When will 1945 New Zealand stamps be public domain?

On January 1, 2046, in the archive's reading. New Zealand stamps issued by the Post Office from 1945 to March 1987 carry Crown copyright for 100 years after the end of the year of issue, so the 1945 stamps stay protected through 2045.

Are NZ Post stamps copyrighted?

Yes, in the archive's reading. New Zealand Post took over postal services from the government's Post Office on April 1, 1987, and the archive treats its stamps from that date on as copyrighted. Wikimedia Commons gives no term for these issues, so how long the copyright lasts is open.

Are Tokelau stamps public domain?

It depends on the date, since the archive applies the New Zealand rule to Tokelau. Wikimedia Commons' page for Tokelau says New Zealand's Copyright Act 1994 may apply there and refers stamps to its New Zealand section. Under that rule only stamps issued in 1944 or earlier are public domain.

New Zealand

Are New Zealand stamps public domain?

New Zealand stamps issued in 1944 or earlier are public domain, according to Wikimedia Commons, because Crown copyright in them lasted 50 years. Stamps the Post Office issued from 1945 to March 1987 carry a 100-year Crown copyright, so the 1944 cutoff is fixed for now. The archive treats New Zealand Post stamps from April 1987 on as copyrighted.

Why 1944?

Commons ties New Zealand stamps to Crown copyright, which the Copyright Act 1994 gives to work made by people employed or engaged by the Crown, for 100 years from the end of the year it was made.¹ Commons says stamps issued up to the end of 1944 had a 50-year term and are all public domain, and points to an English Wikipedia tag saying Crown works produced before 1945 have been public domain since 1995.¹² For stamps the New Zealand Post Office issued as a government department from January 1, 1945 to March 31, 1987, Commons counts 100 years from issue.¹ Commons says none of them will be free before January 1, 2045; in the archive's reading the first, from 1945, become free on January 1, 2046.¹

Postal history and copyright

New Zealand's first stamps, the Chalon heads showing Queen Victoria, appeared in July 1855.³ The New Zealand Post Office was a government department until April 1, 1987, when postal services passed to New Zealand Post, a state-owned enterprise.³⁴ Commons' note on stamps stops at March 31, 1987 and gives no term for the company's issues. The archive treats those as copyrighted, on its own reading, and Commons does not say how long that copyright lasts. The archive also applies the New Zealand rule to Tokelau. Commons' page for Tokelau says the New Zealand Copyright Act 1994 may apply there and refers stamps to the New Zealand section.⁵

References 5

↑ Copyright rules for New Zealand. Wikimedia Commons, July 4, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Wikimedia Commons license tag 1 (New Zealand). Wikipedia, November 25, 2023. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Postage stamps and postal history of New Zealand. Wikipedia, September 20, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ New Zealand Post Office (Q1750809). Wikidata. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Copyright rules for Tokelau. Wikimedia Commons, May 9, 2020. Accessed October 8, 2026.

Copyright law in New Zealand

New Zealand’s own stamps follow the rule below. The historical issuers named here are read under the country’s general copyright law. A design answers Likely yes or Likely no only when every term that could apply agrees, and Unclear when they disagree.

Named designer: 50 years after the designer’s death
Anonymous: 50 years from issue
Work of the state: 100 years from issue
Note: A stamp issued before December 31, 1944 is free 50 years after issue. Stamps of the Post Office as a government department, from 1945 to March 31, 1987, are under 100-year Crown copyright.

Historical issuers read under this law: King Edward VII Land, Ross Dependency, Samoa (New Zealand Administration), Victoria Land.

Read from Wikimedia Commons, copyright rules for New Zealand, revision 1243483213, checked October 8, 2026

The rule by period

PeriodRule

Before 1945Public domain 50 years after the end of the year of issue.Crown copyright in these stamps lasted 50 years, and Commons says every one is now public domain.

From 1945 to before April 1, 1987Public domain 100 years after the end of the year of issue.Stamps of the Post Office as a government department carry Crown copyright for 100 years after the end of the year of issue.

From April 1, 1987Copyrighted: copyright of New Zealand Post since April 1987.Commons' note does not cover stamps of New Zealand Post, which took over in April 1987; the archive treats them as copyrighted.

The same rule covers Tokelau.

New Zealand stamps and the public domain: questions

Are New Zealand stamps public domain?: It depends on the date. New Zealand stamps issued in 1944 or earlier are public domain, because Crown copyright in them lasted 50 years. Stamps the Post Office issued from 1945 to March 1987 carry a 100-year Crown copyright, and the archive treats New Zealand Post issues from April 1987 on as copyrighted.
When will 1945 New Zealand stamps be public domain?: On January 1, 2046, in the archive's reading. New Zealand stamps issued by the Post Office from 1945 to March 1987 carry Crown copyright for 100 years after the end of the year of issue, so the 1945 stamps stay protected through 2045.
Are NZ Post stamps copyrighted?: Yes, in the archive's reading. New Zealand Post took over postal services from the government's Post Office on April 1, 1987, and the archive treats its stamps from that date on as copyrighted. Wikimedia Commons gives no term for these issues, so how long the copyright lasts is open.
Are Tokelau stamps public domain?: It depends on the date, since the archive applies the New Zealand rule to Tokelau. Wikimedia Commons' page for Tokelau says New Zealand's Copyright Act 1994 may apply there and refers stamps to its New Zealand section. Under that rule only stamps issued in 1944 or earlier are public domain.