Copyright Act 1994

Acts permitted in relation to copyright works - Education

48: Copying and communication of communication work for educational purposes

You could also call this:

"Copying and sharing for school is allowed for educational purposes"

You can copy or share a communication work for educational purposes. This is allowed when an educational establishment or supplier makes or shares the copy. You must use the copy for educational purposes. You are allowed to make or share a copy of a communication work if you are an educational establishment or supplier. This does not break copyright laws if the copy is for educational purposes. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If licences are available to copy or share the work, and you know about them, you must use those licences. This applies to copying, sharing, or supplying communication works for educational purposes.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM345973.

This page was last updated on 3 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Education and learning > School educationEducation and learning > Higher educationIntellectual property > Copyright

47: Performing, playing, or showing work in course of activities of educational establishment, or

"Using copyright works for learning at school"

49: Things done for purposes of examination, or

"Using copyright material for exams is allowed"

Part 3Acts permitted in relation to copyright works
Education

48Copying and communication of communication work for educational purposes

This section applies when a copy of a communication work is—
made or communicated by or on behalf of an educational establishment; or
made and supplied by an educational resource supplier to an educational establishment.

In any case to which subsection (1)(a) applies, the making or communication of a copy of the communication work by or on behalf of an educational establishment, and the subsequent communication of the copy within the educational establishment, does not infringe copyright in the communication work or in any work included in it if the copy is made or communicated for the educational establishment’s educational purposes.
In any case to which subsection (1)(b) applies, the making and supply of a copy of the communication work by an educational resource supplier does not infringe copyright in the communication work or in any work included in it if the copy is made and supplied for the educational purposes of the educational establishment to which it is supplied.
However, the exclusions from infringement of copyright in subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to—
the copying of a communication work if or to the extent that—
1. licences authorising the copying of the communication work by or on behalf of educational establishments or by educational resource suppliers are available under a licensing scheme; and
2. the educational establishment or the educational resource supplier, as the case may be, knew that fact; or
the communication of a communication work if or to the extent that—
1. licences authorising the communication of the copy by or on behalf of educational establishments are available under a licensing scheme; and
2. the educational establishment knew that fact; or
the supply of a communication work by an educational resource supplier if or to the extent that—
1. licences authorising the supply of the communication work are available under a licensing scheme; and
2. the educational resource supplier knew that fact.

Notes

Section 48: substituted, on 31 October 2008, by section 29 of the Copyright (New Technologies) Amendment Act 2008 (2008 No 27).