How long does copyright in a book last?
In all six jurisdictions read, the general term for a book is the author's life plus 70 years. Canada runs the 70 years from the end of the calendar year of death; in the United States the life-plus-70 rule covers works created from 1978. As of 2026-09-25.
| Source | Covers | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Term | 70 years after the death of the author for works |
| Canada | Expiry | The 70 years run from the end of the calendar year of death |
| Canada | Term | Life of the author, the rest of that calendar year, then 70 years |
| European Union | Term | Life of the author and 70 years after death, across the member states |
| Japan | Term | The author's lifetime and 70 years after death |
| United Kingdom | Term | 70 years after the author's death for written works |
| United States | Term | Life of the author plus 70 years for works created from 1978 |
Inclusion rule. A source is listed when its own text states what the question asks. Order. Sources in alphabetical order.
The rule counts from a death, not a publication date, so a book's status turns on its author. Two books published in the same year can leave copyright decades apart.
The general term is not the whole story. Anonymous works, joint authors, translations and older works each have rules of their own, set out in the same statutes and circulars.
For an adaptation, the relevant question is where the film will be shown. A book that is free in one jurisdiction may still be protected in another.
1In their own words
Australia
70 years after the death of the author for works
Attorney-General's Department, Australia, Copyright basics
Canada
a period of 70 years following the end of that calendar year
Justice Laws Website, Copyright Act section 6
the term for which copyright subsists is the life of the author, the remainder of the calendar year in which the author dies, and a period of 70 years following the end of that calendar year.
Justice Laws Website, Copyright Act section 6
European Union
shall run for the life of the author and for 70 years after his death, irrespective of the date when the work is lawfully made available to the public.
EUR-Lex, Directive 2006/116/EC on the term of protection
Japan
The copyright continues to subsist during the author's survival period and the end of the 70-year period following the death of the author.
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan, Overview of the Copyright System
United Kingdom
Written, dramatic, musical and artistic work 70 years after the author’s death
GOV.UK, How long copyright lasts
United States
gives it a term lasting for the author’s life plus an additional 70 years
U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 15A, Duration of Copyright
- Duration70 years after the death of the author for works
- Section 6The 70 years run from the end of the calendar year of death
- Section 6Life of the author, the rest of that calendar year, then 70 years
- Article 1Life of the author and 70 years after death, across the member states
- Term of protectionThe author's lifetime and 70 years after death
- Table70 years after the author's death for written works
- Works created since 1978Life of the author plus 70 years for works created from 1978
Australia · Canada · European Union · Japan · United Kingdom · United States · Can you upload a book still in copyright? · Which books are public domain in the United States?
2The adaptation step in practice
Once the rights in “How long does copyright in a book last?” are settled, SceneMixer describes the adaptation itself like this:
A short drama episode has two jobs: stop the scroll in its first seconds, and make the next episode feel necessary in its last.
SceneMixer, Writing Hooks and Cliffhangers Into a Short Drama Script (read 2026-10-13)
Measured across every job that finished successfully on scenemixer.com in the thirty days to 20 September 2026: analysis of a whole book runs about 2 minutes 49 seconds at the median, one episode's storyboard 1 minute 54 seconds, one video segment 3 minutes 20 seconds, and compositing an episode 3 minutes 52 seconds.
SceneMixer, Turn a Novel into a Video Series with AI — “How long does it take to produce one episode?” (read 2026-10-13)