THE RULE
70 years after the author dies
Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, copyright in a literary work expires 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author dies.
Check a workWHAT THE LAW SAYS
When a book becomes
everyone's.
Most books eventually leave copyright.
Check a work
70 YEARSafter the author's death
In the UK, the words in a book are usually protected until 70 years after the end of the year its author died. After that, anyone can use or copy them. A few exceptions are worth knowing first.
At a glance
- Find the author's death year
- Add 70 years
- Check the exceptions
- One rule, a few twists
70 years
Years after the end of the author's death year
So for an author who died in 1955, copyright in their books ran until the end of 2025. The same 70 years applies to musical and artistic works.
TERM · CDPA 1988 SECTION 12
2039
When the '2039 rule' ends
Literary, dramatic and musical works unpublished at the end of 1988 can be protected until 31 December 2039. The IPO's example: an unpublished 1899 poem by an author who died in 1905.
UNPUBLISHED WORKS · IPO
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Most books free,
some not for years.
The general term for a book,
and the date that ties up old unpublished papers.
There are rare special cases too. The IPO notes that Peter Pan's copyright expired in 1987, but in 1988 Parliament gave Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children a perpetual right to royalties for the play.
A QUICK COPYRIGHT CHECK
What kind
of work is it?
Pick a type of work to see how long UK copyright usually lasts. The bar shows the length of protection compared with the others.
Based on IPO guidance on the duration of copyright. Some works follow different rules, so check the full guidance. This is general information, not legal advice.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Death year
plus seventy.
For most books, one date decides it: when the author died.
The clock runs to the end of that calendar year, then 70 more.
General information only, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or a free advice service.
EDITIONS
The page layout counts too
A new edition's typographical arrangement, the way the page is laid out, has its own copyright for 25 years from first publication, even when the words are free.
How to check
UNPUBLISHED
The 2039 rule
Some literary works unpublished at the end of 1988 stay protected until 31 December 2039, even if the author died centuries ago.
See the numbers
FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK
Is this book
free to copy?
The IPO says you need to find out when a work was created, published or made available. These questions follow its guidance.
Who wrote it, and when did they die?
For most published books, that one date sets the term: 70 years from the end of that year.
Was it ever published?
Works unpublished at the end of 1988 may fall under the 2039 rule instead.
Which edition are you copying?
A published edition's layout is protected for 25 years from first publication, even when the words themselves are free.
Can't find the owner?
If a work is still in copyright and the right holder cannot be found, the IPO's Orphan Works Licensing Scheme can grant a licence for a fee.
WORKS FROM ABROAD
The country
of origin matters.
The Berne Convention sets minimum rules that the UK and many other countries go beyond. For a work from outside the UK by a non-UK author, UK protection lasts no longer than the term in its country of origin.
So the same book can be free in one country and protected in another. The IPO says that in most cases the UK does not protect foreign works whose protection has ended in their country of origin.
Questions
Questions people ask
How long does copyright last on a book in the UK?
Usually until 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author died, under section 12 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Can I copy a modern edition of an out-of-copyright classic?
Not exactly as printed. IPO guidance says the typographical arrangement of a published edition, the way its pages are laid out, has its own copyright for 25 years from the year of first publication.
What is the 2039 rule?
IPO guidance explains that some literary, dramatic and musical works unpublished at the end of 1988 remain protected until 31 December 2039, however long ago their author died.
What if nobody knows who wrote it?
For works of unknown authorship, copyright runs 70 years from the end of the year the work was made, or from when it was first made available to the public.
What can I do if I cannot trace the copyright owner?
If the work is still in copyright, you can apply to the IPO's Orphan Works Licensing Scheme after a diligent search. Licences are non-exclusive and involve an application fee and a licence fee.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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