How Long Does Copyright Last?

Some work was never subject to copyright and in some other work the copyright has expired. Work like this is said to in the public domain. This means that you are free to adapt, reproduce, distribute or perform it. You should of course still cite it correctly in your work and credit the author or creator.

Note however that it is possible for a text to be out of copyright, but for a specific edition of it to remain in copyright. This is because a typographical arrangement is also subject to copyright protection. In this case you would be able to reproduce the text, but you would not be able to reproduce the layout of that specific edition.

Depending on the type of work, copyright protection lasts for the following durations:

Type of work	Copyright expires

Type of work	Copyright expires
Written, dramatic, musical or artistic works	70 years from the death of the author
Sound and musical recordings	70 years after publication
Films	70 years after the deaths of the director, screenplay author and composer
Broadcasts	50 years after initial broadcast
Layouts of published written, dramatic or artistic works	25 years after publication

More information on the duration of copyright, including how to deal with unpublished works and rules for specific types of work, is available from the Intellectual Property Office.

If it is not possible to determine who holds the copyright to a work, then this is known as an orphan work. Orphan works are not in the public domain and reproducing them without permission is an offence. However, it is possible to apply to the Intellectual Property Office for an Orphan Works licence, which will allow you to make use of the work. The Copyright Officer can assist you in applying for an Orphan Works licence.