Are Turkish stamps public domain?

It depends on the date. In the archive's reading, Turkish stamps issued in 1955 or earlier are public domain in 2026, because the Turkish state holds the copyright in its stamps for 70 years from publication. The cutoff moves forward one year each January.

Who owns the copyright in Turkish stamps?

The Turkish state. Under Turkey's copyright law of December 5, 1951, the rights in works civil servants make in the course of their duties are exercised by their employer, and a work first authored by a legal person is protected for 70 years from publication. Read together, these give the government the copyright in Turkish stamps for 70 years.

Are Ottoman stamps covered by this rule?

No. Ottoman stamps, first issued on January 1, 1863, have their own page in the archive and are not answered by the rule for Turkish stamps, which rests on Turkey's copyright law of 1951.

When will Turkish stamps from 1960 become public domain?

On January 1, 2031, in the archive's reading. Turkish stamps are protected for 70 years from publication, counted to the end of the year, so a stamp becomes public domain on January 1 of the 71st year after its year of issue.

Turkey

Are Turkey stamps public domain?

It depends on the date: Turkish stamps issued in 1955 or earlier are public domain in 2026, in the archive's reading of Wikimedia Commons. Commons says the copyright in Turkish stamps belongs to the state and lasts 70 years from publication. The cutoff moves forward one year each January.

Why 1955?

Commons reads two articles of Law No. 5846 of December 5, 1951 on Intellectual and Artistic Works together.¹ Article 18 has the rights in works made by civil servants and employees in the course of their duties exercised by those who employ them, and Article 27 sets a term of 70 years from publication when the first author is a legal person.¹ From these Commons concludes that the Turkish government holds stamp copyright for 70 years, and its note, as shown in 2026, treats stamps published before January 1, 1956 as public domain.¹ Commons adds that the 1951 law first gave 50 years and was extended to 70 years in 1995.¹

Postal history and copyright

Turkey's stamps continue those of the Ottoman Empire, which issued its first stamps on January 1, 1863.² From 1920 to 1922 the Ankara government of the Grand National Assembly overprinted old stocks and handstamped revenue stamps for postal use, and the republic was proclaimed in 1923.¹² Commons covers the Ottoman Empire on a separate page,¹ and the archive gives Ottoman stamps their own page as well. Commons' note on Turkish stamps rests on the 1951 law and does not mention the Ankara issues; in the archive's reading they fall before the 70-year cutoff in any case.

References 2

↑ Copyright rules for Turkey. Wikimedia Commons, August 7, 2025. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Postage stamps and postal history of Turkey. Wikipedia, August 26, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.

Copyright law in Turkey

Turkey’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: 70 years after the designer’s death
Anonymous: 70 years from issue
Work of the state: 70 years from issue
Before 1995: 50 years after the designer’s death; 50 years from issue for an anonymous stamp.
Note: Stamps are treated as works of a legal person, protected for 70 years from publication.

Historical issuers read under this law: Adrianople (Edirne), Angora, British Post Offices in the Turkish Empire, Cilicia (French Occupation), Constantinople (Italian Post Office), Constantinople (Polish Post Office), Constantinople (Romanian Post Office), Constantinople (Russian Post Office), Dardanelles (Russian Post Office), Eastern Thrace, German post offices in the Turkish Empire, Hatay, Kerrasunde (Russian Post Office), Long Island (British Occupation), Rizeh (Russian Post Office), Romanian Post Offices in the Turkish Empire, Smirne (Italian Post Office), Smyrne (Russian Post Office), Syria (French Occupation), Trebizonde (Russian Post Office).

Read from Wikimedia Commons, copyright rules for Turkey, revision 1067794763, checked October 8, 2026

The rule by period

PeriodRule

Any datePublic domain 70 years after the end of the year of issue.In the archive's reading, a stamp becomes public domain on January 1 of the 71st year after its year of issue.

Turkey stamps and the public domain: questions

Are Turkish stamps public domain?: It depends on the date. In the archive's reading, Turkish stamps issued in 1955 or earlier are public domain in 2026, because the Turkish state holds the copyright in its stamps for 70 years from publication. The cutoff moves forward one year each January.
Who owns the copyright in Turkish stamps?: The Turkish state. Under Turkey's copyright law of December 5, 1951, the rights in works civil servants make in the course of their duties are exercised by their employer, and a work first authored by a legal person is protected for 70 years from publication. Read together, these give the government the copyright in Turkish stamps for 70 years.
Are Ottoman stamps covered by this rule?: No. Ottoman stamps, first issued on January 1, 1863, have their own page in the archive and are not answered by the rule for Turkish stamps, which rests on Turkey's copyright law of 1951.
When will Turkish stamps from 1960 become public domain?: On January 1, 2031, in the archive's reading. Turkish stamps are protected for 70 years from publication, counted to the end of the year, so a stamp becomes public domain on January 1 of the 71st year after its year of issue.