• 1989 (March 1) or later
  • No Copyright notice on the item or Copyright registration is needed, the item is Copyrighted at the moment of creation. Do not use it.

• 1978 (January 1) or later
  • No Copyright Registration is necessary; the item was Copyrighted at the moment of creation. Do not use it.

If the item was created before 1978 but never published, such unpublished works were given automatic Copyright protection for the author(s) life plus 70 years.  (Copyright Office Circular 22).  For pre-1978 works it is important to use the term "published" and "publication" as defined by the Copyright Act.

If the item was published or Copyrighted in:

• 1964 (January 1) or later
  • If this item was Copyrighted, its Copyright is still in force. Did they file the proper paperwork? If not, the item is NOT Copyrighted.   Do a Copyright Search Yourself or have a Professional Copyright Search. done to be certain. Check for a Copyright notice and see "The Copyright Notice Test"
    . 
• 1923 (January 1) or later
  • If this item was Copyrighted, and renewed, it has Copyright protection. Did they file a Copyright registration? Twenty-eight years later, did they renew it? The majority of Copyrights were never renewed. If not renewed, the item is no longer under Copyright protection.  Do a Copyright Search Yourself or have a Professional Copyright Search. done to be certain.  Check for a Copyright notice and see "The Copyright Notice Test". 

• Before 1923
  • In the United States, this item is public domain. Any Copyright it had has expired. (17 U.S.C.A. 302(e)) Be sure you are looking at an original, not another's copy.