Each of these questions is discussed in Sections 609.1(A) through 609.1(C) below.
If the applicant checks all of boxes marked “yes,” the electronic registration system will generate a message marked “Important Notice.” If the work satisfies all the eligibility criteria listed in this message, the applicant should click the button marked “OK.” The electronic registration system will direct the applicant to complete the U.S. Copyright Office’s Single Application. For general information concerning the Single Application, see Chapter 1400, Sections 1401.4, 1402.3, and 1402.5.
The Single Application may only be used to register a work that satisfies the criteria listed in the questions above. If the applicant answers “no” in response to any of these questions or if the applicant responds to the Important Message by clicking the button marked “Cancel,” the electronic registration will direct the applicant to complete the Office’s Standard Application. The Standard Application may be used to register any work that may be submitted through the electronic registration system. For general information concerning the standard application, see Chapter 1400, Section 1402.4.
When completing a Single Application, the following phrase will appear at the top of each screen: “Application Format: Single.” When completing a Standard Application, this portion of the application will read: “Application Format: Standard.”
If the applicant attempts to use the Single Application to register a work that does not satisfy the criteria listed above, the registration specialist will communicate with the applicant, which may delay the examination of the application. In addition, the applicant may be required to pay an additional filing fee, and the Office may assign a later effective date of registration to the submission.
See generally Single Application Option, 78 Fed. Reg. 38,843 (June 28, 2013).
NOTE: The “yes” or “no” statements discussed above appear in the online application, but they do not appear in any of the paper applications.
609.1(A) Question 1: Are You Registering One Work?
If the applicant intends to register a single work, the applicant should check the box marked “yes” that appears next to the question, “Are you registering one work?” The following are representative examples of works that qualify as a single work:
- One poem.
- One short story.
- One photograph.
- One illustration.
- One painting.
- One sculpture.
