Circular 12

2  12.1014

w

Recordation of 

Transfers and Other 

Documents

Whether or not a copyrighted work has been registered with the U. S. Copyright 

Office, owners of these works often enter into agreements that affect their ownership rights. For instance, owners may transfer copyright ownership to another 

person. Owners may also authorize others to use their works, even giving someone else control over ways in which a work is used. Under section 205 of the 

Copyright Act (title 17 of the United States Code), documents pertaining to such 

agreements, and other documents pertaining to copyrights, may be recorded in 

the Copyright Office.

Recording a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining 

to a copyright with the Copyright Office under section 205 is voluntary. However, to encourage document recordation, the law confers certain legal advantages, including priority between conflicting transfers and “constructive notice” 

of the facts stated in the recorded document to the public if certain requirements are met. (See “Benefits of Recordation” on page 2.) Any document pertaining to a transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to 

a copyright may be recorded as long as the person submitting it complies with 

the procedures set forth in the Copyright Act and the Office’s regulations.

This circular explains what recordation is, describes the benefits of and 

requirements for recordation, and provides instruction on how to record a 

transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to a copyright 

with the Copyright Office under section 205. Please note, however, that this 

circular does not address the recordation requirements for documents related 

to notices of termination, designation of agents for online service providers, 

identification of anonymous/pseudonymous authors, author death statements, 

visual arts registry statements, or shareware registry statements. Nor are documents filed with the Licensing Division of the Copyright Office covered here.

While this circular provides general information on the recordation of transfers of copyright ownership and other documents pertaining to a copyright, it 

is not meant to provide legal advice about the rights or remedies of individuals 

under the Copyright Act. See 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(a)(3). If you are unsure about a 

legal issue relating to recordation, the Office suggests that you consult a knowledgeable attorney.

What Is Recordation?

Federal law provides for the recording of documents pertaining to copyright in 

one central location, the Copyright Office. The Office maintains true and accurate copies of recorded documents and makes them available for public inspection. See 37 C.F.R. § 201.2(b).
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 2

The process of recordation entails (1) receiving copyright 

related documents from remitters for recordation; (2) reviewing the documents to ensure they are eligible for recordation; 

(3) indexing information contained in the documents for use 

in the Office’s public catalog of recorded documents; (4) 

making copies of the documents so they are available for 

public inspection; and (5) returning documents marked as 

recorded to remitters. The public catalog, which is available 

on the Internet for documents recorded after 1977, includes a 

description of each recorded document, including party 

names, titles of works, registration numbers (when available), 

heading notes, and other information. 

The Copyright Office does not enforce agreements that 

are reflected in recorded documents. Although the Copyright 

Office has minimum requirements that must be satisfied 

for a document to be recorded, such as the document being 

complete by its own terms, the Office does not determine 

whether documents satisfy legal requirements that are necessary for the documents to be effective or enforceable. 

Benefits of Recordation

While the recordation of a transfer of copyright ownership or 

other document pertaining to a copyright is not mandatory, 

there are several advantages to recordation. These include 

the following:

•	 Under certain conditions, recordation establishes legal 

priority between conflicting transfers or between a transfer and a nonexclusive license.

•	 Recordation establishes a public record of the contents of 

the transfer or document.

•	 Some courts have held that a security interest in a registered work must be recorded with the U.S. Copyright 

Office in order to perfect the creditor’s interest.

•	 Recordation of a document in the Office may provide 

the advantage of “constructive notice,” a legal concept 

meaning that members of the public are deemed to have 

knowledge of the facts stated in the document and cannot 

claim otherwise. Section 205 of the Copyright Act says 

that recordation of a document in the Office gives all persons constructive notice of the facts stated in the recorded 

document, but only if the following two conditions are 

satisfied:

– The document or material attached to it specifically 

identifies the work to which it pertains so that, after 

the document is indexed by the Register of Copyrights, 

it would be revealed by a reasonable search under the 

title or registration number of the work; and

– Registration has been made for the work.

What May Be Recorded

A document that transfers copyright ownership or any other 

document pertaining to a copyright may be recorded in the 

Copyright Office if it meets the requirements described in 

the section entitled “Requirements for a Document to Be 

Recorded” below.

