Do I need to register my copyright?
In most jurisdictions, registration is not required. However, for creators in the United States registration can be obtained and is advisable so that you can enforce your copyright in court. For US-based creators, you should check out the U.S. Copyright Office’s ‘Copyright Basics’ page, which explains more about copyright registration.
Rick, Thank you for your question. Basically, the benefit of a copyright without registration is that you are entitled to register it! Technically, no one is allowed to copy your creative work fixed in a tangible form no matter what, because you hold the copyrights (someone has to). But, you cannot enforce your copyright, for example by suing for copyright infringement, without a registration. The first thing you would have to do if someone was infringing your copyrights and you wanted to sue them (or really even negotiate with them) would be to register your copyright. Only after the registration went through could you enforce your rights. By the way, you can register your entire website with a single form and fee. It is a relatively easy process. However, you would have to apply every time you put up a new article if you wanted the new article to be included in the registration. I typically recommend to people concerned about their website being copied that they re-register their cop
You get copyright automatically when you create a work and “fix” or record it. Registration with the Copyright Office is not a prerequisite, but it can give you additional protection: you can only get statutory damages for infringement of a registered copyright. A U.S. author must also register before filing a copyright lawsuit.
