How to Register a Script with the U.S. Copyright Office

These slides will show the pages that a person fills out when registering a script with the U.S. Copyright Office. You can use

this as an example when you fill yours out. This works for a script with a single author. If you have multiple authors, it’s

pretty much the same thing, except for the additional authors added.

You start with this page. Click on the “Register a New Claim” link.

Click on the “Start Registration” button at the top.

All you need to know here is to select “Work of the Performing Arts” in the drop down box.

Put the title of the work in the box above. Here the title is “Testing 123”.

Most likely, your script has not been published, so you can answer the question, “NO.” The year of completion is self-explanatory. NOTE: “Published” does not mean that you sent it out to agents or producers.

Put your name as the author and say “No” to the Work for Hire question. If you think you want to file anonymously or pseudonymously, click on the “help” buttons on the page which will answer your question

For most scripts, the appropriate box is the “text”

box only.

You are typically the claimant, so put your name and address. Use a P.O. box if you want your address private.

If this is your first registration and the script is entirely original, then leave this page blank. If your script is based on someone else’s material than indicate that in the “other” box (e.g., “Story by Charles Dickens”)

This is just going to be your name and address again

AGAIN, JUST PUT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS

Put the address you want the certificate mailed to.

You typically won’t need Special Handling so you can leave the page blank

On this page, just check the box and write your name.

At the end, you get this Review page where you can look over everything before submitting. Notice the “Save Template” button. If you save this as a template, you can use it in the future and only have to change the title of the work and the year of completion.