Transfers of Copyright Ownership

A “transfer of copyright ownership” is an assignment, mortgage, grant of an exclusive license, transfer by will or intestate 

succession, or any other conveyance, alienation, or hypothecation of any or all of the exclusive rights in a copyright, 

whether or not it is limited in time or place of effect. It does 

not include a nonexclusive license. See 17 U.S.C. § 101 (definition of “transfer of copyright ownership”). 

A transfer of copyright ownership, other than by operation of law, is not valid unless an instrument of conveyance 

(for example, contract, bond, or deed) or a note or memorandum of the transfer is in writing and is signed by the 

owner of the rights conveyed or the owner’s duly authorized 

agent. See 17 U.S.C. § 204(a).

The Office will record a transfer of copyright ownership 

after it has been executed by the parties. No special content 

is necessary for the document other than the requirements 

provided in the Copyright Act. Note, however, that parties 

wishing to record a transfer of copyright ownership should 

submit to the Office the legal instrument that transfers the 

copyright from one party to another; describing the transfer 

will not suffice. 

Notarization and certificates of acknowledgment are 

unnecessary for the recordation of transfers of copyright 

ownership. Section 204(b) of the Copyright Act, however, 

states that a certificate of acknowledgment can serve as 

prima facie evidence of the execution of a transfer of copyright ownership if one of the two following conditions is 

satisfied:

•	 In the case of a transfer executed in the United States, the 

certificate is issued by a person authorized to administer 

oaths within the United States; or

•	 In the case of a transfer executed in a foreign country, the 

certificate is issued by a diplomatic or consular officer of 

the United States or by a person authorized to administer 

oaths whose authority is proved by the certificate of such 

an officer.

17 U.S.C. § 204(b). 
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 3

Other Documents Pertaining to a Copyright

A document is considered to “pertain to a copyright” if it has 

a direct or indirect relationship to the existence, scope, duration, or identification of a copyright, or to the ownership, 

division, allocation, licensing, transfer, or exercise of rights 

under a copyright. That relationship may be past, present, 

future, or potential. See 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(a)(2). Examples 

include exclusive and nonexclusive licenses, contracts, 

powers of attorney, certificates of change of corporate title, 

and decrees of distribution. Examples of documents that do 

not pertain to a copyright include a bill of lading referring to 

a shipment of motion pictures and an assignment of rights 

in a patent or trademark.

If a document does not appear to have any direct or 

indirect relationship to a copyright claim, the Office may 

communicate with the remitter and may refuse to record the 

document.

Documents Not Covered by This Circular

note: The filing or recordation of the following documents is 

not covered by this circular, and other requirements may apply:

•	 Certain contracts entered into by cable systems located 

outside the 48 contiguous states. See 17 U.S.C. § 111(e); 37 

C.F.R. § 201.12.

•	 Notices of identity and signal carriage complement and 

statements of account of cable systems. See 17 U.S.C.

§111(d); 37 C.F.R. §201.17.

•	 Statements of account of satellite carriers. See 17 U.S.C. § 

119(b); 37 C.F.R. § 201.11.

•	 Notices and statements of account submitted for the distribution of digital audio recording equipment and media. 

See 17 U.S.C. §§ 1003-1004; 37 C.F.R. §§ 201.27, 201.28.

•	 Notices of intention to obtain a compulsory license to 

make and distribute phonorecords of nondramatic musical works. See 17 U.S.C. § 115(b); 37 C.F.R. § 201.18.

•	 License agreements and terms and rates of royalty payments voluntarily negotiated between one or more public 

broadcasting entities and certain owners of copyright. See 

17 U.S.C. § 118; 37 C.F.R. § 201.9.

•	 Notices of termination. See 17 U.S.C. §§ 203, 304(c), 

304(d); 37 C.F.R. § 201.10; and 74 FR 12554 (Mar. 25, 2009). 

•	 Statements regarding the identity of authors of anonymous and pseudonymous works and statements relating 

to the death of authors. See 17 U.S.C. § 302(c)-(d).

•	 Notices of intent to enforce filed under the Uruguay 

Round Agreements Act (URAA). See 17 U.S.C. § 104A; 37 

C.F.R. §§ 201.33, 201.34. 

•	 Documents pertaining to a work of visual art that has 

been incorporated into or made a part of a building. See 

17 U.S.C. § 113(d), 37 C.F.R. § 201.25.

•	 Documents pertaining to mask works. See 17 U.S.C. § 

903(c). 

•	 Documents pertaining to computer shareware. See 37 

C.F.R. § 201.26.

