Yamasen Cross-borderThe U.S. Copyright Office submitted its new official fee schedule to Congress on 2026-07-14, initiating a statutory 120-day congressional review period and targeting fall 2026 for the new fees to take effect, marking the first comprehensive fee adjustment since 2020.
This fee increase covers copyright registration of works (single works and various group registration options), recordation of ownership documents (assignments, licenses, and notices of termination), and expedited registration services. Registration fees will rise by 22%-54%, recordation fees by 126%, and expedited registration service fees by 37%.
The new fees are likely to take effect around mid-November 2026. Sellers who need U.S. copyright registration are advised to file as early as possible to avoid higher application costs.
Recommended works for sellers to apply for U.S. copyright registration
1. Original product photos (main images, secondary images, lifestyle/scene images, and white-background images) as a photo set
2. Product print patterns, fabric designs, surface decorative illustrations, and cartoon IP characters
3. Graphic logos (only logos with original graphics are eligible)
4. Graphic design drafts for packaging boxes, color boxes, hang tags, and labels
