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Rights, royalties and the business · updated 2026-08-16

REGISTRATION VS COPYRIGHT

Copyright exists the moment a work is fixed. Registration is what gives you statutory damages and the right to sue in the U.S.

Contract paperwork, a pen and a vinyl record on a desk in a music office

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for registration vs copyright — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material.

RELATED TERMS IN RIGHTS, ROYALTIES AND THE BUSINESS

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