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REV:  June 1999

Format Note:  This electronic version has been altered slightly from the original printed text for presentation on the World Wide Web.  For a copy of the original circular, consult the pdf version or write to Copyright Office, 101 Independence Avenue S.E., Washington, D.C. 20559-6000.

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04/04/2000

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United States Copyright Office

Circular 15

Renewal of Copyright

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IMPORTANT: 

+ Public Law 102-307, enacted on June 26, 1992, amended the copyright law
  to make renewal automatic and renewal registration optional for works
  originally copyrighted between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977.

+ While this amendment to the current law makes renewal registration
  optional for works copyrighted between January 1, 1964, and December
  31, 1977, there are a number of incentives that encourage the filing of
  a renewal application, especially during the 28th year of the copyright
  term.

+ Public Law 105-298, enacted on October 27, 1998, amended the copyright
  law to add 20 years to the copyright term.
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THE RENEWAL SYSTEM
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Under the 1909 copyright law, works copyrighted in the United States before January 1, 1978, were subject to a renewal system in which the term of copyright was divided into two consecutive terms.  Renewal registration, within strict time limits, was required as a condition of securing the second term and extending the copyright to its maximum length.

On January 1, 1978, the current copyright law (title 17 of the United States Code) came into effect in the United States.  This law retained the renewal system for works that were copyrighted before 1978 and were still in their first terms on January 1, 1978.  For these works the statute provides for a first term of copyright protection lasting for 28 years, with the possibility for a second term of 47 years.  The 1992 amending legislation automatically secures this second term for works copyrighted between January 1, 1964, and December 31, 1977.

+ If a copyright originally secured before January 1, 1964, was not
  renewed at the proper time, copyright protection expired at the end of
  the 28th calendar year of the copyright and could not be restored.

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