How do you register a script with the WGA?

You submit your script through the Writers Guild's online registration system, upload the file, pay the registration fee, and receive a registration number and date confirming what you submitted and when. Both WGA West and WGA East offer registration, and you don't have to be a member.

How much does WGA registration cost?

Fees are modest and differ for members versus non-members, and between WGA West and East. Check the current rate on the WGA registry site before submitting, as fees change over time. Registration lasts a set number of years and can be renewed.

Is WGA registration the same as copyright?

No. WGA registration creates a dated record of your material as evidence of authorship at a point in time. Copyright is the actual legal ownership of the work. Many writers do both — registration for a quick timestamp and copyright for stronger legal protection.

How to Register Your Script With the WGA (Cost, Steps, and Benefits)

How to register a screenplay with the WGA: the steps, what it costs, how long it lasts, and how WGA registration differs from copyright. Protect your work before you pitch.

Before you send your script to a single manager, contest, or producer, you want a dated record that proves it was yours on a certain date. The fastest, cheapest way most screenwriters do this is WGA registration. Here's how it works, what it costs, and — importantly — how it differs from copyright.

Note: This is general information for screenwriters, not legal advice. For decisions about protecting your intellectual property, consult a qualified attorney.

What WGA registration is

The Writers Guild of America runs a registry that creates a timestamped record of your material — proof of what you submitted and when. It's evidence of authorship at a point in time, widely used in the industry as a first line of protection before circulating a script.

You don't have to be a WGA member to register, and both WGA West and WGA East offer the service.

Step by step

Go to the WGA registry site (WGA West or East).
Create an account if you don't have one.
Upload your script as a digital file.
Pay the registration fee (non-members pay a bit more than members).
Receive your registration number and date — your dated proof.

That's it — it's an online process that takes minutes.

Cost and duration

Fees are modest and vary by membership status and by coast, so check the current rate on the registry before submitting — fees change over time. Registration lasts a set number of years and can be renewed when it expires. (Because specifics change, always confirm the up-to-date terms on the official WGA site rather than relying on a number you read elsewhere.)

WGA registration vs. copyright

This is the key distinction writers get wrong:

	WGA registration	Copyright
What it is	A dated record of your material	Legal ownership of the work
Speed	Fast, minutes	Slower process
Legal weight	Evidence of authorship/date	Stronger legal protection
Duration	Fixed years, renewable	Long-term

They're complementary, not interchangeable. WGA registration is a quick timestamp; copyright is the actual legal ownership. Many writers do both.

When to register

Register before you share the script widely — before queries, contests, or pitches. Anytime the work leaves your hands, a prior dated record is cheap peace of mind.

Keep your drafts organized

Registration protects a specific version, so knowing exactly which draft you sent out matters. Keeping your script and its revisions in one organized project — as Scriptease does — makes it easy to track what you registered and when.