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July 5, 2006 – On July 1st, the U.S. Copyright Office increased its registration fees. Registering a single photo or a group of photos now costs $45, up from the previous $30 fee.
Registration of a single original work had been $30 since 1999, according to the National Press Photographers Association website. The 50 percent markup for a single original work is the first in seven years.
Renewing copyrights with an addendum will increase from $30 to $220, and renewing without an addendum will move from $60 to $75. Pre-registration of unpublished works will remain the same at the cost of $100.
The amount of time of copyright protection varies. In general, for works authored after Jan. 1, 1978, protection is valid during the author’s lifespan, plus an additional 70 years, according to the U.S. Copyright Office.
"Registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created," says the U.S. Copyright website, although the U.S. Copyright Office recommends registration in cases of litigation.
U.S. copyrights are valid in most other countries.