Copyright Law of Jordan - Copyright Duration

Copyright Duration

Copyright protection begins when a work is actually created and fixed in a tangible form. For the majority of cases the duration of a copyright is for the life of the copyright owner plus fifty years following his/her death. There are two categories of exceptions to the standard duration of life plus fifty years, however.

1. The author of a work only enjoys copyright protection for fifty years from the date the work was created in the following circumstances
   • the author or rightsholder is a corporation, or other type of legal entity that grants some of the same rights as those that apply to natural persons
   • the work is a cinema or television production
   • the work is published for the first time after the death of the author
   • the work is published under a pseudonym. In this case, if the work's author reveals his/her identity within the protection period then the copyright duration is extended until 50 years following the author's death.
2. Photographs and applied arts enjoy only a twenty-five year protection period, commencing on the date of their creation.

When the protection period expires the work enters into the public domain, making it legal for all to use.

(see Articles 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 of the Jordanian Copyright Law No. 22 for the year 1992 and its amendments)