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This is a copy of FL 115 from the United States Copyright Office at http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/fls/fl115.htm.


COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION OF VISUAL ARTS

The visual arts category consists of pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art, photographs, prints and art reproductions, maps, globes, charts, technical drawings, diagrams, architectural works, and models.

Copyright protects only an author's specific expression in literary, artistic, or musical form. Copyright protection does not extend to any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material.

To register a work of the visual arts, send the following three elements in the same envelope or package to the Register of Copyrights, Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20559:

  1. A completed application Form VA.
  2. A nonrefundable filing fee of $20.00.
  3. A nonreturnable deposit of the material to be registered. The deposit requirements will vary depending on whether the work has been published at the time of registration.

If the visual art is published, the proper deposit is, generally, two complete copies. Identifying material may be deposited in some cases. If the visual art is unpublished, generally one completecopy is required. This copy must represent the entire copyrightable content of the work for which registration is being sought. A deposit of identifying material is permitted in some cases.

Identifying material deposited to represent the visual art shall usually consist of photographs, photostats, slides, drawings, or other 2-dimensional representations of the work. The identifying material shall include as many pieces as necessary to show the entire copyrightable content of the work including the copyright notice if it appears on the work. All pieces of identifying material other than transparencies must be no less than 3 x 3 inches in size, and not more than 9 x 12 inches, but preferably 8 x 10 inches. At least one piece of identifying material must, on its front, back, or mount, indicate the title of the work and an exact measurement of one or more dimensions of the work. (See Circular 40a, Deposit Requirements for Registration of Claims to Copyright in Visual Arts Material and Circular 40, Copyright Registration for Works of the Visual Arts.)

***6/10/93***

Copyright Office * Library of Congress * Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

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