Federal Register #Docket No. 20263

Inquiry on Alternative Fee Structures for Copyright Registration

The U.S. Copyright Office, under the Library of Congress, is conducting a Notice of Inquiry to collect feedback on alternative fee structures for copyright registration. - Purpose: Gather public input to inform future fee models for copyright registration, to be considered after the launch of an updated electronic registration system. - Key topics for input: - Feasibility and economic impact of differentiated fees by type of work - Tiered fee structures - Discounts for small entities - Subscription-based pricing models - No products, services, OEMs, or vendors are being procured or specified in this notice. - Unique aspect: Focus on empirical and economic data to guide policy decisions, separate from ongoing rulemaking about current fees.

Description

The U.S. Copyright Office is conducting a notice of inquiry to gather information on alternative fee structures for copyright registration that could be implemented once its updated electronic registration system is operational. The inquiry aims to assess the feasibility, economic impact, and effects on participation of various fee models, including differentiated fees by work type, tiered fees, discounts for small entities, and subscription pricing. This effort is separate from the ongoing rulemaking to update fees within the current fee structure. Public comments are invited until June 24, 2026.

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