How to update a registration
It is quite common that a work is registered, and then continues to develop. It may be a manuscript that goes through rewrites, (1st draft, 2nd draft, etc), it may be a website that changes all the time, or indeed any work that changes.
One of the commonest concerns is what can be done to protect this new content if the work has already been registered.
The registration update process
We have formal registration update procedure which allows you to register any number of updates to an existing registration.
How to proceed
The initial registration for the work should still be carried out using the standard registration procedure, whether that be an online registration or a postal application. The forms for both methods can be accessed on our copyright registration pages.
Once the initial registration has been made, any subsequent changes or updates to the work can be registered using the registration update procedure.
How updates work
In order to maintain a proper chain of custody, and not destroy the evidence of the original deposit, we must follow a strict procedure to ensure that every deposit is recorded as a separate item of evidence.
Your existing registration date, registration duration and expiry date will remain the same. All updates to a work are linked to the existing registration and protected individually from their own dates of registration.
For a full explanation of the update process, we recommend that you also read the registration updates fact sheet as this explains the process in detail.
When to lodge an update
You should consider registering an updates when you feel that the work has substantially changed, or when you have added content to it that has significant value.
The principal point is to ensure that, wherever possible, valuable content is registered before it become available to others, and thus provide a safeguard in case of plagiarism or infringement.
How much does an update cost?
The current charge for updates via our online upload facility is £23.75 per work.
For postal applications, the updates fee £31.50 per work. Media types that involve additional processing will also incur an additional fee to cover the extra time involved in processing these types of works. Please see our registration format pages for details on accepted media types and fees.
All charges are in UK Pounds Sterling (GBP). All charges include VAT.