No. A copyright is used to protect literary and artistic works. A trademark protects company brands, and a patent prevents others from using, making, or selling an invention for a certain amount of time.

A copyright protects the holder’s economic and noneconomic interests. Economic protections allow the owner to authorize or prohibit any physical reproductions, performances, recordings, broadcasting, translations, or adaptations of their work. Noneconomic protections include the right to receive credit as the author of the work.

You do not have to register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office to secure protection for a work, but doing so does have significant advantages. For example, registering your copyright provides a public record and notice of the copyright claim. Copyright registration is also necessary before a copyright owner can file an infringement lawsuit in court. If you do not apply for a copyright right away, you can register it within three months of publishing the work or before an infringement occurs to be able to recover attorney fees and statutory damages in the event of a lawsuit.

If you have questions about whether your creation can be protected by copyright, or need help registering a copyright, contact an intellectual property attorney. They can walk you through the process to make sure your rights are properly protected.