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Thursday, January 23rd
Copyright Registration Service (CRS) is a site that offers copyright registration through the Intellectual Property Rights Office within the Berne Convention which protects intellectual property and creative works in an international capacity. While the site isn't particularly pretty to look at, it's easy enough to use. And, you can start the process from any country that is part of the Berne Convention, so if you create your work outside of the US, this service will work perfectly for you.
Prep your files before you start
To get started, CRS recommends that that you do a little pre-prep to make sure all the digital copies of your creative work are in the accepted formats, including .asf, .avi, .bmp, .doc, .gif, .html, .jpg, .mp3, .pdf, .png, and more. Then you'll need to register your email address to start the process. Once you're logged on, you'll be asked to complete a quick form with your name and personal details, file uploads, and your preferred currency for making payments.
Different packages for different timeframes
The main difference between the options at CRS is the number of years your copyright will be registered. Since this is through the Intellectual Property Rights Office, the rules are a little different than registering within just the US (where you can get copyright protection for your lifetime and beyond). At CRS, there are four packages that offer 4 years of registration, 8 years of registration, 12 years of registration, and 15 years of registration.
Prices from $60 to $170
The prices at CRS are straightforward and offer a flat rate for each period. Here are the different costs associated with the different tiers of registration:
These prices are all in USD, but you can easily see the registration costs in other currencies by backing out and changing your country of origin.
Simple steps with no extra costs
There's no extra help or add-ons with CRS. The service is simple, and once you register, you're good to go. There are no extras or fees aside from the total registration cost for the number of years you prefer. You may want to keep tabs on your registration after you're finished, however, as you will need to re-register with this type of copyright once your chosen number of years runs out.
No guarantees or promises for any aspect of protection
While there seems to be no question that your application at the Intellectual Property Rights Office will be accepted, CRS does not guarantee that registering your work through them will offer success in a legal dispute related to your work. It can help if the copyright registration proves you were the first person in ownership of the work, but beyond that CRS doesn't make any promises.
No buzz for CRS
Like a few other small sites in our review, CRS does not have a page with the Better Business Bureau. We also couldn't find any reviews for the service on third-party review sites. While this doesn't mean you can't trust CRS, you may want to do a little extra research before committing your money to this copyright registration site.
Best if you want international copyright
If you're looking for a place to register your copyright that will be recognized around the world, CRS is a decent place to check out. While the total lack of reviews and feedback makes it hard to gauge the success of the service, CRS still has merit. For this reason, it earns a cautious rating in our review. You may want to check this service out for international copyrights, but for a stronger guarantee, you might want to browse our top-rated services instead.
Have you ever created something and worried about sharing your genius idea, art piece, or story because it might get stolen? Copyrighting your work is one way to get some peace of mind and protection for your creative endeavors. For those who don't know, a copyright is a form of legal protection offered by the U.S. Constitution for original works created in a "tangible medium” of expression.
In layman's terms, copyrights cover any intellectual property that is an original work of authorship like a book, musical, play, song, poetry, movie, computer software architecture, and more. No matter what kind of creator you are (singer, painter, poet, web designer), you can get your work protected.
The only things not covered by copyright law are facts, ideas, systems, or methods of operation. As long as your creation is tangible in some way (yes, music counts as tangible even though it's sound), it can be registered as intellectual property for a copyright. But what are the benefits?
Your work is technically "copyrighted” from the moment you create it. However, this is just an informal copyright and won't stand up in a court of law. If you want legal protection against your work getting stolen or protections against infringement or misuse of your work, you'll need to get a copyright registration. Registered works are eligible for statutory damages and attorney's fees being covered if you need to take something to litigation. In short, copyrights give you legal protections and if you need to go after another person or entity for stealing your work, you'll need to be properly registered to make the lawsuit stick.
Further, copyrights protect your work from misuse or use by others without your permission (someone can't take your book and turn it into a movie without facing legal trouble) if your book is copyrighted. Your copyright will last for your entire lifetime and an additional 70 years past that, so the managers of your estate will handle permissions related to your work's use. You won't have to register more than once for a single work. That way you can focus on your next big creation once you've got your copyright taken care of.
If you're ready to register your work with the US Electronic Copyright Office (ECO) or Library of Congress, but you're not sure how to finish the process or fill out the paperwork, don't worry - there are tons of services out there to help. To help you get started, we've put together a list of factors to help you narrow down your options. Here's what we found:
To help you get your most recent work protected under copyright law, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the top copyright registration services online today. This way, you can take the stress (and uncertainties) out of the legal process, and enjoy creating your music, novels, art, and architecture with the security that your work is protected. Happy copyrighting!
Select any 2 Copyright Registration Services to compare them head to head