Registration, while advantageous, simply puts a claim on record, and does not secure a copyright. The author is the initial owner of copyright. Copyright may be transferred by a written document, by inheritance, or other operation of law. Works in which copyright was secured in 1964 through 1977 no longer have to be renewed to maintain protection, but there are advantages to registering a renewal claim. As It Affects U.S. Copyright Protection.
Registration puts a claim on public record.
If registration is made within five years of publication, the certificate is prima facie evidence of the validity of the copyright and the facts stated thereon. For U.S. works and works of non-Berne Union origin, registration is prerequisite to the filing of an infringement suit in court. If registration is made within three months of publication or before infringement, the plaintiff in a successful infringement suit is eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees in the event of litigation. Renewal copyright will vest in the name of the renewal claimant on the effective date of the renewal registration. Renewal registration will constitute prima facie evidence of the validity of the facts stated on the certificate and the copyright in the renewed and extended term.