Public Domain Day 2026

Public domain 2026

The Maltese Falcon, Betty Boop, Gershwin, Thomas Mann, Dale Carnegie, Wodehouse and more.

United States

  1. Coming 2027
    Vile BodiesEvelyn Waugh · 1930 · Books

    Waugh's satire of the Bright Young Things.

    India 2027US 2026
  2. New in 2026
    I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, But Not for MeGeorge and Ira Gershwin · 1930 · Music

    Four Gershwin songs, including I Got Rhythm, the source of the "rhythm changes" chord progression.

    US 2026
  3. New in 2026
    All Quiet on the Western Front (1930 film)Lewis Milestone · 1930 · Films

    Best Picture winner, one of the great anti-war films.

    US 2026
  4. New in 2026
    As I Lay DyingWilliam Faulkner · 1930 · Books

    Faulkner's novel of the Bundren family's journey, told in 15 voices.

    US 2026
  5. New in 2026
    Betty Boop (1930 debut)Fleischer Studios · 1930 · Characters

    Betty Boop's first appearances (Dizzy Dishes and three other 1930 cartoons), when she still had dog ears.

    US 2026
  6. New in 2026
    Dream a Little Dream of MeFabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, Gus Kahn · 1930 · Music

    Registered in 1930, so free in the US in 2026.

    US 2026
  7. New in 2026
    Georgia on My MindHoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell · 1930 · Music

    The song Ray Charles made famous.

    US 2026
  8. New in 2026
    Nancy Drew (first four books)Carolyn Keene (Mildred Benson) · 1930 · Characters

    The original texts of the first four Nancy Drew books, starting with The Secret of the Old Clock, and the character as introduced.

    US 2026
  9. New in 2026
    The Little Engine That Could (1930 illustrated version)Watty Piper, art by Lois Lenski · 1930 · Books

    The popular illustrated version of the "I think I can" story.

    US 2026
  10. New in 2026
    The Maltese Falcon (novel)Dashiell Hammett · 1930 · Books

    The full book version introducing Sam Spade. The novel and the character as written are free in the US.

    US 2026
  11. New in 2026
    The Murder at the Vicarage (first Miss Marple novel)Agatha Christie · 1930 · Books

    The first novel featuring Miss Marple.

    US 2026
  12. New in 2026
    The St. Louis Blues (1925 recording)Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong · 1925 · Recordings

    One of the great blues records, free as a recording in the US.

    US 2026
  13. New in 2026
    Animal Crackers (1930 film)The Marx Brothers · 1930 · Films

    The Marx Brothers' second feature.

    US 2026
  14. New in 2026
    Blondie and Dagwood (1930 strips)Chic Young · 1930 · Characters

    The first year of the Blondie comic strip.

    US 2026
  15. New in 2026
    Body and Soul, On the Sunny Side of the StreetJohnny Green; Jimmy McHugh, Dorothy Fields · 1930 · Music

    Two of the most recorded jazz standards.

    US 2026
  16. New in 2026
    Civilization and Its Discontents (German original)Sigmund Freud · 1930 · Books

    Freud's essay on happiness and society, in the original German. Freud died in 1939, so it has been free in Europe since 2010.

    US 2026Life+70 2010
  17. New in 2026
    Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow (1930)Piet Mondrian · 1930 · Art

    Mondrian died in 1944, so his work has been free in Europe since 2015; this 1930 painting is now free in the US too.

    US 2026Life+70 2015
  18. New in 2026
    Dick and Jane (Elson Basic Readers)William H. Elson, William S. Gray · 1930 · Books

    The first appearances of the reading-primer characters.

    US 2026
  19. New in 2026
    Jules Rimet Cup (original World Cup trophy design)Abel Lafleur · 1930 · Art

    The original FIFA World Cup trophy, as a sculpture.

    US 2026
  20. New in 2026
    Last and First MenOlaf Stapledon · 1930 · Books

    A science-fiction history of humanity over two billion years.

    US 2026
  21. New in 2026
    Rover (later Pluto), 1930Walt Disney Productions · 1930 · Characters

    The dog's first appearances in The Chain Gang and The Picnic, plus nine 1930 Mickey cartoons and the first week of Mickey comic strips.

    US 2026
  22. New in 2026
    Sitagliptin (Januvia, Janumet)Merck · 2026 · Patents

    Generics were allowed on the US market from May 2026 under a settlement.

    US 2026
  23. New in 2026
    Swallows and AmazonsArthur Ransome · 1930 · Books

    Children's sailing adventure classic.

    US 2026
  24. New in 2026
    The Blue Angel and MoroccoJosef von Sternberg (Marlene Dietrich) · 1930 · Films

    Dietrich's two breakthrough films.

    US 2026
  25. New in 2026
    Cakes and AleW. Somerset Maugham · 1930 · Books

    Maugham's novel. Maugham died in 1965, so India freed all his works in 2026.

    US 2026India 2026
  26. New in 2026
    Murder! (Hitchcock) and L'Âge d'Or (Buñuel and Dalí)Alfred Hitchcock; Luis Buñuel · 1930 · Films

    Early Hitchcock and the surrealist classic.

    US 2026
  27. New in 2026
    The Big TrailRaoul Walsh (John Wayne) · 1930 · Films

    John Wayne's first leading role.

