Which Creative Commons licences allow adaptations?
Four of the six Creative Commons 4.0 licenses let you share an adaptation. The two that block it carry the NoDerivatives tag: CC BY-ND 4.0 and CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. See “ND” in the code? You cannot distribute a modified version, even with credit and even for non-commercial use. The condition that gates sharing an adaptation is the absence of ND, not the NonCommercial clause. The ShareAlike requirement kicks in only after you clear that first hurdle. One decisive exception: an ND license permits private adaptation. You just cannot share the result under the license. Before you remix any CC-licensed work, open the original source page. Check the exact license code and version. Confirm that the code you see does not contain ND.
Which Creative Commons Licences Allow Adaptations
Four licenses let you share an adaptation: CC BY 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-NC 4.0, and CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. All six 4.0 licenses demand attribution. The two with ND forbid distributing modified work. The four without ND let you create and share adaptations, provided you comply with the remaining terms, commercial or non-commercial use, and the ShareAlike requirement where it applies.
CC BY 4.0
The most permissive. Adapt the work and share it for any purpose, commercial included. Provide attribution. That is your only obligation.
CC BY-SA 4.0
Same permissions as CC BY, plus the ShareAlike condition. When you share an adaptation, the result must carry CC BY-SA 4.0 or a license Creative Commons has officially named as compatible. Consult the official compatibility list. Do not assume two different SA licenses are compatible.
CC BY-NC 4.0
Adapt and share only for non-commercial purposes. Version 4.0 defines non-commercial as not primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation. The identity of the user, business, nonprofit, school, individual, does not decide the question by itself. Advertising, sponsorship, fundraising, internal business use and mixed purposes all require context. If your planned use carries material commercial risk, get separate permission or local legal advice.
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
NonCommercial plus ShareAlike. Adapt and share for non-commercial purposes only, and license the result under BY-NC-SA 4.0 or a compatible license. Two inputs can impose incompatible terms. Use the official compatibility chart and distinguish mere aggregation from an integrated adaptation.
What The NoDerivatives Licence Permits And Blocks
CC BY-ND 4.0 and CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 each prevent you from sharing adapted material. Under the 4.0 legal code, adapted material is work “based on and modifies the licensed work in a way requiring copyright permission.” You may still make adaptations for your own private use. Edit a photo for a personal project. Just do not distribute that new version to anyone else. The license permits sharing the unmodified work in any medium. A format shift alone, converting a PDF to a plain text file, does not create adapted material under the 4.0 definition. Translation is normally an adaptation, so ND licenses block sharing a translation. Synchronising music with a moving image is expressly Adapted Material under 4.0. Whether cropping, excerpting, editing or combining creates an adaptation can depend on applicable copyright law; no universal boundary exists.
| Licence | Share Unchanged | Share Adaptation | Commercial Use | ShareAlike Required On Adaptation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CC BY 4.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| CC BY-SA 4.0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CC BY-ND 4.0 | Yes | No | Yes | N/A |
| CC BY-NC 4.0 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 | Yes | No | No | N/A |
Allowed Use Versus Disallowed Use: Two Examples
Allowed use: You find a photograph licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Crop the image, add a text overlay, and include it in a non-commercial presentation you distribute online. Because the license lacks ND and your use is non-commercial, sharing the adaptation is permitted. You must provide attribution, indicate the modifications, and retain the original creator's notices.
Disallowed use: You take a song licensed CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 and remix it with another track, adding new instruments and a chorus. Upload the remix to a public streaming platform. The ND condition blocks you. Even though you are sharing for non-commercial purposes and giving credit, the license expressly forbids distributing adapted material. The remix is an adaptation; synchronising and editing a recording almost certainly creates one. Your only lawful option is to share the original song unchanged.
Common Questions
What is the difference between an adaptation and a collection under a CC license?
A collection keeps separate works separate, unchanged essays in an anthology, for instance. Each work retains its own license. Adapted material is based on and modifies the licensed work in a way that requires copyright permission. ND licenses block sharing the combination if it is an adaptation, but a collection of unchanged works is not an adaptation.
If a license has ShareAlike, can I use another ShareAlike license for my adaptation?
No, not automatically. Two SA licenses are not assumed to be compatible. Creative Commons publishes an official compatibility list. For version 4.0, there is one-way compatibility from CC BY-SA 4.0 to GPLv3 for adapted material, but this does not create compatibility in the reverse direction or turn a CC license into a software license.
Does an ND license allow me to edit the work for my own private use?
Yes. Under the 4.0 license terms, you may make adapted material for private use. You cannot share that adapted material under the license. Sharing means distributing it to others, whether online or offline.
What happens if I need to use a CC-licensed work in a way the license does not cover?
Request separate permission from the copyright holder. A licensor can waive a condition for a particular user without changing the public CC offer. This is common for commercial uses of NC-licensed works. The licensor can also dual-license the work. You must obtain this permission separately; the CC license alone does not grant you the additional right.
How do I confirm a work's exact license and version?
Open the original source page where the creator published the work. Do not rely on a repost, search thumbnail, or platform filter alone. Record the creator, source URL, exact license code and version (e.g., CC BY-SA 4.0 International), displayed notices, exclusions, and the date checked. If a site displays a CC badge but the license details are missing, the badge alone is not a guarantee.