The registration specialist will conclude that the application was certified by an authorized person, unless there is evidence to the contrary in the registration materials. If the application has not been signed, the specialist will communicate with the applicant, even if a handwritten signature appears in a cover letter or elsewhere in the registration materials. If the applicant or the applicant’s authorized agent confirms that the information in the application is correct, the specialist will add that party’s name to the Certification space and will provide the date of the communication as the date of certification. In addition, the specialist will add an annotation to the registration record, such as: “Regarding certification: certification affirmed by [phone call / email] with [name of person] on [date].”
624.4 Examination Guidelines: Certification
624.4(A) Signature Requirements
When completing an online application, the individual who certifies the application should provide his or her first and last name. When completing a paper application, the individual who certifies the application should provide a handwritten signature containing his or her first and last name. The U.S. Copyright Office will accept a photocopy of a handwritten signature, but a stamped signature or a signature provided on a preprinted label is not acceptable. Likewise, the Office will not accept a signature consisting solely of initials or a monogram.
If the work described in the application is a pseudonymous work, the author may sign the application using his or her pseudonym, provided that the name is clearly identified as a pseudonym in the registration materials. For a detailed discussion of pseudonymous works, see Section 615.2.
The registration specialist will review the application to confirm that it has been certified by an individual. A certification that merely recites the name of a business, company, partnership, or other legal entity is unacceptable. However, the specialist will accept a certification that includes the name of the individual who certified the application, along with the name of that person’s employer or the business or organization that the person represents.
Examples:
- An online application is submitted for a product catalog naming Viscous Liquids, LLC as the author and copyright claimant. The certification reads, “Mark Arnett, for Viscous Liquids, LLC.” The claim will be registered.
- An online application is submitted for a technical drawing naming Nobel Gas, Inc. as the author and copyright claimant. The certification reads “Executive Vice President and General Counsel.” The registration specialist will ask the applicant to provide the first and last name of the person who certified the application. The specialist will add this name to the registration record along with
