Official texts, as defined in Article 2(4) of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, are texts of a legislative, administrative and legal nature (e.g. statute laws, administrative regulations and court decisions) and the official translations of such texts.
The Convention indicates that it shall be left to the discretion of each member country of the Berne Convention to determine the protection to be granted to such official texts in that country.
Generally, member countries of the Convention include official texts in the public domain. However, the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries claim a Crown copyright in their works. Many republics of the Commonwealth also copyright their official works, though they have no crown copyright.
Table Countries and areas Types of official texts Terms of copyright protection References and related articlesAlbaniaLiterary and artistic works being summaries of the official gazette of legislative and administrative nature and their official translations0, no copyrightArt. 3, AlgeriaLaws and regulations, decisions and administrative acts of state bodies and local authorities, court decisions, and their official translations0, no copyrightArt. 11, Other state worksFreely usable for non-profit when respecting the source and integrity of the worksArt. 9, AndorraOfficial text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, and its official translation0, no copyrightArt. 4, Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 1999AngolaLaws and judicial and administrative decisions0, no copyrightArt. 9, Copyright Law n° 4/90, March 1990Antigua and BarbudaPublic record0, no copyright (may make or supply to any person of any copy of the work)s. 67, Copyright Act, 2002ArmeniaOfficial documents (laws, decisions, decrees, etc.) as well as their official translations state emblems and signs (flags, coats of arms (armorial bearings), medals (decorations), monetary signs, etc.)0, no copyrightArt. 6, Law on Copyright and Neighbouring RightsAustriaLaws, ordinances and official decrees issued by Austrian federal and state authorities0, no copyrightAustrian copyright law (§7 UrhG)AustraliaWork, film or sound recording made by or under the direction or control of the Government, and any work first published by or under the direction or control of the Government.50 years until year end from publicationPart VII of the Copyright Act 1968 AzerbaijanOfficial documents (laws, court decisions, other texts of legislative, administrative or judicial character) and official translations thereof State emblems and official signs (flags, armorial bearings, decorations, monetary signs and other State symbols and official signs)0, no copyrightArt. 7, Law of Azerbaijan Republic "on Copyright and Neighbouring RightBahrain Court judgments passed by the law courts in various degrees and translations of such judgments Official documents such as texts of laws, Amiri Decrees, administrative orders, international treaties, their translations and all official documents Unless published in compiled publications for a reason that is attributed to creative efforts, arrangement or any other personal effort0, no copyright Art. 4(1)(a), (b), (2), BelarusFormal documents (laws, judgements, other texts of legal, administrative and judicial nature), and also their official translations State symbols and signs (flag, coat of arms, anthem, awards, banknotes and other signs)0, no copyrightLaw of the Republic of Belarus: No. 370-XIII of May 16, 1996: Section 2, Article 8 (in Russian, in English)BelgiumOfficial texts of the government 0, no copyrightArt. XI.172, §2 of the Commercial Code (in Dutch, in French)BrazilFormal documents (laws, judgements, other texts of legal, administrative and judicial nature)0, no copyrightLaw 9610/98, article 8 (, CanadaCanadian governmental works50 years until year end from publication (the first publication)Section 12 of the Copyright Act (French: ) Federal lawsReproductions are allowed with certain conditions, whether under Crown Copyright or not.Reproduction of Federal Law Order (French: )China, People's Republic of (Mainland)Laws; regulations; resolutions, decisions and orders of state organs; other documents of legislative, administrative and judicial nature; and their official translations0, no copyrightArticle 5 of the Copyright Law of the People's Republic of ChinaThe Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China is inapplicable in Hong Kong and Macau because it is not listed in Annex III of the Hong Kong Basic Law or Annex III of the Macau Basic Law.Czech Republic An official work, such as a legal regulation, decision, public charter, publicly accessible register and the collection of its records, and also An official draft of an official work and other preparatory official documentation including the official translation of such work, Chamber of Deputies and Senate publications, A memorial chronicle of a municipality (municipal chronicle), A state symbol and symbol of a regional self-governing unit, and Other such works where there is public interest in their exclusion from copyright protection.0, no copyrightCzech Copyright Act (, Section 3, Letter a)DjiboutiLaws, judicial and administrative decisions as well as their official translations0, no copyrightArt. 