Skip to Main Content

Mohave Community College Libraries

What is the Public Domain?

The public domain is a collection of works that are not subject to copyright law. When a work is in the public domain, you can freely copy, distribute, display or perform the work without fear of legal reprisal. Public domain works fall into three categories:

1. Works that automatically enter the public domain upon creation (because they are not copyrightable). Generally speaking these include:

  • Titles, names, short phrases and slogans, familiar symbols and numbers.
  •  Ideas, methods, and facts
  • Works consisting  of information that is common property and contains no original authorship.
  • Government works and documents

2. Works donated to the public domain by their authors/creators

3. Works that have entered the public domain because the copyright on them has expired (use the chart below and the Tools & Resources tab to help make this determination).

 

Works Registered or First Published in the U.S.
DATE OF PUBLICATION CONDITIONS COPYRIGHT TERM
Before 1929 None None. in the public domain due to copyright expiration
1929 through 1977 Published without a copyright notice None. In the public domain due to failure to comply with required formalities
1978 to March 1, 1989 Published without notice,
and without subsequent
registration within 5 years		 None. In the public domain due to failure to
comply with required formalities
1978 to March 1, 1989 Published without notice,
but with subsequent
registration within 5 years		 70 years after the death of author. If a work of
corporate authorship, 95 years from
publication or 120 years from creation,
whichever expires first
1929 through 1963 Published with notice but
copyright was not
renewed		 None. In the public domain due to copyright
expiration
1929 through 1963 Published with notice and
the copyright was
renewed		 95 years after publication date
1964 through 1977 Published with notice 95 years after publication date
1978 to March 1, 1989 Created after 1977 and
published with notice		 70 years after the death of author. If a work of
corporate authorship, 95 years from
publication or 120 years from creation,
whichever expires first
1978 to March 1, 1989 Created before 1978 and
first published with notice
in the specified period		 The greater of the term specified in the
previous entry or 31 December 2047
From March 1,
1989 through
2002		 Created after 1977 70 years after the death of author. If a work of
corporate authorship, 95 years from
publication or 120 years from creation,
whichever expires first
From March 1,
1989 through
2002		 Created before 1978 and
first published in this
period		 The greater of the term specified in the
previous entry or 31 December 2047
After 2002 None 70 years after the death of author. If a work of
corporate authorship, 95 years from
publication or 120 years from creation,
whichever expires first
Anytime Works prepared by an
officer or employee of the
United States Government
as part of that person's
official duties		 None. In the public domain in the United
States, unless the employee was a civilian
member of the faculty of one of 15 service
academies and the work in question is a
literary work intended for scholarly
publication. (17 U.S.C. § 105)