Public Domain Day Calendar
In most of the world, an author's works enter the public domain 70 years after their death — on January 1. Pick a year to see whose works became free for everyone.
Under the life+70 rule (European Union, Türkiye, UK and most countries).
How does this work?
In life+70 countries, copyright lasts until 70 full calendar years after the author's death. An author who died in 1955 was protected through the end of 2025; their works entered the public domain on January 1, 2026.
What about the United States?
The US uses a different rule for older works: publication + 95 years. In 2026, works published in 1930 enter the US public domain — regardless of when the author died. The same book can be public domain in one country and protected in another.
Caveats
This page is educational, not legal advice. Some countries add wartime extensions (France), some works have separate rights (translations, editions, music recordings), and unpublished works may follow different terms. Always verify for commercial use.