Requirements for a Document to Be Recorded

Any transfer of copyright ownership or other document 

pertaining to a copyright may be recorded in the Copyright 

Office if the document meets the following requirements, as 

explained in detail below. The document must:

•	 Have an original signature (or proper certification if 

submitted as a photocopy);

•	 Be complete by its own terms;

•	 Be legible; and

•	 Be accompanied by the correct fee.

Signature or Certification

The document must bear the actual signature or signatures 

of the person or persons who executed the document. See 17 

U.S.C. § 205(a). If a photocopy of the original signed document is submitted, it must be accompanied by a sworn or 

official certification, depending on whether the document 

has been validated by, or filed in, a government office, as 

explained below. See 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(1). The certification 

must state that the attached reproduction is a true copy of 

the original signed document. Id. 

A sworn certification is used when the original document 

has not been validated by, or filed in, a government office. 

The sworn certification must communicate that the attached 

reproduction is a true copy of the original signed document, 

and the sworn certification must be signed by one of the parties to the document or by an authorized representative of 

that person. Sworn certifications may be issued by a notary 

or other person authorized to administer oaths. As an alternative to a notarized certification, the following statement 

is acceptable: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the 

accompanying document is a true and correct copy of the 

original document.” Section 9 of the Form DCS (discussed 

below) contains a sworn certification statement that may be 

used to satisfy this requirement. 

note: A notary public’s signature certifying that the photocopy is a true copy is not acceptable. The signatory must be 
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 4

one of the parties to the document or an authorized representative of that person.

An official certification is used for a document that has 

been validated by, or filed in, a public office. An official certification is a certification by the appropriate government 

official that the original document is on file in a public office 

and that the reproduction submitted is a true copy of the 

original. 

note: If the document is on file with a public office you must, 

along with the true copy of the original document, submit an 

original official certification. A photocopy of an official certification is not acceptable.

Completeness 

The document must be complete by its own terms. See 37 

C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(2). A document that contains a reference to 

any schedule, appendix, exhibit, addendum, or other material as being attached or made a part of it will be recorded 

only if the attachment is submitted for recordation with the 

document or if the reference is deleted by the parties to the 

document. See id. at § 201.4(c)(2)(i).

In exceptional cases, the Office will record a document 

containing a reference to an attachment without the attached 

material and without deletion of the reference if the person 

seeking recordation makes a request in writing, 37 C.F.R. §§ 

201.4(c)(2)(i)(A)–(C), or checks the appropriate box of the 

Form DCS indicating (a) that the attachment is completely 

unavailable for recordation, (b) that the attachment is not 

essential to identify the subject matter of the document, and 

(c) that it would be impossible or wholly impracticable for 

the person(s) executing the document to sign or initial an 

amendment deleting the reference to the attachment. If the 

Office receives such a request, it will record the document 

without communicating with the remitter and will add an 

annotation to the record; the annotation will appear on both 

the certificate of recordation and the online public record for 

that document. 

If the document indicates on its face that it is a selfcontained part of a larger instrument (for example, if it is designated “Attachment A” or “Exhibit B”), the Office will record 

the document if the person requesting recordation asserts 

that the document is sufficiently complete as it stands. See 37 

C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(2)(ii). 

If the document merely identifies or incorporates by reference another document, or certain terms of another document, the Copyright Office will not require recordation of 

the other document. See 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(2)(iii). 

Legibility 

The document must be legible and capable of being reproduced in legible imaged copies.

Fees 

The document must be accompanied by the appropriate fee 

as prescribed in the law. Bank drafts must be drawn on or 

payable through a U.S. bank. 

In the case of multiple-title documents, titles that are 

repeated in documents will be counted as a single title, 

except where the document lists different issues, volumes, 

chapters, or installments following the title. Each such entry 

will be regarded as a separate title and will be indexed separately and counted separately for the purposes of computing the recordation fee. Additional titles after the first are 

charged an additional fee for each group of 10 or fewer. Varient titles for the same work, (i.e., “alternative” titles, “f/k/a” 

titles, and “a/k/a” titles) are considered to be additional titles.

