Copyright Termination Rights — Powered by Federal Law
Federal law gives songwriters and artists the right to reclaim their copyrights from labels and publishers — but only within a specific window. Thousands of songs are eligible right now. Most artists don't know it.
Songs currently eligible
New songs eligible each year
Window to act before it closes
Cost to search your catalog
The Process
Search your catalog
Enter your name, your artist name, or a song title. We search the federal copyright database and show you every song that may be eligible for termination.
Confirm your window
We calculate your exact termination window — when it opens, when it closes, and how much time you have to act. Deadlines are non-negotiable under federal law.
File your notice
We generate your Notice of Termination — the legal document that kicks off the reclaim process — and connect you with vetted entertainment attorneys to review and file it.
Own your future
Once reclaimed, your copyright is yours. Re-release it yourself, license it, sell it, or pass it to your heirs. Your legacy, on your terms.
Daily Feed
Public Enemy
Registered 1989 · Hip-Hop
Slick Rick
Registered 1988 · Hip-Hop
De La Soul
Registered 1989 · Hip-Hop
LL Cool J
Registered 1990 · Hip-Hop
Naughty by Nature
Registered 1991 · Hip-Hop
Boyz II Men
Registered 1991 · R&B
Know Your Rights
When you signed your first publishing or recording deal, you almost certainly signed away your copyright. You needed the advance. You needed the distribution. You needed the label's machinery. You did what you had to do.
But Congress had a different idea about how this should work. The Copyright Act of 1976 includes a provision specifically designed to protect artists from deals they made when they were young, broke, or just didn't know better.
It's called the Termination Right. After 35 years, you can take your copyright back. Not renegotiate it. Take it. The law uses the word "inalienable" — meaning your label cannot stop you, no matter what your contract says.
And in January 2026, a federal appeals court ruled that this right extends to your worldwide copyright — not just the United States. That ruling just changed the math on every eligible song in existence.
The catch: you have a five-year window to act. Miss it, and the right is gone forever. Most artists miss it simply because nobody told them it was there.
That's what Reclaim is for.
The 35-Year Rule
For songs written after January 1, 1978, the original author may terminate the copyright grant 35 years after the date of publication. The window stays open for 5 years.
Who Can File
The original songwriter or composer. If the artist has passed, their heirs — spouse, children, or estate — inherit the termination right. It cannot be contracted away.
The 2026 Ruling
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that successful termination reclaims worldwide rights, not just US rights. Every eligible song just became significantly more valuable.
The Timing Requirement
Notice must be filed with the Copyright Office no less than 2 years and no more than 10 years before the effective termination date. Getting this wrong forfeits the right.
Get Started Free
Enter your email and we'll send you a personalized report of every song in your catalog that may be eligible for termination — completely free.
No spam. No commitment. Just your rights.