Group Registration for 2D Artworks Now Available

For years, visual artists—painters, illustrators, and graphic designers—have faced a frustrating choice: pay a separate filing fee for every single published work or leave their portfolio unprotected. While photographers have long enjoyed group registration options, other 2D creators were left in the lurch.

That changes as of February 17, 2026. On December 19, 2025, the U.S. Copyright Office issued a Final Rule establishing Group Registration for Two-Dimensional Artwork (GR2D). This new “bundled” option is designed to make federal protection faster and significantly cheaper for creators.

What is GR2D?

GR2D allows artists to register a group of published two-dimensional artworks using a single online application and one filing fee. Instead of paying upwards of $65 per piece, artists can now group their works together, provided they meet specific criteria.

While the rule is now final, the Copyright Office has set the official launch date for February 17, 2026, to allow for final system updates to the electronic registration portal.

Key Requirements for Filing

To take advantage of the GR2D option, the submission must strictly adhere to the following requirements:

• Quantity Limit: You may register up to 20 works in a single application (an increase from the 10 originally proposed).
• Publication Window: All works in the group must have been published within the same calendar year.
• Authorship & Ownership: All works must be created by the same individual author (or co-authored by the same individuals). Additionally, the author must be named as the copyright claimant for every work in the group.
• Format Constraints: The works must be two-dimensional (e.g., paintings, sketches, logos, or digital illustrations). Note: This excludes 3D sculptures, architectural plans, and “works of applied art” (like a chair or a lamp).
• Single Work Rule: Each entry must be a single work. You cannot use GR2D to register a “collective work” like a whole coloring book or a catalog, though you could register the individual illustrations within them.

Why This Matters

Before GR2D, registering 20 published illustrations could cost an artist $1,300 in filing fees. Under the new rule, that same protection can be secured for a fraction of the cost with a single application.

Furthermore, having a timely registration is an important consideration for filing a federal copyright infringement suit. Artists can seek statutory damages (up to $150,000 per infringement) and attorney’s fees, but only if the allegedly infringed works are registered with the Copyright Office.

For more information on the GR2D registration, please contact Yonaxis I.P. Law Group.