Issue 307 -January 31, 2007

Search Preregistration Records Online

Claims to copyright that have been preregistered in the Copyright Office from October 2005 to the present are available for searching on the Copyright Office website at www.copyright.gov. Click on “Search Records,” then on “Search Preregistration Records,” to begin a search. A tutorial provides basic information on preregistration and search methods.

Preregistration is a service intended for certain types of unpublished works that have had a history of prerelease infringement. Its purpose is to preserve the remedies of statutory damages and attorney's fees for copyright owners of these works when they have been infringed before publication and registration. A preregistered work must be registered within 3 months after publication. Preregistration takes place only online, is not a substitute for registration, and is not a guarantee that the Copyright Office will ultimately register the work. For further information, go to www.copyright.gov.