What is a Copyright Notice and How Do I Show It?

How should I display my Copyright Registration with my work to let others know it is copyrighted?

When you create your work or register your copyright, you may also want to let people know that you are the Copyright Owner. You can do this by showing a Copyright Notice. A Copyright Notice is an identifier placed on copies of the work to inform the world of copyright ownership that generally consists of the symbol or word “copyright (or copr.),” the name of the copyright owner, and the year of first publication. While use of a copyright notice was once required as a condition of copyright protection, it is now optional.

Example:

© 2022 Jane Smith

Sometimes your Copyright Notice may also include special permissions or limitations. By default, you reserve all rights protected under copyright law unless explicitly granted.

Example:

© 2022 Jane Smith. All Rights Reserved.

You may display a copyright notice at any point after creation, however you may want to consider registering your copyright with the United Stated Copyright Office for additional legal protections.