Entrepreneur's Toolkit - Copyright Notice

What Is a Copyright Notice?

Copyright notice is a statement placed on a work to inform the public that a copyright owner claims ownership of it. A copyright notice includes three parts as a continuous statement:

• The copyright symbol ©, the word "copyright" or the abbreviation "copr."
• The year of first publication of the work
• The name of the copyright owner

You do not need to register your work or have any permission of the Copyright Office to use a copyright notice. For works published prior to 1989, a copyright notice was mandatory for U.S. works, but is now optional.

What Are the Benefits of Copyright Notices?

• A copyright notice makes potential users aware that you claim copyright in the work.
• A copyright notice prevents or limits the ability of infringers to claim innocent infringement as a defense to damages or injunctive relief.
• A copyright notice identifies the owner at publication so someone who wants to properly use the work can seek permission.
• A copyright notice identifies the year of first publication, which can be important for the copyright term for some works.
• A copyright notice can prevent the work from becoming an orphan work.