Skip to content | Change text size
Copyright website

Information for:

Quicklinks:

 

Public Domain - Duration of Copyright

Type of Material Period of Protection
  • All published works where the author died before 1 January 1955
No longer protected by copyright. Work is in the public domain
  • Published literary works
  • Published dramatic works
  • Published musical works (written music)
  • Artistic works (except photos taken before May 1969)
70 years after creator’s death
  • Photos taken before May 1969
70 years after photo was made
  • Published editions
25 years after edition was first published
  • Sound recordings made before 1 May 1969
70 years after recording is first made
  • Sound recordings made after 1 May 1969
70 years after recording is first published
  • Cinematograph films
70 years after film is first published
  • Television and sound broadcasts made before 1 May 1969
Not protected
  • Television and sound broadcasts made on or after 1 May 1969
50 years after material is first broadcast
  • Anonymous and pseudonymous works
70 years after work is first published
  • Works made by more than one person (i.e. joint authors)

70 years after death of last remaining author

  • Moral rights of authors/creators
70 years after death of author/creator
  • Performers’ rights
  • Performers' moral rights
    • the right of attribution and false attribution
    • the right of integrity
20 years after the performance is given

70 years after the date of publication of the sound recording. For the life of the performer

Unpublished works
  • literary works
  • dramatic works
  • musical works (musical notation as written in sheet music)

all of which have not been published, performed in public, broadcast, and the records of which have not been sold to the public within the lifetime of the author

70 years after first publication, public performance, broadcast or sale of record
Engravings that are unpublished at time of author’s death 70 years after engraving first published
When Commonwealth or State owns the copyright (crown copyright)
  • literary works
  • dramatic works
  • artistic works
  • musical works
  • sound recordings
  • films
50 years after material is first published, except artistic works which last 50 years from when the artistic work is first created. Unpublished works remain protected.

Send an email inquiry to the University's Copyright Adviser.