KDP Copyright Page Template (Free Word Download)

This guide shows what goes on the page, gives four templates to copy, a builder that writes yours, and a free Word file set to KDP trim sizes. Registering your copyright is a separate step; our copyright registration add-on files it for you. For where this fits in publishing, see the self-publishing steps.

What goes on a copyright page

Only a few lines carry real weight. The rest is convention, so include what applies to your book.

The US Copyright Office says a notice has three parts: the © symbol (or the word “Copyright” or “Copr.”), the year of first publication and the owner’s name.

Copyright page templates you can copy

Swap the bracketed parts for your own details and delete any line that doesn’t apply.

Publishers usually include the illustrations line when the illustrator keeps the copyright in the art. If the illustrator transferred the art copyright to you in a written agreement they signed, one notice in your name can cover both.

What KDP checks

KDP’s rules are short: Amazon doesn’t require a copyright page, and a copyright page on its own doesn’t prove you hold the publishing rights. What KDP does check is the rest of your setup.

• ISBN and imprint must match. If you use your own ISBN, KDP checks your imprint against the ISBN agency’s records, and the title, author and publisher you enter must match how you registered it. Print the same imprint and the right ISBN for each format; see one ISBN for each format.
• A free KDP ISBN changes the imprint. It lists “Independently published,” so don’t print an imprint name that doesn’t match.
• AI content is declared at setup, not on the page. KDP requires you to tell it about AI-generated text, images or translations when you publish, or when you edit and republish. AI tools you only used to edit or brainstorm your own work don’t need declaring, but content an AI tool created still counts as AI-generated even if you edit it heavily.

Special cases

Pen name. You can put a pen name in the notice. The Copyright Office accepts a pseudonym if it’s the name the owner is generally known by, and registration has its own rules for pseudonymous works.

Revised edition. Use the year the new edition is first published, and add an edition line, such as “Second edition, 2027.” A revised edition with significant changes also needs a new ISBN.

Quotes, lyrics and images. If you quote song lyrics, poems or long passages, or use someone else’s images, permission from the rights holder is often needed (song lyrics are tightly controlled), and you can credit it on the copyright page (“Lyrics from [Song] used by permission of [Owner]”). Fair use is decided case by case, so ask a lawyer when in doubt. This is general information, not legal advice.

Co-authors. Name each co-owner in the notice, for example “Copyright © 2026 Jane Author and Sam Writer.”

Where the copyright page goes

In a print book, it goes on the back of the title page, the first left-hand page after it, with no page number or header. In an ebook, it’s often placed after the title page, though some authors move it to the back so readers reach the story sooner.

Where the copyright page goes

In a print book: on the back of the title page.

1. Title page

The Book TitleJane Author

A right-hand page

↓→Turn the page

2. The next spread

Copyright © 2026 Jane Author

Dedication, epigraph or contents

Copyright page: first left-hand pageNext right-hand page

• No numbersNo page number or running header on the copyright page
• ISBNOne per format: paperback, hardcover and ebook each get their own
• EbookOften after the title page; some authors move it to the back

Many designers set the copyright text in a smaller size near the bottom of the page. The dedication often sits on the next right-hand page; our guide to writing a book dedication has 30 examples. Our guide to KDP trim sizes covers the page sizes the template can be set to.

When to get help

Writing the copyright page is quick. Registering the copyright is a separate filing with the US Copyright Office, which costs $45 for a Single Application (one work by one author who is also the owner, not made for hire) or $65 for a Standard Application, as of October 2026. A fee schedule sent to Congress on 14 July 2026 would raise these to $55 and $85; the Office plans to apply the new fees from fall 2026 (no earlier than mid-November), with no date set yet.

Our copyright registration files it for you for $199 plus the Office’s fee, and our interior formatting sets your copyright page with the rest of your front matter.

Copyright page questions

Is a copyright page required on KDP?

No. KDP says it doesn’t require a copyright page, and a copyright page doesn’t prove you hold the publishing rights. It’s still worth including: it shows the copyright notice, the ISBN for that format and your imprint, and the ISBN rules say the ISBN must appear on the back of the title page.

Do I need to register my copyright first?

No. In the US your copyright exists as soon as the book is fixed, written down or saved, and you can publish without registering. Registration is a separate, voluntary filing with the US Copyright Office, and for a US work you generally need a registration (or a refusal from the Office) before you can sue for infringement. You can register before or after publishing.

What year goes on the copyright page?

Use the year the book is first published. For a revised edition, use the year the new edition is first published and add an edition line. The US Copyright Office says the notice needs the year of first publication, along with the © symbol and the owner’s name.

Can I use a pen name on the copyright page?

Yes. The US Copyright Office accepts a pseudonym in the notice when it’s the name the copyright owner is generally known by. If you register the copyright, follow the Office’s rules for pseudonymous works. Keep the name consistent with your KDP author name and any imprint you use.

Related reading: What is an ISBN? · ASIN vs ISBN · KDP trim sizes · How to self-publish a book