Canadian public domain calculator

Enter the year the author died to see how long the work is protected and when anyone can use it freely.

The author

Year the author died

Work of joint authorship: enter the year the last surviving author died.

Result

Enter a year to see the result.

Estimate for a work by an individual author, under the general rule of the Copyright Act (section 6): 70 years since December 30, 2022, and 50 years for authors who died before 1972, whose works stay in the public domain. Anonymous, posthumous and Crown works follow their own rules.

How long does copyright last in Canada?

Since December 30, 2022, copyright lasts for the life of the author, the rest of the calendar year of their death, and 70 more years (section 6 of the Copyright Act). The term used to be 50 years: works by authors who died before 1972 were already in the public domain and stay there.

Special cases

Works of joint authorship: the term runs from the death of the last surviving author.
Anonymous and pseudonymous works, posthumous works, Crown works: the Act sets their own terms.
Sound recordings and performances: these related rights have their own terms.

Public domain does not mean everything is free

A public domain work can be used freely. A recent translation, adaptation or photograph of that work, however, can have its own copyright.

Quiz

Quick quiz

Three quick questions about copyright. The explanation shows as soon as you answer.

How long does copyright last in Canada?
- 50 years after the work is published
- The author's life, then until the end of the 70th year after their death
- Forever
Show the answer
Correct answer: The author's life, then until the end of the 70th year after their death The term went from 50 to 70 years on December 30, 2022 (section 6). The change did not revive works by authors who died before 1972: they stay in the public domain.
In Canada, can an author assign their moral rights?
- Yes, like their economic rights
- No, they cannot be assigned, but the author can waive them
- Yes, but only to a company
Show the answer
Correct answer: No, they cannot be assigned, but the author can waive them Under section 14.1 of the Copyright Act, moral rights (to be named as the author and to the integrity of the work) cannot be assigned, but they can be waived in whole or in part. Check what your contracts say.
Is software protected by copyright in Canada?
- Yes, as a literary work, source code included
- No, only patents can protect software
- Only once it is published
Show the answer
Correct answer: Yes, as a literary work, source code included The Act lists computer programs among literary works (section 2). The ideas, methods and features behind them are not protected by copyright.

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