How to File a Claim in the Anthropic Settlement: Step-by-Step Guide

What You’ll Need:

• U.S. Copyright Office Registration Number for each work (can be found in the Works List Lookup)
• ISBN or ASIN for each work (can be found in the Works List Lookup)
• Publisher contact information (if applicable)
• Your publishing contract (if claiming a split other than 50/50)
• Payment details (bank account info for ACH/Zelle, or mailing address for check)

Important Deadline: All claims must be submitted by March 23, 2026.

Step 1: Check Eligibility.

Start at the main settlement website. Before filing a claim, you must confirm your book is included by clicking the “Works List Lookup” link.

Step 2: Search for Your Work.

Use the available search options (Author, ISBN/ASIN, Title, etc.) to find your book(s).

Step 3: Confirm Matches.

If your works are eligible, they will appear in this table. Gather the exact details (Title, Author, Registration Number) for the next step, which will require you to enter ISBN, Registration Number and other details.

Step 4: Start the Claim.

Start the claim by clicking “File a Claim” on the main page, which will take you to this page. If you are filing before receiving notice, you will not have a Unique ID (Unique IDs will be sent by the Settlement Administrator along with the notice starting late November). You don’t have to wait for the notice and Unique ID To file the claim. Your claim will still be received and processed. 

Click “I don’t have a Unique ID.” (Or if you have received a Settlement Notice, enter your unique ID here.)

Step 5: Enter Your Details.

Fill in all required contact information. Authors based outside of the U.S. are eligible for payment, and the form will change accordingly if you select a country other than the United States.

Step 6: Select Claimant Type.

Identify your role in owning the copyright. Options include Author, Publisher, Loan Out Company (LLC), Literary Trust, Literary Estate, and Other.

You must be a legal, beneficial, or sole owner of the reproduction right to be eligible.

If your copyrights are owned by an LLC then you will select Author Loan-Out Company.

Step 7: Enter Work Details.

For each eligible book, fill in the Title, Author, Publisher, U.S. Copyright Office Registration Number, and any identification numbers (ISBN/ASIN). Answer if the work is an Education Work.

Note on Education Works: Education Works are works published by education publishers. Education publishers specialize in creating and publishing works, including but not limited to textbooks, for the instruction of students and professionals, which are distributed for and through educational and professional markets. The Anthropic Works List Lookup identifies which works are Education Works. The default 50/50 Split does not apply to these works; your recovery split will be determined by your contract (See Step 9 for details).

Select whether you are the sole legal/beneficial owner. Under copyright law, when the author grants the publisher an exclusive license to publish the book in exchange for percentage royalties, the publisher is deemed the legal owner of the publication rights granted to it, and the author is deemed the “beneficial” owner of that right. This is also true if the author assigns the entire copyright to the publisher such that the publisher is the full copyright owner, but the author is still entitled to royalties, license fees and other benefits from exploitation of the work. However, if the book has gone out of print and the rights have reverted to the author or the license terminates, the author becomes the legal owner again. 

Select “Yes” if you are a self-published author, or have rights reverted to you.

Select “No” if you have a publisher and/or co-author.

Step 8: Identify Other Rightsholders.

For any work that is not solely owned by you, use the provided fields to list the full name, rightsholder type, and contact information (if known) for the publisher, co-author, or other co-owner. Failure to provide this information may result in your claim being denied.

Step 9: Accept Default Split or Choose Alternative Option.

The claim has a built in default split, which splits the settlement award 50-50. This option is NOT available to educational works and textbooks. These defaults are based on typical publishing arrangements and are used to simplify the claims process.

If you are a non-education work author, you can choose the default by clicking Next or you can select Alternative Option, if you believe you are entitled to a split other than 50-50.

If you are an author of an education work you must select the Alternative Option.

If choosing the Alternative Option, you must complete the table to specify your recovery percentage.

You must provide contracts or documentation to support any percentage other than the default. If you do not provide the contract, the Default Option will be applied to your claim.

Step 10: Select Payment Method.

Choose your preferred method to receive the settlement payment: ACH, Zelle, or Check.

Step 11: Review and Submit.

Review the final summary of all entered information, provide your required signature, and click Submit. The deadline to submit a claim is March 23, 2026.