- An album containing music, lyrics, liner notes, and cover artwork created by three different individuals.
- A sound recording containing a song written by one individual that was performed by another individual.
- A musical work created by one individual that is fixed in a recording with multiple performers.
- A motion picture containing a script written by one individual, which was directed, filmed, and produced by three other individuals.
609.2 Type of Work
The U.S. Copyright Office has specified various administrative classes of works for registration and deposit purposes as authorized pursuant to Section 408(c)(1) of the Copyright Act. These classes are:
- Literary Works.
- Works of the Visual Arts.
- Works of the Performing Arts.
- Sound Recordings.
- Motion Picture/Audiovisual Works.
- Single Serial Issues.
37 C.F.R. § 202.3(b). These classes or types of work are merely an administrative classification and do not affect the subject matter of copyright or the exclusive rights in a work. Nevertheless, the applicant should exercise judgment and care when selecting the Type of Work in the online application or selecting the appropriate form for a paper application, because the initial selection may dictate the options for describing the authorship that the applicant intends to register. It will also affect the registration number that the Office ultimately issues. If the applicant chooses the wrong Type of Work or uses the wrong form for certain types of works, the registration specialist may change the Type of Work to the appropriate classification without communicating with the applicant.
For works that contain multiple types of authorship, see Section 609.2(C) below.
609.2(A) Online Application
When completing an online application the applicant should select the class of work that is most appropriate for the work that the applicant intends to register and the authorship that appears in the work. These classes are listed under a drop down menu marked Type of Work. As discussed in Sections 618 and 621, the type of work selected
