How Much Does a Copyright Cost

You must copyright your work to protect your creations and ensure that your brand and products remain yours. 

The copyright cost varies depending on what you register and file your copyright. If this is your first time copyrighting your work, you probably wonder how much it costs. 

We’ll tell you here, so keep reading.

How Much Does a Copyright Cost?

(Source: LegalZoom)

Copyright is an intellectual property that safeguards original works. This legal category includes many works, such as logos, paintings, music books, or software. 

The fee for registering your copyright will vary depending on what your work is and whether you do it online or by mail. 

We strongly recommend you file electronically. You can quickly set up an account with the Electronic Copyright Office and upload your material. And it’s more cost-effective to do so. Online copyright registration for a single work is $45, while print registration is $125.00. 

The fees can change, so check the current fee schedule to ensure you pay the correct amount.

More Stats and Facts About the Copyright Cost 

Here are some interesting stats and facts about copyrighting costs. 

Keep going!

How much does it cost to copyright a business name?

(Source: BNG)

Actually, you can’t use a copyright to protect your business name. Single names or phrases aren’t covered by copyright. However, copyright is excellent for protecting parts of your company’s identity, such as logos, designs, and technical drawings.

You must file a trademark application instead of copyright to protect your company name. You can do so with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The fee usually starts at $250.00.

How much does it cost to copyright a song?

(Source: LegalZoom)

The owner can copyright a single or many songs on an audio recording. However, it can take half a year or more to process. For online applications, the cost to copyright a song is a $35.00 nonrefundable filing fee, and it’s $85.00 for paper applications.

How much does it cost to copyright a logo?

(Source: FabrikBrands)

If you’re starting a business and lack the graphic design skills to create a logo, you can use great logo makers that will do all the heavy lifting for you.

And if you want to register your logo without legal assistance, you’ll need to spend only $35.00 if there’s one author included. However, most applications will be charged a fee of around $55.00 because there are usually designers to consider.

You’ll also need to check whether your logo is unique. The cost to copyright a logo will also depend on whether you identified the logo’s category and whether you applied online or by mail.

How much does it cost to copyright a book?

(Source: Book Editing)

For electronic registration, the cost to copyright a book is $65. However, the fee is $45 for registering a copyright for a work done by writers hired to write or ghostwrite a book. They’re paid for their work under an agreement with the author or publisher.

The copyright is owned by whoever hired the writer to produce the work.

The processing time for electronic applications is two to three months. On the other hand, the filing fee for paper applications is $125, and the processing time is 10 to 15 months.

Wrapping Up

Copyright gives you legal rights to the created materials. And now that you have a good idea of the cost of a copyright, we hope we’ve helped you make an informed decision about this matter.