Common Questions

If I register a song with Songuard, what proof will I have that I registered the song on that date?

When you register a song with Songuard®, you will receive an email notification certificate that Songuard® has received and documented your submission.  This file will contain a digital signature and timestamp that will verify the date and time the song was registered.  This is your record of the registration. The song title, content, and registration date will also be displayed in your account where you may review it if you wish.  In addition, your encrypted submission will also be stored on our secure servers and will be available together with a letter of verification should you ever need further proof of the date the song was registered with Songuard®. For more information on the process, click here.

What formats can I upload when I register?

Your Lyrics can be submitted in any of the following formats:
.doc, .docx, .docm, .xls, .xlsx, .odt, .pdf, .rtf, .tex, .txt, .wks, .wpd or .wps file.

Your Audio can be submitted in any of the following formats:
.mp3, .wav, .ogg, .aac, .m4a, .m4p, .wma, .amr, .ac3 or .aiff file.

Can I register just a melody or lyric?

You can register a lyric, an audio file or both.

Am I able to register an album or collection of songs?

No, you can only submit and register one song at a time.

If I register a song with Songuard to get instant protection, can I register with the US Copyright Office at a later date?

Yes, in fact we recommend it if you can afford it, since it entitles you to certain statutory advantages that does not come with a Songuard registration.

Will my song be protected in other countries?

We cannot give legal advice but it is fair to assume that the third-party proof and verification of the date of creation that you receive when you register your song with Songuard, would be acceptable evidence in most countries subject to each country’s Copyright laws.  The fact that reciprocal copyright protection agreements exist between the United States and most countries would further support this assumption.