Is a Copyright Notice with Multiple Years Legitimate?
We all have seen a typical copyright notice (e.g., “Copyright 2013 Anyhow, Inc.”) countless times. However, every once in a while, someone will see a copyright notice with multiple years (e.g., “2010-2013”) and will wonder whether it is legitimate.
As is explained in Copyright Protection in One Easy Lesson, 17 USC Section 401 states that a copyright notice must contain three elements.
- The symbol © (the letter C in a circle), the word “Copyright”, or the abbreviation “Copr.”
- The year of first publication.
- The name of the copyright owner.
Copyright Registration: Whether, When and Why
In the U.S., copyright protection subsists in a work of original authorship as soon as it is fixed in a tangible medium of expression. 17 U.S.C. Section 102 There is no requirement that the work be registered with the Copyright Office or that a copyright notice be affixed. As discussed below, however, there are circumstances when copyright registration and affixing a notice are advisable.
Copyright Registration Required to Bring Suit
17 U.S.C. Section 411(a) says that, generally, a copyright registration is required before the owner can bring suit for copyright infringement. Furthermore, Section 412 says that, generally, awards of statutory damages (Section 504(c)) and attorney’s fees (Section 505) are available only if the copyright has been registered within three months of publication or within one month of learning of infringement, whichever is earlier.
Copyright Protection in One Easy Lesson
From time to time, clients ask me questions about copyright protection. For example: Should I put a notice on my work? What must the notice say? What about “all rights reserved”? Should I register my copyright? If so, when? Here is a brief overview of copyright formalities. This post discusses why they are not required in the U.S., but when, where and how they might help you.
Copyright Protection Basics in the U.S.
Copyright protects works of authorship and subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form. The owner has the exclusive right (as applicable) to reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, and make derivative works of the copyrighted work.
