Know Your Copy Rights: Using works in your teaching: Copyright Terms for Images

This site is intended for informational purposes only.  Library staff members cannot give legal advice.  For legal advice, you should contact an intellectual property attorney.

“Images & Copyright” is from The Davidson College Library Research Guide, which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

The term of a copyright depends on a number of factors, including the image's publication status and the date of first publication. Because copyright law has changed throughout the years, copyright terms vary.

Generally, the following rules apply:

• Not published (e.g., snapshots):  Life of the author plus 70 years
• Published before 1923:  Copyright protection has expired; the work is in the public domain
• Published without a copyright notice between 1923 and 1977:  Copyright protection has expired; the work is in the public domain
• Published between 1923 and 1963 and copyright not renewed:  Copyright protection has expired; the work is in the public domain
• Published between 1923 and 1963 and copyright was renewed:  95 years after first publication
• Published between 1978 and 2002:  rules vary depending on registration; see Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
• Published after 2002:  Life of the author plus 70 years

Chapter 3 of the Copyright Act

For more information about copyright terms and for help in determining if a work is still protected by copyright, see:

• Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States
• Duration of Copyright
• Digital Copyright Slider: Is It Protected by Copyright?