§ 120. — Scope of exclusive rights in architectural works.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 17USC120]
TITLE 17--COPYRIGHTS
CHAPTER 1--SUBJECT MATTER AND SCOPE OF COPYRIGHT
Sec. 120. Scope of exclusive rights in architectural works
(a) Pictorial Representations Permitted.--The copyright in an
architectural work that has been constructed does not include the right
to prevent the making, distributing, or public display of pictures,
paintings, photographs, or other pictorial representations of the work,
if the building in which the work is embodied is located in or
ordinarily visible from a public place.
(b) Alterations to and Destruction of Buildings.--Notwithstanding
the provisions of section 106(2), the owners of a building embodying an
architectural work may, without the consent of the author or copyright
owner of the architectural work, make or authorize the making of
alterations to such building, and destroy or authorize the destruction
of such building.
(Added Pub. L. 101-650, title VII, Sec. 704(a), Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat.
5133.)
Effective Date
Section applicable to any architectural work created on or after
Dec. 1, 1990, and any architectural work, that, on Dec. 1, 1990, is
unconstructed and embodied in unpublished plans or drawings, except that
protection for such architectural work under this title terminates on
Dec. 31, 2002, unless the work is constructed by that date, see section
706 of Pub. L. 101-650, set out as an Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
note under section 101 of this title.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 106, 501, 511 of this title;
title 18 section 2319.
