Are Peruvian stamps public domain?

It depends on the date. In the archive's reading, Peruvian stamps issued before 1971 are public domain, because their 25-year term as government works under the 1961 law ran out before 1996. Stamps from 1971 on are protected under Peru's 1996 copyright law, for 70 years after the designer's death or 70 years from issue if the designer is unknown.

When will Peruvian stamps from 1971 become public domain?

For an anonymous stamp, on January 1, 2042, by the archive's count. Peru's 1996 copyright law protects an anonymous stamp for 70 years from its year of issue, and a stamp with a named designer until 70 years after that designer's death.

Will the 1971 cutoff for Peruvian stamps change?

No. The 1971 line for Peruvian stamps marks the end of the 25-year term for government works under the 1961 law, which ran out for stamps issued through 1970 before 1996. The 1996 law that replaced it extended only terms still running, so it did not revive the expired ones.

Peru

Are Peru stamps public domain?

Peruvian stamps issued before 1971 are public domain, in the archive's reading of Wikimedia Commons, because their 25-year term as government works ran out before 1996. Stamps from 1971 on fall under Peru's 1996 copyright law: 70 years after the designer's death, or 70 years from issue when the designer is unknown. The 1971 cutoff is fixed.

Why 1971?

Peru's copyright law of 1961, Law No. 13714, protected works of the government and other public bodies for 25 years from publication.¹ Commons' license tag for these works counts the term from January 1 of the year after publication, so a work published by December 31, 1970 lost protection before 1996.² Commons gives January 1, 1996 as Peru's URAA date, the day the United States restored copyright in foreign works still protected in their source country.¹³ Legislative Decree No. 822 of April 23, 1996 replaced the 1961 law and gave its longer terms only to works still protected, so it did not revive expired ones.¹ The 1996 law has no special rule for stamps.¹

Postal history and copyright

The first stamps used in Peru were printed by the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, a British shipping line, for its own mail service, and the government allowed them on the Peruvian post from December 1, 1857.⁴⁵ The post's own first issue followed on March 10, 1858, and during the War of the Pacific, after Chile occupied Lima in 1881, stamps were overprinted with the Chilean coat of arms.⁵ Commons reserves one license tag for stamps created by the government and sends other works to another tag that depends on the author's death year.¹ Its note does not mention the company's stamps or the occupation overprints. The archive's rule answers public domain for every stamp issued before 1971 and does not separate them, so the status of those issues under Commons' own tests is an open question.

References 5

↑ Copyright rules for Peru. Wikimedia Commons, October 5, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Wikimedia Commons license tag (Peru). Wikimedia Commons, June 5, 2023. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Commons:URAA-restored copyrights. Wikimedia Commons, March 13, 2025. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Postage stamps and postal history of Peru. Wikipedia, January 2, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Historia postal del Perú. Wikipedia, July 13, 2025. Accessed October 8, 2026.

The rule by period

PeriodRule

Before 1971Public domain: a government work whose 25-year term has expired.Commons tags stamps made by the government before 1971 under one of its license tags, because their 25-year term under the 1961 law ended before 1996.

From 1971Public domain 70 years after the end of the year of issue when the stamp is anonymous; with a named designer, protected until 70 years after the death of the last designer or engraver.Commons applies the 1996 law: an anonymous stamp is protected for 70 years from its year of issue, and a stamp with a named designer until 70 years after that designer's death.

Peru stamps and the public domain: questions

Are Peruvian stamps public domain?: It depends on the date. In the archive's reading, Peruvian stamps issued before 1971 are public domain, because their 25-year term as government works under the 1961 law ran out before 1996. Stamps from 1971 on are protected under Peru's 1996 copyright law, for 70 years after the designer's death or 70 years from issue if the designer is unknown.
When will Peruvian stamps from 1971 become public domain?: For an anonymous stamp, on January 1, 2042, by the archive's count. Peru's 1996 copyright law protects an anonymous stamp for 70 years from its year of issue, and a stamp with a named designer until 70 years after that designer's death.
Will the 1971 cutoff for Peruvian stamps change?: No. The 1971 line for Peruvian stamps marks the end of the 25-year term for government works under the 1961 law, which ran out for stamps issued through 1970 before 1996. The 1996 law that replaced it extended only terms still running, so it did not revive the expired ones.