Examples of multiple titles for which a separate fee is 

charged:

“Fan Club News,” vol. 1, no. 3 (June 1981)

“Fan Club News,” vol. 1, no. 4 (July 1981)

“Fan Club News,” vol. 1, no. 5 (August 1981)

For detailed information on how to calculate fees associated with the recordation of documents, see the factsheet

Calculating Fees for Recording Documents and Notices of Termination in the Copyright Office.

note: The Office’s fees are subject to change. For current fees, 

please check the Office’s website, write to the Office, or call 202-

707-3000 or 1-877-476-0778 (toll free). 

Effective August 1, 2009, the Copyright Office no longer 

refunds the full fee for a document filed for recordation if 

the document is not recorded. The basic fee will be retained 

to cover administrative costs. Only fees for additional titles 

will be refunded.

Documents Will Be Returned Unrecorded If:

•	 The document does not have an original signature or 

proper certification;

•	 The document is illegible;

•	 The document is not capable of being reproduced legibly;

•	 The document is incomplete by its own terms;

•	 The document is marked as an “attachment” or “exhibit,” 

unless the person requesting recordation asserts that the 

document is sufficiently complete as it stands;
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 5

•	 The complete recordation fee is not submitted;

•	 It is unclear to the Copyright Office whether the document is to be recorded; or

•	 The document is submitted to the Office in error.

Other Material That May Be Submitted 

with the Document

Form DCS

The Office has created Form DCS, called the “Document 

Cover Sheet,” to accompany any document submitted for 

recordation under section 205 of the Copyright Act. The 

form is available on the Office’s website. 

Use of Form DCS is optional but encouraged, as it offers 

certain benefits, including allowing a remitter to request confirmation that the Office received a submission. It can also be 

used in certain cases, to provide a sworn certification that the 

copy submitted for recordation is a true copy of the original 

signed document, or to request recordation of a document 

containing a reference to an attachment without the attached 

material. Additionally, it helps facilitate better recordkeeping 

and communication between the Office and remitters. 

Form DCS should be used only for the recordation of a 

transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to a copyright under section 205 of the Copyright Act. It 

should not be used for documents pertaining to notices of 

termination, designation of agents for online service providers, identification of anonymous/pseudonymous authors, 

author death statements, visual arts registry statements, 

shareware registry statements, or other documents not covered by this publication. Also, Form DCS should not be used 

to file Licensing Division documents.

When using Form DCS, prepare and submit two copies 

of the form for each document being submitted for recordation. If multiple documents are being submitted for recordation in the same package, each individual document should 

be accompanied by two copies of Form DCS reflecting the 

information contained in that particular document. For 

example, if a submission includes four documents for recordation, it should be accompanied by two copies each of four 

separately completed forms. Information provided in the 

form should be typed or legibly printed. Any form submitted will be imaged with the document as part of the public 

record.

Electronic Title List 

Titles of copyrighted works associated with a document submitted for recordation are often presented in a list appended 

to the paper document, referred to informally as a “title 

appendix.” Generally, the Office manually transcribes the 

information from paper title appendices into the Public 

Catalog. But to speed processing of documents with lengthy 

title lists, remitters may submit electronic title lists where the 

submission encompasses 100 or more titles. This includes 

the situation where multiple title lists associated with a document contain, in the aggregate, 100 or more titles. See 37 

C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(4).

note: Submission of an electronic title list does not eliminate 

the need for submission of a paper title appendix. The electronic list is not considered part of the recorded document and 

is used only as a means to index titles and other information 

associated with the recorded document.

Electronic title lists must be submitted in a table in Excel 

(.xls) format or an equivalent electronic format approved 

by the Office. Id. 201.4(c)(4)(ii). The electronic entries may 

contain only letters, numbers, and printable characters that 

appear in the ASCII 128-character set. Each table must contain four columns respectively entitled Article, Title, Authorship Information, and Registration Number(s). Each title and 

its corresponding information must appear in a separate row 

of the electronic table, as follows:

1 Article. If the title begins with one of the articles specified 

below, the article should be separated from the title and 

placed in this first column. Separating out these leading 

articles from the rest of the title assists with the sorting 

function of the Public Catalog. The following articles are 

to be separated: 

– In English: A, An, The

– In Spanish: Un, Una, El, La, Lo, Las, Los

– In French: L’ (as in “L’Ecole”), Le, La, Les, Un, Une

– In German: Der, Die, Das, Einer, Eine, Ein

For example, if the title of the work is “A Hard Day’s 

Night,” the Article field should have the word “A”; similarly, if the title of the work is “The Fly,” this field should 

have the word “The.” If the title does not begin with an 

article identified above, the column should be included 

and this field should remain blank. Note that the words 

“These,” “Those,” “Some,” and “Any” are not considered 

articles and are not to be separated. Remitters are not 

required to separate out articles in languages other than 

the ones listed. 

