Literary Works

Follow these steps to register your original book, manuscript, online work, poetry, or other text:

Step 1
Make sure your work is a literary work. Literary works may be published or unpublished and include nondramatic textual works with or without illustrations. Computer programs and databases also are considered literary works. Plays, dramas, and screenplays are not in the literary works category.

Examples of literary works:
fiction, nonfiction, manuscripts, poetry, contributions to collective works, compilations of data or other literary subject matter, dissertations, theses, reports, speeches, bound or looseleaf volumes, secure tests, pamphlets, brochures, textbooks, online works, reference works, directories, catalogs, advertising copy, single pages of text, tracts, games, automated databases, computer programs.

Step 2
Put into one envelope or package:

• a completed application Short Form TX.
• a $30 payment to "Register of Copyrights."
• a nonreturnable copy of the material to be registered.

Step 3
Send the package to:

Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

Your registration becomes effective on the day that the Copyright Office receives your application, payment, and copy(ies) in acceptable form. If your submission is in order, you will receive a certificate of registration in 4 to 5 months.