# Copyrights **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427 "2025-07-03T03:23:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mglambo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mglambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mglambo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/1 "2025-07-03T03:23:27Z")
How long do copyrights last? Specifically, if an author died in 1992, when would his executors rights expire and the works enter the public domain? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/2 "2025-07-03T03:57:14Z")
2062, seventy years the [death of the author](https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-duration.html)… > As a general rule, for works created after January 1, 1978, copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/3 "2025-07-03T04:27:11Z")
If the work was created and published before 1978, then the copyright term is 95 years from the date of publication. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/4 "2025-07-03T04:35:26Z")
It depends what country. In Canada, it’s life of the author plus 50 years. With a special rule that if the creator died before 1971, the work is now in public domain. [How long does copyright last? | SFU Library](https://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/academic-integrity/copyright/length#:~:text=Copyright%20does%20not%20last%20forever,life%20plus%2070%22%20rule)). ---
**Author:** ![UDS1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47774/32.png) [@UDS1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS1)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/5 "2025-07-03T05:59:48Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > It depends what country. > > In Canada, it’s life of the author plus 50 years. There is some international co-ordination of these things. Under the Berne Convention, in which about 180 states participate, member states commit to a minimum copyright term of life + 50 years. They are free to set higher terms, but not lower. And of course EU member states all share a copyright regime. The EU copyright period is life + 70 years, as in the US. > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > With a special rule that if the creator died before 1971, the work is now in public domain. Wouldn’t that be the case anyway? If the creator died before 1971, then then under the standard life + 50 years rule their works would be in the public domain since 2021 at the latest. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/6 "2025-07-03T06:17:25Z")
In U.S. law, for works created after January 1, 1978 that are made for hire or owned by a corporation, the copyright lasts for 95 years from the date of publication or 120 years from the date of creation, whichever comes first. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/7 "2025-07-03T13:17:57Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In Canada, it’s life of the author plus 50 years. The link says 70. It’s 50 for government documents. I recall something about Project Gutenberg that some works were expired in some countries, one could (at one time?) go to the Australian Gutenberg to find works still copyright in the USA. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2025, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyrights/1020427/8 "2025-07-03T13:20:04Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > The link says 70. It’s 50 for government documents. You’re right. Late night typo.