Copyright Notices on Campus Websites

Although a notice is not legally required to assert copyright on works published on and after March 1, 1989, displaying a copyright notice on websites is still a very good idea. A notice clarifies who owns the work, emphasizes that the owner asserts copyright, and encourages contact by those who wish to use the material. If any legal disputes arise, a posted notice may help defend against claims of "innocent infringement".

Examples of Copyright Notices:

See the following FAQs from the UC Office of the President for details and additional examples:

Ownership

Ownership of copyrighted works created at the University is determined by UC's Policy on Copyright Ownership, rev. 2021. Additional clarification is included on the "Works created at UC" copyright education webpage. Be sure to clarify the correct owner (which may be the University, a campus entity, an individual, third party, or combination) prior to providing notice on your site.

Use by Others:

Posting notice that material belongs to the University does not prevent others from using the material under appropriate circumstances. In some cases, permission (or "license") to use a work can be as simple as a letter or permission statement.

In addition, fair use allows limited copying or use of copyrighted works without having to seek the copyright owner's permission, when the use is for purposes such as teaching, research, scholarship, reporting, criticism, or parody. See UC’s Fair use for teaching and research webpage for guidance.

Example Permission Statement:

Additional Resources: