The first thing you need to know is if you are coming up to an urgent deadline to send the Notice of Termination.

Under Section 203 (the “35-year law”), the musical works that fit the parameters of works that are subject to termination are musical compositions and sound recordings published after January 1, 1978.

The deadline has already passed for works published before today's date in 1985. This means that it is too late to send notice for anything between 1978-1984.

If you have works from 1985, you need to act now!

This law is part of US Copyright Act, enacted in 1976.  Actually, it’s not the “copyright” being “terminated.” It’s the grant of copyright interests that is being terminated. The law allows recording artists and songwriters to terminate the grant of copyright interests to record companies and music publishers. The termination may be sent within five years of the date that is thirty-five years after publication (and “publication” usually means “release”).  If it is not done by that deadline, the right to terminate is lost forever.

Please refer to our "Deadline Calculations" section, for specific examples and requirements.

But also, please contact us and we will help you determine what it is you need to do, and when you need to do it.