Copyright Registration Cost Calculator
Registering a copyright with the US Copyright Office is not required to have copyright protection, but it is necessary to sue for copyright infringement and to recover statutory damages and attorney fees. This calculator estimates the government registration fees based on the type of work, the registration method (online or paper), and the number of works being registered. Attorney fees for copyright clearance or infringement advice are separate and not included here. Always verify fees against the current Copyright Office fee schedule.
Fees based on US Copyright Office schedule effective 2024. Verify at copyright.gov before filing.
Copyright Office fee schedule (2024)
Single work (online, eCO): $45 per application
Single work (paper): $125 per application
Group of up to 10 photographs (online): $55
Group of unpublished works (online): $85
Sound recording (online): $65
Source: 17 U.S.C. 708; US Copyright Office Fee Schedule
Total Fees = Fee Per Registration * Number of Registrations. For group registrations, each group counts as one application. The fee schedule is set by the Register of Copyrights and is published at copyright.gov/about/fees.html.
Benefits of copyright registration
- Required to file a copyright infringement lawsuit in US federal court (17 U.S.C. 411).
- Registration before infringement (or within 3 months of publication) allows recovery of statutory damages ($750 to $30,000 per work, or up to $150,000 for willful infringement) and attorney fees.
- Registration creates a public record of your copyright claim, which can deter infringement.
- A copyright registration certificate can be used as evidence in court proceedings.
- Registration within 5 years of first publication creates a legal presumption of copyright validity.
Copyright registration cost calculator: frequently asked questions
Do I need to register my copyright?
Copyright protection exists automatically in the US from the moment an original work is created and fixed in a tangible medium. However, registration with the US Copyright Office provides important legal benefits: you cannot sue for copyright infringement in federal court until the work is registered, and registration before infringement (or within 3 months of publication) is required to recover statutory damages and attorney fees.
How much does copyright registration cost?
As of 2024, US Copyright Office registration fees range from $45 for a single work registered online by an individual claimant using eCO (Electronic Copyright Office) to $125 for a paper application. A group of up to 10 published photographs can be registered for $55 online. Fees are set by the Register of Copyrights under 17 U.S.C. 708.
What is the difference between online and paper registration?
Online registration through the Copyright Office's eCO system is faster (current processing times are published at copyright.gov) and cheaper ($45 to $65 for most works vs $125 for paper). Paper applications (Form PA, TX, VA, SR, SE) take significantly longer to process. All applications must include the filing fee and deposit copies of the work.
What works can be registered together?
The Copyright Office allows group registrations for certain categories: up to 10 published photographs ($55 online), serials and periodicals (per issue), and unpublished collections. Registering multiple works in a single application saves on fees compared to registering each work individually.
What is the deposit requirement?
Most copyright registrations require depositing copies of the work with the US Copyright Office. For unpublished works, one complete copy is required. For published works, two complete copies of the best edition are typically required (17 U.S.C. 408). Digital works may be submitted electronically through eCO. Failure to comply with mandatory deposit requirements can result in fines.
Official sources
- US Copyright Office, Fees: Copyright Office Fee Schedule.
- 17 U.S.C. 708 (copyright registration fees): 17 U.S.C. 708.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.