2 Title. This second column should set forth the title of the 

work, not including any leading article specified in the 

above list. For example, if the title of the work is “A Hard 

Day’s Night,” the Title field should have the remainder of 
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 6

the title, “Hard Day’s Night”; the Title field for “The Fly” 

should have the remainder of the title, “Fly.”

3 Authorship Information. This third column should include 

the word “By” followed by the name of the author or 

authors of the work, e.g., “By John Lennon and Paul 

McCartney,” or “By Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam 

Clayton, and Larry Mullen.” If the author’s name includes 

a designation such as “performer known as” or “also 

known as,” this designation should be included in the 

Authorship Information field. If using the abbreviated 

form of such a designation, the abbreviation should be 

included without punctuation between the letters. For 

example, “By Ella Yelich-O’Connor pka Lorde” (but not 

“By Ella Yelich-O’Connor p/k/a Lorde”). 

4 Registration Number(s). The fourth column should set 

forth the copyright registration number or numbers 

associated with the work if the remitter chooses to supply 

them. When the title is associated with multiple registration numbers, separate the numbers with commas. While 

this field is optional, the column should be included and 

the field left blank even if registration numbers are not 

supplied. Registration numbers included in the electronic 

list must be 12 characters long, must include a two- or 

three-letter prefix in capital letters, and must not include 

spaces or hyphens. If a given registration number consists of fewer than 12 characters, the remitter should add 

leading zeroes to the numeric portion of the registration 

number before adding it to the list. For example, if a 

published work has the registration number “SR-320-918,” 

it should be transcribed into the electronic list submitted for recordation as “SR0000320918.” Similarly, if an 

unpublished work has the registration number “VAu598-764,” it should be transcribed into the electronic list 

submitted for recordation as “VAU000598764.”

The electronic list must be stored on a compact disc, flash 

drive, or other digital storage medium approved by the 

Copyright Office that is clearly labeled with the following 

information: the name of the remitting party, the name of 

the first party listed in the paper document, the first title 

listed in the paper document, the number of titles included 

in the paper document, and the date the remitting party 

mailed or delivered the paper document. The storage medium 

on which the electronic list is stored must be included in the 

same package as the paper document to be recorded, unless 

the Office agrees to an alternative arrangement. See 37 C.F.R.

§ 201.4(c)(4)(i). 

The Office will rely on the electronic list of titles for the 

purposes of indexing submitted documents, and will make a 

note in the record indicating that fact. Remitters should thus 

ensure that the electronic list of titles fully and accurately 

reflects the titles contained in the paper document. If an 

electronic submission is inconsistent with the information 

contained in the paper document, such discrepancies will 

result in corresponding inaccuracies in the Public Catalog, 

and the remitter will bear the legal consequences of such 

inaccuracies. See id. at § 201.4(c)(4)(iii). 

Correcting Errors in Electronic Title Lists

If a remitter finds that an error or omission in an electronic 

title list has led to the inaccurate indexing of a recorded document in the online Public Catalog, the remitter may submit 

the complete, corrected list of electronic titles, with each 

corrected row in the table identified by color highlighting. 

The table header should contain the phrase “corrected title 

list.” The volume and document number of the associated 

recorded document should also be included in the header, as 

well as in the title of the computer file containing the electronic title list. When submitting the list, the remitter should 

include a cover letter that clearly references the volume and 

document number of the recorded document, the name of 

the remitting party, the name of the first party listed in the 

paper document, and the first title listed in the paper document. Upon receipt of a corrected electronic list in proper 

form and the appropriate fee, the Office will proceed to correct the data in the Public Catalog and will note in the record 

that the corrections were made and the date they were made. 

See 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(c)(4)(v). 

Return Receipts

Because it may take several months or longer before document submissions are processed, the Office provides an 

optional receipt confirmation system under which a remitter may request that the Office provide a return receipt. A 

remitter may request return receipt by sending, along with 

the recordation submission, two copies of Form DCS and 

checking the box indicating that a return receipt is requested. 

