What licence can I use for my adaptation?
Your adaptation's license is the same license as the source work, unless that work carries a NoDerivatives or ShareAlike term. ND blocks sharing the adaptation under any CC license. SA demands the same SA license or one Creative Commons has formally named as compatible. Confirm first whether your use is an adaptation or a collection. Then test each term against the source license notice.
Adaptation Or Collection: The First Decision
A collection keeps separate works separate, like unchanged essays in an anthology. Each piece keeps its own license. The collection's license does not replace them. An adaptation modifies the source in a way that needs copyright permission: translation, synchronising music with moving image, or a film based on a novel. Format-shifting alone, such as converting a PDF to HTML, is not an adaptation under the 4.0 definition. If you combine material into a single new whole, it is likely an adaptation. If you merely assemble unchanged works, it is a collection.
Decide this before choosing a license. If the source uses ND, sharing an adaptation is not permitted at all under the CC license. If the source uses SA, the adaptation must use the same SA license or a compatible license. If neither term applies, pick any CC license for your contribution. Preserve the source license and attribution.
Testing The ND Condition
ND means you may NOT share Adapted Material under the CC license. Make an adaptation for private use, but do not distribute it. If the source is CC BY-ND 4.0 or CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, and your use needs copyright permission, you cannot license the result under any CC license. Reproduction in a different format alone, without creating Adapted Material, is not blocked by ND. If you are unsure whether your use is an adaptation, consult applicable copyright law. Cropping, excerpting, editing and combining are not universally adaptations; the boundary depends on jurisdiction.
Testing The SA Condition
SA means that when you share Adapted Material, you apply the same license as the source, or a license Creative Commons has formally named as compatible. For CC BY-SA 4.0, the official compatibility list includes one-way compatibility from BY-SA 4.0 to GPLv3. Do not assume two SA licenses are compatible. CC BY-SA 4.0 and CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 are not automatically interchangeable. If the source uses SA and your work is a collection, not an adaptation, SA does not apply to the collection as a whole. Only your contribution is covered by your license; notices for the source must remain.
Your License Choices When Neither ND Nor SA Apply
Pick Any CC License For Your Contribution
If the source uses CC BY 4.0, CC BY-NC 4.0, or any version without SA or ND, you may choose any CC license for your adaptation. Your license covers only your new contribution. The source license and attribution remain on the original material.
Attribution You Must Preserve
Retain the attribution information supplied by the licensor: creator, copyright notice, license notice, warranty disclaimer, and URI. Indicate modifications and preserve earlier modification notices. Under 4.0, link or refer to the license and indicate changes in a reasonable manner for the medium. A consolidated credits page works if the mapping is clear and readily accessible.
What The Adapter Must Preserve
When you share an adaptation, preserve the source license notice and attribution: creator identification, copyright notice, license reference, warranty disclaimer, and URI. Under 4.0, link or refer to the license and indicate modifications. If the licensor requests removal of attribution, do so where reasonably practicable. Attribution must not imply endorsement. The TASL mnemonic (title, author, source, license) is a useful shorthand but not the complete legal text. For 4.0, add an indication of changes and preserve supplied notices.
When The Source Uses An Older Version
If the source is under version 3.0 or earlier, the rules differ. Older versions have different termination language, lack the automatic 30-day cure mechanism, and may carry jurisdiction-specific ports. You cannot upgrade the source license. The terms that apply are those of the version the source carried. Check the source license notice for the version. Version 4.0 is an international license designed without ports. If you adapt a work under an older ported license, the ported terms control. Creative Commons provides version-4.0 legal code for reference, but the source version's legal code governs.
| Source Term | Can Share Adaptation? | Adapter License Must Be |
|---|---|---|
| NoDerivatives (ND) | No. Private use only. | N/A. Cannot share as adaptation. |
| ShareAlike (SA) | Yes, if adapter uses SA or compatible license. | Same SA license as source, or officially compatible license. |
| Neither ND nor SA | Yes. Any CC license for adapter's contribution. | Any CC license, preserving source license on original material. |
| NC (NonCommercial) only | Yes, but only for NonCommercial purposes. | Any CC license that permits NonCommercial use, or separate permission for commercial use. |
What License Can I Use For My Adaptation When Combining 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 license. Two inputs can impose incompatible terms. Use the official Creative Commons compatibility chart and distinguish mere aggregation from an integrated adaptation. If one work uses CC BY-SA 4.0 and another uses CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, they are not compatible for a combined adaptation unless you obtain separate permission or use a compatible license. Your license covers only your contribution; each source work retains its own license.
If The Combination Is A Collection
A collection that simply assembles unchanged works does not trigger SA. Each work keeps its own license. The collection's overall license does not replace those licenses. The collection may carry a license for the arrangement, but that license does not apply to the individual works. ND does not block a collection as long as the individual works are not adapted.
If The Combination Is An Integrated Work
If you create an integrated adaptation, such as a remix of two songs or a video with music, test each source's license. If any source uses ND, you cannot share the adaptation under a CC license. If any source uses SA, the adaptation must use that SA license or a compatible license. When the SA licenses differ, compatibility is not guaranteed. The official compatibility list is the only authority.
Practical Next Step
Open the source page. Record the creator, source URL, exact license and version, displayed notices, exclusions and the date. Confirm whether your use is an adaptation or a collection. Test ND, SA and NC against that activity. If ND is present, do not share the adaptation. If SA is present, apply the same SA license or a compatible license from the official list. If neither term applies, choose any CC license for your contribution. Attribute the source in a reasonable manner, link the exact license, and mark changes. The single thing that most often goes wrong is assuming two SA licenses are compatible. Check the official compatibility chart. Do not assume.
Common Questions
Can I use a different CC license than the source for my adaptation?
Yes, if the source does not use ND or SA. Your license covers your contribution only. The source license remains on the original material. If the source uses SA, you must use the same SA or a compatible license.
What happens if I ignore the ND term and share the adaptation anyway?
You breach the license. Rights under a 4.0 license terminate automatically on breach. They are reinstated if you cure within 30 days of discovery. Cure does not erase liability for the period of violation. The licensor may also take other legal action.
Is translation always an adaptation?
Yes, translation is normally an adaptation under CC licenses. For 4.0, synchronising music with moving image is expressly Adapted Material. Whether cropping, excerpting or combining creates an adaptation depends on applicable copyright law.
Do I need to attribute the source creator in my adaptation?
Yes. Under 4.0, retain attribution information supplied by the licensor: creator, copyright notice, license notice, warranty disclaimer, and URI. Indicate modifications. Link or refer to the license. Do not imply endorsement.