Publish Setup · Topic 8 of 17
Library of Congress Number (LCCN)
What to do
If you want your book to be easily located and ordered by libraries, apply for a free LCCN through the Library of Congress's Preassigned Control Number (PCN) Program before your book is printed, then print the number on your copyright page.
Why it matters
An LCCN is a unique number the Library of Congress assigns to a book's catalog record, mainly so libraries can find and order it, it is a completely different thing from an ISBN and from copyright. Getting one does NOT mean the Library of Congress has cataloged, stocked, or purchased your book, that's a common and incorrect assumption.
Step-by-step
- An LCCN identifies a book's catalog record for library purposes. An ISBN identifies a specific edition/format for retail purposes. A book can have several ISBNs (one per format) but generally just one LCCN.
- An LCCN is not a copyright, and applying for one is not how you register copyright, that's a completely separate process through the US Copyright Office.
- US self-published authors are eligible through the PCN Program's "Author" account track (not a "Publisher" account, and not the same as the Library's separate CIP program, which self-publishers aren't eligible for).
- You must apply and receive the LCCN BEFORE your book is printed, since the number needs to be printed on the copyright page of the finished book, it can't be added after the fact to an already-printed run.
- Expand the information section below for the real application steps, an example copyright-page line, and the separate Mandatory Deposit requirement.
- This topic is educational only. Step One to Published does not apply for an LCCN on your behalf, and cannot guarantee you'll be eligible or that the Library of Congress will approve any request, you apply directly with the Library of Congress and its decision is entirely its own.
More information
Click a heading to expand more information.
Applying for a free LCCN through the PCN Program
- Go to the Preassigned Control Number Program page on loc.gov (the Library of Congress's official current PCN program page; search "Library of Congress PCN Program" if this direct URL has changed).
- Create a free PrePub Book Link (PPBL) account, and specifically select an "Author" account type, not a "Publisher" account, that distinction determines which track you're on.
- You'll need a US mailing address to apply, this is a stated requirement of the program.
- Have this information ready before you start the request: your full legal name and mailing address (for the free Author account), the book's title and subtitle, the format (hardcover, paperback, ebook, etc.), your publisher/imprint name if you're using one, your expected publication date, and your ISBN if you've already been assigned one (you can still apply if you don't have an ISBN yet).
- Submit an LCCN request for your specific title using the information above. The exact field-by-field layout of the current PPBL form isn't something we can verify precisely here, so read each field on the actual form carefully rather than assuming it matches this list exactly.
- The Library of Congress reviews the request and, once approved, issues your LCCN electronically, this is generally your only communication needed, there's no book review or acquisition happening on their end.
- Place the assigned LCCN on your book's copyright page before finalizing your print or ebook files, for example: "Library of Congress Control Number: 2026123456" (an illustrative example format, not a real number).
- Do this before you send files to print. If your book is already printed without the LCCN on the copyright page, you cannot retroactively add it to that print run.
Last verified: August 2026
Mandatory Deposit — a separate legal requirement, not part of applying for an LCCN
- Federal copyright law separately requires "Mandatory Deposit" of published books to the Library of Congress, through the US Copyright Office, regardless of whether you ever apply for an LCCN.
- This is a distinct legal requirement from the PCN/LCCN process described above, don't confuse the two, applying for an LCCN does not satisfy Mandatory Deposit, and Mandatory Deposit is not how you get an LCCN.
- Check the US Copyright Office's own current guidance for exactly what Mandatory Deposit requires and how to comply, that's outside the scope of the PCN application covered here.
Last verified: August 2026
Common mistakes to avoid
- Believing that getting an LCCN means the Library of Congress has cataloged, stocked, or purchased your book. It hasn't, an LCCN is just a catalog identifier issued in advance, not an acquisition.
- Confusing an LCCN with a copyright registration. They are entirely separate, an LCCN does not register or protect your copyright in any way.
- Applying for, or trying to print, an LCCN after the book is already printed. It has to be requested and printed on the copyright page before the print run, not after.
- Signing up for a "Publisher" PPBL account, or assuming you're eligible for the CIP program, self-published authors use the PCN Program's "Author" account track, not CIP.
Completion checklist
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Troubleshooting
Do I need an LCCN to sell my book?
No. An LCCN is not required to sell a book anywhere, it mainly matters if you want your book to be more easily located and ordered by libraries.
I already published my book without an LCCN. Can I get one now and add it?
The LCCN has to be printed on the copyright page of the physical book, so it can't be retroactively added to copies that are already printed. You could still apply for one to use starting with a future printing or edition, but not for copies already in circulation.
Is an LCCN the same thing as registering my copyright?
No, they're completely separate. Copyright registration is a distinct legal process through the US Copyright Office. An LCCN is purely a library catalog identifier and has no effect on your copyright.