Is copyright registration required to protect my work?

No, copyright registration is not required to protect your work in Delaware. Copyright protection is automatically granted to an original work of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and other intellectual works, as soon as it is created and fixed in a tangible form. Even if your work is not registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, you will have the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute your work, display it publicly, prepare derivative works, and to perform and display your work publicly. Copyright registration, however, does have some benefits that can help you protect your work. A copyright registration provides notice to the public that you are the owner of the copyright. Also, if you are ever faced with an infringement claim, a copyright registration is a prerequisite to filing an infringement lawsuit. Additionally, having a copyright registration may make it easier to prove your ownership in an infringement case. In Delaware, you can register your works with either the U.S. Copyright Office or the Delaware Copyright Office. Both require you to submit an application, along with a nominal fee and a deposit of your work. The Delaware Copyright Office provides more personalized assistance than the U.S. Copyright Office, and may be the better option for authors who need help navigating the copyright application process.

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Is copyright registration required to protect my work?

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