License shop

Frequently asked questions

If you want to use copyrighted materials in your work, you need permission to use them. A copying licence allows partial copying and sharing of copyrighted works, such as books, magazines and online materials, within an organisation. You can purchase a licence for your work community from our licence store.

A copying licence permits you to copy copyrighted materials

A copying licence allows the use of copyrighted material in a variety of usage situations. Copyrights can protect not only printed materials but also materials published online. Screenshots or photos taken of websites are also regarded as copying.

What is copyrighted material?

The Copyright Act defines copyrighted material types and how these materials may be used. Copyrights protect articles, photographs, books and other works available both in print and online.

Materials may be copyrighted even if they are available on open websites. Identifying copyrighted materials can be difficult. With a copying licence, you ensure the legal use of the materials even when you are not sure whether the materials in question are copyrighted.

What constitutes copying?

Copying refers to the making of copies of works, publications or parts thereof. In addition to photocopying, printing or scanning, materials are often copied using digital methods, such as

  • copying an image or text from a website,
  • taking a screenshot,
  • downloading and/or saving a PDF file,
  • taking a photograph of the pages of a publication.

Where can I gain permission to use copyrighted materials?

You can request permission to use copyrighted materials directly from the authors and publishers or take advantage of Kopiosto’s copying licence, which covers a wide range of materials and applications in both working life and education. Companies, joint municipal authorities, congregations and study centres can order a licence from our licence store. You can learn about the licences for other groups and how to obtain them on our website.