The copyright page of a self-published book needs, at minimum, a copyright notice: the © symbol (or the word “Copyright”), the year of first publication, and the name of the copyright holder. Everything else on the page is conventional rather than legally required. Most self-published authors also include an “all rights reserved” statement, an ISBN, a brief disclaimer, and the name of their publishing imprint, but none of these elements are mandated by law.
What Is Legally Required on a Copyright Page?
Under 17 U.S. Code § 401, a copyright notice is not required for works first published on or after March 1, 1989, when the United States joined the Berne Convention. Copyright protection is automatic the moment you fix an original work in a tangible form. You do not need to register, file, or print any notice to own the copyright to your book.
That said, including a proper copyright notice is still strongly recommended. A notice removes the “innocent infringement” defence: if someone copies your work and your book carries a notice, a court cannot reduce statutory damages based on the infringer’s claim that they did not know the work was protected. For a self-published author without a legal team, that practical benefit is worth the single line of text.
The notice itself has three required components: the symbol © (or the word “Copyright” or the abbreviation “Copr.”), the year of first publication, and the name of the copyright owner. For example: © 2026 Jane Author. The U.S. Copyright Office’s Circular 3 specifies that the notice must be positioned to give “reasonable notice of the claim of copyright,” which in book publishing means the verso (back) of the title page.
What Are the Standard Elements of a Copyright Page?
While only the copyright notice carries legal weight, trade publishing convention has established a set of elements that readers, librarians, and retailers expect to see. In our experience formatting thousands of books for independent authors across 30+ countries, the copyright page is one of the most frequently misunderstood pages in a book: authors either overload it with unnecessary legalese or leave it nearly blank. Here is what belongs on it and what each element actually does.
Copyright notice. The © symbol, year, and owner name, as described above. If you have registered your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office, you can add “Registered with the U.S. Copyright Office” beneath the notice, but registration is not required for protection.
“All rights reserved” statement. This phrase originated from the Buenos Aires Convention of 1910, which required a rights-reservation statement for copyright protection across signatory countries. That requirement became fully obsolete on August 23, 2000, when Nicaragua, the last Buenos Aires-only holdout, also joined the Berne Convention. Today, the phrase has no confirmed legal force in any jurisdiction. It persists by convention, and most publishers still include it because readers expect it. Including it costs nothing; just know it is ceremonial.
ISBN. If your book has an International Standard Book Number, list it on the copyright page. Each format needs its own ISBN: one for paperback, one for hardcover, one for ebook. If you publish in multiple formats, you can list all ISBNs on the copyright page with the format noted in parentheses after each one. One important caveat: if you use platform-supplied ISBNs from more than one distributor (for example, a free KDP ISBN and a free IngramSpark ISBN), include only that platform’s ISBN in the files you upload to it. For guidance on when you need separate ISBNs, see our post on whether KDP and IngramSpark require separate ISBNs.
Publisher or imprint name. Traditional publishers list their imprint and address here. Self-published authors can list their own publishing imprint name if they have one, or simply omit a publisher line altogether. Creating an imprint is optional; it is a branding decision rather than a legal requirement. If you use a free KDP ISBN, Amazon is listed as the publisher of record, and you cannot change that on the copyright page without purchasing your own ISBN from Bowker (in the US) or your national ISBN agency.
Edition statement. If this is the first edition, you can write “First edition” or “First edition, [month] [year].” For subsequent editions, this line becomes important: it tells readers which version they hold and signals to retailers that the content has changed. We cover this in detail in our post on when a revised edition needs a new ISBN.
Country of printing. For print-on-demand books, you can write “Printed in the United States of America” (or the relevant country), though POD books are printed in multiple countries depending on the buyer’s location. Many indie authors write “Printed in various countries by [printer name]” or omit this line entirely. KDP does not require it.
LCCN (Library of Congress Control Number). Self-published authors are not eligible for the Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication (CIP) program, which requires publishers to have works by at least three different authors. However, you can apply for an LCCN through the Library of Congress’s Preassigned Control Number (PCN) program, which is open to self-publishers. An LCCN helps libraries catalogue your book but is not required for retail distribution.
