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How to Copyright Song Packages

If you take yourself seriously as a songwriter and want to protect your work, you'll need to copyright your songs with the U.S. Copyright Office. There is a fee involved. Fortunately, you can submit a song package together as a collection of songs and pay a one-time fee for all of them. Whether you want to protect your new album or a bunch of demos you're trying to pitch, you can copyright a bundle of songs together.

Instructions

  1. Electronic Copyright Office

    • 1

      Go to the U.S. Copyright Office website (see "Resources").

    • 2

      Click the Electronic Copyright Office icon. Repeat on the next page.

    • 3

      Click the "Continue to eCO" button.

    • 4

      Create a new account if you don't already have one. If you have an account, enter your User ID and password and click the "Login" button.

    • 5

      Fill out the application. Include a name that represents the song package as a collection. For example, you could title your collection the name of your new album or something like "Bob's New Demos."

    • 6

      Submit the songs you want to copyright and the $35 fee via credit card (fee as of 2010).

    Form CO

    • 7

      Go to the U.S. Copyright Office website (see "Resources") and click the Electronic Copyright Office icon.

    • 8

      Click the "Form CO" hyperlink.

    • 9

      Click the "Download Form CO" hyperlink.

    • 10

      Complete Form CO online. Include a name that represents the song package as a collection. For example, you could title your collection the name of your new album or something like "Bob's New Demos." Print out Form CO and mail it to the U.S. Copyright Office with a copy of your songs on CD and a check or money order for $50 (fee as of 2010).

    Form PA

    • 11

      Go to the U.S. Copyright Office website (see "Resources").

    • 12

      Click the Electronic Copyright Office icon.

    • 13

      Click the "upon request" hyperlink under the "Registration with Paper Forms" heading.

    • 14

      Enter your contact information, select a quantity of 1 for Form PA and click the "Submit" button.

    • 15

      Complete Form PA when it arrives by mail. Include a name that represents the song package as a collection. For example, you could title your collection the name of your new album or something like "Bob's New Demos."

    • 16

      Mail your completed Form PA with a copy of your songs on CD and a check or money order for $65 to the U.S. Copyright Office (fee as of 2010).

Songs & Lyrics

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