How to Copyright a Book in 2024 (Costs + Free Template)

• Jan 29, 2024
• 4 min read

• Tags: ISBN, Self-Publishing

Congratulations on completing your book! But before you take a breather, there’s more to do to secure your hard work. From understanding the copyrighting process to how much it costs, learn everything about safeguarding your book. 

We’ve also included how long it takes to get a book copyright. With this, we’ve also explained the important elements of a copyright page. So without wasting time, let’s delve into the details! 

Let’s begin by understanding the basics of a copyright page. 

What is a copyright page? 

A copyright page is an important section that mentions all legal and publication details along with printing and edition information. The copyright page in a book is usually included at the beginning of the book, before the table of contents. 

The following are the important elements of a copyright page: 

• Copyright notice: This consists of the copyright symbol ©, the year of publication, and the author’s name. This notice legally clarifies that the author owns the copyright. 
• Publication information: Important details like the publisher’s name, address, website link, and book edition are mentioned. 
• Legal disclaimers: Here, the author informs readers that the content is a work of fiction and any resemblance to real events/people is coincidental. 
• Credits: The author acknowledges the valuable contributions of those involved in publishing. For example, the organizations/people responsible for book cover design, editing, and illustrations. 
• Identifiers: Here, the ISBN is often listed. If the ISBNs for a print and eBook differ, both ISBNs are included in the copyright page. These numbers are useful for cataloging the book and maintaining a record of book distribution and sales. 
• Rights statement:  It consists of a declaration “All rights reserved”, referring to how the copyright holder owns the book’s rights. It also mentions that the book cannot be reproduced, used, or distributed without the copyright owner’s permission. 
• Permissions: This includes information about how readers can use the book’s content without infringing the copyright. 
• Location: The copyright page in a book also consists of the name of the place where the book was printed. 
• Trademark notices: When a book mentions products or brands with registered trademarks, it is common to acknowledge these trademarks by listing their brand names. However, the specific practice can vary, based on the number of trademarks mentioned and the context of their use. 

Here is a sample of how the copyright page of a book looks like: 

Before understanding how to copyright a book, let’s quickly see the benefits of copyrighting your book. 

Why copyright a book? 

• Legal protection- A book copyright legally protects your work, ensuring that you have exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and display your work. It also helps you maintain control over how your book is adapted, including digital formats. 
• Monetization benefits- A book copyright also aids authors in monetizing their work through sales, licenses, or royalties. For example, if anyone wants to adapt your book as a film, graphic novel, screenplay, or sequel, they’ll need permission from you, typically involving a licensing agreement. 
• Legal recourse- If anyone uses your work without your permission, you can take legal action and seek compensation for any misuse. 

How to copyright your book in 5 steps 

Navigate the process of copyrighting a book by following these 5 simple steps! 

1. Browse through the official copyright website

• Visit the official page of the US Copyright Office website at https://www.copyright.gov/registration/. 
• Scroll down to the “Literary Works” option. Click on “Learn more”. 

2. Create your account 

• You’ll be directed to a page that shows the option “Register a Literary Work” on the left-hand side. Select the option. 
• If you’re a new user, choose the option to register and create a new account on the left-hand side. This will direct you to a page where you can fill in details like your name, email ID, password, and user ID and create an account. 

3. Begin the registration process 

After you log in to your account, you’ll see a page that displays the following options: 

• Register Certain Groups of Published Works 
• Register a Group of Photographs 
• Register a Group of Unpublished Works
• Register One Work by One Author 
• Correct or Amplify an Existing Registration 

If you’re a single author, choose the “Register One Work by One Author” option. You’ll be directed to another page where you must select the “Start Registration” option. 

4. Add all relevant details 

In this step, you need to fill in all details such as your name, address, country, city, state, postal code, and address. You also need your book details such as the book title, and publisher information. Once you’re done, select the “Add to Cart’ option. 

5. Complete payment and submit your application 

You’ll need to pay $45 (if you’ve selected the Register One Work by One Author) option. You can complete your payment via credit card/debit card/direct transfer. Once you apply, you’ll need to wait for the US Copyright Office to review and approve your copyright claim. It can take 3 months to 1 year to get your copyright claim approved. 

The above process clearly answers the common question: “How do I copyright my book?” For readers wondering about how to copyright a book for free, it’s hard to avoid the costs involved. To copyright books, such as a group of short literary works, or register through paper filing, the costs can vary. Explore the next section to understand all the costs involved for different registration claim types. 

How much does it cost to copyright a book? 

Go through the table to understand the pricing of copyright for books! 

If you want to pre-register a claim for certain unpublished works, the cost is $200. 

Design your book copyright page 

After your copyright registration is approved by the US Copyright Office, you can create a book copyright page for your book. To ensure a perfectly formatted and polished copyright page, you can research book publishing companies and hire the best one. 

We hope this article has helped you grasp what is a copyright page and how to get a copyright for a book. PaperTrue is a trusted self-publishing company that can create a professional copyright page for your book. With this, PaperTrue can also provide additional self-publishing services like securing an ISBN, typesetting, editing, book marketing, and online book distribution. If you have completed your book and want to publish it, we’d love to help you achieve this dream! 

Here are some other useful resources for you: 

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Priya

Priya has a talent for academic research and enjoys simplifying complex topics. When she's not helping students improve their writing, she can be seen reading poetry, playing the harmonium, or learning classical dance.