Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (c. 48)

Part I U.K. Copyright

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/988, art. 2(3), 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6) (which S.I. was revoked by S.I. 1989/1293, Sch. 5)

C2 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/1293, arts. 2(3), 3, 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6) (which S.I. was revoked by S.I.1993/942, art. 8, Sch. 5)

C3 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) by S.I. 1993/942, arts. 2(3), 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6) (as amended by S.I.1994/263, art. 2 and S.I. 1995/2987, art. 3) (which S.I. and amending S.Is. were revoked by S.I. 1999/1751, art. 8, Sch. 6)

C4 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(3), 3, 4(3)(5), 5, 7, Schs. 2, 4, 5 (as amended (22.4.2003) by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5) (which S.I. and amending S.I. were revoked (1.5.2005) by S.I. 2005/852, art. 8)

C5 Pt. 1 extended in part (with modifications) (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending S.I.) by The Copyright (Bermuda) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/1517), art. 2, Sch. (which S.I. was revoked (12.11.2009) by S.I. 2009/2749, arts. 1, 2)

C6 Pt. 1 modified (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 37(2) (with regs. 31-40)

C7 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (1.5.2005) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/852), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2006) by S.I. 2006/316, art. 1(3))

C8 Pt. 1 extended in part (with modifications) (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending S.I.) by The Copyright (Gibraltar) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/853), art. 2, Sch. (which S.I. is revoked (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2006/1039, arts. 1, 2)

C9 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2006) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/316), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2007) by S.I. 2007/273, art. 1(3))

C10 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2007) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/273), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2008) by S.I. 2008/677, art. 1(3))

C11 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/677), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2012) by S.I. 2012/799, art. 1(3))

C12 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2012) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/799), arts. 1(1), arts. 2-5, Schs. (with art. 8) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2013) by S.I. 2013/536), art. 1(3))

C13 Pt. 1 extended in part (with modifications) (6.4.2013) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/536), arts. 1(1), 2, 4, 5, Sch. (with art. 8) (as amended (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/216, art. 2) (which S.I. and amending S.I. were revoked (6.4.2017) by S.I. 2016/1219, art. 1(3))

C14 Pt. 1 extended in part (Cayman Islands) (with modifications) (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending Order) by The Copyright (Cayman Islands) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/795), arts. 1, 2, Sch. (as amended by (S.I. 2016/370, arts. 1, 2-40)

C15 Pt. 1 restricted (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 2, 3, 6 (with art. 13) (as amended (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2024/193, arts. 1(2), 3, 4, 5)

C16 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 4, 5, 7, 8, Sch. Pt. 1 (with art. 13) (as amended: (26.6.2021) by S.I. 2021/636, arts. 1, 2(2); (1.12.2021) by S.I. 2021/1258, arts. 1, 2(2); (15.4.2023) by S.I. 2023/296, arts. 1, 2(2); and (coming into force in accordance with art. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2024/193, arts. 1(2), 5)

C17 Pt. 1: power to extend conferred (27.4.2017) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 118(1), 119(7)(8)(a)

Chapter IX U.K. Qualification for and Extent of Copyright Protection

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C18 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 4 (with art. 13)

C19 Pt. 1 restricted (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 6 (with art. 13)

C20 Pt. 1 restricted (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 9 (with art. 13)

C21 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 7 (with art. 13)

C22 Pt. 1 restricted (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 2 (with art. 13)

C23 Pt. 1 restricted (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 3 (with art. 13)

C24 Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 5, Sch. Pt. 1 (with art. 13)

C25 Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 8 (with art. 13)

Qualification for copyright protection U.K.

153 Qualification for copyright protection. U.K.

(1) Copyright does not subsist in a work unless the qualification requirements of this Chapter are satisfied as regards—

(a) the author (see section 154), or

(b) the country in which the work was first published (see section 155), or

(c) in the case of a broadcast F1 . . . , the country from which the broadcast was made F1 . . . (see section 156).

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to Crown copyright or Parliamentary copyright (see sections 163 to [F2 166D]) or to copyright subsisting by virtue of section 168 (copyright of certain international organisations).