Which Disclaimer Does Your Book Need?
The disclaimer varies by genre. Fiction and non-fiction books need different language, and some genres need no disclaimer at all.
Fiction: The standard fiction disclaimer reads: “This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.” This protects you if a real person claims a character is based on them. If your novel uses real historical figures or real institutions as a backdrop, add a sentence clarifying which elements are fictitious and which are factual.
Non-fiction (advice, self-help, health, finance): If your book offers guidance on topics where professional expertise matters, include a disclaimer such as: “The information in this book is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional [medical/legal/financial] advice. Consult a qualified professional before acting on any information in this book.” This does not eliminate liability entirely, but it establishes that the book is not a substitute for professional counsel.
Memoir: Memoirs occupy a middle ground. A common approach is: “This is a work of creative non-fiction. Events and conversations have been recreated from memory. Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.” This signals good faith without claiming perfect recall.
Poetry, children’s books, cookbooks: These genres typically do not need a disclaimer beyond the standard copyright notice. Cookbooks occasionally include an allergy or safety disclaimer (“The author is not responsible for adverse reactions to recipes in this book”), but it is not universal.
How Does a Copyright Page Differ Between Print and Ebook?
The core content is the same, but placement and a few details differ. In a print book, the copyright page always appears on the verso (left-hand page) of the title page, which is typically page iv in the front matter. In an ebook, the copyright page can go in either the front or back matter. Many indie authors place it at the back of the ebook to keep the reader’s first tap as close to Chapter 1 as possible; Amazon’s “Look Inside” preview and Kindle sample download both benefit from front matter being minimal.
Print-specific elements to omit from the ebook copyright page include the country of printing, the printer’s key (the descending number line like “10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” used by offset printers to track print runs), and any ordering or distribution address. These have no meaning in a digital file. If you use platform-supplied ISBNs from different distributors, include only that platform’s ISBN in the file you upload to it. If you purchased your own ISBNs from Bowker, you can list all of them on every version’s copyright page with the format noted in parentheses.
What Should Change on the Copyright Page for a New Edition?
When you release a revised edition, update these elements: the edition statement (“Second edition, April 2026”), the copyright year if the new edition contains substantial new material (the original year stays, and you add the new year: “© 2024, 2026 Jane Author”), and the ISBN if the revision is significant enough to warrant a new one. Minor corrections like fixing typos do not require a new edition statement or ISBN; substantial changes to content, structure, or illustrations do.
The “all rights reserved” line, disclaimer, and publisher imprint generally stay the same across editions unless you have changed publishers or imprints. If you have moved from a KDP free ISBN to your own Bowker ISBN, update the publisher of record accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I legally need a copyright page in my self-published book?
No. Copyright protection in the United States is automatic upon creation and does not require any notice, registration, or printed page. However, including a copyright notice removes the “innocent infringement” defence and is standard practice in commercial publishing.
Does “All rights reserved” still have legal meaning?
The phrase lost its last practical legal function on August 23, 2000, when every signatory of the Buenos Aires Convention had also joined the Berne Convention, which grants copyright without any formalities. Most publishers still include it by convention, but it carries no confirmed legal weight in any current jurisdiction.
Where should the copyright page go in an ebook?
Either front matter or back matter works for an ebook. Placing it in the back matter keeps your opening pages lean, which improves the Amazon “Look Inside” preview and Kindle sample download experience. If your ebook has no ISBN, you can omit the ISBN line entirely.
Can I use my own name as the publisher on the copyright page?
Yes. If you do not have a publishing imprint, you can list your own name or omit the publisher line. If you purchased your own ISBN through Bowker, the publisher of record is whatever name you registered with Bowker, which can be your personal name or an imprint name.
Do I need a separate copyright page for each format of my book?
You need a copyright page in each format (paperback, hardcover, ebook). You can list all your ISBNs on each version with the format in parentheses, but if you use platform-supplied ISBNs from different distributors (e.g., KDP and IngramSpark), include only that platform’s ISBN in the files you upload to it. The core content (copyright notice, disclaimer, rights statement) stays the same; only the ISBN and any format-specific details (such as country of printing for the print edition) should differ.
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