Copyright and reproducing map images from this website

Copyright in maps

There are three main categories of copyright protection relevant to maps:

Re-use of images on this website

We encourage re-use of the Library's map images based on certain conditions of use.

However, we do not have complete rights over all images on this website. As set out under Exceptions, some images may not be re-used for certain purposes, such as commercial re-use.

Illustration of re-use statement on map viewer pages

The specific Re-use licence relating to each image on our website is shown in our standard map image viewer, to the upper-right, beneath the keyword search box (as illustrated). These specific re-use licences (shown in bold below - for example CC-BY) are explained more fully under each licence.

Read our definition of commercial re-use.

These terms are specific to our Map Images website.

Please ensure you read this page fully before re-using map images.

1. Commercial, non-commercial, educational and private use of some map images

CC-BY. You are welcome to use some images displayed on the Map Images website for commercial, non-commercial, educational and private purposes under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) licence.

Use is conditional on provision of attribution. Please apply the credit line 'Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland' wherever you re-use map images. If you create derivative work, the documentation of your work must contain this attribution.

For online publications, we request that your attribution includes a link to our Map Images website.

2. Exceptions

The terms above do not extend to:

The following more general categories:


Further information on Permission to re-use material.