Publication Year

  • If the work you are using was first published in the United States prior to 1923, it is in the Public Domain, and you do not need permission to use it.
  • Some works published after 1923 are also in the Public Domain.
  • To find out more about how to tell if a work is in the Public Domain, try using our online Public Domain Tool.
  • Public domain status for works first published outside the U.S. will differ according to country. However, for uses in the United States, foreign works are protected by the same rights and are subject to the same exceptions as U.S. works; i.e. foreign works are subject to Section 107/Fair Use just as U.S. copyrighted works are.