Both USPTO and the Copyright Office have services available online that allow individuals and companies to copyright images and other properties themselves.
In some cases, you may decide that you would prefer to ask for the help of an intellectual property attorney instead. An attorney can do more thorough research into the databases available for logo designs and trademarks.
This means that you can ensure that you’re not attempting to copyright something that another business already has ownership over.
Additionally, intellectual property attorneys also know how to keep the process of applying for a logo copyright or trademark more efficient.
An attorney with knowledge of IP law or your business can help if you need to file a lawsuit against someone who is violating your copyright or trademark too.
Whether you decide to go it alone or get the assistance of a lawyer, copyrighting a logo isn’t as complicated as it might seem. All you need to do is register your ownership of your copyright with the Office for United States Copyrighting.
You can do this either by sending a document in through the mail or submitting an application online.
Typically, and at the time of publication, it costs between $35 and $85 to officially copyright a logo. The price of your application will depend on whether you’re applying online or by mail, and on which category you select.
These are the steps involved in copyrighting a logo:
Fill out the application form, either on paper or online: You will need to enter various pieces of personal information, including your name, your contact details, and a high-resolution version of your logo.
Pay a registration fee: Usually, your logo registration fee will be around $39. You can pay to copyright a logo online using a check, a deposit, or a credit card payment.
Wait for a response: If you fill out and submit your forms by direct mail, then it can take up to 13 months for the government to process your request. The waiting time if you submit your application online is likely to be under 8 months.
Keep in mind that regardless of the method you choose to apply for your logo copyright, your copyright will be effective from the date that you submit your form, not from the date of approval.
That means that if someone tries to start using your logo in between the time that you send your form to the US copyright office, and the time that you gain approval, you can still take that individual to court.
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