Selected year snapshot
For 2016, the active event in this file is Law for the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Royal Decree No. 65/2008, as amended by Royal Decree No. 132/2008).
60%
Current rationale
As of 2025, the law in force in Oman for copyright is Royal Decree No. 65/2008 as amended by Royal Decree No. 132/2008. No further amendments to the exceptions and limitations provisions have been identified. The most permissive research-relevant exception remains Article 20(2), which permits 'using the work exclusively for personal purposes.' This covers all types of works and uses the broad term 'using' (potentially covering any exclusive right including reproduction), but is restricted to personal purposes only — meaning individual private use. There is no general fair dealing, fair use, dedicated research exception, or TDM exception. The library exception (Art. 20(3)) is limited to preservation/replacement copies. The quotation exception (Art. 20(1)) is limited to passages. Classification: LIGHT BLUE — full works may be used, but only for personal purposes, with no authorization for sharing or institutional research copying. The non-commercial nature of personal use is classification-neutral per the rules.
Exceptions considered
Quotation from lawfully available works, consistent with fair practice, to extent justified by purpose
Using the work exclusively for personal purposes
Single copy by library, archive, or documentation center for preservation or replacement, non-commercial
Short excerpts for reporting current events
Reproduction for judicial or administrative proceedings
Temporary/transient reproduction as part of technological process
Law changes
Baseline
Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01
?
Dates: Effective 1990-01-01
Why this score
No copyright statute was in force in Oman on 1990-01-01. The first copyright law in Oman was Royal Decree No. 47/1996, which entered into force in June 1996. Prior to that, there was no dedicated copyright legislation. The Printing and Publishing Law (Royal Decree No. 49/84) regulated publications but did not establish copyright exceptions or limitations for research. Therefore, the baseline as of 1990-01-01 reflects the absence of any copyright law with research-relevant exceptions.
Copyright Law (Royal Decree No. 47/1996)
Relevant update · Effective 1996-06-08
60%
Relevant section: Articles 10–13
Dates: Effective 1996-06-08 · Enacted 1996-06-08
Why this score
The 1996 Copyright Law's most permissive research-relevant exception is Article 10(2), which permits 'using the work of art for personal use only, without prejudice to the normal exploitation of the work of art.' This is a personal/private use exception open to all works and covering 'use' (potentially any exclusive right), but restricted to personal use only — i.e., individual private use. Article 10(1) and 10(4) are limited to quotations/short passages (RED individually). Article 10(2) is the most permissive: it covers full works and potentially any use, but is restricted to personal/individual use. This maps to LIGHT BLUE. The non-commercial/personal restriction is the binding constraint. Note: the full Arabic text of the 1996 law could not be independently verified; the English text from Mondaq is used as the best available source but is treated as unofficial.
Exceptions considered
Quotation of short passages from published works for criticism, discussion, or information, compatible with fair practice
Using the work for personal use only, without prejudice to normal exploitation
Reproducing or quoting short passages for education purposes, compatible with fair practice
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 10: Without prejudice to the moral rights of the author as provided for in this Law, the author may not prevent third parties from performing any of the following acts: 1. Quoting short passages from a published work of art for the purposes of criticism, discussion or information, provided that the quotation is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose, and provided that the source and the name of the author are mentioned. 2. Using the work of art for personal use only, without prejudice to the normal exploitation of the work of art. 3. Reproducing or quoting articles published in newspapers and periodicals on current topics of economic, political or religious nature, unless the author has expressly prohibited such reproduction or quotation. 4. Reproducing or quoting short passages from a work of art for the purposes of education, provided that the reproduction or quotation is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose, and provided that the source and the name of the author are mentioned.
Source links
Law on the Protection of Copyrights and Neighboring Rights (Royal Decree No. 37/2000)
Relevant update · Effective 2000-06-03
60%
Relevant section: Articles 20–24
Dates: Effective 2000-06-03 · Enacted 2000-06-03
Why this score
Royal Decree No. 37/2000 replaced the 1996 law. The most permissive research-relevant exception is Article 20(2): 'Using the work exclusively for personal purposes.' This covers all works and uses the word 'using' (potentially covering any exclusive right), but is restricted to personal purposes only. Article 20(3) is a library/institutional exception but limited to preservation/replacement copies, not research copying. Article 20(1) is a quotation exception (passages only). No specific research or fair dealing exception exists. The personal use exception (Art. 20(2)) determines the classification as LIGHT BLUE: full works, potentially any use, but restricted to individual personal use. No sharing or institutional research copying is authorized beyond the narrow library preservation provision.
