Checking Copyright Status
To find out if a name is copyrighted, examine the work itself for copyright details. For books, check the copyright page, typically on the back of the title page or last page. For films and TV, copyright info is usually in the credits. For music, check the CD label and packaging.
Trademark and Logo Registration
A name itself cannot be copyrighted. Trademarks and privacy laws may protect name usage. Trademark registration for a name costs $225-$400 plus legal fees. Logo registration ranges $225-$600 plus fees.
To see if a name or logo is trademarked, search the USPTO database. An original search costs $200 per hour (two hour minimum).
Copyright protects original works of authorship, such as books, movies and songs. To determine if a work is copyrighted, individuals should view the current copyright registrations.
Copyrights registered in and after 1978 are accessible online, but any works registered before 1978 require research in-person.
Steps to Researching Copyrights Online:
- Figure out what you are searching for.
- For works created before 1978, research in-person since they are not in the online database.
Protecting Your Name or Business
Before applying, search the USPTO’s trademark database to see if any similar trademark has already been registered or applied for.
Copyright doesn’t protect words, names, or items thought too easy to duplicate. Trademarking is how to protect your company name.
Checking Image and Song Copyright
To see if an image is copyrighted, look for an opaque or transparent watermark overlaid with owner information. Also use an image copyright checker tool to analyze licenses. Know differences between licenses like CC0 Public Domain and CC BY-ND Attribution-NoDerivatives.
To check if a song is copyrighted, log in to YouTube Creator Studio and upload the song. The Copyright Checker will flag any copyright issues. Exceptions allowing use of copyrighted music are parody and commentary.