2026 in public domain

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of creators whose works enter the public domain in 2026. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 70 years

With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. For previously unpublished material, those who publish it first will have the publication rights for 25 years. 2026 marks the first year since 2006 that works will enter the public domain in Australia, which changed its copyright term length from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law in 2004.^[1] The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on 1 January 2026.

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
James Agee	United States	27 November 1909	16 May 1955	Novelist, Journalist, Poet, Screenwriter	A Death in the Family
Silvio D'Amico	Italy	3 February 1887	1 April 1955	Theatre theorist
Ruby M. Ayres	United Kingdom	28 January 1881	14 November 1955	Romance novelist	Bibliography
Johannes Baader	Germany	21 June 1875	14 January 1955	Writer, Artist, Architect
Lloyd Bacon	United States	4 December 1889	15 November 1955	Actor, Film director	Filmography as director
Guido Battelli [de]	Italy	24 September 1869	13 April 1955	Writer	Works
Dale Carnegie	United States	24 November 1888	1 November 1955	Writer	How to Win Friends and Influence People
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin	France	1 May 1881	10 April 1955	Jesuit priest, Scientist, Paleontologist, Theologian, Philosopher	The Phenomenon of Man
Eugenio Cirese [it]	Italy	21 February 1884	8 February 1955	Poet	Works
Paul Claudel	France	6 August 1868	23 February 1955	Poet, Dramatist	Works
Donald Corley	United States	8 June 1886	11 December 1955	Short story author, illustrator, architect
Alfredo Cuscinà [it]	Italy	30 November 1881	30 March 1955	Composer	Main operettas
William C. deMille	United States	25 July 1878	5 March 1955	Screenwriter, Film director	Filmography
Isaak Dunayevsky	Russia	30 January 1900	25 July 1955	Composer	Compositions
Albert Einstein	Germany United States	14 March 1879	18 April 1955	Theoretical physicist	Scientific publications, The Evolution of Physics, The Meaning of Relativity
George Enescu	Romania	19 August 1881	4 May 1955	Composer	Compositions
Concha Espina	Spain	15 April 1879	19 May 1955	Writer	Bibliography
Émile Fabre	France	24 March 1869	25 September 1955	Playwright	Plays
Joseph Jefferson Farjeon	United Kingdom	4 June 1883	6 June 1955	Novelist, Playwright, Screenwriter	Works
Alexander Fleming	United Kingdom	6 August 1881	11 March 1955	Physician
José Ortega y Gasset	Spain	9 May 1883	18 October 1955	Philosopher, Essayist	Works
Rodolfo Graziani	Italy	11 August 1882	11 January 1955	General	Books
Arthur Honegger	Switzerland	10 March 1892	27 November 1955	Composer	Compositions
Clemence Housman	United Kingdom	23 November 1861	6 December 1955	Author
Jaime Ovalle	Brazil	5 August 1894	9 September 1955	Composer	Works
James P. Johnson	United States	1 February 1894	17 November 1955	Composer, pianist	Charleston
Fernand Léger	France	4 February 1881	17 August 1955	Painter, Sculptor, Filmmaker
Thomas Mann	Germany	6 June 1875	12 August 1955	Writer, Philanthropist, Essayist	Works
Francesco Balilla Pratella	Italy	1 February 1880	17 May 1955	Composer	Selected Works
Max Pechstein	Germany	31 December 1881	29 June 1955	Painter
Robert Riskin	United States	30 March 1897	20 September 1955	Screenwriter, Playwright	Filmography
Nat Schachner	United States	16 January 1895	2 October 1955	Author and biographer	Space Lawyer
Robert E. Sherwood	United States	4 April 1896	14 November 1955	Screenwriter, Playwright
Nicolas de Staël	France	5 January 1914	16 March 1955	Painter
Al. T. Stamatiad	Romania	9 May 1885	December 1955	Poet, Short story writer, Dramatist
Wallace Stevens	United States	2 October 1879	2 August 1955	Poet	The Auroras of Autumn
Yves Tanguy	France	5 January 1900	15 January 1955	Painter	Paintings
Yevgeny Tarle	Russia	27 October 1874	6 January 1955	Historian	Napoleon's Invasion of Russia, 1812
Tin Ujević	Croatia	5 July 1891	12 November 1955	Poet	Works
Maurice Utrillo	France	26 December 1883	5 November 1955	Painter
Anwar Wagdi	Egypt	11 October 1904	14 May 1955	Director	The Flirtation of Girls
Léon Werth	France	17 February 1878	13 December 1955	Writer	Books
Hermann Weyl	Germany	9 November 1885	8 December 1955	Mathematician, Theoretical physicist, Philosopher	Bibliography

Entering the public domain in Spain

Spain has a copyright term of life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987. The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on 1 January 2026.

