How to Copyright Your Work in the US

Just as in Canada, copyright is secured automatically upon creation of a work and protection extends outside of the US, so long as the country in question falls under an international copyright treaty.

Copyright.gov says: "The use of the copyright notice is the responsibility of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with, the Copyright Office."

So, there you have it.

You don't even have to have a notice of copyright in the US.  It's not necessary to scream "I own this!" for your rights to be protected.  The thing is, if you don't put notification (using the copyright symbol, a date and your name) on your work or register it, and you and the copybandit go to court, you may have trouble proving that it was you, indeed, who holds the copyright.  If it's registered, well then it's an open and shut case.

However, you need to register your copyright before you take someone to court over their infringement.

To register your copyright, send the following three elements in the same envelope or package to:

Library of Congress
Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20559-6000

1. A properly completed application form.
2. A nonrefundable filing fee of $30 for each application (to confirm if this fee is current, phone (202) 707-3000).
3. A nonreturnable copy of your work.