Page:Copyright Office Compendium 3rd Edition - Full.djvu/1116

, Third Edition 2306.4 Registration Numbers Listed in the Recorded Document

When indexing a document, the recordation specialist will include all the registration numbers that are listed in the document or the electronic title list for that document (if any). If the remitter submits a document together with an electronic title list, the specialist will transcribe the registration numbers using the format specified in the electronic title list, even if the registration numbers are presented in a different format in the actual document. For information concerning the proper format for preparing an electronic title list, see Section 2309.13(A)(4).

Registration numbers typically appear in the online public record for a particular document as part of the title field (where they are listed after the title of each work) as well as in a separate field titled "Registration Number Not Verified." In the case of a document involving more than one work, registration numbers typically appear in the title and registration number fields of the online public records for those works, and those records typically are linked to the online public record for the document.

To search for a registration number in the Office's online database, the registration number must be entered in a twelve-character string, with every letter of the alphabetic prefix capitalized and with zeroes inserted between the alphabetic prefix and the numerical portion of the registration number. For example, the prescribed format for a registration for a published visual art work consisting of the alphabetic prefix "VA" and the numbers "999-9-999" would be "VA0009999999." By contrast, the prescribed format for a registration for an unpublished visual art work consisting of the alphabetic prefix "VAu" and the numbers "999-9-999" would be "VAU009999999."

Often times, registration numbers are presented in documents using formats that do not follow the prescribed format for searching the online public record. If a registration number appears in a document with spaces, hyphens, or other punctuation (instead of following the prescribed format), the recordation specialist will remove those characters when he or she indexes the document. For example, if a registration number is written in a document as "VAu 9-999-999" the specialist will remove the hyphens, capitalize the letter "u," insert zeroes, and index the registration number as VAU009999999 (rather than "VAu 9-999-999").

To speed the indexing of documents submitted for recordation, the Office strongly encourages parties to use the prescribed format when including registration numbers in a document that will be submitted for recordation. The following examples illustrate the prescribed format for searching for a registration number consisting of the numerals 9999999.

Published Literary Works:

Correct format: TX0009999999 Incorrect format: TX 999-9-999

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