On May 24, 2016, the US Copyright Office issued a notice of proposed rulemaking seeking to reduce the costs associated with designating a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) agent to receive notices of claimed infringement.

The proposed rule would reduce the cost of designating a DMCA agent from upwards of $105 to $6 per designation, regardless of whether the designation is new, renewed, or an amendment. There would be no additional fee to designate alternate names.

The Copyright Office is considering the fee reduction as the development of an online system for service providers to designate agents with the Copyright Office nears completion. The online system will also allow the public to more easily search for such agents.

Interested parties may submit written comments on the proposed fee up to 30 days after the rule has been published in the Federal Register.