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
Béla Bartók	Hungary	25 March 1881	26 September 1945	Composer	Compositions
Dietrich Bonhoeffer	Germany	4 February 1906	9 April 1945	Lutheran pastor, Theologian	The Cost of Discipleship
Theodore Dreiser	United States	27 August 1871	28 December 1945	Novelist, Journalist	Sister Carrie, An American Tragedy
Anne Frank	Germany	12 June 1929	February 1945	Diarist	The Diary of a Young Girl
Zinaida Gippius	Russia	20 November 1869	9 September 1945	Poet, Playwright, Novelist	Bibliography
Adolf Hitler	Germany	20 April 1889	30 April 1945	Führer of Germany	Mein Kampf
Benito Mussolini	Italy	29 July 1883	28 April 1945	Prime Minister of Italy, Duce of Fascism	Writings
Kitaro Nishida	Japan	19 May 1870	7 June 1945	Philosopher	Works
Franklin D. Roosevelt	United States	30 January 1882	12 April 1945	President of the United States	Looking Forward
Felix Salten	Austria	6 September 1869	8 October 1945	Writer	Bambi, a Life in the Woods
Josep Maria Sert	Spain	21 December 1874	27 November 1945	Muralist
Ignacio Zuloaga	Spain	26 July 1870	24 June 1945	Painter
Franz Werfel	Austria Czechia	10 September 1890	26 August 1945	Novelist, Playwright, Poet	The Forty Days of Musa Dagh
Ignacio Zuloaga	Spain	26 July 1870	31 October 1945	Painter

Countries with life + 60 years

India

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
T. S. Eliot	United Kingdom, United States	26 September 1888	4 January 1965	Poet, Essayist, Playwright	Works

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 50 years

In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, Canada, New Zealand, Egypt and Uruguay; a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.

Names	Country	Birth	Death	Occupation	Notable work
John Akar	Sierra Leone	1927	1975	Entertainer, writer, diplomat	High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free
Leroy Anderson	United States	29 June 1908	18 May 1975	Composer	Sleigh Ride, Blue Tango, The Typewriter, The Syncopated Clock
Ivo Andrić	Yugoslavia	9 October 1892	13 March 1975	Writer, Poet	The Bridge on the Drina
Pablo Antonio	Philippines	25 January 1901	14 June 1975	Architect	Ideal Theater, Life Theater, White Cross Orphanage, Capitan Luis Gonzaga Building
Hannah Arendt	Germany United States	14 October 1906	4 December 1975	Writer, Political philosopher	The Human Condition, Eichmann in Jerusalem
Mikhail Bakhtin	Russia	16 November 1895	7 March 1975	Philosopher	Works
Thomas Hart Benton	United States	15 April 1889	19 January 1975	Painter
James Blish	United States	23 May 1921	30 July 1975	Writer	Cities in Flight, Star Trek novelizations
Arthur Bliss	United Kingdom	2 August 1891	27 March 1975	Composer	Compositions
Tim Buckley	United States	14 February 1947	29 June 1975	Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter	Discography
Luigi Dallapiccola	Italy	3 February 1904	19 February 1975	Composer	Compositions
Lefty Frizzell	United States	31 March 1928	19 July 1975	Singer, Songwriter	Discography
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia	Georgia	3 May 1893	17 July 1975	Writer	The Right Hand of the Grand Master
Bernard Herrmann	United States	29 July 1911	24 December 1975	Composer	Film scores
Edna Mayne Hull	Canada	1 May 1905	20 January 1975	SF author	Planets for Sale
Julian Huxley	United Kingdom	22 June 1887	14 February 1975	Evolutionary biologist	Works
Chiang Kai-shek	Taiwan	31 October 1887	5 April 1975	President of the Republic of China	China's Destiny (中国之命运)
Rowland V. Lee	United States	6 September 1891	21 December 1975	Director, Actor, Screenwriter, Producer
Murray Leinster	United States	16 June 1896	8 June 1975	Writer	Bibliography
Elijah Muhammad	United States	7 October 1897	25 February 1975	Leader of the Nation of Islam	Message to the Blackman in America
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman	Bangladesh	17 March 1920	15 August 1975	Politician	Books
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan	India	5 September 1888	17 April 1975	Philosopher, President of India	The Dhammapada, The Principal Upanishads
Alfred Hamish Reed	New Zealand	30 December 1875	15 January 1975	Writer, publisher	The Gumdiggers: The Story of Kauri Gum
Maria Elizabeth Rothmann	South Africa	28 August 1875	7 September 1975	Author	Kinders van die Voortrek
Nora Sanderson	New Zealand	14 February 1905	2 March 1975	Romance writer	Hospital in New Zealand
Rod Serling	United States	25 December 1924	28 June 1975	Screenwriter, Playwright, Television producer	The Twilight Zone
Dmitri Shostakovich	Russia	25 September 1906	9 August 1975	Composer	Compositions
Noble Sissle	United States	10 July 1889	17 December 1975	Jazz composer, Lyricist	Shuffle Along, I'm Just Wild About Harry
Christopher Strachey	United Kingdom	16 November 1916	18 May 1975	Computer scientist	CPL, Fundamental Concepts in Programming Languages
Bill Sutch	New Zealand	27 June 1907	28 September 1975	Economist	Poverty and Progress in New Zealand, The Quest for Security in New Zealand
Arnold J. Toynbee	United Kingdom	14 April 1889	22 October 1975	Historian	A Study of History
Thornton Wilder	United States	17 April 1897	7 December 1975	Playwright, Novelist	The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Our Town
P. G. Wodehouse	United Kingdom	15 October 1881	7 December 1975	Playwright, Novelist	Bibliography

