Paul McCartney is in the process of reclaiming the rights to the Beatles song catalog, and has reportedly begun filing the necessary paperwork.

According to reports McCartney is using a provision of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 to get the rights back.

The law allows songwriters to regain their rights after 56 years, or two consecutive 28-year periods.

To do so, they must file termination claims between two and 10 years before that window closes. Sony/ATV's rights for the Beatles' songs expire between 2018 and 2025.

This only applies in the United States. Sony/ATV would still control worldwide rights.

Because John Lennon was killed in 1980, his portion was up for reversion in 1990, but Sony/ATV made a deal with Yoko Ono to keep control of the rights for the duration of the copyright.

The law stipulates that, in the case of co-writes, the copyright expires 70 years after the death of the last author.