Copyright Resource Center

Welcome to the Copyright Protection Resource Center.

This page serves as a user-friendly repository of information for members to comply with the rules for submitting newspapers for registration with the Copyright Office and mandatory deposits with the Library of Congress. We suggest bookmarking this page and revisiting it periodically as we update the page with new information, and to use as a reference.

Please scroll down to view important steps for filing the required PDFs.

Latest Updates – Copyright Registration

To file a claim in court, works first published in the U.S. must be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, and all works, regardless of place of publication, must be registered to be entitled to recover statutory damages or attorneys fees.

Media publisher content may be registered under different options, including as a single work, a group of one month of newspaper print editions, a collection of serials, and soon, a group of editions of news websites. The following section provides information about N/MA’s work to ensure publishers have full access to the protections of copyright, and educates publishers about these different options.

UPCOMING: Option to register online media websites.

Copyright Office Publishes a Proposed Rule to Allow News Publishers to Register Dynamic Websites

January 3, 2024 – The Copyright Office proposed a way for news publishers to efficiently register their online content. For years, publishers have lacked a feasible way to register the full contents of modern news media websites, which constantly publish and update material for their readers. The notice recognizes that existing requirements to submit PDF copies of entire websites with every update posed difficulties for many publishers as well as the Office itself. The Alliance is drafting comments in response to the proposed rule.

Existing Options:

News Publishers Will No Longer be Required to Submit Applications and Deposits Within Three Months

February 13, 2019 – The Copyright Office has published a notice in the Federal Register amending the final rule on Group Registration of Newspapers to eliminate the requirement that news publishers submit applications and deposits within three months of publication. The new rule will take effect on February 18, 2019. The rule does not affect the requirements for statutory damages and attorney’s fees under Section 412, which requires filing to take place either before infringement commences or within three months of publication.

Steps for Registering Newspapers Using the Group Registration Option

Step 1: View the Final Rule

Final Rule

Step 2: Consult the Group Newspaper Registration Circular

Circular

Step 3: Submit your PDF files.

Every newspaper applying for copyright registration must file PDFs of each issue in the month they are seeking to register.

Click on the button below to view the Copyright Office’s step-by-step instructions for uploading your work to eCo.

Who Must File

Although copyright registration is voluntary, newspaper identified by the Library of Congress are generally required to submit mandatory copies of their published editions. A list of newspapers required to submit mandatory deposits can be found here.