Copyright Notices

The law no longer requires that you provide a copyright notice in your published and unpublished works. However, there are many benefits to doing so. Below is an example of a copyright notice.

© 2006 John Doe

The date establishes the year of first publication of the work, or for unpublished works, the year in which the work was completed. The year could be relevant in a copyright infringement claim or lawsuit later. The statement also announces your awareness of your legal rights. You may add other comments about circumstances in which the document may be reproduced or refer to a Creative Commons license, but often it is best to keep it simple. For more information about form and substance, see Notice of Copyright at the U.S. Copyright Office.