US copyright duration depends on when a work was published, who authored it, and sometimes whether old formalities were observed. This calculator applies the main duration rules to tell you whether a work is in the public domain today and, if not, roughly when its copyright is expected to expire.
How it works
The tool branches on work type and dates. The key rules it applies are:
published in (current year − 95) or earlier → public domain
known author, created 1978+ → death year + 70
work made for hire / anonymous → publication year + 95
published 1929–1977 → depends on renewal (flagged)As of 2026 the rolling public-domain cutoff is 1929: anything published that year or before is free to use. The cutoff moves forward one year each January 1.
Example and tips
A novel by an author who died in 1960 and that was first published in 1955 entered the public domain only if its copyright lapsed under old formalities; if it was properly renewed, the life-plus-70 term means it stays protected until the end of 2030. By contrast, a corporate work-made-for-hire film published in 1935 is already public domain because more than 95 years have passed. When a work falls in the 1929–1977 window, always check the Copyright Office’s renewal records before treating it as free — many, but not all, were never renewed.