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Trademark Services
USCO registration · infringement standing

Register copyright to protect your work. Required to sue infringers.

Copyright exists automatically when a work of authorship is created in fixed form. Registration is not required for copyright to exist, but it is required to bring infringement litigation in federal court, and registration within 3 months of publication preserves statutory damages and attorney fees recovery. We file with US Copyright Office for written works, software, music, audiovisual, and photography.

All 50 states + DC 60-day money-back SOC 2 Type II
How it works

How we handle Copyright Registration, end-to-end.

Copyright exists automatically when a work of authorship is created in fixed form.

1

Work type identification

We confirm the work type: literary (books, articles, code), musical, dramatic, choreographic, pictorial/graphic/sculptural, audiovisual, sound recording, architectural. Each has its own USCO form and deposit requirements.

2

Authorship + ownership

We document who created the work (author) and who owns the copyright (often the same; can differ for work-for-hire or assigned works). Multiple authors and collaborative works get special handling.

3

Deposit material

USCO requires deposit copies of the work: for written, a PDF; for software, source code excerpts; for music, an audio file; for photography, the image files. We help prepare the right deposit.

4

USCO submission

Filed through eCO (Electronic Copyright Office). USCO processes in 3-12 months and issues registration certificate. Filing date is the effective registration date.

What we'll set up for you

A clean handoff, in four steps.

You give us the basics. We handle the state, the IRS, and the compliance clock so you can focus on the business.

01 · Name + Brand

A name that's actually available.

Real-time check against the state register, USPTO trademark database, and matching domains.

02 · State filing

Filed with the Secretary of State.

We submit your Articles, pay the state fee on your behalf, and return the stamped certificate.

03 · Federal IDs

EIN + the right tax setup.

Federal Employer ID with the IRS, plus state tax accounts when your business needs them.

04 · Stay compliant

Registered Agent + deadline tracking.

Your agent on file in every state, with every renewal and annual report tracked in one calendar.

Pricing

Transparent copyright registration pricing.

Government fees pass through at cost. No upsells.

Group registration

$299
Up to 10 works in one application.

Group registration where USCO allows (group of photographs, group of unpublished works, group of serials). Up to 10 works at significant per-work savings vs. single registrations.

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Portfolio registration

$999
Up to 50 works.

For content creators, photographers, software developers with ongoing creation. Up to 50 works registered through coordinated group registrations. Includes ongoing registration tracking.

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FAQ

About the Copyright Registration Service.

Do I need to register copyright?
Copyright exists automatically upon fixation. Registration is required to: (1) bring infringement suit in federal court, (2) recover statutory damages and attorney fees (if registered within 3 months of publication), (3) record assignments. For commercially valuable works, register.
What is the publication window?
Registration within 3 months of publication preserves statutory damages and attorney fees recovery in subsequent infringement suits. Without timely registration, you can only recover actual damages and profits (often much less). Critical for businesses whose work gets infringed.
What is fair use?
Limited use of copyrighted material for purposes like criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, or research. Determined case-by-case using four factors (purpose, nature, amount used, effect on market). Affirmative defense to infringement claims.
Can I register works I created at a previous job?
Depends on whether the work was made for hire. Work-for-hire (employee within scope of employment or specific commissioned categories) is owned by the employer. If you owned the work as an independent contractor and did not assign, you can register.
What is the USCO processing time?
3-12 months typical. eCO online filing is faster than paper. Special handling available for $800+ if you need expedited processing (commonly used for pending or threatened litigation).
Do I need separate registrations for derivative works?
Derivative works (translations, adaptations, modifications) get their own copyright in the new material. The underlying work's copyright is unchanged. Significant derivatives warrant separate registration.
Why File.Business

Premium compliance, no service-fee markup.

Trust you can verify

SOC 2 Type II audited platform. 220,000+ businesses served. 60-day money-back on service fees. State fees passed through at cost with no hidden markup. Explicit AUP on restricted industries.

A compliance partner, not a transaction

Most providers go quiet after checkout. We auto-track every annual report, registered agent renewal, and license deadline across your entities. The Business OS dashboard keeps your compliance score visible year-round.

Premium experience competitors cannot match

Transparent pricing across every filing. $99 LLC formation, $99/yr Registered Agent, $19/mo Compliance Monitoring, $599 Business Complete Bundle. No hidden upsells, no surprise state-fee markups, no obstruction at checkout.

Start your business in the next 5 minutes.

No state-fee markup. Pay only the state fee. 60-day money-back guarantee.

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