Just as we thought the change in registration that took effect on February 20, 2018 was bad, limiting group registration to 750 images, we’re now reading proposals that will raise the group registration fee to $100 per application. Some readers are sending us notes that it’s going up to $75, but that’s for standard registrations. Group registrations for published and unpublished are being proposed in the Federal Register, Vol. 83, No. 101, May 24, 2018, states the new fees will be $100 for paper or electronic registration for “Group registration of unpublished photographs (GRUPH) (up to 750 published photographs).” and the same for published photos, know as GRPPH registrations.

From the Library of Congress blog – “The Office will review and consider public comments and issue a final rule later this year. The new fee schedule will go into effect 120 days after publication of the final rule, unless Congress passes a law stating that it does not approve the fee schedule.”

They are asking for public comments before the final ruling. We encourage everyone to send in your comments. Here is the link.

This is really terrible news and would create a very high barrier for photographers to safely and economically protect their work and their copyrights. Professional photographers are already having more work infringed on than ever before and this fee increase will make it that much harder for the average photographer to protect their creative output. For corporations and media giants, this is a drop in the bucket for their budgets, but for photographers who average blue collar incomes, it’s a major added financial burden.

The purpose of copyright is to protect the work of creative people so that more creative work is created. Without protection, less progressive creative work will be produced. Our founding fathers knew this and that’s why copyright law is written directly into the US Constitution.