Note:  The Copyright Office does not notify authors or claimants when the copyrights in their works become eligible for renewal.

===================== WHO MAY CLAIM RENEWAL =====================

Renewal copyright may be claimed only by those persons specified in the law.

A. The following persons may claim renewal in all types of works except those enumerated in Paragraph B below: 

1.  The author, if living, may claim as the author.

2.  If the author is dead, the widow or widower of the author, or the child or children of the author, or both, may claim as the widow of the author or the widower of the author and/or the child of the deceased author or the children of the deceased author.

3.  If there is no surviving widow, widower, or child, and the author left a will, the author’s executors may claim as the executors of the author.

4.  If there is no surviving widow, widower, or child, and the author left no will or the will has been discharged, the next of kin may claim as the next of kin of the deceased author, there being no will.

B. Only in the case of the following four types of works may the copyright proprietor (owner) claim renewal: 

1.  Posthumous work (a work published after the author’s death as to which no copyright assignment or other contract for exploitation has occurred during the deceased author’s lifetime).  Renewal may be claimed as proprietor of copyright in a posthumous work.

2.  Periodical, cyclopedic, or other composite work.  Renewal may be claimed as proprietor of copyright in a composite work.

3.  Work copyrighted by a corporate body otherwise than as assignee or licensee of the individual author.  Renewal may be claimed as proprietor of copyright in a work copyrighted by a corporate body otherwise than as assignee or licensee of the individual author. (This type of claim is considered appropriate in relatively few cases.)

4.  Work copyrighted by an employer for whom such work was made for hire.  Renewal may be claimed as proprietor of copyright in a work made for hire.

For registration in the 28th year of the original copyright term, the renewal claimant is the individual(s) or entity who is entitled to claim renewal copyright on the date the application is filed.

For registration after the 28th year of the original copyright term, the renewal claimant is the individual(s) or entity who is entitled to claim renewal copyright on December 31 of the 28th year.

=============================== HOW TO REGISTER A RENEWAL CLAIM ===============================

APPLICATION FORM

Application for renewal registration must be filed on Form RE, which is supplied by the Copyright Office on request.  It is also available from the Copyright Office Website at http://www.loc.gov/copyright.