(3) If the qualification requirements of this Chapter, or section 163, 165 or 168, are once satisfied in respect of a work, copyright does not cease to subsist by reason of any subsequent event.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 153(1)(c) repealed (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 2(2), Sch. 2 (with regs. 31-40)

F2 Word in s. 153(2) substituted by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), s. 160(1), Sch. 10 para. 25 (with Sch. 11 para. 22), the amending provision coming into force immediately after "the 2007 election" (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the amending Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of "the initial period" (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) - see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the amending Act.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C26 Ss. 153, 154 extended by S.I. 1989/988, art. 2(1)

C27 S. 153 extended (1.7.1992) by S.I. 1992/1313, art. 2

C28 Ss. 153, 154 applied (with modifications) (4.5.1993) by S.I. 1993/942, arts. 2, 3, 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6)

Ss. 153-155 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(1)(2), 5, Sch. 1, Sch. 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

Ss. 153, 154, 155 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(1)(2), 3, 5, Sch. 1, Sch. 2, Sch. 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

Ss. 153, 154, 156 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 4(1)(2)(5), 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

154 Qualification by reference to author. U.K.

(1) A work qualifies for copyright protection if the author was at the material time a qualifying person, that is—

(a) a British citizen, F3 ... a British Dependent Territories citizen, a British National (Overseas), a British Overseas citizen, a British subject or a British protected person within the meaning of the M1 British Nationality Act 1981, or

[F4 (b) an individual domiciled or resident in the United Kingdom F5 ... or in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar or in a country to which the relevant provisions of this Part extend,] or

[F6 (c) a body incorporated under the law of a part of the United Kingdom F7 ... or of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar or of a country to which the relevant provisions of this Part extend.]

(2) Where, or so far as, provision is made by Order under section 159 (application of this Part to countries to which it does not extend), a work also qualifies for copyright protection if at the material time the author was a citizen or subject of, an individual domiciled or resident in, or a body incorporated under the law of, a country to which the Order relates.

(3) A work of joint authorship qualifies for copyright protection if at the material time any of the authors satisfies the requirements of subsection (1) or (2); but where a work qualifies for copyright protection only under this section, only those authors who satisfy those requirements shall be taken into account for the purposes of—

section 11(1) and (2) (first ownership of copyright; entitlement of author or author’s employer),

[F8 section 12 (duration of copyright), and section 9(4) (meaning of “unknown authorship”) so far as it applies for the purposes of section 12, and]

section 57 (anonymous or pseudonymous works: acts permitted on assumptions as to expiry of copyright or death of author).

(4) The material time in relation to a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work is—

(a) in the case of an unpublished work, when the work was made or, if the making of the work extended over a period, a substantial part of that period;

(b) in the case of a published work, when the work was first published or, if the author had died before that time, immediately before his death.

(5) The material time in relation to other descriptions of work is as follows—

(a) in the case of a sound recording or film, when it was made;

(b) in the case of a broadcast, when the broadcast was made;

(c) F9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d) in the case of the typographical arrangement of a published edition, when the edition was first published.

Textual Amendments

F3 Words in s. 154(1)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Intellectual Property (Copyright and Related Rights) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/605), regs. 1(2), 14(a) (with reg. 38) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1050, regs. 1(2), 4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F4 S. 154(1)(b) substituted (1.12.2016 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 22(1)(b), 24(1); S.I. 2016/1139, arts. 2, 3 (with art. 4)

F5 Words in s. 154(1)(b) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Intellectual Property (Copyright and Related Rights) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/605), regs. 1(2), 14(b) (with reg. 38) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1050, regs. 1(2), 4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F6 S. 154(1)(c) substituted (1.12.2016 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 22(1)(c), 24(1); S.I. 2016/1139, arts. 2, 3 (with art. 4)

F7 Words in s. 154(1)(c) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Intellectual Property (Copyright and Related Rights) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/605), regs. 1(2), 14(b) (with reg. 38) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1050, regs. 1(2), 4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F8 Paragraph in s. 154(3) substituted (1.1.1996) by S.I. 1995/3297, reg. 5(3) (with Pt. III)

