Copyright Registration for Visual Arts (Form VA)

Who qualifies

You are the creator, copyright claimant, or authorized agent of an original visual work, such as a painting, photo, sculpture, logo, or graphic design that is fixed in a tangible medium.

The step-by-step roadmap

1. 1

   Classify Your Artwork

   Determine if your creation qualifies as visual art, such as a painting, photo, illustration, or sculpture.

   Watch out: Do not mix literary text or recorded music under Form VA unless the visual portion dominates.

   Common rejection reason: Filing under Form VA for works that are primarily literary or performing arts.
2. 2

   Prepare Author and Claimant Details

   Enter the full legal names of all creators, publication dates, and identify whether the work was made for hire.

   Watch out: Listing an employer or client as author without a signed work-for-hire contract.

   Common rejection reason: Discrepancies between the author name and the claimant name without an explanation of transfer.
3. 3

   Upload or Mail the Deposit Copy

   Provide a complete, clear copy of the artwork exactly as it was created or published.

   Watch out: Sending low-resolution or cropped images that obscure the entire original piece.

   Common rejection reason: Failure to provide an acceptable deposit copy that matches Copyright Office specs.
4. 4

   Pay Government Fee and Submit

   Submit your completed filing electronically or by mail and pay the required fee to the U.S. Copyright Office.

   Watch out: Paper filings cost significantly more and take much longer to process than electronic submissions.

   Common rejection reason: Unpaid fees or submitting an expired payment method.

Documents you'll need

• Deposit Copy of the Visual Work

  A high-quality digital image, photograph, or physical copy showing the complete visual art.

  Note: Must satisfy the Copyright Office best-edition requirements for published items.

• Copyright Transfer Documentation

  Written agreement showing ownership transfer if the applicant is not the original artist.

  Note: Required if filing as a work-for-hire or under an assignment of rights.

• Completed Form VA

  The official registration application submitted online via eCO or on the paper Form VA.

  Note: Online submission via eCO is recommended for lower fees and faster processing.