This template categorises Author namespace pages into Category:Author-PD-US and all other pages into Category:PD-US.

Usage edit

Adds licence information for works published over 95 years ago. Also can be used on author pages.

Template parameters

This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.

ParameterDescriptionTypeStatus
deathyeardeathyear 1

The year of death of the author (or the last author to die in the case of multiple authors).

Example
1945
Numberoptional
pubyearpubyear 2

The year when the work was first published.

Example
1945
Numberoptional
filmfilm

Whether the work is a film.

Suggested values
yes no
Default
false
Example
yes
Booleanoptional

Please consider using the deathyear parameter to automatically enhance the template to show how many years ago the authors died and pubyear to show how when the work was published, or using {{PD-anon-US|year of publication}} for anonymous and pseudonymous works.

Examples edit

Basic usage:

Example

{{PD-US}}

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

For an author who died in 1980:

Example

{{PD-US|1980}}

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1980, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 43 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

You can also write the parameter like this:

Example

{{PD-US|deathyear=1945}}

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1945, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 78 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

If the author died more than 100 years ago, the template will automatically call {{PD-old}}:

Example

{{PD-US|1=1920}}

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

For a film where the last author died in 1983:

Example

{{PD-US|1983|film=yes}}

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.


Copyright law abroad tends to consider the following people authors of a film:

  • The principal director
  • The screenwriter, and/or other writers of dialogue
  • The composer/lyricist (if the film is accompanied by sound)
  • The cinematographer
  • By extension, the authors of any works that may serve as the basis for a film's plot

The longest-living of these authors died in 1983, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 40 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

To show a publication year:

Example

{{PD-US|pubyear=1926}}

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1926, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.


This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

You can include both a death year and a publication year:

Example

{{PD-US|1983|pubyear=1926}}

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1926, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.


The longest-living author of this work died in 1983, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 40 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

All parameters together:

Example

{{PD-US|1983|pubyear=1926|film=yes}}

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1926, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.


Copyright law abroad tends to consider the following people authors of a film:

  • The principal director
  • The screenwriter, and/or other writers of dialogue
  • The composer/lyricist (if the film is accompanied by sound)
  • The cinematographer
  • By extension, the authors of any works that may serve as the basis for a film's plot

The longest-living of these authors died in 1983, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 40 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

An error will be shown for post-cutoff publication dates:

Example

{{PD-US|pubyear=2023}}

PD-US does not apply to works published after 1928.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse


See also edit

Use the following templates to create dynamic copyright messaging that will update as time passes and stay accurate when the author's death year (ADY) is known. Direction for including ADY is in each template document.

Published prior to 1929, ADY 100+ years ago {{PD-old}}
Published prior to 1929, ADY anything less than 100 years ago {{PD-US}}
Published after 1928 and before 1978, no copyright notice {{PD-US-no-notice}}
Published after 1928 and before 1978, defective copyright notice {{PD-US-defective-notice}}
Published after 1928 and before 1964, non-renewal confirmed {{PD-US-no-renewal}}
Published after 1928 and before home country's URAA date (January 1, 1996 for most countries), not published in the US prior to that date {{PD-1996}}
Published after 1977 and before March 2, 1989, no copyright notice and no registration within 5 years {{PD-US-no-notice-post-1977}}
Published after 1977 and before March 2, 1989, defective copyright notice and no registration within 5 years {{PD-US-defective-notice-post-1977}}
Published after 2002, ADY 70+ years ago {{PD-old-US}}

More information edit