Research Guides: Copyright Toolkit: Public Domain Day

Public Domain Day

Public Domain Day (PDD) is an observance of when copyrights expire and works enter into the public domain.[1] This legal transition of copyright works into the public domain usually happens every year on January 1 based on the individual copyright laws of each country.[1]

The observance of a "Public Domain Day" was initially informal; the earliest known mention was in 2004 by Wallace McLean (a Canadian public domain activist),[2] with support for the idea echoed by Lawrence Lessig.[3] Several websites list the authors whose works are entering the public domain each January 1. There are activities in countries around the world by various organizations all under the banner Public Domain Day.
- Source Wikipedia

Public Domain - United States

Starting January 1, 2025, all works published in 1929 and sound recordings from 1924 will enter the public domain in the United States. This includes a wide range of literature, art, films, and early musical recordings, offering fresh opportunities to explore, share, and adapt these cultural treasures. While there’s too much to list here, you can find a detailed rundown of what’s now available at Copyrightlately.

Graphic showcasing works release to public domain 2025 (https://copyrightlately.com/public-domain-2025/)

Public Domain - International

The Public Domain Review, based in the UK, offers an excellent overview of public domain developments, including notable works entering this year. They also explain how timelines for works to enter the public domain differ across countries, providing a helpful global perspective.

works by people who died in 1954, for countries with a copyright term of “life plus 70 years” (e.g. UK, Russia, most of EU and South America);
works by people who died in 1974, for countries with a term of “life plus 50 years” (e.g. New Zealand, and most of Africa and Asia);
films and books (incl. artworks featured) published in 1929 for the United States.

Screenshot of public domain advent calendar by Public Domain Review (https://publicdomainreview.org/features/entering-the-public-domain/2025/)

Public Domain - Worldwide

2025 in public domain

Wikipedia provides a list of what is entering the public domain, and since copyright laws vary by country the status of works available varies.

By Paramount - source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58629346

cc license

"Creative Commons Timeline" by Todd Jensen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.