Copyright Information for Maps
Maps should be treated as intellectual property or artwork. Section 107 of the Copyright Act specifically mentions maps. Neither a business nor an individual can reproduce copyrighted maps without the owner’s permission, even a single copy for commercial use.
Maps may be eligible for copyright as pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works or as compilations.
Public Domain Maps
All US maps published before 1923 are public domain. Most USGS topographic maps are public, except for three cases for US Topo maps since 2009.
Copyright Law and Maps
Under copyright law, maps should be treated like other artwork or intellectual property. Nobody should publish a non-owned map without the author or owner’s permission.
Ownership and Usage
A map is subject to copyright, and only the copyright owner has the right to decide where it gets published. Without consent, you can’t publish a map online, in print or social media. Even crediting the author or owner is copyright infringement.
Fair Use of Maps
Under fair use, maps, text, images, and other works that would otherwise be protected by copyright law may be used without the author’s permission.
Use of Google Maps
Street View imagery can only be used in digital advertisements if using Google Maps APIs or the imagery is embedded on your website using HTML and URL provided on Google Maps.
Public Domain Government Maps
Except for three cases for US Topo maps since 2009, all USGS topographic maps are public. Most 2010-2016 maps include commercially licensed road data.
Identifying Public Domain Maps
Reasons for maps being in the public domain include being created by the US government or having expired copyrights (pre-1923). Most US government maps are public domain from the start.