How to Copyright Your Web Site

Any media fixed in tangible form - such as a book or even a print-out of a manuscript - can be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office to protect the author's intellectual property. Now that the technological age is upon us, digital media such as web sites can likewise be copyrighted. If you are particularly proud of your web site, or if it contains original material that you want to protect, you might consider registering a copyright.

The process isn't much different from copyrighting a book or manuscript, but the rules vary somewhat. For one thing, your web site's content must be original and created by you - or in a work-for-hire agreement that assigns the ownership to you. If the content can be found elsewhere under someone else's name, it will be ineligible. You can use Copyscape.com if you want to run a cursory search for similar content.

You should also know that it's difficult to copyright a web site that is constantly changing. You add new information on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, which makes it difficult to continually protect your work. You should know, however, that your intellectual property is still your own, and that no one else has the right to reprint or publish it without your written consent, even if portions are not registered with the U.S. Copyright office.

The first step is to visit the Copyright Office's web site and download an application. It will appear in PDF format, and you can print it from the computer screen. You can also call or write the government to request an application by post, but this will obviously take longer. Make sure you fill out the application in its entirety, and that you double-check the information to ensure it is accurate. A mistake in the lettering of your URL or poor handwriting can strip your protection.