Is CC0 a Creative Commons licence?
CC0 is not a Creative Commons license. It is a public-domain dedication and tool, separate from the six-license suite. The affirmer waives copyright and related rights as far as legally possible, using a three-part mechanism: a waiver, a fallback license where the waiver fails, and a non-assertion promise limited to remaining Copyright and Related Rights. The decisive exception: CC0 does not guarantee that privacy, publicity, trademark, patent, contract, cultural-heritage or other law permits a use. Treat any CC0 work as if the only rights waived are copyright and similar rights the affirmer controlled. Check all non-copyright permissions separately.
CC0 Belongs to a Different Toolset Than the Six Licenses
Two Separate Categories of Legal Tool
Creative Commons stewards two distinct tool categories. The six licenses, CC BY, BY-SA, BY-ND, BY-NC, BY-NC-SA, BY-NC-ND, operate on top of copyright. The creator retains rights while granting specified permissions in advance. All six require attribution under 4.0.
CC0 and the Public Domain Mark are not two more items in that suite. The CC0 legal code uses a waiver, a fallback license, and a non-assertion promise. The Public Domain Mark changes no rights; it marks material believed free of known copyright restrictions worldwide.
Why the Distinction Changes Your Reuse
A CC BY work carries binding conditions. Breach them and the license terminates automatically under 4.0, with a 30-day cure window after discovery producing automatic reinstatement. A CC0 work carries no conditions. The affirmer has waived the right to enforce them. But that waiver extends only as far as the affirmer’s own rights. It does not touch non-copyright rights at all.
What CC0 Does and Does Not Do
CC0 removes copyright and related-right conditions as far as the affirmer is legally able. The affirmer must control the rights being waived. CC0 does not license patent or trademark rights. Moral, privacy and personality rights are handled only to the limited extent stated in the legal code. They may still matter. Possession of a CC0 copy is not a guarantee that the uploader owned all necessary rights or that every component is covered.
The distinction between expired copyright, CC0, and licensed use is critical. Expired copyright means the work is in the public domain by operation of law, though that status varies by jurisdiction. CC0 is a voluntary dedication by a rights-holder who could have chosen a license instead. Licensed use means the creator retained rights and granted permission under one of the six licenses. Never call CC0 material “public domain” as though the law itself put it there. The law may not have done so.
The Remaining Non-Copyright Rights You Must Still Check
Rights CC0 Leaves Untouched
Even after a CC0 dedication, several categories of rights are not waived. Privacy and publicity rights in images of people depicted or recorded. Trademark rights in brands or logos. Patent rights the affirmer did not control. Contractual terms governing access to a database or platform. Cultural-heritage protections that some jurisdictions apply to certain works. Location or property restrictions on where you photographed or recorded material.
If your intended use involves any of these, the CC0 dedication gives you no protection. Get separate permission or legal advice. The official CC0 deed states that the tool does not guarantee that other laws permit a use.
The Public Domain Mark Is Even Narrower
The Public Domain Mark marks material believed free of known copyright restrictions worldwide. It is not a legal instrument that changes anyone’s rights. It offers no fallback license and no waiver. Rely on it only where you have independently confirmed the work’s status.
| Aspect | CC0 | Any of the Six Licenses |
|---|---|---|
| Legal effect | Waives copyright and related rights where possible; fallback license for where waiver fails | Keeps copyright intact; grants permission subject to conditions |
| Attribution required | No legal condition; credit is not required by the tool | Yes, under 4.0: attribution is a binding condition |
| ShareAlike required | No | Only for BY-SA and BY-NC-SA licenses |
| NonCommercial required | No | Only for -NC licenses |
| NoDerivatives allowed | No restriction; adaptations are fully permitted | Only for -ND licenses, which prohibit sharing adaptations |
| Non-copyright rights | Not waived; privacy, publicity, trademark, patent, cultural-heritage rights remain | Same; licenses do not cover these rights |
| Version | Version 1.0 (no version numbers beyond that) | Current 4.0 International; older ports exist for earlier versions |
| Suitable for software code | No, same as any CC tool | No, for any CC tool |
| Suitable for data | Frequently used; but separate database rights and contractual terms may apply | Used sometimes, but CC licenses have specific database-rights clauses in 4.0 |
When You Should Use CC0 Instead of a License
Choose CC0 When You Want Zero Conditions
Use CC0 when you intend to remove all copyright and related-right restrictions as far as you are legally able. You want none of the conditions the six licenses impose: attribution, ShareAlike, NonCommercial or NoDerivatives. CC0 is the right tool for data sets, databases, government records, scientific research outputs and cultural heritage works where the goal is maximum reuse with no legal strings.
Do not use CC0 if you want to require attribution. Credit is a community norm, not a legal requirement. If attribution matters, choose CC BY 4.0. Do not use CC0 if you are not the rights-holder. Only the rights-holder, or someone with express authority, may apply CC0. Confirm joint authors, employment ownership, commissioned-work terms, performer rights, samples and third-party inclusions first.
Receiving a CC0 Work: What Can Go Wrong
If you receive a CC0 work and need to adapt it for commercial use, CC0 gives you that right. The failure case: you assume CC0 removes all restrictions, publish the work with a person’s image or a brand, and face a privacy or trademark claim. The single thing most often wrong with CC0 reuse is ignoring non-copyright rights. Check those before you publish.
Common Questions
Is CC0 one of the six Creative Commons licenses?
No. CC0 is a public-domain dedication and tool, not one of the six licenses. The six licenses are CC BY, BY-SA, BY-ND, BY-NC, BY-NC-SA and BY-NC-ND. CC0 and the Public Domain Mark belong to a separate toolset.
Does CC0 require attribution?
No. Attribution is not a legal condition of CC0. Credit is a community norm, not a binding requirement. If you need attribution, use CC BY 4.0 instead.
Does CC0 put a work into the public domain?
CC0 aims to remove copyright and related-right conditions as far as the affirmer is legally able. It does not guarantee the work is in the public domain by operation of law. Expired copyright and CC0 are different legal routes.
What rights does CC0 not waive?
CC0 does not guarantee that privacy, publicity, trademark, patent, cultural-heritage or contract law permits a use. It cannot clear rights held by other people, and it expressly leaves the affirmer.s trademark and patent rights unaffected. Check these separately.