The visual arts category consists of pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works of fine, graphic, and applied art, photographs, prints and art reproductions, maps, globes, charts, technical drawings, diagrams, architectural works and models.

Copyright protects an author’s specific expression in literary, artistic, or musical form. Copyright protection does not extend to any idea, system, method, device, name or title.

To register a work of the visual arts, send the following three elements in the same envelope or package to the Library of Congress, Copyright Office, 101 Independence Ave., S.E., Washington, D.C. 20559-6000:

1. A completed application Form VA.
2. A nonrefundable filing fee of $30.
3. A nonreturnable deposit of the material to be registered. The deposit requirements will vary depending on the nature of the work and whether the work has been published prior to registration.

If the visual art is published, the proper deposit is, generally, two complete copies. Identifying material may be deposited in some cases. If the visual art is unpublished, generally one complete copy is required. This copy must represent the entire copyrightable content of the work for which registration is sought.

Identifying material deposited to represent the visual art shall usually consist of photographs, photostats, slides, drawings, or other 2-dimensional representations of the work. The identifying material shall include as many pieces as necessary to show the entire copyrightable content of the work, including any copyright notice on the work. All pieces of identifying material other than transparencies must be no less than 3 x 3 inches in size, and not more than 9 x 12 inches, but preferably 8 x 10 inches. At least one piece of identifying material must, on its front, back, or mount, indicate the title of the work and an exact measurement of one or more dimensions of the work. (See Circular 40a, Deposit Requirements for Registration of Claims to Copyright in Visual Arts Material and Circular 40, Copyright Registration for Works of the Visual Arts.)

FL-115, June 1999