This is general U.S. information for independent artists, not legal advice. Other countries differ. Session Copy organizes what you record. It does not decide ownership or replace counsel.

Registration is a government filing. A vault is not.

Copyright can exist without registration. For many U.S. works, registration is required before suing. Timely registration can affect statutory damages and fees.

Registration is filed through the U.S. Copyright Office. Typical online fees are $45–$65, depending on the application. Fees change, so check copyright.gov.

Session Copy does not file registrations or sell “official copyright.”

A hash + UTC receipt records when Session Copy received a file. It is not registration or proof of authorship.

Examples

All examples are fictional; they are not real cases or legal outcomes.

Example 1

Situation: Sam has a Session Copy PDF with a SHA-256 receipt.
What the law-side idea is: It is a file-received receipt, not U.S. Copyright Office registration or a copyright certificate.
What to record in Session Copy: Keep the PDF with the work and label it as a file-received receipt.

Example 2

Situation: A U.S. artist who has never filed at copyright.gov asks about court options.
What the law-side idea is: Registration can be a gate to suit; this example does not advise suing.
What to record in Session Copy: Record a registration number only if one exists.

Example 3

Situation: A five-song EP has several writers.
What the law-side idea is: Application type depends on the authors; each song is its own work record, and Session Copy does not file.
What to record in Session Copy: Keep a separate work record for each song and list its writers; Session Copy does not file.