that are not listed below that are published solely in a foreign country | One complete copy of the work as first published in the foreign country | n/a |
| Works that are not listed below that are first published in a foreign country and subsequently published in the United States | One complete copy of the work as first published in the foreign country, or one complete copy of the best edition published in the United States if the content of the U.S. and foreign editions is identical | n/a |
| Literary works published solely in hard copy format that are not listed below | Two complete copies of the best edition of the work in hard copy format | n/a |
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Literary works published in hard copy and electronic format that are not listed below | Two complete copies of the best edition of the work in hard copy format | n/a |
| Literary works published solely in electronic format that are not listed below | See Section 1507.2 | n/a |
Monographs, Serials, Contributions to Collective Works, and Legal Publications
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Literary Monographs | One complete copy of the best edition of the work | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Serials | Two complete copies of the best edition of the serial | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Contributions to collective works other than newspapers | One complete copy of the best edition of the collective work, or a photocopy or other reproduction of the contribution as it was published in the collective work | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Contributions to newspapers | One complete section containing the contribution or a cut out of the contribution from the newspaper | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Legal Publications | Two complete copies of the best edition of the work | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
Computer Programs
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Computer programs | Submit the first and last twenty-five pages (or equivalent units) of the source code. Additionally, a page or the equivalent unit that contains the notice (if any) | Submit the first and last twenty-five pages (or equivalent units) of the source code. Additionally, a page or the equivalent unit that contains the notice (if any) |
| Derivative computer programs | If revisions occur throughout the program, submit the first and last twenty-five pages of the source code. If revisions do not appear in the first or last twenty-five pages, submit fifty pages of source code containing revised material. In both cases, submit the page of the source code that contains the notice (if any). | If revisions occur throughout the program, submit the first and last twenty-five pages of the source code. If revisions do not appear in the first or last twenty-five pages, submit fifty pages of source code containing revised material. In both cases, submit the page of the source code that contains the notice (if any). |
| Computer programs that contain trade secrets | See Section 1509.1 (F) (4) | See Section 1509.1 (F) (4) |
| Computer programs fixed in CD- ROM format | One complete copy of the CD- ROM package and identifying portions of the source code for the program | One complete copy of the CD- ROM package and identifying portions of the source code for the program |
| Computer screen displays | See Section 1509.1 (F) (6) | See Section 1509.1 (F) (6) |
| User manuals and other documentation for a computer program | See Section 1509.1 (F) (7) | See Section 1509.1 (F) (7) |
Databases
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Databases fixed in CD-ROM | One complete copy of the CD- ROM package | One complete copy of the CD- ROM package |
| Single-file databases | One copy of the first and last twenty-five pages or equivalent units of the database, together with a copy of the notice (if any) and a statement confirming that the work is a single-file database that does not require a descriptive statement | One copy of the first and last twenty-five pages or equivalent units of the database, together with a copy of the notice (if any) and a statement confirming that the work is a single-file database that does not require a descriptive statement |
| Multi-file databases | Fifty complete data records from each data file or the entire data file (whichever is less), together with a copy of the notice (if any), and a descriptive statement that contains the information set forth in Chapter 1100, Section 1112.7 (C), and that clearly identifies the creative authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the database | Fifty complete data records from each data file or the entire data file (whichever is less), together with a copy of the notice (if any), and a descriptive statement that contains the information set forth in Chapter 1100, Section 1112.7 (C), and that clearly identifies the creative authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the database |
| Revised single file databases | Fifty representative pages or data records that were added to or modified in the specific version of the database that the applicant intends to register, together with a copy of the notice (if any) and a statement confirming that the work is a single-file database that does not require a descriptive statement | Fifty representative pages or data records that were added to or modified in the specific version of the database that the applicant intends to register, together with a copy of the notice (if any) and a statement confirming that the work is a single-file database that does not require a descriptive statement |
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Revised multi-file databases | Fifty representative pages or data records that were added to or modified in the specific version of the database that the applicant intends to register, together with a copy of the notice (if any), and a descriptive statement that contains the information set forth in Chapter 1100, Section 1112.7 (C), and that clearly identifies the new authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the revised database | Fifty representative pages or data records that were added to or modified in the specific version of the database that the applicant intends to register, together with a copy of the notice (if any), and a descriptive statement that contains the information set forth in Chapter 1100, Section 1112.7 (C), and that clearly identifies the new authorship in the selection, coordination, and/or arrangement of the revised database |
| Databases consisting predominantly of photographs | See Section 1509.1(G)(3) | See Section 1509.1(G)(3) |
Instructional Works and Tests
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Instructional works, such as cookbooks and user manuals that are not listed below | Two complete copies of the best edition of the work | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Instructions for needlework or craft kits | One complete copy of the best edition of the work | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Tests and answer material for tests | See Section 1509.1(J) | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Secure tests |
Copyright Registration for Secure Tests and Test Items (Circular 64) |
Copyright Registration for Secure Tests and Test Items (Circular 64) |
Other Types of Literary Works
| Nature of the Work | Published | Unpublished |
| Book jackets | One complete copy of the best edition of the jacket | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Lectures, sermons, speeches, and addresses | When published individually, one complete copy of the best edition of the work | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Literary works fixed on phonorecords | One complete phonorecord containing the best edition of the work | One complete phonorecord representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Two-dimensional games | One complete copy of the best edition of the game | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Games reproduced in three- dimensional objects | Identifying material representing the entire copyrightable content (unless the game consists of multiple parts that are packaged and published in container larger than twelve by twenty-four by six inches, in which case the applicant may submit one complete copy of the best edition in lieu of identifying material) | Identifying material representing the entire copyrightable content |
| Literary works fixed in a CD- ROM | See Section 1509.1(H) | See Section 1509.1(H) |
| Multimedia kits | One complete copy of the best edition of the kit | One complete copy representing the entire copyrightable content |
Group Registration Options
| Nature of the Works | Published | Unpublished |
| Group registration of unpublished works | n/a | See Chapter 1100, Section 1106.4 |
| Group registration of serials | See Chapter 1100, Section 1107.5 | n/a |
| Group registration of newspapers | See Chapter 1100, Section 1108.5 | n/a |
| Group registration of newsletters | See Chapter 1100, Section 1109.5 | n/a |
| Group registration of contributions to periodicals | See Chapter 1100, Section 1110.5 | n/a |
| Group registration of short online literary works | See Chapter 1100, Section 1111.6 | n/a |
| Group registration of database updates or revisions | See Chapter 1100, Section 1112.7 | See Chapter 1100, Section 1112.7 |