The appropriate registration service depends on more than the type of work. It may also depend on who created it, who owns the rights, whether it has been published, what earlier or third-party material it includes, and whether one or several applications are appropriate.
The prices below are starting legal fees. United States Copyright Office filing fees are charged separately at the rate in effect when the application is filed. Unless the engagement agreement states otherwise, each registration fee includes one application and one corresponding deposit submission.
| Service | Starting legal fee | Typical matter |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward Copyright Registration | $995 | One work, one individual author who is also the sole owner and claimant. |
| Business-Owned or Commissioned Work Registration | $1,450 | One primary creator and a clear business, employment, assignment, or commissioned-work ownership path. |
| Collaborative or Multi-Author Registration | $1,950 | One work involving up to three potential authors or substantial contributors within a defined scope. |
| Complex Registration Project | Generally begins at $2,500 | Multiple owners, editions, applications, transfers, prior registrations, or extensive records. |
Straightforward Copyright Registration
Potential eligibility
- One work and one individual author.
- The author is also the sole owner and proposed claimant.
- The work was not created as a work made for hire.
- No ownership transfer is needed.
- No other person may have an authorship or ownership claim.
- No complicated prior-edition history.
- Third-party and AI-generated material can be readily identified.
- One application and a complete deposit appear appropriate.
Generally included
- Registration-questionnaire review
- Review of the work and proposed deposit
- Author, claimant, publication, and limitation review within the service scope
- Preparation of one application
- Client review and approval
- Electronic filing, filing confirmation, and routine status communication
Business-Owned or Commissioned Work Registration
This service is designed for one work involving one primary creator and a business, employer, commissioning party, or other proposed owner when the ownership path appears clear and is not disputed.
May be appropriate when
- A company or organization is expected to be the claimant.
- An employee created the work within the scope of employment.
- A contractor created the work under an existing written agreement.
- An individual transferred the relevant rights to a business.
- Only limited agreement review is required.
Generally included
- Identification of the proposed author and claimant
- Preliminary work-made-for-hire or transfer review
- Limited review of one existing agreement or transfer document for registration purposes
- Application, deposit, publication, and limitation review
- Preparation and filing of one application
The limited agreement review determines whether the available document supports the proposed registration information. It is not a comprehensive contract analysis or formal ownership opinion.
Collaborative or Multi-Author Copyright Registration
The additional fee is not a charge for entering more names. It reflects the analysis required to determine what each person contributed, who may properly be identified as an author or claimant, what rights were transferred, what material should be excluded, and whether one application is sufficient.
Starting-scope assumptions
- One primary work and one proposed application
- No more than three potential authors or substantial contributors
- No active authorship or ownership dispute
- No more than two short existing agreements requiring limited review
- No complicated chain of assignments or extensive prior-edition history
- No negotiation or document drafting
- A complete deposit is available
The service may include
- Contributor inventory and preliminary authorship analysis
- Preliminary joint-work or separately owned contribution analysis
- Claimant and ownership analysis
- Limited agreement review
- Publication, prior-material, and deposit review
- Written registration recommendations or summary
- Preparation and filing of one application
Multiple Authors, Multiple Owners, or Multiple Editions
Custom registration projects may involve different authors across editions, separately owned components, partial transfers, contractor-created work, companion products, prior registrations, different publication dates, several deposits, or the possible need for multiple applications.
- Copyright Authorship and Ownership Assessment
Review contributors, agreements, editions, ownership records, and registration history. - Written action plan
Identify supported claims, documentation gaps, and recommended applications. - Separate legal documentation
Prepare assignments or agreements when needed and separately engaged. - Registration phase
Provide a quote based on the supported claims and number of applications.
The initial quote may cover only the registration phase. Ownership assessments, assignments, collaboration agreements, negotiations, and corrective work are separately scoped unless expressly included.
Scope the actual works
One creative project may require more than one application
Course ecosystem
Recorded lessons, scripts, slides, workbook, templates, music, and guest content may not all fit into one application.
Publishing project
A book, illustrations, companion workbook, audiobook, and revised edition may involve different authorship and deposits.
Media project
A film, trailer, music, photographs, website, and promotional assets may involve distinct works and owners.
The firm evaluates whether the materials may be covered by one application, qualify for an available group option, or require separate applications. Each additional application requires an additional legal fee and government filing fee unless expressly included.
Defined legal service
What the registration fee generally covers
Before filing
- Application strategy and registration-option review
- Client questionnaire and material follow-up
- Work and deposit review for consistency with the proposed claim
- Authorship and claimant review within the selected service
- Publication and limitation review
- Application preparation and client approval
Filing and routine follow-up
- Electronic submission of the application and deposit
- Filing confirmation and submitted application record
- Routine status communication
- Forwarding material Office correspondence
- Explanation of whether a response falls within the original scope
Separate services
What is not included in a standard registration fee
Ownership and contracts
- Comprehensive ownership audits or formal opinions
- Agreement review beyond the stated limit
- Assignments, licenses, contributor, coauthor, contractor, or employment agreements
- Negotiation or resolution of a dispute
- Recordation of transfers
Clearance, enforcement, and corrective work
- Fair-use analysis or third-party content clearance
- Obtaining permissions or licenses
- Infringement analysis or enforcement
- Supplementary registration or prior-registration correction
- Substantive refusals, reconsideration requests, appeals, litigation, or Copyright Claims Board proceedings
These services may be available under a separate engagement and fee.
Accurate information and final materials
Client responsibilities
The client is responsible for providing complete and accurate information about the work and its creation, including potential authors, contributors, ownership documents, publication history, earlier versions, third-party material, AI use, prior registrations, and current disagreements.
Deposit materials
The client provides a complete and final deposit in the requested form. Standard review does not include editing, proofreading, redesigning, reconstructing editions, extensive file conversion, removing third-party material, or preparing an incomplete work for publication.
Artificial intelligence
The client should describe which AI tools were used, what the tools generated, what a person created, and what human selection, arrangement, revision, or modification appears in the final work. Substantial AI-generated material or an earlier application that omitted relevant information may require separate analysis.
Copyright Office examination
What happens after filing
The Copyright Office may approve the application, ask a question, request clarification or an additional deposit, require an amendment, or refuse some or all of the claim. Processing times vary and registration cannot be guaranteed.
Routine administrative communication may be included. A response requiring substantial new legal analysis, ownership review, corrective documentation, a new deposit, or a new application may require a separate fee and engagement.
Copyright Registration Strategy Consultation
The consultation includes advance review of a detailed questionnaire, a 45-minute virtual consultation concerning one primary work or closely related project, preliminary discussion of authors, claimants, publication, editions, commissioned work, third-party material, and AI use when relevant, and a personalized Copyright Registration Action Plan.
It does not include agreement review, a formal ownership opinion, application preparation, document drafting, negotiation, or dispute resolution. The consultation is a separate legal service and its fee is not credited toward later work.
Unsure which service fits?
Use the consultation to identify the likely path before committing to a registration or assessment.
Next steps
Choose the appropriate path
Registration-ready matter
You can identify the work, author, owner, publication information, and deposit without substantial contributor or ownership questions.
Submit an inquiryPreliminary registration questions
You need help identifying the work, publication status, proposed claimant, or application path.
Schedule the strategy consultationDocument and ownership review
The work involves contributors, agreements, commissioned material, business ownership, or editions.
Request an assessmentActive disagreement
The matter involves competing claims, noncooperation, conflicting agreements, or threatened action.
Request separate scopingStarting prices do not represent a quote for every matter that appears to fall within a category. No legal services begin until the firm completes intake and conflict review, the parties sign an engagement agreement, and the required fee is paid.