User:LarryGilbert/U.S. Copyright dynamic experiment

Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States 1 January

Works First Published Outside the U.S. by Foreign Nationals or U.S. Citizens Living Abroad

Date of Publication

Conditions

Copyright Term in the United States

Before 1923

None

In the public domain (But see first special case below) Works Published Abroad Before 1978

1923 through 1977

Published without compliance with US formalities, and in the public domain in its source country as of 1 January 1996

In the public domain

1923 through 1977

Published in compliance with all US formalities (i.e., notice, renewal)

95 years after publication date

1923 through 1977

Solely published abroad, without compliance with US formalities or republication in the US, and not in the public domain in its home country as of 1 January 1996

95 years after publication date

1923 through 1977

Published in the US less than 30 days after publication abroad

Use the US publication chart to determine duration

1923 through 1977

Published in the US more than 30 days after publication abroad, without compliance with US formalities, and not in the public domain in its home country as of 1 January 1996

95 years after publication date Works Published Abroad After 1 January 1978

After 1 January 1978

Published without copyright notice, and in the public domain in its source country as of 1 January 1996

In the public domain

After 1 January 1978

Published either with or without copyright notice, and not in the public domain in its home country as of 1 January 1996

70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, 95 years from publication Special Cases

1 July 1909 through 1978

In Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands ONLY. Published in a language other than English, and without subsequent republication with a copyright notice

Treat as an unpublished work until such date as first

US-compliant publication occurred

Before 19 Aug. 1954

Published by a Laotian in Laos

In the public domain

After 18 Aug. 1954

Published by a Laotian in Laos

Use the US publication chart to determine duration

Prior to 27 May 1973

Published by a national of Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan in either country

In the public domain

After 26 May 1973

Published by a national of Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan in either country

May be protected under the UCC

Anytime

Created by a resident of Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, or San Marino, and published in one of these countries

Not protected by US copyright law until they become party to bilateral or international copyright agreements

Anytime

Works whose copyright was once owned or administered by the Alien Property Custodian, and whose copyright, if restored, would as of January 1, 1996, be owned by a government

Not protected by US copyright law

Sound Recordings

(Note: The following information applies only to the sound recording itself, and not to any copyrights in underlying compositions or texts.)

Date of Fixation/Publication

Conditions

What was in the public domain in the U.S. as of 1 January Unpublished Sound Recordings, Domestic and Foreign

Prior to 15 Feb. 1972

Indeterminate

Subject to state common law protection. Enters the public domain on 15 Feb. 2067

After 15 Feb. 1972

Life of the author + 70 years. For unpublished anonymous and pseudonymous works and works made for hire (corporate authorship), 120 years from the date of fixation

Nothing. The soonest anything enters the public domain is 15 Feb. 2067 Sound Recordings Published in the United States

Date of Fixation/Publication

Conditions

What was in the public domain in the U.S. as of 1 January

Fixed prior to 15 Feb. 1972

None

Subject to state statutory and/or common law protection. Fully enters the public domain on 15 Feb. 2067

15 Feb 1972 to 1978

Published without notice (i.e,, year of publication, and name of copyright owner)

In the public domain

15 Feb. 1972 to 1978

Published with notice

95 years from publication. 2068 at the earliest

1978 to 1 March 1989

Published without notice, and without subsequent registration

In the public domain

1978 to 1 March 1989

Published with notice

70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation. 2049 at the earliest

After 1 March 1989

None

70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation. 2049 at the earliest Sound Recordings Published Outside the United States

Prior to 1923

None

Subject to state statutory and/or common law protection. Fully enters the public domain on 15 Feb. 2067

1923 to 1 March 1989

In the public domain in its home country as of 1 Jan. 1996 or there was US publication within 30 days of the foreign publication

Subject to state common law protection. Enters the public domain on 15 Feb. 2067

1923 to 15 Feb. 1972

Not in the public domain in its home country as of 1 Jan. 1996. At least one author of the work was not a US citizen or was living abroad, and there was no US publication within 30 days of the foreign publication

Enters public domain on 15 Feb. 2067

15 Feb. 1972 to 1978

Not in the public domain in its home country as of 1 Jan. 1996. At least one author of the work was not a US citizen or was living abroad, and there was no US publication within 30 days of the foreign publication

95 years from date of publication. 2068 at the earliest

1978 to 1 March 1989

Not in the public domain in its home country as of 1 Jan. 1996. At least one author of the work was not a US citizen or was living abroad, and there was no US publication within 30 days of the foreign publication

70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation

After 1 March 1989

None

70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation Special Cases

Fixed at any time

Created by a resident of Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, or San Marino, and published in one of these countries

Not protected by US copyright law because they are not party to international copyright agreements

Fixed prior to 1996

Works whose copyright was once owned or administered by the Alien Property Custodian, and whose copyright, if restored, would as of 1 January 1996 be owned by a government

Not protected by US copyright law

Architectural Works

(Note: Architectural plans and drawings may also be protected as textual/graphics works)

Date of Design

Date of Construction

Copyright Status

Prior to 1 Dec. 1990

Not constructed by 31 Dec. 2002

Protected only as plans or drawings

Prior to 1 Dec. 1990

Constructed by 1 Dec. 1990

Protected only as plans or drawings

Prior to 1 Dec. 1990

Constructed between 30 Nov. 1990 and 31 Dec. 2002

Building is protected for 70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation17

From 1 Dec. 1990

Immaterial

Building is protected for 70 years after death of author, or if work of corporate authorship, the shorter of 95 years from publication, or 120 years from creation

Creative Commons License

© 2004-9 Peter B. Hirtle. Last updated 5 January, 2009. Use of this chart is governed by the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License 3.0  In addition, permission is granted for non-profit educational use, including

but not limited to reserves and coursepacks made by for-profit copyshops.

Cornell Copyright Information Center &lt;http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/>