What are the six Creative Commons licences?
The six Creative Commons 4.0 International licenses are, the six are: CC BY, CC BY-SA, CC BY-ND, CC BY-NC, CC BY-NC-SA, and CC BY-NC-ND. All six require attribution. The decisive exception: this question asks about the six licenses, not the two separate public-domain tools, CC0 and the Public Domain Mark. Identify which of the four license conditions, BY, SA, NC, ND, apply to the intended use before you proceed.
What Are The Six Creative Commons Licences?
Creative Commons is a nonprofit that publishes standard copyright licenses and public-domain tools. It does not register works, does not verify ownership, and does not give legal advice. The license sits on top of copyright: the creator keeps copyright while granting the public specified permissions in advance. Version 4.0 is the current international suite, designed without jurisdiction-specific ports.
The Six Licences Ranked By Permission
Read the condition elements, BY, SA, NC, ND, in the order they appear in the official license name.
1. CC BY 4.0
Sharing and adaptations, including commercial use. Attribution is the only condition. This is the most open license.
2. CC BY-SA 4.0
Sharing and adaptations, including commercial use. Any shared adaptation must use CC BY-SA 4.0 or a license Creative Commons has formally named as compatible. The official compatibility list is the sole authority; do not assume two SA licenses are compatible.
3. CC BY-ND 4.0
Sharing, including commercial sharing. Adapted material may be made for private use but may not be shared under this license. Format shifting alone does not create Adapted Material under the 4.0 definition.
4. CC BY-NC 4.0
Sharing and adaptations only for NonCommercial purposes. Version 4.0 defines NonCommercial as not primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation. The identity of the user, business, nonprofit, school or individual, does not decide the issue by itself.
5. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
NonCommercial sharing and adaptations, plus ShareAlike for shared adaptations. The same ShareAlike compatibility rules apply.
6. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
NonCommercial sharing of unadapted material only. No sharing of adaptations. This is the most restrictive license in the suite.
| Licence | Share Unadapted | Adapt And Share | Commercial Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC BY 4.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CC BY-SA 4.0 | Yes | Yes, under BY-SA | Yes |
| CC BY-ND 4.0 | Yes | No | Yes |
| CC BY-NC 4.0 | Yes, non-commercial | Yes, non-commercial | No |
| CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 | Yes, non-commercial | Yes, non-commercial, under BY-NC-SA | No |
| CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | Yes, non-commercial | No | No |
The Four Conditions Explained
Every 4.0 license includes at least one of four conditions. Understand each before applying or reusing a work.
BY, Attribution
Retain, when supplied by the licensor: identification of the creator and designated attribution parties; a copyright notice; a notice referring to the license; a warranty disclaimer; and a URI or hyperlink to the material where reasonably practicable. Link or refer to the license. Indicate modifications, retaining earlier modification notices. Attribution may be done in any reasonable manner for the medium. It must not imply endorsement.
SA, ShareAlike
This condition is triggered when Adapted Material is shared, not when unchanged material appears beside other separate works in a collection. The adapter applies the license named by the applicable SA clause or an officially designated compatible license. Creative Commons lists one-way compatibility from BY-SA 4.0 to GPLv3 for adapted material; this does not turn a CC license into a software license or create compatibility in the reverse direction.
NC, NonCommercial
Defined as not primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation. Advertising, sponsorship, fundraising, internal business use and mixed purposes require context. Do not invent a bright-line rule. If the planned use has material commercial risk, get separate permission or local legal advice.
ND, NoDerivatives
Sharing Adapted Material is not permitted under an ND license. Reproduction in a different format alone does not create Adapted Material. Translation is normally an adaptation. Synchronising music with a moving image is expressly Adapted Material under 4.0. Whether cropping, excerpting, editing or combining creates an adaptation depends on applicable copyright law.
What To Do Before Reusing A CC-Licensed Work
Open the original source page. Do not rely on a repost, search thumbnail or platform filter alone. Record the creator, source URL, exact license and version, displayed notices, exclusions and the date checked. Preserve a screenshot when the use matters. Confirm the intended activity: share unchanged, adapt, use commercially, or combine. Test NC, ND and SA against that activity. Check non-copyright permissions: people depicted or recorded, brands, data, location or property restrictions, confidentiality and platform rules. Attribute in a reasonable manner, link the exact license, mark changes and avoid implying endorsement.
The Single Thing That Most Often Goes Wrong
Reusers assume that because a work carries a CC license, they can combine it freely with other CC-licensed works. Combining material is not automatically lawful because each input uses a CC license. ND may block sharing the combination if it is an adaptation. SA may require a specific adapter's license. Two inputs can impose incompatible terms. Use the official compatibility chart and distinguish mere aggregation from an integrated adaptation. If the planned use has material commercial risk, get separate permission or local legal advice before acting.
Common Questions
What is the difference between CC0 and the six licences?
CC0 is a public-domain dedication with a waiver, not a licence. It aims to remove copyright and related-right conditions as far as the affirmer is legally able. The six licences keep copyright and grant permissions on top of it. The Public Domain Mark changes no rights; it marks material believed free of known copyright restrictions worldwide.
Can I apply a CC licence to software code?
Creative Commons licences are not designed for software code. Use a recognised free/open-source software licence suited to source code, patents and distribution. Documentation, art and other non-code assets may carry separate CC licences if they are clearly marked.
What happens if a reuser breaches a 4.0 licence?
Rights under a 4.0 licence terminate automatically upon breach. They are automatically reinstated from the date the violation is cured if it is cured within 30 days after the violator discovers it. Cure does not erase possible liability for the period of violation. Older versions have different termination language.
Does a CC licence guarantee the work is free of all restrictions?
No. The licence applies only where copyright or similar rights require permission. Exceptions and limitations such as fair use operate separately. The licence does not license patent or trademark rights. Moral, privacy and personality rights are handled only to the limited extent stated in the legal code. Possession of a CC-licensed copy does not guarantee the uploader owned all necessary rights.
How should I attribute a work under 4.0?
Use a reasonable manner for the medium. Include, when supplied: identification of the creator and designated attribution parties; a copyright notice; a notice referring to the licence; a warranty disclaimer; and a URI or hyperlink to the material where reasonably practicable. Indicate modifications and retain earlier modification notices. TASL, title, author, source, licence, is a useful mnemonic, not the complete legal text.