Copyright Act 1994

Acts permitted in relation to copyright works - Literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works

69B: Accessible format copy activities by person who is not authorised entity

You could also call this:

"Making accessible copies for people with print disabilities is allowed"

You do not break copyright law if you are not an authorised entity and you make a copy of a work in a different format. This is because you have a print disability or you are helping someone who has a print disability. You must only use the copy to help the person with a print disability. You can make a copy that is accessible, like a braille or large print version, as long as you do not change the original work too much. You can also bring an accessible copy into New Zealand from another country that follows the Marrakesh Treaty. You can then give the accessible copy to an authorised entity. You must follow these rules to make sure you are not breaking copyright law. The Marrakesh Treaty is an international agreement that helps people with print disabilities access books and other written works. You can find more information about the Copyright Act and the Marrakesh Treaty on the New Zealand government website https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS110875

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS303127.

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

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69A: Accessible format copy activities by authorised entity, or

"Making copies for people with disabilities, while following the rules"

69C: Duties of authorised entity in regard to records and fees, or

"What organisations making accessible copies must do with records and fees"

Part 3Acts permitted in relation to copyright works
Literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works

69BAccessible format copy activities by person who is not authorised entity

A person who is not an authorised entity does not infringe copyright in the relevant work if he or she—
has a print disability or is acting on behalf of someone who has a print disability; and
intends the accessible format copy to be only for the use of the person who has a print disability; and
acts in accordance with subsection (2).

The person may do 1 or more of the following:
make an accessible format copy that respects the integrity of the original work, as far as is reasonably possible and taking into account changes needed to make the work accessible in the alternative format:
import into New Zealand an accessible format copy from an authorised entity in another Marrakesh Treaty country:
provide the accessible format copy that he or she made or imported under paragraph (a) or (b) to an authorised entity.

Notes

Section 69B: inserted, on 4 January 2020, by section 5 of the Copyright (Marrakesh Treaty Implementation) Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 43).