Congress·In Committee·S. 3517

Senate bill targets cheaper, faster copyright registration for photographers and visual artists

VACRA

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

Artists and photographers would no longer have to mail in a “best copy” of their work to meet deposit rules; digital copies would be enough.
Photographers could register up to 3,000 photos at once with one application and one fee, even if the photos were made or shared on different dates.
New certified private photo registries could store photos and key info (who owns it, contact info, dates) in a free-to-search database to help people find the real owner.
Artists could do “deferred” registration: pay a smaller fee now (up to half price) to lock in the registration date, and do the deeper review later if needed.
The Copyright Office would be pushed to build a modern, easy online system that can connect with common creator software, plus offer reduced fees for individuals and small businesses.

Consumer ProtectionSmall BusinessTechnologyData PrivacyTrade

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Positive Impacts(2)

Small Business Owner

Helps

Gig Worker

Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Dec 17, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Dec 17, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law, likely months to a year depending on rulemaking and tech work

Photographers may be able to deposit photos into certified registries that must be searchable for free and must keep ownership/contact info up to date.

After implementing regulations are issued

New group registration option for up to 3,000 photos becomes available once regulations are updated.

Photographers could register large shoots with one application and one fee, reducing paperwork and making enforcement more realistic.

After the Copyright Office updates its fee rules and publishes the new rates

Reduced-fee rules for individual authors and small businesses take effect through updated fee schedules.

Independent creators and small studios may pay less to register their work, making it easier to protect their income from copying.

Related News

4 articles

American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP)·3 months ago

PRESS RELEASE: ASMP Applauds Introduction of the New Copyright Modernization Bill VACRA

ASMP backs the Visual Artists Copyright Reform Act (VACRA), highlighting group registration expansion, deferred registrations, subscription models, and third‑party registries to simplify copyright registration for visual creators.

IPWatchdog·3 months ago

Senators Introduce Bill to Make Copyright Registration Easier for Visual Artists

Covers VACRA’s key provisions: raising group photo registration limits (to 3,000), deferred examination/registration, subscription-style registration, and approved private third‑party registries for electronic deposits.

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn (News Release)·3 months ago

PRESS RELEASE: Blackburn, Welch Introduce Legislation to Empower Visual Artists to Protect Their Work

Announcement of VACRA with details on modernizing registration for high‑volume visual artists, including a single application for up to 3,000 photographs and a deferred registration option.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

VACRA

Bill NumberS 3517

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)

D: 1

Data Sources

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.