    US 2026

Life+70 countries: EU, UK, Australia, Turkey, Russia, most of South America

  1. New in 2026
    How to Win Friends and Influence PeopleDale Carnegie · 1936 · Books

    One of the best-selling self-help books ever. Carnegie died in 1955, so it is free in the EU, the UK, Australia and other life+70 countries.

    Life+70 2026
  2. New in 2026
    Thomas Mann (all works)Thomas Mann · 1955 · Books

    Buddenbrooks, The Magic Mountain, Death in Venice, Doctor Faustus. Mann died in 1955, so all his works became free in Europe and other life+70 countries, Australia included.

    Life+70 2026
  3. New in 2026
    Albert Einstein (writings)Albert Einstein · 1955 · Books

    Einstein's papers, books and letters published in his lifetime became free in life+70 countries.

    Life+70 2026
  4. New in 2026
    Fernand Léger and Yves Tanguy (art)Fernand Léger; Yves Tanguy · 1955 · Art

    The cubist and the surrealist both died in 1955.

    Life+70 2026
  5. New in 2026
    José Ortega y Gasset (works)José Ortega y Gasset · 1955 · Books

    The Revolt of the Masses and his essays.

    Life+70 2026
  6. New in 2026
    Arthur Honegger (music)Arthur Honegger · 1955 · Music

    Pacific 231 and his symphonies.

    Life+70 2026
  7. New in 2026
    Wallace Stevens and Paul Claudel (poetry)Wallace Stevens; Paul Claudel · 1955 · Books

    Two major poets who died in 1955.

    Life+70 2026

Life+50 countries: e.g. China, Egypt, South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia

  1. New in 2026
    P. G. Wodehouse (Jeeves and Wooster, life+50 countries)P. G. Wodehouse · 1975 · Books

    Wodehouse died in 1975: Jeeves, Wooster and Blandings became free in life+50 countries.

    Life+50 2026
  2. New in 2026
    Dmitri Shostakovich (music, life+50 countries)Dmitri Shostakovich · 1975 · Music

    His symphonies and the famous Waltz No. 2.

    Life+50 2026
  3. New in 2026
    Hannah Arendt (works, life+50 countries)Hannah Arendt · 1975 · Books

    The Human Condition, Eichmann in Jerusalem.

    Life+50 2026
  4. New in 2026
    Sleigh Ride and The Typewriter (life+50 countries)Leroy Anderson · 1975 · Music

    Leroy Anderson died in 1975: his light-music hits became free in life+50 countries.

    Life+50 2026
  5. New in 2026
    Thornton Wilder (Our Town, life+50 countries)Thornton Wilder · 1975 · Books

    Our Town and The Bridge of San Luis Rey.

    Life+50 2026

India and other life+60 countries

  1. New in 2026
    Winston Churchill, T. S. Eliot (India, life+60)Winston Churchill; T. S. Eliot · 1965 · Books

    Both died in 1965, so India freed their works in 2026.

    India 2026
  2. New in 2026
    Cakes and AleW. Somerset Maugham · 1930 · Books

    Maugham's novel. Maugham died in 1965, so India freed all his works in 2026.

    US 2026India 2026

Worldwide or nearly

  1. New in 2026
    Lapsed patents (unpaid maintenance fees)Patent owners worldwide · 2006 · Patents

    Every patent filed 20 years ago (2006) has now expired, and many younger US patents lapse early because owners stop paying maintenance fees at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years. Their full technical drawings and instructions are free to use.

    Worldwide 2026

Australia

  1. New in 2026
    Australia's first new public domain in 20 yearsAuthors who died in 1955 · 1955 · Other

    Australia moved from life+50 to life+70 in 2005 without reviving expired works, so nothing new entered for twenty years. On 1 January 2026 works by authors who died in 1955 became free there, and Trove opened 1955 newspapers.

    Australia 2026

Canada

  1. New in 2026
    Semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy compound)Novo Nordisk · 2026 · Patents

    The compound patent on the world's best-selling weight-loss drug ended in early 2026 in Canada (Novo let it lapse), China, India and Brazil. Health Canada received generic filings and generics launched in India.

    Canada 2026China 2026India 2026Brazil 2026

China

  1. New in 2026
    Semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy compound)Novo Nordisk · 2026 · Patents

    The compound patent on the world's best-selling weight-loss drug ended in early 2026 in Canada (Novo let it lapse), China, India and Brazil. Health Canada received generic filings and generics launched in India.

    Canada 2026China 2026India 2026Brazil 2026

India

  1. New in 2026
    Semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy compound)Novo Nordisk · 2026 · Patents

    The compound patent on the world's best-selling weight-loss drug ended in early 2026 in Canada (Novo let it lapse), China, India and Brazil. Health Canada received generic filings and generics launched in India.

    Canada 2026China 2026India 2026Brazil 2026

Brazil

  1. New in 2026
    Semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy compound)Novo Nordisk · 2026 · Patents

    The compound patent on the world's best-selling weight-loss drug ended in early 2026 in Canada (Novo let it lapse), China, India and Brazil. Health Canada received generic filings and generics launched in India.

    Canada 2026China 2026India 2026Brazil 2026
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