Q. What can I use without asking for copyright permissions?

Some works and some uses of works do not require permission from a copyright holder. Proceed with caution, as there may be strict conditions on what you can and can't do without asking for permission.

You do not need to seek permission if you are not using a “substantial part” (important, distinctive, essential or large amount) of the work.

Creative Commons and similar licences

If the work has a pre-approved licence applied to it (such as a Creative Commons licence or the licences available through "royalty free" sites), then you can use the material without seeking permission provided your use does not contravene conditions of use. Attribution is usually a requirement. If you wish to use the material for something not covered by the licence, then you will need to request permission.

Out of copyright and public domain materials

Works that have fallen out of copyright (copyright has expired) or works that have been given to the public domain can be used in any way, without seeking permission.

Exceptions

Copyright exceptions may allow you to use copyright materials without permission. Find out about exception categories, including fair dealing.

Statutory Licences

The education statutory licence allows for some copying to be done under the licence, for the purposes of providing learning material to a class. The amount of the copied material and the way in which it is made available to students must be controlled in order to come under the licence agreements.