Copyright Office Fee Schedule

The Copyright Office is adopting a new fee schedule for services in the following areas: registration, recordation, record retrieval, search and certification, the Licensing Division, and other services. Congress authorized the Register to set and adjust Copyright Office fees that are fair, equitable, and give due consideration to the objectives of the copyright system. The Office adjusts its fees at appropriate intervals after conducting a study of the actual cost to the Office for providing its fee-based services. In setting its fees, the Office is mindful of its responsibilities to authors and other copyright owners to price services at a level that encourages participation in the registration and recordation process, not only for their own benefit but also for the benefit of licensees and other users of works of authorship, as well as the public at large. With these objectives in mind, the Office is adopting fees that will enable it to recover a significant portion of the costs to the Office for services that benefit both copyright owners and the public.


The Office initiated the most recent cost study in June 2017 and proposed an initial fee schedule in a May 2018 notice of proposed rulemaking. The Office also provided the model used to craft the fee schedule. In June 2019, the Office issued a supplemental notice proposing limited revisions to the 2018 notice relating to document recordation and new prospective group registration options. The Office received a number of public comments, which the Office considered carefully and used to refine the new fee schedule.


In October 2019, the Office presented a final proposed schedule and analysis of fees for Copyright Office services to Congress in accordance with 17 USC 708(b). The analysis addressed fees for the most commonly used Office services, including those related to registration and recordation. Pursuant to the Copyright Act, Congress had 120 days in which to respond to the Office’s proposal with legislation disapproving it. Congress did not do so.


In addition to the fees submitted to Congress, the Office reviewed and adjusted certain other fees that are not required to be submitted to Congress. As provided in section 708(a), these adjustments are made by the Office based on its costs and after carefully considering public comments.


Accordingly, the Office is promulgating a final rule with a new schedule of fees to take effect March 20, 2020.


The Copyright Office changed its fees as part of a statutory requirement that the Office review fees regularly to keep pace with Office costs. The Office started this process in June 2017, provided the most recent proposed fee schedule to Congress this past fall, and issued the final rule in February in accordance with legal requirements. The fee changes result from an extensive multi-year process that included specific legal timing requirements. While the Office did increase some fees, we reduced proposed fee increases for the most commonly used applications, the Standard and Single Applications. The Office also did not increase fees for some group registrations applications and certain searches and certifications, among other things.


The Office understands that current times are incredibly challenging. We are looking into more affordable options for creators, including the possible new fee models discussed in our notice of inquiry on registration modernization. We also plan to release additional group application options for certain works on musical albums and online literary works. The Office is dedicated to improving its services and assistance to creators and the public as a whole including, to the greatest extent possible, the associated costs of those services.