618.8 (D) (4) Claim in De Minimis Material: Registration Refused
If the applicant asserts a claim in de minimis material, the registration specialist will refuse registration if the claim appears to be limited to that material or if there appears to be no other basis for asserting a valid claim in the work.
Example:
• An online application is submitted naming Jason Buck as author of “song lyrics.” The lyrics consist of familiar, short, repetitious phrases, such as “Happy Birthday To You.” The registration specialist will refuse registration.
For a general discussion of de minimis authorship, see Chapter 300, Section 313.4 (B).