The U.S. Copyright Office has moved its first broad fee adjustment since 2020 into the congressional review stage. On July 14, 2026, the Office submitted its final proposed fee schedule and analysis to Congress. Under 17 U.S.C. § 708(b), Congress has 120 days to enact a law disapproving the schedule; absent that, the Office may implement the new rates after the review period, with implementation targeted for fall 2026. The proposed standard electronic registration fee would rise from $65 to $85, while the Single Application fee would move from $45 to $55. Group Registration of Works on an Album would also become more expensive, with musical works rising to $85 and sound recordings, together with related album photographs, artwork and liner notes, rising to $130.
The sharpest increases are in recordation and expedited services. The base fee for electronic recordation of a copyright document would increase from $95 to $215, with the fee for each additional transfer also moving to $215. Special Handling for a registration claim would rise from $800 to $1,100, while expedited recordation would increase from $550 to $1,100. The Office has framed the changes as part of a broader effort to improve cost recovery and has already reduced some figures from earlier proposals after public comments. For companies that regularly file multiple registrations, record ownership transfers or rely on expedited certificates before enforcement steps, the practical issue is timing rather than price alone: fourth-quarter matters should be reviewed now to see whether mature filings can be completed before the new schedule takes effect and whether grouping or expedited treatment is still economically justified.
