How long does a copyright protection last?
Answer
This answer pertains to United States Copyright Law only, and does not constitute legal counsel.
The length of copyright protection depends on:
- when the work was created
- when the work was published, and/or registered
- who created the work
The table below lists copyright duration based on these factors.
| Scenario | Duration |
|
Works created before January 1, 1978 (protected under the 1909 Copyright Act) Note: Under the 1909 Copyright Act, copyright protection begins with first publication of the work and lasts for a period of 28 years, renewable for an additional term of 28 years, for a total term of protection of 56 years. In 1976, Congress extended the renewal term to 47 years, increasing the total possible term of protection to 75 years. In 1998, Congress again extended the renewal term by an additional 20 years, for total possible term of protection of 95 years from publication. |
|
| works created by individual authors on or after January 1, 1978 | 70 years after the author's death |
| work prepared by two or more authors ("joint work") | 70 years after the last surviving author's death |
| works made for hire/ anonymous and pseudonymous works | 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever is shorter |
| Works created but not published or registered by January 1, 1978 | |
| 70 years after the author’s death (or at least through December 31, 2002) | |
| Works published on or before December 31, 2002 | |
| Through December 31, 2047 | |
When the term of protection for a copyrighted work expires, the work enters into the public domain.
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