The remitter must also include a self-addressed, postage-paid 

envelope. Once the Office receives a recordation submission 

indicating that the remitter seeks return receipt notification, 

the Office will attach a date-stamped return receipt to one 

of the forms and mail it back to the remitter using the selfaddressed, postage-paid envelope. See 37 C.F.R. § 201.4(f).

A return receipt will establish only that the Office has 

received a submission as of the date indicated; it will not 

establish that a document is eligible for recordation or provide a date of recordation. Only the certificate of recordation 

will provide the date of recordation. Id.
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 7

Recordation Process 

Documents accepted for recordation are numbered, cataloged, and imaged for the public record. They are indexed 

in the Office’s online Public Catalog under the names of the 

parties, the titles they contain, and where applicable, the 

registration number(s) for the works associated with the 

documents. The original document is returned to the sender 

with a certificate of recordation bearing the date of recordation and the volume and document number identifying the 

recorded document. A numbered copy of the original document will be provided to the submitter as well as maintained 

at the Office and made available to the public upon request 

for public inspection and copying. 

When cataloging a recorded document, the Office will 

collect only the information that appears in the document 

itself and any schedules, exhibits, appendices, or other 

attachments thereto. The Office may also use information 

contained in an electronic title list, if one is provided. Parties, titles, and other pertinent information should be clearly 

identified in the document itself, in the attachments to the 

document, or in the electronic title list, if applicable. 

With the exception of title counts, the Office does not 

ordinarily seek to verify any of the information that appears 

in a recorded document. Generally, titles, parties, dates of 

execution, and the like will be transcribed “as is” without 

confirming the accuracy of that information. 

If there are obvious but minor typographical errors in 

the names or titles listed in the document, the specialist may 

index the document under the correct name or title.

Legal Sufficiency

The Copyright Office does not attempt to judge the legal 

sufficiency or to interpret the content of any document 

submitted for recordation. It does not screen the document 

for errors, discrepancies, or content and does not generally 

correspond with the remitter about the sufficiency of the 

document.

Remitters are therefore cautioned to review and scrutinize 

any document to assure its legal sufficiency before submitting 

it to the Copyright Office for recordation. The Copyright 

Office will record the document, but recordation may be 

without legal effect unless the remitter has prepared the document in a way that satisfies applicable legal requirements.

Date of Recordation

The date of recordation is the date when the Copyright 

Office receives the written document in proper form and the 

proper fee.

Privacy

Because copies of the recorded document and Form DCS will 

be made available to the general public upon request, parties should be aware that private, confidential, or personally 

identifiable information in a document that is submitted for 

recordation or on Form DCS will be accessible to persons 

who request to inspect or copy the recorded document or 

Form DCS on file at the Office (see “Public Access to Document Records” below). 

Mailing and Delivery Instructions

Submissions to record transfers of copyright ownership and 

other documents pertaining to a copyright should be mailed 

to:

Library of Congress

U.S. Copyright Office–DOC

101 Independence Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20559

Documents may also be submitted in person at the Copyright Public Information Office, which is open to the public 

8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, eastern time, 

except federal holidays. It is located in Room lm 401 in the 

Library of Congress, James Madison Memorial Building, at 

101 Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC.

Public Access to Document Records

Information pertaining to recorded documents may be 

viewed in the online Public Catalog on the Office’s website. 

Recorded documents may be inspected and, for a fee, copied, 

by visiting the Office in Washington, D.C., or by requesting 

a search for the document, a search report of the relevant 

records, or copies of the recorded documents through the 

Office’s Records Research and Certification Section which 

can be contacted at:

U.S. Copyright Office

Records Research and Certification Section

P.O. Box 70400

Washington, DC 20559

Tel: 202-707-6787

Fax: 202-252-3519 (for deposit account holders only)

Online Access

Copyright Office records in machine-readable form from 

January 1, 1978, to the present and catalog information
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 8

pertaining to recorded documents are available for searching 

on the Copyright Office website. Images of registration 

applications and recorded documents are not available over 

the Internet. Certain older records may be viewed online. 

Requesting Searches, Search Reports, and Copies

Upon request and for a fee, the Records Research and Certification Section will search recordation records, prepare search 

reports of the information contained in those records, and 

provide photocopies of documents. Because some materials 

are not stored on the immediate premises of the Copyright 

Office, it is advisable to consult with the Records Research 

and Certification Section in advance to determine the length 

of time necessary to produce the requested materials. 

