204.1 (A) Online Application
The U.S. Copyright Office’s electronic registration system may be accessed from the Office’s website.
The Office strongly encourages applicants to use the online application whenever possible. The benefits to filing an online application include:
• Lower filing fees for online applications: The filing fee for an online application is lower than the filing fee for a paper application. For a list of the current filing fees, see the Office’s fee schedule.
• Faster processing: The Office typically processes electronic claims much sooner than non-electronic claims. Current processing times are listed on the Office’s website.
• Multiple options for paying the filing fee: An applicant may pay the filing fee for an online application by credit card, debit card, electronic check, or with a U.S. Copyright Office deposit account, while in most cases an applicant may pay the filing fee for a paper application only by check, money order, or deposit account.
• Easier submission of the deposit copy(ies): For certain types of works, the applicant may upload deposit copy(ies) directly to the online system as an electronic file, instead of having to submit physical deposit copies through the mail. The Office lists the acceptable file types on its website. If the work is published in hard copy form, the applicant may be required to mail a physical copy to the Office, but filing the application electronically will expedite processing.
• The ability to track the status of the application: After submission, the online system allows the applicant to log in and see whether the online application is still pending or whether it has been registered and closed.
For detailed information on completing an online application, see Chapter 600. For information on completing an online application for a group registration, see Chapter 1100, Sections 1106 through 1114. For information on completing an online application for a supplementary registration, see Chapter 1800, Section 1802.8 (A).
Once the online application has been submitted, the Office automatically issues an email confirming that the application has been received. If there are issues regarding the claim, a registration specialist may communicate with the applicant via telephone, email, or mail to address those issues. For more information on communications between the Office and the applicant, see Chapter 600, Section 605.