00WHAT THE LAW AND STYLE GUIDES SAY

Quote fairly,
and say who said it.

An open notebook on a wooden desk with handwritten notes in pencil beside a stack of old books and a pair of reading glasses — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Quoting someone else's words is allowed in UK law, within limits.

This independent guide explains the copyright exception for quotation added in 2014, what a 'sufficient acknowledgement' means, why centuries-old writing can usually be quoted freely, and how to set out quotation marks clearly.

SINCE 2014a UK exception for quotationUpdated 19 October 2026

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01Principles

Only as much as you need
Always give a credit
Old works are often free
Borrowed words, used fairly

02THE SHORT ANSWER

Fair, short,
and credited.

UK law has a specific exception for quotation.
It comes with four conditions.

THE EXCEPTION

Quotation is allowed

Since 1 October 2014, quoting from a work does not infringe copyright if the work is public, the use is fair dealing and the extract is no longer than the purpose needs.

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THE CREDIT

Say what and who

The law also asks for a sufficient acknowledgement: naming the work by its title or a description, and naming the author unless the work is anonymous.

How to credit

OLD WORDS

Copyright runs out

Copyright in written work usually lasts 70 years after the author's death. After that, anyone can use or copy the work, so letters and sermons from centuries ago are usually free.

See the numbers

General information only, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or a free advice service.

03A QUICK QUOTE CHECK

How does the
law see it?

Pick a way of using someone else's words. The bar shows how much the use leans away from the exceptions and towards needing permission.

Based on the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (sections 30 and 178) and IPO guidance on GOV.UK. General information only, not legal advice.

Quote check

Choose a useA line from a 1550s letterA line in a book review, creditedA short quote in a blog post, creditedA quote with no creditA whole poem or chapter

A line from a 1550s letterUsually free

Copyright in written work usually lasts 70 years after the author's death, and once it has expired anyone can use or copy the work. A credit is still good practice.

A line in a book review, creditedCovered

Fair dealing for criticism or review does not infringe copyright, provided the work has been made public and there is a sufficient acknowledgement.

A short quote in a blog post, creditedCan be covered

The 2014 quotation exception covers quotes used 'for criticism or review or otherwise', if the use is fair dealing, no longer than needed, and credited.

A quote with no creditMissing a condition

Both the review and quotation exceptions require a sufficient acknowledgement, unless that would be impossible for practical or other reasons.

A whole poem or chapterLikely too much

The quotation must be no more than the purpose needs, and the IPO's guidance on fair dealing for research says copying a whole work would not generally count.

Sources: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 s.30 and s.178; GOV.UK, Exceptions to copyright and How long copyright lasts.

04TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

One date in the law,
one clock on every book.

When the general quotation exception arrived,
and how long written work stays in copyright.

2014

Year the general quotation exception came into force

Section 30(1ZA) was inserted into the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act on 1 October 2014 by the Quotation and Parody Regulations. Contract terms that try to stop such quotation are unenforceable.

THE EXCEPTION · LEGISLATION.GOV.UK

70 years

GOV.UK says copyright starts as soon as a work is created and written, dramatic, musical and artistic work usually stays protected until 70 years after the author dies.

HOW LONG IT LASTS · GOV.UK

Fair dealing for reporting current events is a separate exception. It covers any type of work except photographs, so a news photo cannot simply be reused to report the news.

05SETTING OUT A QUOTE

Clear marks,
clear credit.

The GOV.UK style guide, written for government web pages, gives simple rules for quotation marks that work well anywhere.

Double quotes for words said or written
GOV.UK uses double quotes in body text only for direct quotations of something a person has said or written.
Single quotes for titles and terms
It uses single quotes for publication titles, individual words like a 'Sign in' link, and unusual terms on first mention.
Block quotes for long passages
Quotes longer than a few sentences go in a block quote rather than running on inside the text.
Name the work and the author
A sufficient acknowledgement identifies the work by its title or other description and names the author, unless the work was published anonymously.

A row of old leather-bound books with faded spines standing on a library shelf in soft daylight — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

06LONG SPEECHES

Open every paragraph,
close only once.

A hand holding a pencil over a printed page, marking a short passage with brackets in the margin — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

When a quotation runs over several paragraphs, the GOV.UK style guide says to open quotation marks at the start of each new paragraph but close them only at the end of the final one.

Whatever style you use, the legal point is the same: keep the extract to what your purpose needs, and make it clear whose words they are.

07Questions

Questions people ask

Can I quote from a book without asking permission?

UK law allows quotation without permission if the work has been made public, the use is fair dealing, the extract is no more than the purpose needs and there is a sufficient acknowledgement. This page is general information, not legal advice.

What counts as a sufficient acknowledgement?

The Act defines it as identifying the work by its title or other description and identifying the author, unless the work was published anonymously or the author cannot be found by reasonable inquiry.

Are very old writings still in copyright?

Usually not. GOV.UK says copyright in written work usually lasts 70 years after the author's death, and once it has expired anyone can use or copy the work.

Can a website's terms ban me from quoting it?

The Act says a contract term that tries to prevent or restrict quotation that the section 30(1ZA) exception allows is unenforceable.

Single or double quotation marks?

Styles differ. GOV.UK's style guide uses double quotes for direct quotations of what someone said or wrote, and single quotes for titles, individual words and unusual terms.

08Sources

Quote fairly,
and say who said it.