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Copyright Registration Cost Calculator
Compare copyright registration scenarios by adding filing, attorney, and deposit costs for different work types.
Quick Presets
Filing Fee⧉
$65.00
eco filing
Deposit Costs⧉
$5.00
1 work(s)
Attorney Fee⧉
$0.00
Legal assistance
Expedited Fee⧉
$0.00
None
Group Discount⧉
−$0.00
1 works
Total Cost⧉
$70.00
$70.00 per work
Processing Time⧉
3 days
Estimated delivery of certificate
Statutory Damages Range⧉
$750.00 - $30,000.00
Per work infringement (w/ registration)
Registration Type Comparison
| Work Type | Processing Time | Filing Cost | Protection Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literary | 3-5 | $65-125 | Text, plot, dialogue, character development |
| Visual Art | 2-4 | $65-125 | Original artwork, designs, photographs |
| Music | 3-5 | $65-125 | Composition, sound recording, lyrics |
| Software | 3-7 | $65-125 | Source code, executable, documentation |
| Film/Video | 5-7 | $65-125 | Audiovisual work, cinematography, editing |
Cost Breakdown
Filing Fee:$65.00Deposits (1 works):$5.00Attorney:$0.00Expedited:$0.00Discount:−$0.00Total:$70.00
Registration Benefits
- Establishes public record of copyright ownership
- Enables statutory damages ($750-30k) and attorney's fees in litigation
- Allows U.S. Customs to block infringing imports
- Provides foundation for international copyright protection
- Filing certificate is prima facie evidence in court
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the Copyright Registration Cost Calculator
The Copyright Registration Cost Calculator helps creators and businesses estimate the cost of registering copyrightable works with the U.S. Copyright Office. While copyright protection exists automatically upon creation, federal registration can provide important legal benefits including the ability to sue for infringement, eligibility for statutory damages and attorney fees, and a public record of ownership.
Registration costs include the Copyright Office filing fee, any attorney fees for preparation and submission, and deposit copy costs. The Copyright Office offers several filing options including single works, group registrations, and the electronic Copyright Office (eCO) system which provides reduced fees.
This calculator models costs for individual and group registrations across different work types, helping creators and businesses budget for intellectual property protection.
When This Page Helps
Copyright registration is inexpensive relative to the value it protects. A worksheet makes it easier to compare filing options and see whether group registration changes the per-work cost before you decide to file.
How to Use the Inputs
- Select the type of work being registered.
- Enter the Copyright Office filing fee.
- Enter attorney fees for preparation (if applicable).
- Enter deposit copy costs.
- Enter the number of works for group registration.
- View the per-work and total registration costs.
Formula used
Per-Registration Cost = Filing Fee + Attorney Fee + Deposit Cost
Group Registration Total = Filing Fee + Attorney Fee + (Works × Deposit per Work)
Cost per Work = Total / Number of WorksExample Calculation
Result: $56.50 per work (group registration)
Group registration: $65 filing + $300 attorney + (10 works × $20 deposit) = $565. Per work: $565 / 10 = $56.50.
Tips & Best Practices
- eCO online filing is generally cheaper and faster than paper filing.
- Group registration of unpublished works saves significantly versus individual filings.
- Register promptly if preserving stronger remedies matters for your situation.
- Software copyright should cover both source code and documentation.
- International works may also need registration in key markets outside the U.S.
- Maintain registration certificates securely as proof of ownership.
Registration Types
Single work registration is appropriate for individual works by a single author. Group registration can cover multiple eligible works. Each type has different fee structures and eligibility requirements.
Why Timely Registration Matters
Registration timing can affect the remedies available in an infringement dispute. This worksheet keeps the issue visible without pretending to decide the legal outcome.
Software Copyright Strategy
For software, register the code and documentation you actually want protected. Combine copyright with trade secret protection for comprehensive software IP coverage where appropriate.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Methodology
This worksheet adds the user-entered filing fee, attorney fee, and deposit costs, then divides group-registration totals by the number of works when applicable. It is meant to compare filing scenarios and make the cost assumptions visible.
The page is intentionally conservative. It does not decide whether registration is required, whether a work qualifies for group treatment, or whether a claim will be eligible for statutory damages. Those are legal questions that depend on the Copyright Act and the specific filing facts.
Sources
- Fees (U.S. Copyright Office) — Official Copyright Office fee schedule for electronic, paper, and group registrations.
- Circular 2: Copyright Registration (U.S. Copyright Office) — Official overview of registration and deposit requirements.
- Preregistration Information (U.S. Copyright Office) — Explains how registration relates to infringement actions and statutory-damages eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Current fees vary by filing type, work type, and whether you use paper or online filing. This worksheet lets you enter the fee assumptions you are actually using instead of hard-coding a single number.
Copyright exists automatically upon creation, but registration can matter if you want to sue for infringement or preserve access to certain remedies. The exact legal effect depends on the facts and filing timing.
The Copyright Office requires deposit materials for registration. The exact deposit depends on the work type and filing method, so this worksheet treats deposit cost as a separate input rather than a fixed amount.
Processing time varies by filing type and workload. Online filings are usually faster than paper filings, but this worksheet is about budget planning rather than turnaround prediction.
Yes, some group-registration options exist for eligible works. Whether a group option is available depends on the work type and filing facts, so the worksheet keeps the per-work math visible.
Copyright protects original works of authorship including literary works, music, dramatic works, visual art, photographs, software, architectural works, and sound recordings. It does not protect ideas, facts, titles, or short phrases.
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