Are Paraguayan stamps public domain?

Not on the date alone. In the archive's reading, a Paraguayan stamp is public domain 70 years after the death of its last designer or engraver, counted from January 1 of the year after death, because Paraguay's copyright law does not exempt stamps. Where no designer is recorded, the archive answers No.

Are 19th-century Paraguayan stamps public domain?

Only when a designer is recorded and died more than 70 years ago. Paraguayan stamps, starting with the lion issue of August 1, 1870, are protected for the author's life plus 70 years in the archive's reading. The 1998 copyright law also brought works that had passed into the public domain back under protection until its new term ran out.

Do I have to pay to use public domain works in Paraguay?

Yes, to exploit them. Paraguay's 1998 copyright law requires payment, at tariffs set by the National Directorate of Copyright, for exploiting public domain works. In the archive's reading, Paraguayan stamps reach the public domain 70 years after the death of their last designer or engraver.

Paraguay

Are Paraguay stamps public domain?

Paraguayan stamps are public domain only once 70 years have passed since their last designer or engraver died, in the archive's reading of Wikimedia Commons, so there is no cutoff by date of issue. Commons notes that Paraguay's copyright law does not exempt stamps. Where no designer is recorded, the archive answers No.

Why no fixed date?

Paraguay's Law No. 1328/98 on Copyright and Related Rights does not mention stamps and does not list them among the works it leaves unprotected, so Commons marks them copyrighted.¹ The law protects a work for the author's life plus 70 years, counted from January 1 of the year after death.¹ The archive applies that designer's term to stamps, so a stamp's date of issue alone does not settle it.

Postal history and copyright

Paraguay issued its first stamps on August 1, 1870, a lion design lithographed by R. Lange of Buenos Aires.² The 1998 law reached back over earlier works: those that had passed into the public domain under the law it repealed returned to protection until the new term ran out, without prejudice to rights third parties had already acquired.¹ Commons does not say what the earlier law's terms were. It also records that exploiting public domain works in Paraguay requires payment at tariffs set by the National Directorate of Copyright, and heads that section "Public domain: non-free".¹

References 2

↑ Copyright rules for Paraguay. Wikimedia Commons, October 5, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Postage stamps and postal history of Paraguay. Wikipedia, January 2, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.

The rule by period

PeriodRule

Any dateProtected until 70 years after the death of the last designer or engraver.Protected until 70 years after the death of the last designer or engraver; with no designer recorded, the archive answers No.

Paraguay stamps and the public domain: questions

Are Paraguayan stamps public domain?: Not on the date alone. In the archive's reading, a Paraguayan stamp is public domain 70 years after the death of its last designer or engraver, counted from January 1 of the year after death, because Paraguay's copyright law does not exempt stamps. Where no designer is recorded, the archive answers No.
Are 19th-century Paraguayan stamps public domain?: Only when a designer is recorded and died more than 70 years ago. Paraguayan stamps, starting with the lion issue of August 1, 1870, are protected for the author's life plus 70 years in the archive's reading. The 1998 copyright law also brought works that had passed into the public domain back under protection until its new term ran out.
Do I have to pay to use public domain works in Paraguay?: Yes, to exploit them. Paraguay's 1998 copyright law requires payment, at tariffs set by the National Directorate of Copyright, for exploiting public domain works. In the archive's reading, Paraguayan stamps reach the public domain 70 years after the death of their last designer or engraver.