In general, copyright is an automatic right. It arises when a work is created. Through the application of many international copyright conventions, your work is also protected in most territories in the world.

The purpose of copyright recordal/registration is to place on record a verifiable account of the date and content of the work in question, so that in the event of a legal claim, or case of infringement or plagiarism, the copyright owner can produce a copy of the work from an official government source. Also, it is the prerequisite to enjoy partly judicial or administrative protection in some jurisdictions - especially in China and US.

Copyright registration in US is the prerequisite of commencing any legal proceedings against copyright infringement. Only the author of works that completed copyright registration can commence legal proceedings against copyright infringement and claim statutory compensation. (17 U.S.C. § 412) Moreover, registration allows the owner of the copyright to record the registration with the US Customs for protection.