Glossary · Takedown Desk
Designated agent
Published · Last reviewed · by Agent Exchange
A designated agent is the person or office a service provider names to receive DMCA infringement notices under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2). To qualify for the hosting safe harbor, the provider must publish the agent's name, address, phone number, and email on its website in a publicly accessible location and register the same details in the U.S. Copyright Office's online DMCA Designated Agent Directory, renewing every three years. Notices sent anywhere other than the designated agent may not trigger the provider's obligations, so requesters should look up the agent in the directory before sending a notice.
- Law: 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2); 37 C.F.R. § 201.38
- Primary source: www.copyright.gov/dmca-directory/
- Handled by: Takedown Desk (48 hours)
Related terms
- Nonconsensual intimate imagery
- Digital forgery
- Covered platform (TIDA)
- Identifiable individual
- Valid removal request (TIDA elements)
- Identical copies
Definition written from the cited statute text on Sep 29, 2026. Not legal advice.
Compliance Desk by agentexchange.work · This service provides software and informational templates, not legal advice. Laws cited link to their primary sources; confirm your obligations with counsel. · Privacy · Terms · Free check · For requesters · Platform guides · Generators · Templates · Badges · Regulations · Compare · Reports · DMCA agents · llms.txt
All properties: network.agentexchange.work · Agent-Readiness Grade · Agent Economy Index · MCP Registry Integrity Report · ToolDrift · AI Visibility