Copyright Statutory Damages Calculator
US copyright law (17 USC §504) provides statutory damages of $750-$30,000 per infringed work, or up to $150,000 per work if willful. No proof of actual damages required. This tool computes likely award ranges based on registration status, willfulness, and number of works.
Statutory Damages Range and Calculation
17 USC §504(c) provides three damage tiers: (1) Innocent infringer: $200 per work — defendant proves no reason to believe infringement. (2) Standard: $750-$30,000 per work — court's discretion within range. (3) Willful: $750-$150,000 per work — plaintiff proves intentional or reckless infringement. Per-work, not per-copy.
Why Pre-Infringement Registration Is Critical
17 USC §412 bars statutory damages and attorney fees unless registration occurred BEFORE infringement began (or within 3 months of work's first publication). Without timely registration, plaintiff must prove actual damages + defendant's profits — typically far smaller and harder to establish. Register copyrights as soon as work is created.
Willfulness Standard
Willfulness requires plaintiff to prove infringer knew conduct was infringing OR acted with reckless disregard. Evidence includes: prior cease-and-desist letters ignored, defendant's history of infringement, attempts to hide use, internal communications acknowledging risk. Willful finding can 5-10x typical damages award.
Source: 17 USC §§504, 412, 505; Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset (2013). Last updated: May 2026.