A copyright is a form of intellectual property that gives creators legal protection over their creative work. With the copyright, the creator has exclusive rights to use and distribute the work. The creator can assign these rights to a company. The United States Copyright Office issues copyrights for those who file for one and meet the requirements.

You can get a copyright for various types of creative works, including:
- literary works, such as novels, poems, books, plays, and short stories
- advertisements and other graphic designs
- artistic works like painting, sculptures, drawings
- architectural designs and other technical drawings
- movies and tv shows
- podcasts and radio shows
- music, including sheet music, lyrics, and recorded music
- specific computer software code (but not the code’s functions)
- chip design (mask works)
Filing for a copyright is not mandatory to receive the copyright - but it is advisable if you want to prosecute copyright infringement. By creating your work, you receive the copyright tor it. But to uphold the copyright, it is recommended that you still file for official copyright to prevent your work from misuse, distribution without approval, and copycats. In the US, registration is required for enforcement.
The official copyright allows you the right to reproduce, distribute, display, and showcase your work publicly. In the US, copyright usually lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years if the creative work has been created after January 1, 1978. Other countries have similar rules.

Copyrights are a relatively simple intellectual property to register. They are also the most affordable to file. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

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