Title 17 — Copyrights
Chapter 1 — Subject Matter and Scope of Copyright
§ 120. Scope of exclusive rights in architectural works
Statutory text
Pictorial Representations Permitted.—
The copyright in an architectural work that has been constructed does not include the right to prevent the making, distributing, or public display of pictures, paintings, photographs, or other pictorial representations of the work, if the building in which the work is embodied is located in or ordinarily visible from a public place.
Alterations to and Destruction of Buildings.—
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106(2), the owners of a building embodying an architectural work may, without the consent of the author or copyright owner of the architectural work, make or authorize the making of alterations to such building, and destroy or authorize the destruction of such building.
Legislative history
Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.
Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act
Pub. L. 101–650 title VII § 704(a) · 104 Stat. 5089
Enacted · 17 U.S.C. § 120
(Added Pub. L. 101–650, title VII, § 704(a), Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5133.)
Source evidence
Code source credit
(Added Pub. L. 101–650, title VII, § 704(a), Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5133.)Enacted provision · exact public law section
(a) In General.— Chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: “§ 120. Scope of exclusive rights in architectural works “(a) Pictorial Representations Permitted.— The copyright in an architectural work that has been constructed does not include the right to prevent the making, distributing, or public display of pictures, paintings, photographs, or other pictorial representations of the work, if the building in which the work is embodied is located in or ordinarily visible from a public place. “(b) Alterations to and Destruction of Buildings.— Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106(2), the owners of a building embodying an architectural work may, without the consent of the author or copyright owner of the architectural work, make or authorize the making of alterations to such building, and destroy or authorize the destruction of such building.”.
1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section applicable to any architectural work created on or after , and any architectural work, that, on , is unconstructed and embodied in unpublished plans or drawings, except that protection for such architectural work under this title terminates on , unless the work is constructed by that date, see section 706 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as an Effective Date of 1990 Amendment note under section 101 of this title.
Credits
(Added Pub. L. 101–650, title VII, § 704(a), , 104 Stat. 5133.)