Copyright
The following information on copyright is taken from the Government Website. It has been modified slightly to reflect the requirements of the archive.
How copyright protects your work
Overview
Copyright protects your work and stops others from using it without your permission.
You get copyright protection automatically - you don't have to apply or pay a fee. There isn't a register of copyright works in the UK.
You automatically get copyright protection when you create:
- original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including illustration and photography
- original non-literary written work, such as software, web content and databases
- sound and music recordings
- film and television recordings
- the layout of published editions of written, dramatic and musical works
You can mark your work with the copyright symbol (©), your name and the year of creation. Whether you mark the work or not doesn't affect the level of protection you have.
How copyright protects your work
Copyright prevents people from:
- copying your work
- distributing copies of it, whether free of charge or for sale
- renting or lending copies of your work
- performing, showing or playing your work in public
- making an adaptation of your work
- putting it on the internet
Copyright overseas
Your work could be protected by copyright in other countries through international agreements, for example the Berne Convention.
In most countries copyright lasts a minimum of life plus 50 years for most types of written, dramatic and artistic works, and at least 25 years for photographs. It can be different for other types of work. Contact the IPO Information Centre if you have a question about international copyright.
How long copyright lasts
Copyright protection starts as soon as a work is created. Once your copyright has expired, anyone can use or copy your work.
The length of copyright depends on the type of work.
| Type of work | How long copyright usually lasts |
|---|---|
| Written, dramatic, musical and artistic work | 70 years after the author's death |
| Sound and music recording | 70 years from when it's first published |
| Films | 70 years after the death of the director, screenplay author and composer |
| Broadcasts | 50 years from when it's first broadcast |
| Layout of published editions of written, dramatic or musical works | 25 years from when it's first published |
The length of copyright also depends on how long ago the work was created.
License and sell your copyright
You can license the use of your work if you own the copyright. You can also decide how your work is used.
You can register your work with a licensing body, for example a collecting society, who will agree licences with users for you and collect royalties for you.
Sell or transfer your copyright
You'll need to write and sign a document (sometimes called an ‘assignment') to show a sale or transfer has taken place.
Your copyright can be transferred by inheritance and will be valid as long as the work remains in copyright - check how long protection lasts.
Moral rights
You can keep or waive your ‘moral rights', which include the right to:
- be identified as the author of your work
- object to how the work is presented, for example if you think it's ‘derogatory' or damaging to you or your reputation
- object to changes made to your work
Stop people using your work
You're responsible for defending your copyright material against infringement.
Some people or organisations (such as libraries or schools) may be able to use copyright work without permission. You should check whether someone's use of your work is permitted before trying to stop them.
If you think someone is using your work and they don't know you own the rights
People or organisations must apply for a licence if they want to use a work that's covered by copyright but don't know who the rights holder is.
Check the licences register to see if anyone has licensed your work or is in the process of applying for a licence. If your work is on the register you can:
- apply to have an application stopped
- claim the licence fee that's been paid (if a licence has already been issued)
If you have a dispute about licensing
Your collecting society can contact the Copyright Tribunal and ask them to decide on some disputes about licensing.
Last edited on 02 July 2022 by Site Administrator
