The Copyright Page for a Self-Published Book: What Goes On It

A self-published book's copyright page needs a copyright line (the symbol, the year, and the rights holder's name), an all rights reserved statement, and your ISBN or ISBNs listed by format. Most books also add an edition or printing line, the publisher or imprint name, the right disclaimer for the genre, and credits for cover and editing. The page sits on the verso, the back of the title page. One thing up front: this is general information from our team, not legal advice.

Readers skim past the copyright page in a second. Professionals, booksellers, reviewers, and librarians read it first, and a missing or sloppy one is an instant amateur tell. The good news is that it is a short, standard page, and once you know the pieces it is quick to build. Here is every element, what it is for, and where each one goes.

Where the copyright page sits

The copyright page is almost always the verso (the left-hand page) directly behind the title page. Your title page is a right-hand page, and the reader flips it to find the copyright notice on the back. Keeping it in this spot is part of what makes the opening of your book look correctly built.

The required elements

The copyright line

The core notice: the copyright symbol, the year of first publication, and the name of the rights holder. For example, © 2026 Author Name. The year is the year the book is published, and the name is whoever owns the rights, usually you or your imprint. This one line is the heart of the page.

All rights reserved

A sentence reserving reproduction rights. The standard phrasing states that no part of the book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form without written permission, usually with an exception for brief quotations in a review. This is boilerplate, and using the conventional wording is exactly right.

Your ISBN, one per format

The copyright page is where your ISBN lives inside the book (it also appears on the back cover as part of the barcode). Each format is a separate product, so a paperback, a hardcover, and an ebook each carry their own ISBN, and it is conventional to list each one labeled by format. If you only have one format, list only that number.

The elements most books add

Edition and printing line

A short line noting the edition (First Edition) and the year. Many books also include a printer's key, a descending row of numbers such as 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1, where the lowest number shown indicates the printing. This helps libraries and collectors and signals that the book was made with care.

Publisher or imprint name

Your publishing name, and optionally a city, website, or contact line. If you publish under your own imprint, this is where it appears. One caution worth repeating: the imprint name here should match the name on your ISBN record exactly, because mismatches can cause problems at retailers.

Credits

A line or two crediting the cover designer, editor, and sometimes the interior designer or illustrator. This is both courtesy and a mark of professionalism.

Country of printing

Many books close with a line like Printed in the United States of America. Print-on-demand books are produced in whichever facility is nearest the buyer, so a simple country line is the honest, common choice.

Disclaimers by genre

The disclaimer you use depends on what you wrote. Include the one that fits, and do not stack disclaimers you do not need.

• Fiction. Standard in novels: a statement that the work is fiction and that names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously, and that any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental. It is not strictly required, but it is expected and it is cheap insurance.
• Memoir and nonfiction with real people. A short note that events are recounted to the best of the author's memory, and that some names or details may have been changed to protect privacy, is common.
• Advice, health, financial, or how-to. A disclaimer limiting liability, for example noting that the content is for general information and is not a substitute for professional, medical, or legal advice, and that the author and publisher disclaim liability arising from its use.

Use the version that matches your subject, and adapt the wording to your book. These are conventional patterns, not magic words.

Two honest notes

1. The page does not create your copyright. In most countries, copyright exists automatically the moment you fix the work in tangible form. The copyright page announces and documents that ownership and deters casual copying, but it does not grant the right. An ISBN does not create copyright either; the two are unrelated systems.
2. Registration is separate. Formally registering with your national copyright office (in the United States, the Copyright Office at the Library of Congress) is an optional, separate step that can strengthen your legal remedies. Printing the notice is not the same as registering.

Building the page

A copyright page is plain by design, small type, centered or left-aligned, tucked onto the verso. Our professionally designed book interior templates include a ready-to-edit copyright page in the right place and the right style, so you fill in your details instead of formatting from scratch. If you would rather hand the whole job over, Cantos, our team's book-design AI, will build your front matter for you and let you fine-tune the copyright details, with a free preview of your own book first.

This guide is general information from the Book Design Templates team, not legal advice. If your situation is unusual or the stakes are high, talk to a qualified attorney.

Frequently asked questions

What has to be on a copyright page?

At minimum, a copyright line (symbol, year, and rights holder's name), an all rights reserved statement, and your ISBN or ISBNs by format. Most books also add an edition line, the imprint name, the disclaimer that fits the genre, and credits for cover and editing. The country of printing is a common closing line.

Where does the ISBN go on a self-published book?

Inside the book, the ISBN is printed on the copyright page, and it is conventional to list a separate number for each format you publish. It also appears on the back cover as part of the scannable barcode. If you publish a paperback, hardcover, and ebook, that is three ISBNs, each labeled by format on the copyright page.

Does the copyright page make my book copyrighted?

No. In most countries, copyright exists automatically the moment you create the work in fixed form, with or without a printed notice. The copyright page announces and documents that ownership, which deters casual copying, but it does not create the right. Formal registration with your national copyright office is a separate, optional step.