Using Creative Commons work

A reuse checklist for finding, checking, copying, sharing and adapting Creative Commons material.

Start by confirming the exact license on the source page. A Creative Commons license grants you permission in advance, but only the exact license version and terms matter for your use. Version 4.0 is the current international standard. Using CC-licensed work legally requires you to verify which of the six license types applies, record the license notice and creator details, comply with the specific terms, and attribute correctly. If you cannot confirm the license from the original source, do not reuse the work until you can.

License Types: Six 4.0 licenses: BY, BY-SA, BY-ND, BY-NC, BY-NC-SA, BY-NC-ND. All require attribution.
Attribution Requirement: Under 4.0, you must keep the creator, copyright notice, license reference, warranty disclaimer, and a URI or hyperlink when supplied. Plus indicate modifications.
ShareAlike Trigger: ShareAlike only activates when you share adapted material, not when you display unchanged works side by side in a collection.
NonCommercial: Defined as not primarily intended for commercial advantage or monetary compensation. The user's identity alone doesn't decide it.
NoDerivatives: Sharing adapted material is not permitted. Translation is normally an adaptation; format-shifting alone is not.
Licensee Rights: You receive a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, irrevocable permission for the term of the licensed copyright. Conditions apply.
Breach Consequence: Rights terminate automatically on breach, but are reinstated if cured within 30 days from discovery. Liability for the breach period remains.

The Verify, Record, Comply And Attribute Checklist

Every reuse of a CC-licensed work follows the same four-step workflow. Do these in order before you publish anything.

Verify The License

1. Verify. Open the original source page. Do not rely on a repost, a search thumbnail, or a platform filter. Confirm the exact license and version. The official chooser at creativecommons.org helps create a notice but does not validate ownership. Only the copyright holder or someone with express authority may apply a CC license. Check for joint authors, employment ownership, commissioned-work terms, performer rights, samples, and third-party inclusions.

Record Your Evidence

2. Record. Capture the creator, source URL, exact license and version, displayed notices, exclusions, and the date you checked. Take a screenshot when the use matters. This record is your evidence if a dispute arises.

Test Your Use Against The Terms

3. Comply. Test your intended activity against the license terms. Are you sharing unchanged? Adapting? Using commercially? Combining with other works? Each condition affects what you may do. ShareAlike requires the same license on adapted material you share. NonCommercial blocks uses primarily aimed at commercial advantage. NoDerivatives forbids sharing adaptations.

Attribute Correctly

4. Attribute. Under 4.0, you must 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 work where reasonably practicable. You must link or refer to the license and indicate modifications, preserving earlier modification notices. This may be done in any reasonable manner for the medium. TASL, title, author, source, license, is a useful attribution mnemonic, not the complete legal text. For 4.0, add an indication of changes and preserve supplied notices.

The Decisive Exception: Fair Use And Other Copyright Exceptions

The license applies only where copyright or similar rights require permission. Exceptions and limitations such as fair use or fair dealing operate separately. If an exception authorises the use, the license conditions do not apply to that use. Their scope varies by jurisdiction.

A use that is legally permissible under a national copyright exception may not require the license terms at all. But you must be certain that the exception applies to your specific use, in your specific jurisdiction. If you are not, follow the license conditions.

Six 4.0 License Conditions at a Glance

License Type	Attribution	ShareAlike	NonCommercial	NoDerivatives
CC BY	Required	No	No	No
CC BY-SA	Required	Yes	No	No
CC BY-ND	Required	No	No	Yes
CC BY-NC	Required	No	Yes	No
CC BY-NC-SA	Required	Yes	Yes	No
CC BY-NC-ND	Required	No	Yes	Yes

What To Do When Conditions Conflict

The safest next step when terms are unclear is to get separate permission from the rights holder. Do not guess. Here is how to handle common conflicts.

Commercial Use Under NonCommercial

Commercial use under NonCommercial. The NonCommercial condition is not decided by the user's identity, business, nonprofit, school or individual. It depends on whether the use is primarily intended for commercial advantage or monetary compensation. Advertising, sponsorship, fundraising, internal business use and mixed purposes require context. There is no bright-line rule. If your planned use carries material commercial risk, get separate permission or local legal advice.

ShareAlike And Mixing Licenses

ShareAlike and mixing licenses. Combining work under different terms is not automatically lawful because each input uses a CC license. NoDerivatives may block sharing the combination if it is an adaptation. ShareAlike may require a specific adapter's license. Two inputs can impose incompatible terms. Use the official compatibility chart at creativecommons.org and distinguish mere aggregation from an integrated adaptation. Do not assume two SA licenses are compatible.

Platform Conflicts

Platform conflicts. Possession of a CC-licensed copy is not a guarantee that the uploader owned all necessary rights or that every component is covered. Platforms with exclusive sublicensing terms, download restrictions or DRM can create a conflict. Check current platform terms instead of assuming a CC badge resolves that conflict.

Common Questions

What is the difference between CC0 and a CC license?

CC0 is a public-domain dedication with a waiver, a fallback license where waiver is not effective, and a non-assertion promise limited to remaining Copyright and Related Rights. It aims to remove copyright and related-rights conditions as far as the affirmer is legally able. The six 4.0 licenses, by contrast, retain copyright while granting the public specified permissions in advance. CC0 is not one of the six licenses.

Can I use a CC-licensed work if I cannot find the creator's name?

Under 4.0, you must retain the identification of the creator and designated attribution parties when supplied by the licensor. If the licensor did not supply a creator name, you are not required to invent one. However, the license requires you to keep any supplied notices. If the license notice is missing, do not reuse until you confirm it.

Does a CC license cover trademark, patent or privacy rights?

No. Version 4.0 expressly does not license patent or trademark rights. Moral, privacy and personality rights are handled only to the limited extent stated in the legal code and may still matter. You must check non-copyright permissions: people depicted or recorded, brands, data, location or property restrictions, confidentiality and platform rules.

What happens if I breach a 4.0 license?

Rights under a 4.0 license terminate automatically on breach. They are automatically reinstated from the date the violation is cured if it is cured within 30 days after the violator discovers it. They may also be expressly reinstated by the licensor. Cure does not erase possible liability for the period of violation. Older versions have different termination language.

Can the licensor change the license after I download a work?

No. 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. Dual licensing is permitted. Separate permission can waive a condition for a particular user without changing the public CC offer.

Is a CC license suitable for software code?

No. Do not use a CC license for software code. Use a recognised free or open-source software license suited to source code, patents and distribution. Documentation, art and other non-code assets may carry separate CC licenses if they are marked clearly.

How do I attribute correctly under 4.0?

You must 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 work where reasonably practicable. You must link or refer to the license and indicate modifications, preserving earlier modification notices. This may be done in any reasonable manner for the medium. TASL is a useful mnemonic, not the complete legal text.

Primary sources

Check the official guidance

Use our explanations to understand the choices, then confirm the exact terms at the source.