Is copyright registration required to protect my work?

Copyright registration is not necessary to protect your work in Washington; however, it could be beneficial. In the United States, copyright protection is automatic. As soon as a work is created and fixed in a tangible form, such as written down or saved as a computer file, it is protected by copyright laws. The main benefit of copyright registration is that it provides public notice of the copyright owner’s rights. Also, it is needed to bring a lawsuit for copyright infringement and allows the copyright owner to get statutory damages and additional recovery. In the U.S., copyright registration can be done through the U.S. Copyright Office. It is a fairly simple process and can be done online or by mail. The filing fees vary depending on the type of work and how it is being registered. Basically, although copyright registration is not legally required in order to obtain copyright protection, registering your work can be a helpful way to protect yourself and your work. It gives you an official record of ownership and can help you more easily enforce your rights against infringers.

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