Someone copied your work.
Here's exactly how to file.

No, to both. Copyright exists automatically the moment you create an original work, and that's enough to file a notice under the DMCA. Registration only matters if the case ever goes to court, which most never do.

It depends entirely on where the copy lives. Marketplaces like Shopify and Etsy often act within 24-72 hours on a complete report. Independent stores and offshore hosts are slower, and some never respond, which is when search-engine delisting and payment-processor complaints start to matter more than the original notice.

Usually, yes. Most platforms share the reporting party's name and contact details with the accused infringer as part of due process. A few, like Cloudflare in its role as CDN, don't share it directly, but the underlying host often will.

Most platforms give the accused 10-14 business days to dispute a takedown. If they counter-notice and you don't file a lawsuit within that window, the content typically goes back up. It's the one part of the process that genuinely benefits from knowing your options in advance.

A DMCA notice covers copyright: someone using your actual creative work (photos, text, designs) without permission. A trademark complaint covers your brand name or logo being used to confuse buyers about who they're purchasing from. Most platforms have separate forms for each, and copyright doesn't require registration while trademark claims usually do.