North Hollywood is home to countless beginner playwrights, screenwriters, lyricists, filmmakers, and other creators producing original work every day.
With the rise of generative AI and rapid digital sharing, documenting ownership has become more important than ever. Since applying for copyright can sound like a demanding bureaucratic task, we prepared detailed step-by-step instructions on how to copyright a play, screenplay, script, or lyrics.
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information about U.S. copyright registration and is not legal advice. Procedures and fees may change, so applicants should verify current requirements with the U.S. Copyright Office before filing.
How to Copyright a Play in 6 Steps
A common misconception is that you must register your work for it to be protected. Your original work, say, about spotting narcissistic behavior in a relationship, is already protected as soon as it is written down or otherwise fixed in a tangible form. Registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office establishes an official registration that can strengthen your ability to protect and enforce your rights.
The instructions below describe the process for registering one script or play through the Standard Application. If you plan to register multiple unpublished works together, the U.S. Copyright Office provides a separate Group Registration of Unpublished Works option instead.
Step #1: Log In to Your eCO Account
Visit the U.S. Copyright Office’s registration portal and log in to your Electronic Copyright Office (eCO) account. If you don’t already have one, you’ll need to create an account before beginning your application.
Before you start, prepare information about your work:
- Title
- (Co-)authors information
- Publication status
- Contact and mailing information
- Limitations of claim (things in your work you can’t copyright, such as pre-existing material or derivative works)
Step #2: Choose “Standard Application” From the Left Menu
After logging in, select Standard Application from the left-hand menu to begin registering your work. Take a moment to review the eligibility information displayed on the page. As of July 2026, it states the following:
- The Standard Application is generally appropriate for a single script, screenplay, stage play, dramatic work, lyrics, or other performing arts work.
- The following types of artwork cannot be registered with the Standard Application: a group of serials, a newsletter, or a newspaper; a group of photographs; a list of contributions in periodicals, etc.
If you’re registering two or more unpublished scripts, don’t submit them together through one Standard Application. The Copyright Office may register only one work and remove the others from your application.
Step #3: Start the Registration and Complete the Form
Click “Start Registration” and select Work of the Performing Arts if you want to register a play, screenplay, script, or lyrics. Read the category description before confirming that it matches the work you are registering.
Then, you’ll be asked to fill out a copyright registration form. We explain below how to fill it out and what each field requires:
- Enter the title. Click “New” and provide the work’s title. Use a title that matches the one that appears on the script you’ll upload later. Once uploaded, click “Continue.”
- Provide publication details. This field asks you whether your manuscript has been published. For published work, provide the date and nation of first publication. Sometimes, private sharing or sharing on social media can be counted as publication. Seek professional guidance to understand whether it’s your case.
If your work hasn’t been officially published or presented, enter the year when the work was finished. Once completed, click “Continue.”
- Identify the authors. Enter each author’s permitted identifying information. Select “Add Me” when registering your own work or “New” when entering another author. Describe each person’s contribution, such as script, dialogue, lyrics, music, dramatic text, or screenplay material.
You can add multiple co-authors if needed. Once completed, click “Continue.”
- Identify the claimant. The claimant is the person or organization that demands legal ownership. Select “Add Me” when you are both author and claimant.
If the claimant isn’t the author, you must provide information about the lawful transfer, such as a written assignment or employment arrangement. Once filled out, click “Continue.”
- Give information about the limitations of the claim. Disclose whether your work includes previously copyrighted material or work that is in the public domain.
Identify what exactly is excluded from your copyright application and indicate the registration information for the registered work you used. Information about the registration number and author can be found through the Copyright Public Records Portal.
For example, you used quotes or references (according to the Fair Use guidelines) from a popular piece of registered media. You have to disclose it and state that you aren’t trying to claim the right to this citation. Once filled out, click “Continue.”
- Add rights and permissions information. Provide a contact for licensing or copyright management. This means a representative, a person or organization, who will be responsible for the management of copyright.
