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New Copyright Form: How to Fill Out Form
CO by Darcie-Nicole Wicknick
The United States Copyright Office, part of the Library of Congress, has
created one streamlined form, Form CO, to be more all-inclusive rather than
processing several different types of forms for different
kinds of registration. (If you're comfortable with the old forms, the
Copyright office is still accepting them for the time being.) Basic
(mail-in) registration currently costs $45, and online registration costs
$35.
information in this article is current
as of September 29,2008.
This attached PDF
explains the new All-inclusive form and
is marked with notes about what the fields mean. In those fields where we
could not make notes, we made them below, using their corresponding field
number.
Some additional notes about FORM CO
:
1a. Songs are PERFORMING ARTS works as are song lyrics and musical
compositions.
You can also register the sound recording (AKA “Master”) and that would be a
SOUND RECORDING registration. You will need to include documentation about
the original copyrights on the songs that are included and embodied in the
Sound Recording and if you did not compose those songs and/or are not the
AUTHOR (entitled owner) of the songs embodied in the Sound Recording,
include proof of mechanical license approvals provided by The Harry Fox
Agency. This also pertains to works containing samples. Works containing
samples must show clearance in writing of those samples by both the
songwriter and publisher and the current recording company that owns the
master recording that the samples came from originally.
1e. If your work has been published you will need to include the publishing
date and where the work was first published.
2a. If there is more than one author for the particular song, you will need
to add pages to create a second (third, fourth, etc.) author for this work
including all of the same information required for author 1.
2g. In most cases Anonymous is not checked. Pseudonymous is used for those
composers who use a professional name that is not their legal name. Work for
Hire is common only for those who are composing their work under the employ
of a company. Examples may include those who serve as staff composers for a
publishing company or writers for a jingle house or advertising agency. If
you are uncertain about your Work for Hire status, please contact the
Copyright Office for assistance or defer to your employment contract.
3a. If there is more than one claimant for the particular song, you will
need to add pages to create a second (third, fourth, etc.) claimant for this
work including all of the same information required for claimant 1. The
Claimant is the party or parties entitled to the benefits of the copyright.
In most cases, all authors are the claimants, except in cases of songwriters
whose works’ copyrights are assigned in full or in part to a publishing
company or other third party. For songs whose catalog is purchased or
assigned after the filing of a copyright claim, a transfer of copyright
form will be required.
4. The Limitation of Copyright is for those whose work includes that of
others (i.e. samples) and where you will indicate what portions of the work
the author(s) are not trying to claim as their own work. You will need to
include the registration information of the body of work that you are
interpolating and all necessary documentation.
4c. If you add information to a work that you have authored and registered,
and want to make an update, you will need to fill out this section as well
as indicate the previous registration information in 4b.
5 and 6. There may be ONE person listed as the lead contact regarding this
work.
7. One recipient may receive the certificate of copyright claim.
8. Only one person needs to sign the
copyright claim.
8d. If you have an account that keeps funds to pay for copyright claims
(helpful if you file copyright claims often) you will indicate that draft
account number here. To establish such an account, please contact the
Register of Copyright.
Form CO online
Form CO instructions
Basic (mail-in) registration: $45 (current as of September 2008).
Online registration: $35 (current as of September 2008).
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