Legal Definitions - single-registration rule

The single-registration rule is a principle followed by the U.S. Copyright Office which generally allows only one copyright registration for each distinct original work.

This rule aims to streamline the registration process and maintain clear records, preventing multiple, redundant registrations for essentially the same creative work. While the core idea is "one work, one registration," there are specific circumstances where additional filings are permitted or required:

• Unpublished to Published Works: If a work is initially registered in an unpublished form, and then later published, a new registration can be made for the published version.
• Substantial Revisions: A work that has undergone significant, substantial revisions that create a new, distinct original work might qualify for a new registration. However, minor changes or corrections typically do not warrant a new registration; instead, a "supplemental registration" might be used to update information about an existing registration.

Here are some examples to illustrate the single-registration rule:

• Example 1: Core Principle (One Work, One Registration)

  A musician composes a new song, records a demo, and registers the copyright for this musical composition and sound recording with the U.S. Copyright Office. Later, the musician records several different versions of the same song—an acoustic version, a live performance, and a remix. Under the single-registration rule, the original song (the underlying composition and initial sound recording) generally receives only one primary registration. The subsequent versions, while new performances or arrangements, are typically considered derivatives of the original registered work and would not usually qualify for separate, new registrations unless they incorporate substantial new original material that transforms the work into something entirely new and distinct.

• Example 2: Unpublished to Published Exception

  An author completes a novel manuscript and, to protect it during the submission process to publishers, registers it as an unpublished work with the U.S. Copyright Office. After securing a publishing deal, the manuscript undergoes final edits and is released to the public as a printed book. At this point, the author can file a second copyright registration for the published version of the novel. This is an allowed exception because the work has transitioned from an unpublished state to a published state, which is a significant change in its legal status and public availability.

• Example 3: Revised Work and Supplemental Registration

  A software developer creates a new mobile application and registers its copyright. Over the next year, the developer releases several updates that fix minor bugs, improve performance, and make small adjustments to the user interface. These changes, while beneficial, are not substantial enough to create an entirely new, distinct application. Therefore, the developer would not file a new copyright registration for each minor update. Instead, if there was a need to officially record these minor changes or correct information in the original registration, the developer might file a supplemental registration to add information to the existing registration, rather than attempting to register the same work multiple times.