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If I were to release a web app what is the procedure to procuring a copyright on it?

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In the United States and many other places, a copyright is automatically granted to the author of original work. Trademarks and patents need registration.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_copyright_law#Registration_of_copyright

Registration of copyright refers to the act of registering the work with the United States Copyright Office, which is an office of the Library of Congress. As the United States has joined the Berne Convention, registration is no longer necessary to provide copyright protection. However, registration is still necessary to obtain statutory damages in case of infringement.

Registration instructions for the United States can be found at http://www.copyright.gov/forms/

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thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for. Guess I should have wikipediad that :) – chromedude Oct 5 '10 at 20:38
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You can also, put a little "(c) 2010, YourCompanyNameHere" in your page footer to let people know you claim copyright over the contents. – Doug Oct 5 '10 at 21:06
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Note that in the U.S. there is a big difference between the legal protections you get with an automatic copyright, as opposed to what you get when you register with the copyright office.

If you don't actually register the copyright you can't collect attorney fees or statutory damages for copyright infringement. In practice, those limitations make it almost impossible to sue someone for copyright infringement unless you register the copyright first. See a lawyer for details.

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