Rules and proposed rules

Exemptions To Permit Circumvention of Access Controls on Copyrighted Works

The United States Copyright Office is initiating the tenth triennial rulemaking proceeding under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") to determine whether to recommend temporary exemptions to the DMCA's prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. The Office is accepting petitions for renewal of current exemptions and petitions for new exemptions, and will subsequently accept comments in response to renewal petitions.

Comments close Sep 28, 2026

Group Registration of Updates to a News Website

The U.S. Copyright Office is proposing to amend its regulation governing the group registration option for news websites. This update revises the definition of a "news website" to clarify the works eligible for the option. The Office invites comment on this proposal.

Comments close Jun 29, 2026

Copyright Office Fees

The Copyright Office proposes the adoption of a new fee schedule. The Office last adjusted fees in 2020, based on a study of its fiscal 2016 and 2017 costs. Since that time, the costs of providing Office services have risen substantially due to inflation and other increases. The proposed fees are intended to enable recovery of a percentage of the Office's costs, closer to historical levels, without imposing undue barriers to access its services. The Office welcomes public comment on the proposed changes in advance of submission of the fee schedule to Congress.

Comments close May 4, 2026

Group Registration of Two-Dimensional Artwork

The U.S. Copyright Office is creating a new group registration option for two-dimensional artwork. This option will allow applicants to register up to twenty works published within one calendar year by submitting a single online application with a digital deposit copy of each work. The Office will examine each work to determine if it contains a sufficient amount of creative pictorial or graphic authorship. If the Office registers the claim, the registration will cover each artwork in the group as a separate work of authorship.

Electronic Payment of Royalties Using Pay.gov

The Copyright Office is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations regarding the submission of royalty fees to the Copyright Office to require that all such fees be paid using Pay.gov.

Statutory Cable, Satellite, and DART License Reporting Practices

This document clarifies the compliance date for certain reporting obligations issued in the U.S. Copyright Office's final rule governing the royalty reporting practices of cable operators, and the Statement of Account form and filing requirements.