http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/107Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 19882025-10-15Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 19881988-11-15texttext/xmlenStatute Law DatabaseExpert Participation2025-04-06 Part I Copyright Chapter VI Remedies for Infringement Offences Criminal liability for making or dealing with infringing articles, &c.1071A person commits an offence who, without the licence of the copyright owner—amakes for sale or hire, orbimports into the United Kingdom otherwise than for his private and domestic use, orcpossesses in the course of a business with a view to committing any act infringing the copyright, ordin the course of a business —isells or lets for hire, oriioffers or exposes for sale or hire, oriiiexhibits in public, orivdistributes, oredistributes otherwise than in the course of a business to such an extent as to affect prejudicially the owner of the copyright,an article which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe is, an infringing copy of a copyright work.2A person commits an offence who—amakes an article specifically designed or adapted for making copies of a particular copyright work, orbhas such an article in his possession,knowing or having reason to believe that it is to be used to make infringing copies for sale or hire or for use in the course of a business.2AA person (“P”) who infringes copyright in a work by communicating the work to the public commits an offence if P—aknows or has reason to believe that P is infringing copyright in the work, andbeither—iintends to make a gain for P or another person, oriiknows or has reason to believe that communicating the work to the public will cause loss to the owner of the copyright, or will expose the owner of the copyright to a risk of loss.2BFor the purposes of subsection (2A)—a“gain” and “loss”—iextend only to gain or loss in money, andiiinclude any such gain or loss whether temporary or permanent, andb“loss” includes a loss by not getting what one might get.3Where copyright is infringed (otherwise than by reception of a communication to the public)—aby the public performance of a literary, dramatic or musical work, orbby the playing or showing in public of a sound recording or film,any person who caused the work to be so performed, played or shown is guilty of an offence if he knew or had reason to believe that copyright would be infringed.4A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1)(a), (b), (d)(iv) or (e) is liable—aon summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine, or both;bon conviction on indictment to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or both.4AA person guilty of an offence under subsection (2A) is liable—aon summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or a fine, or both;bon conviction on indictment to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years, or both.5A person guilty of any other offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or both.6Sections 104 to 106 (presumptions as to various matters connected with copyright) do not apply to proceedings for an offence under this section; but without prejudice to their application in proceedings for an order under section 108 below.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)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)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)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)Pt. 1 Ch. VI applied (with modifications) (1.12.1996) by S.I. 1996/2967, reg. 17 (with Pt. III)Word in s. 107(4)(b) substituted (20.11.2002) by 2002 c. 25, s. 1(2)(5); S.I. 2002/2749, art. 2Pt. 1 modified (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 37(2) (with regs. 31-40)S. 107(4A) inserted (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 26(1)(b) (with regs. 31-40)Words in s. 107(3) substituted (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 2(1), Sch. 1 para. 9(2) (with regs. 31-40)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))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))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)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))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))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)Word in s. 107(5) substituted (1.1.2011) by The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2694), art. 5S. 107(2A)(2B) substituted for s. 107(2A) (1.10.2017) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 32(2), 118(6) (with s. 32(6)); S.I. 2017/765, reg. 3(a)Words in s. 107(4A)(a) substituted (12.3.2015) by The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Fines on Summary Conviction) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/664), reg. 1(1), Sch. 4 para. 17(2)(b) (with reg. 5(1))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))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))Words in s. 107(4)(a) substituted (12.3.2015) by The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (Fines on Summary Conviction) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/664), reg. 1(1), Sch. 4 para. 17(2)(a) (with reg. 5(1))Pt. 1: power to extend conferred (27.4.2017) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 118(1), 119(7)(8)(a)Word in s. 107(4A)(b) substituted (1.10.2017) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 32(3), 118(6) (with s. 32(6)); S.I. 2017/765, reg. 3(a)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 (15.12.2024) by S.I. 2024/193, arts. 1(2), 5(2)(3) and S.I. 2024/1124, arts. 1(2), 7)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)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 (15.12.2024) by S.I. 2024/193, arts. 1(2), 3, 4, 5(1) and S.I. 2024/1124, arts. 1(2), 7)