Exemptions To Permit Circumvention of Access Controls on Copyrighted Works
Library of Congress / Copyright Office, Library of Congress
The United States Copyright Office is initiating the tenth triennial rulemaking proceeding under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") to determine whether to recommend temporary exemptions to the DMCA's prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. The Office is accepting petitions for renewal of current exemptions and petitions for new exemptions, and will subsequently accept comments in response to renewal petitions.
Published June 9, 2026Document 2026-11545Effective August 24, 2026
The comment period closed on September 28, 2026. The agency now reviews the comments. If it goes ahead, it publishes a final rule in the Federal Register that responds to significant comments. We link it here when it appears. See what is open for comment now.
From the Federal Register as of November 3, 2026. Deadlines can change; the official document governs. Not legal advice.
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