7(a), Loi n°114/AN/96/3e L relatif à la protection du droit d'auteurGeorgiaa) official documents (laws, decisions of courts, other texts of administrative and normative character), as well as their official translations; b) official symbols of state (flag, emblem, anthem, award, monetary symbols, other official signs and symbols of state); c) information of events and facts. When using the works mentioned in subparagraph "b" of this Article under the other person's name, it is possible to protect the right of author's name.0, no copyrightArticle 8 of the Law of Georgia No. 2388-Is of September 9, 1999 on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (in Russian, in English)Proposed official symbols and drafts of formal documentsCan be copyrightedArticle 8 of the Law of Georgia No. 2388-Is of September 9, 1999 on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (in Russian, in English)GermanyA statute, ordinance, official decree or judgment (official work) issued by a German federal or state authority or court0, no copyrightGerman copyright law (§ 5 Abs.1 UrhG).GhanaGovernmental works (Art. 3)70 years from creation or publication, whichever is laterCopyright Act, 2005 (Art. 13)GreeceOfficial texts expressive of the authority of the State, notably to legislative, administrative or judicial texts0, no copyrightArt. 2(5), Law 2121/1993GuatemalaWorks of the state or its public entities, municipalities, universities and other educational establishments in the country.75 years until year end from publicationChapter 5, and specifically Art. 49, Laws, decrees, regulations, orders, agreements, resolutions, judicial decisions and decisions of governmental bodies, as well as official translations of these texts.Freely usable when respecting the source and integrity of the worksArt. 68, Hong KongPublic record0, no copyright (may be copied for any purpose without infringement of copyright)Article 58, Chapter 528 of the Law of Hong Kong, the Copyright Ordinance ()Work made by an on-duty officer of the Government50 years from publication or 125 years from creation, whichever is shorter (until year end)Chapter 528 of the Law of Hong Kong, the Copyright Ordinance
Article 182, Article 183, and Article 184.Ordinances (laws)50 years from publication in the Gazette (until year end)Work made by or under the direction or control of the Legislative Council50 years after creation (until year end)IndiaGovernment work60 years until year end since publicationS. 28,Pursuant to S. 52(1)q.(iii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. WIPO Lex. Retrieved 2025-05-26, the reproduction or publication of the report of any committee, commission, council, board or other like body appointed by the Government if such report has been laid on the Table of the Legislature does not infringe copyright, unless the reproduction or publication of such report is prohibited by the Government.Indonesia Result of open meetings of State institutions Laws or regulations Courts decisions or judge provisions0, no copyrightArt. 42, Law No. 28 of Copyright Law of 2014ItalyTexts of official acts of the State or of public administrations, whether Italian or foreign0, no copyrightArt. 5, , as amended by Art. 17, Law No. 52 of 6 February 1996JapanOfficial texts0, no copyrightArt. 13, , as amendedKorea, Republic of (South)Official texts0, no copyrightArt. 7, Copyright Act of 30 December 1989Latvia Regulatory enactments and administrative rulings, other documents issued by the State and Local Governments and adjudications of courts (laws, court judgments, decisions and other official documents), as well as official translations of such texts; State approved as well as internationally recognized official symbols and signs (flags, coats of arms, anthems, decorations, banknotes, and the like), the use of which is subject to specific regulatory enactments; Maps, the preparation and use of which are determined by regulatory enactments;0, no copyrightArt. 6, MacauOfficial texts, in particular the texts of treaties, laws and regulations and those of reports or decisions by authorities of any kind, and translations thereof0, no copyrightWhere the official texts incorporate protected works, these may be used by public services within their area of concern without the author’s consent and without any right being thereby conferred on him.Article 6 of Decree-Law n.o 43/99/MMalaysiaWorks of the Government, Government organizations and international bodies50 years until year end since publications. 23, Copyright Act 1987NigeriaGovernmental literary, musical or non-photograph artistic works70 years until year end since publicationSchedule I, Copyright Act (Cap. 68) 1990NetherlandsLaws, decisions and regulations by a public authority, as well as judgements and administrative decisions.0, no copyrightArticle 11 of Dutch Copyright Law (Auteurswet)New ZealandGeneral Crown copyright100 years until year end (Section 26(3)(b))Sections 2(1), 26 and 27 of the Copyright Act 1994 Typographical arrangements of published material25 years until year endPakistanGovernment work50 years until year end from its publicationS. 22 of the PhilippinesAny official text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature and official translation thereof0, no copyrightSection 175, Intellectual Property Code of the PhilippinesPoland(1) Normative texts and the drafts thereof (2) Official documents, documentary material, devices and symbols.0, no copyrightArticle 4 of Law of February 4, 1994, on Copyright and Neighboring RightsRomaniaOfficial texts of a political, legislative, administrative or judicial nature, and official translations thereof0, no copyrightArticle 9 of Law No. 8 of March 14, 1996, on Copyright and Neighboring RightsRussiaShall not be objects of copyright: official documents of state government agencies and local government agencies of municipal formations, including laws, other legal texts, judicial decisions, other materials of legislative, administrative and judicial character, official documents of international organizations, as well as their official translations;