Do I
have to register with your office to be protected?
No. In general,
registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created.
You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for
infringement of a U.S. work. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section
“Copyright Registration.”
Why should I register my work if copyright
protection is automatic?
Registration is recommended for a number of reasons.
Many choose to register their works because they wish to have the facts of their
copyright on the public record and have a certificate of registration.
Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees in
successful litigation. Finally, if registration occurs within 5 years of
publication, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law. See
Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Copyright Registration” and Circular 38b,
Highlights of Copyright Amendments Contained in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act
(URAA), on non-U.S. works.