Because registration records are public, consider using an agent, business address, or PO box rather than a home address. You can also skip this step, but it puts your work under a threat of being misused and not credited. Once filled out, click “Continue.”
- Add the correspondence contact. Enter an actively monitored email address for questions from the Copyright Office. You can also click “Add me” if you’re the person who should be contacted in case of questions about your copyright claim.
- Provide the certificate address. Enter the mailing address where the approved registration certificate should be delivered. Once completed, click “Continue.”
- Review special handling. This optional expedited service requires an additional fee and is available only in qualifying circumstances, e.g., an ongoing lawsuit. Once completed, click “Continue.”
- Certify the application. Confirm that you are authorized to submit the claim and that the information is accurate. Once completed, click “Continue.”
- Review everything. Check your application for correctness. Use the left menu to correct specific fields. Do not submit until the application matches your deposit copy and ownership records.
Your copyright application form is filled out!
Step #4: Pay the Copyright Fee
Once you’ve reviewed your application, click “Add to Cart,” proceed to checkout, and pay the required filing fee.
As of July 2026, the U.S. Copyright Office can charge from $45 to $65 for the online Single Application. If you want to apply for copyright on paper, it can cost you $125 for eligible paper filings.
Verify the current amount before submitting. Filing fees are generally nonrefundable.
Step #5: Upload the Work You Want to Register
After payment, follow the deposit instructions displayed in eCO. Your deposit is the nonreturnable copy of the work submitted for examination. Before uploading:
- Review the accepted file formats
- Select the correct script file
- Wait for the upload to finish
- Confirm that all required files appear
- Click the button to complete your submission
The Office accepts files up to 500 MB. For many unpublished scripts, one electronic file is sufficient.
If your manuscript has been officially published, you can be requested to send a physical copy to the U.S. Copyright Office.
Keep your confirmation email and submission number for your records.
Step #6: Monitor the Claim and Wait for the Decision
After submitting your application, you can monitor its progress through your eCO account. Regularly check the email address you provided for correspondence.
The U.S. Copyright Office currently reports an average processing time of 4.1 months for all claims, although the official deadline for reviewing your application is 16 months.
If an examiner contacts you because information is missing or unclear, respond within 45 days of the email being sent. Failing to respond may result in the application being refused or closed, and the filing fee is generally not refunded.
Once your registration is complete, keep your certificate, application record, submitted deposit copy, drafts, contracts, and other dated development records together in a secure location.
Why Apply for Copyright Registration at All? 3 Reasons
Although an original script, even if it’s not published, is generally protected by copyright as soon as it is fixed in writing, federal registration has numerous legal advantages.
Here are three of them:
1. Stronger Evidence of Ownership
Prima facie evidence of ownership means sufficient evidence to establish your ownership unless contradicted or overcome by other evidence. Basically, it means you are the undeniable owner of your work, and that doesn’t require proof. In case of lawsuits, it’s the opposite side that should prove the other.
This doesn’t make ownership impossible to challenge, but in any legal dispute, Prima facie is a significant advantage.
Prima facie is reinforced if copyright applications filed before publication are within 5 years of the first publication.
2. Potential Protection at the Border
If your script later becomes part of a physical commercial product, federal registration can protect it according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Registered copyrights can be recorded through the e-Recordation program, helping prevent imported goods that infringe your copyright from entering the country.
This is most relevant for products such as published books, printed plays, DVDs, merchandise, or other physical copyrighted goods.
Note: It does not mean that customs authorities automatically monitor digital copying or every unauthorized use of your screenplay.
3. A Searchable Public Record
Copyright registration also creates a public record linking information about your work (title, author, claimant, registration dates, and rights-management contact information). This can make it easier for producers, theaters, publishers, distributors, and other potential licensing partners to identify who owns the rights and whom to contact for permission.
While registration cannot stop every act of infringement, it provides stronger evidence and additional enforcement tools for beginner artists in Northern Hollywood to protect their work.