If your work was published after 1922 but before 1978, it will be protected for 95 years from the date of publication, assuming it was published with the required copyright notice and (if prior to 1964) was properly renewed in the Copyright Office in its 28th year.If your writing was a work for hire (meaning a writing specifically commissioned under a written contract or completed as part of an employment agreement) or is published anonymously, the copyright will last either 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation.For writings created after 1977, a copyright will last for the life of the author (or last surviving author of a joint work) plus another 70 years.Works published in the USA prior to 1923 have no US copyright, other than certain sound recordings covered by state laws until 2067.For purposes of copyright, a writing is considered published when you make it available to the public on an unrestricted basis. The length of time your copyright protections last will depend on when your work was created and whether it was published. When you own a copyright it does not last forever. Understand the time limit associated with a copyright. You cannot use copyright law to prevent someone from making a backup copy of computer software, provided they follow the rules.

For instance, you may not use copyright laws to prevent performance of your non-dramatic songs in a church ceremony, or certain non-profit performances. Your right to prevent distribution of copies or public performances are subject to other limitations, by statute.Many software products are therefore not actually 'sold', but rather 'licensed' to end-users, often restricting the right of further resale. Your rights are also limited by 'first sale', meaning you cannot prevent others from reselling copies of your works, once you have sold them.X Research source That means that other people can use some or all of your original work for various limited purposes including: Your rights to a copyrighted work are limited by the 'fair use' doctrine, among other things.When you own a copyright to an original work of authorship, you have the exclusive right to distribute, reproduce, perform, license, and display your work, and also to prepare secondary works based on your work.

Recognize the rights associated with a copyright.

How to copyright your work yourself