Library of Congress
Copyright Office
Renewals Section, LM-449
101 Independence Avenue, S.E. 
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

======================= FOR FURTHER INFORMATION =======================

INFORMATION VIA THE INTERNET:  Frequently requested circulars, announcements, regulations, other related materials, and all copyright application forms are available via the Internet.  You may access these via the Copyright Office homepage at http://www.loc.gov/copyright.

INFORMATION BY FAX:  Circulars and other information (but not application forms) are available by Fax-on-Demand at (202)707-2600.

INFORMATION BY TELEPHONE:  For general information about copyright, call the Copyright Public Information Office at (202)707-3000.  The TTY number is (202)707-6737.  Information specialists are on duty from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., eastern time, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.  Recorded information is available 24 hours a day.  Or, if you know which application forms and circulars you want, request them from the Forms and Publications Hotline at (202)707-9100 24 hours a day.  Leave a recorded message.

Information by regular mail: 
Write to: 
Library of Congress
Copyright Office
Publications Section, LM-455
101 Independence Avenue, S.E. 
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

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Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E. 
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

http://www.loc.gov/copyright

REV:  June 1999 —­ 15,000
WEB REV:  June 1999
U.S.  GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE:  1999-454-879/4

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United States Copyright Office

Circular 15t

Extension of Copyright Terms

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======================== PURPOSE OF THIS CIRCULAR ========================

This circular will inform you of the provisions in the copyright statute affecting the duration of subsisting copyrights and give you some information with examples illustrating what these provisions mean.  For works copyrighted for the first time on or after January 1, 1978, the statutory provisions governing the duration of protection are quite different and are not included in this circular.  For general information about duration of copyright under the current law, request Circular 15a, “Duration of Copyright.”

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==== EFFECT OF 1976 COPYRIGHT LAW WITH AMENDMENTS OF 1992 AND 1998 ===================================================
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The Copyright Act of October 1976 (Public Law 94-553, 90 Stat. 2541, amending title 17 of the United States Code), effective January 1, 1978, has been amended to extend the term of copyright on two subsequent occasions with the passage of the Copyright Amendments Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-307, 10 6 Stat. 266, amending section 304 of title 17 of the United States Code), and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-298, 112 Stat. 2827, amending chapter 3 of title 17 of the United States Code).