Section 31A Disabled persons: copies of works for personal useF1

United Kingdom

(1)

This section applies if—

(a)

a disabled person has lawful F2access to a copy of the whole or part of a work, and

(b)

the person’s disability prevents the person from enjoying the work to F3substantially the same degree as a person who does not have that disability.

(2)

The making of an accessible copy of the copy of the work referred to in subsection (1)(a) does not infringe copyright if—

(a)

the copy is made by the disabled person or by a person acting on behalf of the disabled person, F4and

(b)

the copy is made for the disabled person’s personal use F5...

F6(c)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F7(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4)

(a)

a person by or for whom an accessible copy of the work may be made under this section, or

(b)

a person who intends to transfer the copy to a person falling within paragraph (a),

except where the transfer is authorised by the copyright owner.

(5)

An accessible copy of a work made under this section is to be treated for all purposes as an infringing copy if it is held by a person at a time when the person does not fall within subsection (4)(a) or (b).

(6)

If an accessible copy made under this section is subsequently dealt with—

(a)

it is to be treated as an infringing copy for the purposes of that dealing, and

(b)

if that dealing infringes copyright, it is to be treated as an infringing copy for all subsequent purposes.

(7)

In this section “dealt with” means sold or let for hire or offered or exposed for sale or hire.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: S. 31A substituted (1.6.2014) by The Copyright and Rights in Performances (Disability) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1384), regs. 1(1), 2(3)
F2: Words in s. 31A(1)(a) substituted (11.10.2018) by The Copyright and Related Rights (Marrakesh Treaty etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/995), regs. 1(2), 4(2)(a)
F3: Word in s. 31A(1)(b) inserted (11.10.2018) by The Copyright and Related Rights (Marrakesh Treaty etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/995), regs. 1(2), 4(2)(b)
F4: Word in s. 31A(2)(a) inserted (11.10.2018) by The Copyright and Related Rights (Marrakesh Treaty etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/995), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(a)
F5: Word in s. 31A(2)(b) omitted (11.10.2018) by virtue of The Copyright and Related Rights (Marrakesh Treaty etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/995), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(b)
F6: S. 31A(2)(c) omitted (11.10.2018) by virtue of The Copyright and Related Rights (Marrakesh Treaty etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/995), regs. 1(2), 4(3)(c)
F7: S. 31A(3) omitted (11.10.2018) by virtue of The Copyright and Related Rights (Marrakesh Treaty etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/995), regs. 1(2), 4(4)

Notes on Part I

Modifications

C1: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/988, art. 2(3), 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6) (which S.I. was revoked by S.I. 1989/1293, Sch. 5)
C2: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) by S.I. 1989/1293, arts. 2(3), 3, 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6) (which S.I. was revoked by S.I.1993/942, art. 8, Sch. 5)
C3: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) by S.I. 1993/942, arts. 2(3), 4, 5, Sch. 4 (with art. 6) (as amended by S.I.1994/263, art. 2 and S.I. 1995/2987, art. 3) (which S.I. and amending S.Is. were revoked by S.I. 1999/1751, art. 8, Sch. 6)
C4: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (22.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1751, arts. 2(3), 3, 4(3)(5), 5, 7, Schs. 2, 4, 5 (as amended (22.4.2003) by S.I. 2003/774, arts. 2-5) (which S.I. and amending S.I. were revoked (1.5.2005) by S.I. 2005/852, art. 8)
C5: Pt. 1 extended in part (with modifications) (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending S.I.) by The Copyright (Bermuda) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/1517), art. 2, Sch. (which S.I. was revoked (12.11.2009) by S.I. 2009/2749, arts. 1, 2)
C6: Pt. 1 modified (31.10.2003) by The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 37(2) (with regs. 31-40)
C7: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (1.5.2005) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/852), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2006) by S.I. 2006/316, art. 1(3))
C8: Pt. 1 extended in part (with modifications) (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending S.I.) by The Copyright (Gibraltar) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/853), art. 2, Sch. (which S.I. is revoked (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending S.I.) by S.I. 2006/1039, arts. 1, 2)
C9: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2006) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/316), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2007) by S.I. 2007/273, art. 1(3))
C10: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2007) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/273), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2008) by S.I. 2008/677, art. 1(3))
C11: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2008) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/677), arts. 2-5, Sch. (with art. 7) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2012) by S.I. 2012/799, art. 1(3))
C12: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2012) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/799), arts. 1(1), arts. 2-5, Schs. (with art. 8) (which S.I. was revoked (6.4.2013) by S.I. 2013/536), art. 1(3))
C13: Pt. 1 extended in part (with modifications) (6.4.2013) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/536), arts. 1(1), 2, 4, 5, Sch. (with art. 8) (as amended (6.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/216, art. 2) (which S.I. and amending S.I. were revoked (6.4.2017) by S.I. 2016/1219, art. 1(3))
C14: Pt. 1 extended in part (Cayman Islands) (with modifications) (coming into force in accordance with art. 1 of the amending Order) by The Copyright (Cayman Islands) Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/795), arts. 1, 2, Sch. (as amended by S.I. 2016/370, arts. 1, 2-40)
C15: Pt. 1 restricted (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 2, 3, 6 (with art. 13) (as amended (15.12.2024) by S.I. 2024/193, arts. 1(2), 3, 4, 5(1) and S.I. 2024/1124, arts. 1(2), 7)
C16: Pt. 1 extended (with modifications) (6.4.2017) by The Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/1219), arts. 1(1), 4, 5, 7, 8, Sch. Pt. 1 (with art. 13) (as amended: (26.6.2021) by S.I. 2021/636, arts. 1, 2(2); (1.12.2021) by S.I. 2021/1258, arts. 1, 2(2); (15.4.2023) by S.I. 2023/296, arts. 1, 2(2); and (15.12.2024) by S.I. 2024/193, arts. 1(2), 5(2)(3) and S.I. 2024/1124, arts. 1(2), 7)
C17: Pt. 1: power to extend conferred (27.4.2017) by Digital Economy Act 2017 (c. 30), ss. 118(1), 119(7)(8)(a)

Notes on Chapter III

Modifications

C1: Pt. 1 Ch. III amended by Broadcasting Act 1990 (c. 42, SIF 96), s. 176, Sch. 17 para. 7(1)
C2: Pt. 1 Ch. III applied (with modifications) (1.12.1996) by S.I. 1996/2967, reg. 17(1)-(3) (with Pt. III)
C3: Pt. 1 Ch. III continued (31.10.2003) by virtue of The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/2498), reg. 33, (with regs. 31-40)

Notes on Disability

Textual amendments

F1: S. 31A cross-heading substituted (1.6.2014) by The Copyright and Rights in Performances (Disability) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1384), regs. 1(1), 2(2)