Guide
Public domain Bible translations
Short answer
The best known public domain English Bibles are the King James Version (everywhere except the UK), the American Standard Version of 1901 and the World English Bible. Most modern translations, including the NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT, NASB and CSB, are under copyright and can be quoted only within their publishers' limits.
Public domain English Bibles
| Translation | Year | Why it is public domain |
|---|---|---|
| King James Version | 1611, text of 1769 | Age. In the UK the Crown keeps perpetual printing rights. |
| American Standard Version | 1901 | Copyright expired January 1, 1957. |
| World English Bible | 2020 text | Dedicated to the public domain by its translators. |
| Young's Literal Translation | 1862 | Age. |
| Webster's Revision of the KJV | 1833 | Age. |
| Darby Bible | 1890 (complete) | Age. |
| Revised Version | 1881 to 1885 | Age. |
| Douay-Rheims, Challoner revision | 1749 to 1752 | Age. |
In the United States a work published before 1931 is in the public domain as of 2026, because published works from that era are protected for at most 95 years. A newer translation is public domain only if its copyright lapsed, as the ASV's did, or its owners dedicated it to the public, as with the WEB.
Translations under copyright
The New International Version, English Standard Version, New King James Version, New Living Translation, New American Standard Bible and Christian Standard Bible all carry current copyrights. Each publisher allows short quotations, usually a few hundred verses with a credit line, but not the full text on another site or app without a license. That is why free offline readers, including this one, carry public domain texts.
What public domain lets you do
- Copy, print, share and publish the full text, with no permission and no credit line.
- Put it in an app, a website, a slide deck or a printed booklet.
- Change it. For the WEB, a changed text may not use the name "World English Bible", a trademark kept to avoid confusion.
The full KJV, WEB and ASV texts are free to download as plain text.
Questions
Is the NIV public domain?
No. The New International Version is under copyright held by Biblica.
Is the KJV copyrighted?
Only in the United Kingdom, where the Crown holds perpetual rights to print it. Elsewhere it is public domain.
Can I use the World English Bible in my app?
Yes. It is public domain. Keep the text unchanged if you call it the World English Bible.
Related
Sources
- King James Version, Wikipedia
- American Standard Version, Wikipedia
- World English Bible, Wikipedia
- Young's Literal Translation, Wikipedia
- Darby Bible, Wikipedia
- Webster's Revision, Wikipedia
- Revised Version, Wikipedia
- Douay-Rheims Bible, Wikipedia
- How long does copyright protection last, U.S. Copyright Office