Renewing a Copyright
Below you will find general information on renewing a copyright through the U.S. Copyright Office. (Important note: Copyright renewal rules can vary widely depending on when the work was originally copyrighted. Get more specific information on Renewal of Copyright from the U.S. Copyright Office.)
Renewing a Copyright: Applicable Laws
The copyright law was amended in 1992 to make renewal automatic and renewal registration optional for works originally copyrighted between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977. While this amendment to the current law makes renewal registration optional for works copyrighted between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977, there are a number of incentives that encourage the filing of a renewal application. Learn more from the U.S. Copyright Office
Who May Claim Renewal?
The following persons may usually claim copyright renewal in all types of works:
- The author, if living, may claim as the author.
- If the author is dead, the widow or widower of the author, or the child or children of the author, or both, may claim as the widow of the author or the widower of the author and/or the child of the deceased author or the children of the deceased author.
- If there is no surviving widow, widower, or child, and the author left a will, the author's executors may claim as the executors of the author.
- If there is no surviving widow, widower, or child, and the author left no will or the will has been discharged, the next of kin may claim as the next of kin of the deceased author, there being no will.
There are exceptions to the above standards on who may claim renewal. Get more information from the U.S. Copyright Office.
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From the U.S. Copyright Office
