Request permission to use copyright material
Find out how to ask copyright owners if you can use their material in your teaching, research or publications.
Copyright owners have exclusive rights to reproduce or publish their work, perform or present it in public, make it available online or send it via email, or make an adaptation of it (including a translation).
If you want to use copyright material and it isn't covered by an exception or licence, you'll have to ask the copyright owner for permission to use their work. Read the Australian Copyright Council's Permission: Do I need it? fact sheet for more info.
How to request permission
Look for a copyright statement on the material itself (or the publisher's website). It might be a creator's name, like '© Gayle Hartford 2021' or a licence type, like 'Creative Commons'. If there's no ownership apparent, contact the Copyright Office for advice.
Most publishers have a permissions contact point, and seeking permission is standard practice. Your letter should include:
- a description of the material you want to use
- an outline of how you intend to use it
- a permission request.
Feel free to use the letter template in the Copyright for Researchers Toolkit (PDF 175 KB).
Find out more about asking for permission
What to do next
If you get permission to use the material:
- acknowledge this in your research
- add a note to your copyright materials record.
If permission is denied or the publisher asks for a payment and you don't want to pay:
- delete the material from your work
- rewrite your work to express the ideas in your own words
- contact the Copyright Office to discuss your options further.
Contact us
If you have any questions about copyright, please email copyright@federation.edu.au or call (03) 5327 9876.