Get permission to use text

In the UK, a text is copyright protected for 70 years after the end of the year the author dies in. Copyright covers writing in any form, including for example the pages of websites and blogs, and printed text.

Copyright doesn't just cover the reproduction or adaptation of a text; it covers the storing and sharing of texts with other people – online or offline. If you are copying or sharing in any way a substantial part of a text, you will need to get permission from the copyright holder.

If you're part of an organisation such as a business, charity or educational establishment, you can get licences that allow you to use text from a wide range of publications. Typically, the licences cover photocopying or scanning articles from magazines, journals, books, newspapers and specialist titles, emailing articles or press cuttings internally to colleagues, cutting and pasting content from a digital or online publication or website or uploading and storing published content or cuttings on an intranet.

If you are quoting shorter parts of a text (for example in an essay or newspaper report), you should make sure that you provide a reference to say where your quotes come from – this applies no matter what kind of document you are quoting from. But if you wish to quote more substantial amounts of text, you will need a licence.

During the Copyright Hub's current pilot phase, we are aware that our helpful information and referrals might not satisfy all of your questions, and you may also need to contact other organisations for permission or advice.

Who to contact