How do I register my copyright?

Your photos automatically get copyright protection when you take them. But, for extra coverage, you can register your copyright online.

You can submit a group of photos (any number, as long as they are copyrighted by the same person in the same year) for one fee of $35 (subject to change). In return, you receive a certificate of registration, and the confidence that, if someone infringes your copyright, you have full legal recourse.

You can register your copyright online (in the U.S.) at www.copyright.gov/eco/.

“[To register copyright] the applicant shall submit to the Copyright Office —

• (A) an application for registration of the work;
• (B) a deposit; and
• (C) the applicable fee.

— U.S.C. Title 17 §408(f)(3)

“You can apply to register your copyright in one of two ways: Online application [and] … paper application. … Online registration … is the preferred way to register basic claims …”
— U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 1

For more information, see this step-by-step guide on how to register your copyright online.