On January 1, 2026, qualifying works published or registered in the United States in 1930 entered the U.S. public domain. The transition also covers sound recordings first published in 1925, which follow a different schedule. These dates do not automatically clear later adaptations, versions, or use outside the United States.
What entered the public domain in 2026?
Duke University’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain describes thousands of works from 1930 entering the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2026. The Library of Congress likewise says creative works that secured federal copyright protection by publication or registration in 1930 entered on that date. “Thousands” is a broad description, not an exact count.
Examples span books, films, comics, animation, musical compositions, and recordings. The year identifies a cohort of qualifying works; it does not mean that everything by a creator who published something in 1930 is free to reuse.
Books and characters
- As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
- The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie
- The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
- The first four Nancy Drew books, written by Mildred Benson under the pen name Carolyn Keene
- Early appearances of Betty Boop, Pluto—first named Rover—and Blondie and Dagwood
These examples refer to qualifying early material, not every later portrayal, story, or version of those characters.
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Films
Examples of films entering the U.S. public domain include Animal Crackers, The Blue Angel, King of Jazz, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Cimarron. A film’s status does not by itself settle the status of a later remake, translation, restoration, or other separately protected material.
Music: compositions and recordings are different
Musical compositions entering in the 1930 cohort include “I Got Rhythm,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me.” A composition is the underlying music and lyrics; a recording is a particular recorded performance. The composition’s status does not establish that a specific recording is free to use.
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Why do 1930 works enter in 2026?
For the relevant works published or registered before 1978, Duke explains that the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act provided a 95-year term. The 1930 cohort remained protected through 2025 and entered the public domain on the following January 1.
This is separate from the general rule for works created on or after January 1, 1978. The U.S. Copyright Office says those works generally last for the author’s life plus 70 years, with different rules for joint works, anonymous or pseudonymous works, and works made for hire. Do not apply that rule to the 1930 cohort.
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Are old recordings public domain too?
Yes, a separate group of sound recordings first published in 1925 entered the U.S. public domain in January 2026. Duke describes a 100-year term for recordings first published from 1923 through 1946, followed by entry in January of the next year.
Examples include Marian Anderson’s “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” the Knickerbockers’ “Manhattan,” and Bessie Smith’s “The St. Louis Blues” featuring Louis Armstrong. Check the recording and the underlying composition separately: one may be public domain while the other is not, or their relevant dates may differ.
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Can I use works published in 1930?
For a qualifying original work whose U.S. copyright expired, copyright no longer gives its former owner exclusive rights to reproduce, perform or display it, or create adaptations. But a year-based list is a starting point, not a substitute for checking the particular work and version.
- Identify the exact material. Check the publication or registration history of the particular book, film, composition, recording, or image—not just its creator’s name.
- Separate original from later material. Later adaptations, films, translations, restorations, and character depictions may have separate copyright protection.
- Check the location of use. This article describes U.S. copyright status. Copyright terms differ between countries, so U.S. public-domain status does not establish that a work is free to use elsewhere.
- Consider other protections. Public-domain copyright status does not prove that no other legal restrictions or protections apply; the Library of Congress specifically cautions that other protections may remain.
Individual publication, registration, restoration, and version histories can be complicated. For a particular use, verify the relevant records and applicable law rather than relying solely on a list of examples.
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Sources and further reading
- Duke University School of Law Center for the Study of the Public Domain: Public Domain Day 2026
- Library of Congress: 2026 public-domain announcement
- U.S. Copyright Office: What is Copyright?
- Associated Press: 2026 public-domain coverage
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