2407.1(B) Registration Records That May be Viewed, Inspected, or Copied
2407.1(B)(1) Registrations, Applications, and Correspondence
As a general rule, registration records for claims that have been registered or refused by the U.S. Copyright Office may be viewed or copied by any member of the public, including certificates of registration, completed applications, and any written communications between the applicant and the Office.
2407.1(B)(2) Deposits for Claims that Have Been Registered or Refused
As a general rule, the deposit copy(ies) or identifying material for a claim that has been registered or refused by the U.S. Copyright Office may be inspected by any member of the public, provided that the Office has retained a copy of that material. As discussed in Section 2407.1(A), certain parties who satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 2407.1(D)(2) may obtain a reproduction of the deposit for a claim that has been registered or refused.
2407.1(B)(3) Pending Applications
Records related to pending applications for registration may be inspected or copied by the claimant named in the application or an authorized representative of the claimant, provided that the records were submitted to the Office within twelve months prior to the request. This includes the application and any written communications between the applicant and the Office concerning the claim. It also includes any request for reconsideration that is currently pending before the Office.
In exceptional circumstances, the Register of Copyrights may allow someone other than the copyright claimant to inspect or obtain copies of a pending application or the correspondence file for a pending application, provided that (i) the request is made in writing, (ii) the person making the request is properly and directly concerned, and (iii) there is good cause for providing access to the requested materials.
Members of the general public may obtain limited information concerning pending applications using the computers located in the Public Records Reading Room. This information may include:
The title(s) of the work(s).
The administrative classification for the work [e.g., TX, PA, VA, SR, etc.). The correspondent or the author named in the application. The claimant named in the application.
The date that the application, deposit, and/or filing fee were received by the Office. The case number/service request number assigned to the application. The status of the application.
Chapter 2400 : 13
12/22/2014
