How to Register Your Jewelry Designs

Creating jewelry from is not just an artistic endeavor, but for many it is also a commodity used for financial gain. As soon as the design is created in a tangible form, it is considered to be under copyright. The person then has the option to register the copyright, which allows the copyright information to be included in public records. Publication of the copyright increases its protection as it will provide evidence if anyone infringes on the copyright.
Instructions
1. Ensure that the design is not abstract. The design can't be merely in your head. It needs to be in a concrete form such as with a drawing or already crafted as a piece of jewelry at The reason for this is that a copyright does not cover ideas or concepts. It must exist in a tangible capacity in order for it to be protected under copyright laws.
2. Fill out an application for copyright registration. There are three different methods by which a person may apply: online, paper or the new Fill-in-Form CO. For the online method, a person fills out the application with the Electronic Copyright Office on the official U.S. Copyright office website. In order to apply with paper forms, a person will have to specifically request the forms from the Copyright Office. The forms will then be sent to you through the mail which you will fill out with black ink and send back.Finally, the Fill-in Form CO is a special form with a specific bar-code that can be downloaded from the U.S. Copyright Office website. The person prints the form, fills it out either by typing in the information or by using a black ink pen, and then sends it through the mail.
3. Pay the filing fee. When filling out the registration application, you will also have to pay a filing fee. The filing fee fluctuates depending on the application method you are using. Filing online is the cheapest at $35 for a basic claim and can be paid with credit, debit, electronic check or a special deposit account set up with the Copyright Office. For a paper application, the fee is $65 and is paid through check or money order. For the Fill-In-Form CO, the cost is $50 and is also paid by check or money order. The fee for all three methods is nonrefundable.
4. Send a copy of the "deposit." Along with the application and fee, you need to include a copy of the material you are registering. In the case of a jewelry design, you would send a copy of the drawn design or a picture of the actual piece of designed jewelry( If you are not able to include the deposit electronically, then you would mail it to the Copyright Office. This "deposit" will not be returned to you.
5. Wait for approval or rejection. Once the application, fee and deposit are filed and reviewed, you will either receive a registration certificate if your application was accepted, or a letter of rejection detailing why your application was not accepted. If your application has been accepted, the registration becomes effective immediately. It can take up to eleven months for the U.S. Copyright Office to send you the certificate of registration.