United States

The earliest Betty Boop cartoons will enter the public domain in the United States in 2026.

Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1930, films released in 1930, and other works published in 1930, will enter the public domain in 2026.^[2] Sound recordings that were published in 1925 will enter the public domain.^[3]

Unpublished works whose authors died in 1955 will enter the public domain.

Among the literary works that will enter public domain in 2026 are Dashiell Hammett's detective novel The Maltese Falcon, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple-novel The Murder at the Vicarage, William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying, H. Rider Haggard's final work Belshazzar, Noël Coward's play Private Lives, Philip Wylie's novel Gladiator, often theorised to be an inspiration for The Reign of the Superman, Milt Gross's graphic novel He Done Her Wrong, Bertold Brecht's play The Decision in its original German, the first appearance of Herge's Tintin in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets in its original French, the first English translation of Franz Kafka's The Castle, the first Elson-Gray Readers books featuring Dick and Jane by William S. Gray, the first English translation of Hermann Sudermann's The Excursion to Tilsit and Carolyn Keene's The Secret of the Old Clock and the character Nancy Drew (although only the original 1930 text).

Significant films entering the public domain this year include All Quiet on the Western Front, Greta Garbo's first sound film Anna Christie, Jean Harlow's film debut Hell's Angels, John Wayne's film debut in The Big Trail, The Love Parade, Animal Crackers starring the Marx Brothers, Soup to Nuts featuring an early iteration of The Three Stooges, George Cukor's directorial debut Grumpy, Josef von Sternberg's The Blue Angel and Morocco, both starring Marlene Dietrich (the first of eight films they made together), The Unholy Three, starring Lon Chaney in his only speaking role, F.W. Murnau's City Girl, G.W. Pabst's Westfront 1918, Robert Siodmak's directorial debut People on Sunday, Jean Vigo's directorial debut À propos de Nice, Luis Buñuel's The Golden Age, the first Italian soundfilm The Sound of Love, the first Polish sound film Niebezpieczny romans, the first Czech sound film Tonka of the Gallows, the first Argentinian sound film Goodbye Argentina and the oldest surviving television broadcast The Man with the Flower in His Mouth. The earliest Betty Boop and Bimbo works will enter into the public domain including Dizzy Dishes. The Disney character Pluto also makes his first appearance, first as an unnamed dog in The Chain Gang, and later called Rover in The Picnic^[a], along with Clarabelle Cow. Another Ub Iwerks cartoon creation, Flip the Frog, will also enter the public domain.

The first comic appearances of Hergé's Quick & Flupke and Chic Young's Blondie will also enter the public domain.

Some of the better-known works of art entering the public domain are Piet Mondrian's Composition with Red Blue and Yellow, Ansel Adams' photobook Taos Pueblo with writing by Mary Hunter Austin, Martin Munkácsi's photograph Three Boys at Lake Tanganyika, early prints of M.C. Escher (The Bridge and Castrovalva), and the first designs of the Brno chair and the Tugendhat chair.

References

^ "How long does copyright last? | National Library of Australia". www.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
^ "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
^ Hirtle, Peter B. (3 January 2020). "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center. Retrieved 17 December 2020.

^ He would first be referred to as Pluto in the 1931 short The Moose Hunt

External links

Media related to Undelete in 2026 at Wikimedia Commons
"Authors by Year of Death – 1955". AuthorAndBookInfo.com.
Popular Books of 1930 at Goodreads

[1] "How long does copyright last? | National Library of Australia". www.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 10 June 2020.

[2] "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-01-23.

[3] Hirtle, Peter B. (3 January 2020). "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center. Retrieved 17 December 2020.

[4] He would first be referred to as Pluto in the 1931 short The Moose Hunt

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