Confirm the copyright plan
Confirm who registers copyright
Read the contract, then get a written answer on who will register the book with the U.S. Copyright Office and when.
Authors often hire help with this: legal or contract.
Why it matters
Registration is the step most often assumed and least often checked. Authors find out it was never done when they need it, which is usually the worst moment. The three-month window after publication is short, and confirming the owner of the task before publication is the only way to be sure the window is used.
Your part
- What you do
- Ask. Someone else normally owns it. Get an answer, then record it.
- Who normally owns it
- Publisher and Author. Publisher normally registers under the contract; self-publisher registers directly; author confirms either way
- When
- Before publication, so that registration can be filed within three months of the publication date (Confirm the copyright plan: six to three months before publication, and registration around publication)Checked September 13, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Your part changes with your publishing route.
How to do it
The full walkthrough
Copyright exists automatically when a work is written, but registration with the United States Copyright Office is a separate, formal step. It creates a public record, and for works of United States origin it is required before you can file an infringement lawsuit. Registering within three months of publication (or before an infringement begins) also preserves the ability to seek statutory damages and attorney's fees. Someone has to do it, and the contract usually says who.
Read the contract clause first, then get a written answer to two questions: who files, and when. Most trade publishing agreements state that the publisher will register the copyright in the author's name within a set period after publication; a hybrid package sometimes includes registration and sometimes does not; and if you are the publisher, you file. If it falls to you, the Copyright Office's online system (eCO) is the route. As of the fee schedule posted on copyright.gov (opens in a new tab) when this was written, the online Single Application (one author, one work, not made for hire) costs 45 US dollars and the Standard Application costs 65 US dollars; check the current fee page before filing. You will also need to submit a deposit copy as the system instructs.
Whoever registers, the result should be a registration number recorded in your Book Identity Sheet.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the publisher registers because "publishers do that", without reading the clause.
- Assuming the copyright notice on the copyright page is the same as registration.
- Waiting until an infringement appears to think about registration.
- Registering an unpublished manuscript and never registering the published edition, or the reverse, without knowing which one you need.
Identifiers for Confirm who registers copyright
Set a status on any record and it joins this step. All book identifiers.
| My status | Identifier | Why this matters | Yours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copyright registration Filing a claim for your book with the United States Copyright Office, which creates the public record of the claim. | Your copyright exists the moment the book is fixed in tangible form, so registering is not what gives you ownership; it is the public record of the claim and the step that unlocks certain legal remedies in the United States. Traditional and hybrid contracts vary, in that many commit the publisher to register in the author's name and some do not mention it at all, so normally you read the agreement and then ask in writing who files and in whose name. If you publish the book yourself, or the contract leaves it to you, filing is yours to do once the book is in final form. Record the registration number and date with the rest of the book's records. | Add your registration number |
A template for this
Publisher responsibility confirmationA short, routine note asking your publisher to confirm which publisher-handled items are done, and to send the identifier, link, date, or confirmation for your records.
When to use it: Use this when several checklist items belong to the publisher and you have no record that they happened. It works best a few months before publication, then again after launch for anything still open. Do not use this when you only have one question, or you already have the confirmation on file. Ask the single question directly instead.
What done looks like
- The contract clause on copyright registration located and summarized.
- Written confirmation from the publisher of who registers and roughly when, or your own filing date if it is you.
- The registration filed within three months of publication.
- A plan to record the registration number and certificate when they arrive.
Ask your publisher
Copy this into an email. Replace the bracketed parts with your details.
Sources and last checked
- Official source
- Official source (opens in a new tab)
- Last checked
- September 13, 2026
- How confident we are
- Verified
Rules and deadlines change. We last checked this information on September 13, 2026. If you see something that needs updating, please tell us.