Separate Registrations

In some situations you might want to register your works separately instead of on a single application. A separate copyright registration for each musical composition or recording can be beneficial because it will result in a separate entry of the individual titles in the catalogs and indexes of the Copyright Office. Works registered together will be recorded in the records of the Copyright Office only under the collective title.

Individual titles will appear in Copyright Office records only if each work is registered separately or if an application for supplementary registration is submitted to specify the individual titles in a collection. An application for supplementary registration may not be submitted until a certificate of registration has been issued for the collection.

Separate registration may simplify identification of the work for purposes of licensing, transfer, permission, and distribution of royalties. If you are currently involved in any of these activities, or expect to be in the near future, you might consider separate registrations for each individual song or recording.

However, for most song writers and bands, a single registration is usually sufficient as long as there is common ownership of both the composition and the recording.

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