Copyright Office Announces New Fee Schedule

The U.S. Copyright Act announced that a new fee schedule will take effect May 1, 2014. The new fees affect claim registration, document recordation, special series, Freedom of Information Act requests, and Licensing Division services. As a part of its periodic review of procedures in accordance with 17 U.S.C. § 708, the Copyright Office enacted the changes based on a study which assessed Copyright Office fees, budget requirements, and public comments.

Some fees have increased, such as the fee for online registration of a standard claim, which has been raised from $35 to $55. Other fees have remained the same or have decreased. For example, the fee for single-author, single-work registration claims (excluding works for hire) will remain $35. To read the final rule published in the Federal Register, please visit http://www.copyright.gov/fedreg/2014/79fr15910.pdf.