Registering your copyright with the U.S Copyright Office affords you many benefits. A copyright registration provides:
- The ability to take legal action against infringers. Without copyright registration the owner of copyrighted matter will not be able to bring suit for infringement.
- Statutory damages up to $150,000 and attorney fees may be awarded for infringement actions, even in cases of nominal actual damages, if it’s registered within three months of publication or before an infringement occurs. Otherwise, you only receive actual damages, which could be minimal.
- A public record of your copyright.
- Prima facie evidence (legally efficient to establish a fact) of the validity of your copyright if filed within five years of publication.
- Evidence that your work was created by you. Otherwise, in a court action you have to prove that you created the work.
- The ability to record the registration with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service to prevent the importation of infringing works.