What is Copyright? Learn about the basics of copyright with our online reference page.

A copyright is a form of protection provided by U.S. law to the authors of "original works of authorship" fixed in any tangible medium of expression. Learn more about the basics of copyrights.

The most recent major overhaul of copyright in the US, the Copyright Act of 1976, extended federal copyright to works as soon as they are created and "fixed", without requiring publication or registration.

May 7, 2026 · Copyright is a form of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression, including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, as well …

The Copyright Office administers the national copyright system and provides advice on copyright law to congress, federal agencies, the courts and the public.

Mar 23, 2026 · We take a look at some copyright examples of digital media, art, music, and literary works and show you how to write a good copyright notice.

Copyright law grants the authors of original creative works a set of exclusive rights in their creations, including the right to prevent others from copying or selling the work without the copyright holder’s …

What is copyright? Copyright is a form of legal protection automatically provided to creative works such as books, music, or art. Copyright law is intended to encourage people to create new works.

Mar 1, 1989 · Copyright is the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something.

Copyright (or author’s right) is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, …