Inspecting and Copying Records In Person

To inspect or copy recorded documents and the records 

related to them in person, visit the Copyright Public Records 

Reading Room (lm-404), located in the U.S. Copyright 

Office, James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence 

Avenue SE, Washington, DC. The reading room is open to 

the public from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, eastern time, Monday 

through Friday, except federal holidays. Visitors to the reading room must first obtain a Reader Identification Card 

through the Library of Congress. For information on how to 

obtain a Reader Identification Card, click here or call 202-

707-5278.

Relevant Statutory Provisions from Title 17 of 

the United States Code

Section 101

§ 101 · Definitions

A “transfer of copyright ownership” is an assignment, mortgage, exclusive license, or any other conveyance, alienation, 

or hypothecation of a copyright or of any of the exclusive 

rights comprised in a copyright, whether or not it is limited 

in time or place of effect, but not including a nonexclusive 

license.

Section 204

§ 204 · Execution of transfers of copyright ownership

(a) A transfer of copyright ownership, other than by 

operation of law, is not valid unless an instrument of 

conveyance, or a note or memorandum of the transfer, 

is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner’s duly authorized agent.

(b) A certificate of acknowledgement is not required for 

the validity of a transfer, but is prima facie evidence of 

the execution of the transfer if—

(1) in the case of a transfer executed in the United 

States, the certificate is issued by a person authorized to administer oaths within the United States; 

or

(2) in the case of a transfer executed in a foreign 

country, the certificate is issued by a diplomatic or 

consular officer of the United States, or by a person 

authorized to administer oaths whose authority is 

proved by a certificate of such an officer.

Section 205

§ 205 · Recordation of transfers and other documents

(a) Conditions for Recordation.—Any transfer of copyright ownership or other document pertaining to a 

copyright may be recorded in the Copyright Office if 

the document filed for recordation bears the actual 

signature of the person who executed it, or if it is 

accompanied by a sworn or official certification that 

it is a true copy of the original, signed document. A 

sworn or official certification may be submitted to the 

Copyright Office electronically, pursuant to regulations 

established by the Register of Copyrights.

(b) Certificate of Recordation.—The Register of Copyrights shall, upon receipt of a document as provided by 

subsection (a) and of the fee provided by section 708, 

record the document and return it with a certificate of 

recordation.

(c) Recordation as Constructive Notice.—Recordation of 

a document in the Copyright Office gives all persons 

constructive notice of the facts stated in the recorded 

document, but only if—

(1) the document, or material attached to it, specifically 

identifies the work to which it pertains so that, after 

the document is indexed by the Register of Copyrights, it would be revealed by a reasonable search 

under the title or registration number of the work; 

and

(2) registration has been made for the work.

(d) Priority Between Conflicting Transfers.—As between 

two conflicting transfers, the one executed first prevails if it is recorded, in the manner required to give 

constructive notice under subsection (c), within 

one month after its execution in the United States 

or within two months after its execution outside the 

United States, or at any time before recordation in 

such manner of the later transfer. Otherwise the later 

transfer prevails if recorded first in such manner, and 

if taken in good faith, for valuable consideration or 

on the basis of a binding promise to pay royalties, and 
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 9

without notice of the earlier transfer.

(e) Priority Between Conflicting Transfer of Ownership 

and Nonexclusive License.—A nonexclusive license, 

whether recorded or not, prevails over a conflicting 

transfer of copyright ownership if the license is evidenced by a written instrument signed by the owner 

of the rights licensed or such owner›s duly authorized 

agent, and if—

(1) the license was taken before execution of the transfer; 

or

(2) the license was taken in good faith before recordation of the transfer and without notice of it.

For Further Information

Online

Circulars, announcements, regulations, forms, and other 

related materials are available from the Copyright Office 

website. To send an email communication, click here.

By Telephone

For general information about copyright, call the Copyright 

Public Information Office at 202-707-3000 or 1-877-476-

0778 (toll free). Staff members are on duty from 8:30 am to 

5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, eastern time, except federal 

holidays. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day. 

To request forms or circulars, call 202-707-9100 and leave a 

recorded message.

By U.S. Mail

Write to:

Library of Congress

U.S. Copyright Office

101 Independence Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20559
Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents · 10

U.S. Copyright Office · Library of Congress · 101 Independence Avenue SE · Washington, DC 20559 · www.copyright.gov

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