What to include in a copyright complaint

1. Identify the work and your authority

Write down the original work being asserted and why you are entitled to act for it. A publication reference can help the recipient understand the claim, but an account name alone should not replace the rights record. If you represent someone else, retain a defined authorization. For a collaboration, identify any limits or permissions that affect the request. Do not approve a broad claim while ownership or the scope of representation is still unclear.

2. Identify the reported material precisely

Keep the specific page or media location with a short description of the content. Include enough detail for the recipient to find the material. For several locations, preserve the relationship between each reported URL and the relevant original work. A dated observation or screenshot can help you maintain a case record, but it should not replace the location. Avoid combining unrelated domains into a request without first checking the recipient's process and the scope it accepts.

3. Include the required notice information

The Copyright Office's sample organizes the essential notice elements. Use the actual recipient's current form or instructions, and do not sign statements that you cannot support. A generated draft still requires review of its facts and authority. The checklist below summarizes the categories. It is not a substitute for the complete applicable requirements or a recipient's own process.

• Identification of the copyrighted work.
• Identification and location of the alleged infringement.
• Contact information for the complaining party or authorized agent.
• A good-faith statement covering lack of authorization by the owner, agent or law.
• An accuracy statement and authority declaration under penalty of perjury.
• A physical or electronic signature.

4. Check permissions and exceptions

An unwanted use is not automatically an infringing use. Review licensed publication, approved promotions and the context of the reported material. Fair use is fact-specific: purpose, the nature of the work, the amount used and market effect are part of the U.S. assessment. There is no simple percentage rule that resolves every case. If the issue is disputed or requires legal interpretation, obtain suitable advice rather than treating a template as a legal conclusion.

5. Keep the sent version and the response

Preserve the approved notice, recipient and specific locations before submission. Then retain references, replies, clarification requests and dated checks. An acknowledgement is not removal. Keep counter-notices, restored copies and mirrors visible. Saving or downloading a draft in Removora never sends a complaint.

Frequently asked questions