How Long Are Copyrights Valid For?

Having the maximum amount of protection on your intellectual property is what many people hope for when beginning the copyright process. Some types of intellectual property protection last longer than others. Luckily, when it comes to copyrights, your intellectual property will be protected for a very long time.

How long your copyright is protected has a lot to do with exactly when you obtained the copyright. If the copyrighted work was created before January 1, 1978, then the copyright will be protected as part of the 1909 Copyright Act, which has a tendency to be confusing. Basically, those are initially protected for 28 years and the copyright can be renewed for an additional 47 years afterwards. However, those already have a copyright so we will focus on those created more recently.

Intellectual property that has been published either on or before December 31, 2002 will be protected under copyright laws until December 31, 2047. Property with this type of protection is copyrighted until 70 years after the death of the author. Many authors or artists create their works jointly or under a pseudonym. The USPTO is aware of this and therefore, considered this factor in the creation of copyright laws. Joint works, or those with two or more authors, are protected for 70 years after the death of the last surviving author. Any work that was created by an anonymous author or one who used a stage name, if you will, are protected 95 years after they have been published or 120 years after they have been created.

If you are unsure about how long your copyright protects your intellectual property, consult with an experienced IP attorney who can provide you with assistance.

COFFYLAW, LLC handles all matters related to IP, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Our law firm also effectively enforces and protects intellectual property for our New Jersey clients. If you need our quality legal services contact COFFYLAW, LLC for an exploratory meeting.