What changed in Creative Commons 4.0?
License new work under Creative Commons 4.0. It is the single international legal code that replaced the jurisdiction-specific ports of earlier releases. The 4.0 suite expressly covers sui generis database rights, gives reusers more flexible attribution rules, and introduces a 30-day cure period for breaches. Choose an older or ported license only when a documented reason blocks the upgrade.
Internationalisation: One Licence, No Ports
Before 4.0, Creative Commons published separate ported licences adapted to individual national copyright laws. 4.0 eliminates that layer. The legal text works globally without country-specific modifications. A licensor in Japan and a reuser in Brazil operate under the same 4.0 code.
This does not override local law. Exceptions such as fair use in the United States or fair dealing in the United Kingdom still apply independently. Where a national copyright exception authorises a use, the license conditions do not bind it. The 4.0 instrument only applies where copyright or similar rights require permission. Moral rights, privacy rights and personality rights are handled only to the limited extent stated in the legal code. Check those separately.
Older ported licences remain valid for works already licensed under them, but a reuser cannot upgrade them to 4.0. For a new grant, refer to the 4.0 International deed and legal code.
Database Rights: Now Explicitly Covered
Version 4.0 is the first CC suite to expressly address sui generis database rights. Those rights exist in the European Union and a few other jurisdictions. They protect the investment a database maker puts into obtaining, verifying or presenting data, separate from any copyright in the data itself.
Under 4.0, the license applies to the licensed material and the database rights that arise from it. A reuser who extracts and reuses substantial parts of a covered database does not need a separate grant. This was a gap in version 3.0 and earlier, where the text did not mention database rights and left their treatment to inference. When you work with EU databases, verify that the material carries a 4.0 license. Do not assume an older version covers the database layer.
| Right Or Condition | 4.0 Treatment | 3.0 Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Sui generis database rights | Licensed | Not addressed |
| Attribution method | Any reasonable manner for the medium | Requires specific elements when supplied |
| Modification indication | Required, retaining earlier notices | Required |
| Licensor attribution removal request | Must remove where reasonably practicable | Not addressed |
| Termination on breach | Automatic, with automatic 30-day cure reinstatement | Automatic, no automatic cure |
| Music synchronisation as adaptation | Expressly defined as Adapted Material | Not addressed |
Attribution Flexibility In Version 4.0
What You Must Provide
The licensor must supply certain information: the creator and designated attribution parties, a copyright notice, a license notice, a warranty disclaimer, and a URI or hyperlink to the material where reasonably practicable. You must keep all of that. But 4.0 does not separately require the work's title, even if the licensor provided it. Older versions may require the title when supplied. Include the title anyway. It is good practice.
How To Satisfy The Requirement
You may satisfy attribution in any reasonable manner for the medium. A consolidated credits page for a collection works if the mapping from work to credit is clear and stays readily accessible. Academic citation and license attribution serve different purposes. Do both when both apply.
One new rule: if the licensor requests removal of attribution information, remove it where reasonably practicable. Attribution under 4.0 must never imply endorsement. When you adapt a work, indicate what changed and retain any modification notices from earlier adapters.
The 30-Day Cure: How Breach Is Handled
Version 4.0 introduced a specific cure mechanism. If you violate a condition, the license terminates automatically. It is automatically reinstated from the date of the violation if you cure the breach within 30 days after you find it. The licensor may also expressly reinstate the license outside that window. Cure does not erase possible liability for the period of violation. Older versions lack this automatic 30-day mechanism; their termination language is different and provides no safe harbour.
What To Do When You Find A Breach
Correct the omission immediately. If you used a CC-licensed work without attribution, add it now. Document the original use and the cure. The 30-day clock starts when you find the breach, not when the licensor notifies you. If you are a licensor, identify the work, the exact condition violated, and the requested cure before escalating. Creative Commons does not enforce individual licences. Handle enforcement yourself or with legal advice.
What Has Not Changed In Version 4.0
The six license types remain: CC BY, CC BY-SA, CC BY-ND, CC BY-NC, CC BY-NC-SA and CC BY-NC-ND. The four conditions, BY, SA, NC, ND, operate on the same definitions as before, with the 4.0 refinements described above. The grant is worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive and irrevocable for the term of the licensed copyright and similar rights. It does not cover patent or trademark rights. The licensor retains copyright while giving the public specified permissions in advance.
A reuser does not sublicense the original material. Downstream recipients receive an offer from the original licensor. On breach, rights terminate automatically and are automatically reinstated if cured within 30 days of discovery. The licensor may stop distributing the work or offer it under other terms, but cannot withdraw the license from people who already received it while complying with its terms.
Common Questions
Can I upgrade an older CC-licensed work to version 4.0?
No. Only the copyright holder can change the license on their own work. A reuser who finds a work under version 3.0 or a ported license cannot unilaterally apply 4.0 terms. If you hold the copyright, re-release the work under 4.0 by distributing it again with the new license notice.
Does the 30-day cure apply to version 3.0 licences?
No. The automatic 30-day cure was introduced in version 4.0. Older versions have different termination language without an automatic cure period. Check the specific legal code of the version you are using.
Do I need a separate database rights licence under 4.0?
No. Version 4.0 expressly licenses sui generis database rights that arise from the licensed material. You do not need a separate grant for the database layer if the source material carries a 4.0 license. This applies only where such rights exist in your jurisdiction.
What counts as Adapted Material under version 4.0?
Translation is normally an adaptation. Synchronising music with a moving image is expressly Adapted Material. Format-shifting alone, converting a PDF to EPUB, does not create Adapted Material. Whether cropping, excerpting, editing or combining creates an adaptation depends on applicable copyright law. The dossier does not declare a universal boundary.
How do I attribute a work under 4.0 if I only have a thumbnail?
Open the original source page. Record the creator, source URL, exact license and version, displayed notices, exclusions and the date checked. Do not rely on a repost or a platform filter alone. The attribution must include the supplied information and a link or reference to the license. A reasonable manner for the medium may be a credits page if the mapping from work to credit is clear.