F9 S. 154(5)(c) repealed (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 2(2), Sch. 2 (with regs. 31-40)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C29 Ss. 153, 154 extended by S.I. 1989/988, art. 2(1)

C30 S. 154 extended (1.7.1992) by S.I. 1992/1313, art. 2

C31 Ss. 153, 154 applied (with modifications) (4.5.1993) by S.I. 1993/942, arts. 2, 3, 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6)

Ss. 153-155 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(1)(2), 5, Sch. 1, Sch. 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

Ss. 153, 154, 155 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(1)(2), 3, 5, Sch. 1, Sch. 2, Sch. 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

Ss. 153, 154, 156 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 4(1)(2)(5), 5, Sch. 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

Marginal Citations

M1 1981 c. 61.

155 Qualification by reference to country of first publication. U.K.

(1) A literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work, a sound recording or film, or the typographical arrangement of a published edition, qualifies for copyright protection if it is first published—

(a) in the United Kingdom[F10 , F11 ... the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar], or

(b) in [F12 a country] to which the relevant provisions of this Part extend.

(2) Where, or so far as, provision is made by Order under section 159 (application of this Part to countries to which it does not extend), such a work also qualifies for copyright protection if it is first published in a country to which the Order relates.

(3) For the purposes of this section, publication in one country shall not be regarded as other than the first publication by reason of simultaneous publication elsewhere; and for this purpose publication elsewhere within the previous 30 days shall be treated as simultaneous.

Textual Amendments

F10 Words in s. 155(1)(a) inserted (1.12.2016 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 22(2)(a), 24(1); S.I. 2016/1139, arts. 2, 3 (with art. 4)

F11 Words in s. 155(1)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Intellectual Property (Copyright and Related Rights) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/605), regs. 1(2), 15 (with reg. 38) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1050, regs. 1(2), 4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F12 Words in s. 155(1)(b) substituted (1.12.2016 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 22(2)(b), 24(1); S.I. 2016/1139, arts. 2, 3 (with art. 4)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C32 S. 155 extended with modifications by S.I. 1989/1293, arts. 2(1), 3, 5, 6, Schs. 1, 2, 3, 4

C33 S. 155 extended (1.7.1992) by S.I. 1992/1313, art.2

C34 S. 155 applied (with modifications) (4.5.1993) by S.I. 1993/942, arts.2, 3, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6)

Ss. 153-155 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(1)(2), 5, Sch. 1, Sch. 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

Ss. 153, 154, 155 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(1)(2), 3, 5, Sch. 1, Sch. 2, Sch. 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)

156 Qualification by reference to place of transmission. U.K.

(1) F13 A broadcast qualifies for copyright protection if it is made from . . . a place in—

(a) the United Kingdom[F14 , F15 ... the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar], or

(b) [F16 a country] to which the relevant provisions of this Part extend.

(2) Where, or so far as, provision is made by Order under section 159 (application of this Part to countries to which it does not extend), a broadcast F13 . . . also qualifies for copyright protection if it is made from F13 . . . a place in a country to which the Order relates.

Textual Amendments

F13 Words in s. 156(1)(2) repealed (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 2(2), Sch. 2 (with regs. 31-40)

F14 Words in s. 156(1)(a) inserted (1.12.2016 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 22(3)(a), 24(1); S.I. 2016/1139, arts. 2, 3 (with art. 4)

F15 Words in s. 156(1)(a) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Intellectual Property (Copyright and Related Rights) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/605), regs. 1(2), 16 (with reg. 38) (as amended by S.I. 2020/1050, regs. 1(2), 4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F16 Words in s. 156(1)(b) substituted (1.12.2016 for specified purposes, 6.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Intellectual Property Act 2014 (c. 18), ss. 22(3)(b), 24(1); S.I. 2016/1139, arts. 2, 3 (with art. 4)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C35 S. 156 extended (1.7.1992) by S.I. 1992/1313, art.2

C36 S. 156 applied (with modifications) (4.5.1993) by S.I. 1993/942, art.4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6)

Ss. 153, 154, 156 applied (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 4(1)(2)(5), 5 (as amended 22.4.2003 by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5)