Exceptions considered
Quotation of passages from lawfully available works, consistent with fair practice, to extent justified by purpose
Using the work exclusively for personal purposes
Single copy by library, documentation center, or non-commercial educational institution for preservation or replacement of lost/destroyed copy
Reproducing, broadcasting, or communicating short excerpts for reporting current events
Reproducing a work for judicial or administrative proceedings
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 20: Without prejudice to the moral rights of the author stipulated in this Law, the author may not prevent others from carrying out the following acts: 1- Quoting passages from a work that has been lawfully made available to the public, provided that such quotation is consistent with fair practice and to the extent justified by the purpose, and provided that the source and the name of the author are mentioned. 2- Using the work exclusively for personal purposes. 3- Making a single copy of the work by a library or documentation center or by a non-commercial educational institution, where such reproduction is necessary to preserve the original copy or to replace a lost, destroyed or unusable copy, and it is impossible to obtain such a copy under reasonable conditions. 4- Reproducing, broadcasting, or communicating to the public short excerpts of a work for the purpose of reporting current events to the extent justified by the purpose. 5- Reproducing a work for use in judicial or administrative proceedings to the extent justified by such proceedings.
Source links
Law for the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Royal Decree No. 65/2008)
Relevant update · Effective 2008-07-14
60%
Relevant section: Articles 20–26
Dates: Effective 2008-07-14 · Enacted 2008-07-14
Why this score
Royal Decree No. 65/2008 replaced the 2000 law. The exceptions structure remains substantially similar. The most permissive research-relevant exception continues to be Article 20(2): 'Using the work exclusively for personal purposes.' This covers all works and uses the broad term 'using,' but is restricted to personal purposes only. Article 20(3) is a library/archive exception limited to preservation/replacement (not research copying). Article 20(1) is quotation only. Article 20(6) is a transient/incidental copy exception for technological processes. No dedicated research, fair dealing, fair use, or TDM exception exists. The personal use exception determines the classification as LIGHT BLUE: full works, potentially any use, but restricted to individual personal purposes. The non-commercial restriction in Art. 20(3) is classification-neutral but the scope limitation (preservation only) makes it narrower than the personal use exception for research purposes.
Exceptions considered
Quotation from lawfully available works, consistent with fair practice, to extent justified by purpose
Using the work exclusively for personal purposes
Single copy by library, archive, or documentation center for preservation or replacement of lost/destroyed copy, non-commercial purposes
Reproducing, broadcasting, or communicating short excerpts for reporting current events
Reproducing a work for judicial or administrative proceedings
Temporary reproduction as transient/incidental part of technological process for network transmission or lawful use
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 20: Without prejudice to the moral rights of the author, the following acts shall be permitted without the authorization of the author and without payment of compensation: 1- Quoting from a work that has been lawfully made available to the public, provided that such quotation is consistent with fair practice and to the extent justified by the purpose, including quotations from newspaper articles and periodicals in the form of press summaries, and provided that the source and the name of the author are mentioned. 2- Using the work exclusively for personal purposes. 3- Making a single copy of the work by a library, archive, or documentation center, where such reproduction is for non-commercial purposes and is necessary to preserve the original copy or to replace a lost, destroyed, or unusable copy, and it is impossible to obtain such a copy under reasonable conditions. 4- Reproducing, broadcasting, or communicating to the public short excerpts of a work on the occasion of reporting current events to the extent justified by the informatory purpose. 5- Reproducing a work for use in judicial or administrative proceedings to the extent justified by such proceedings. 6- Making a temporary reproduction of a work if the reproduction is transient or incidental and an integral and essential part of a technological process, and the sole purpose of which is to enable a transmission in a network between third parties by an intermediary or a lawful use of the work.
Source links
Law for the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Royal Decree No. 65/2008, as amended by Royal Decree No. 132/2008)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2008-07-14
60%
Relevant section: Article 20(2)
Dates: Effective 2008-07-14 · Enacted 2008-07-14
Why this score
As of 2025, the law in force in Oman for copyright is Royal Decree No. 65/2008 as amended by Royal Decree No. 132/2008. No further amendments to the exceptions and limitations provisions have been identified. The most permissive research-relevant exception remains Article 20(2), which permits 'using the work exclusively for personal purposes.' This covers all types of works and uses the broad term 'using' (potentially covering any exclusive right including reproduction), but is restricted to personal purposes only — meaning individual private use. There is no general fair dealing, fair use, dedicated research exception, or TDM exception. The library exception (Art. 20(3)) is limited to preservation/replacement copies. The quotation exception (Art. 20(1)) is limited to passages. Classification: LIGHT BLUE — full works may be used, but only for personal purposes, with no authorization for sharing or institutional research copying. The non-commercial nature of personal use is classification-neutral per the rules.
Exceptions considered
Quotation from lawfully available works, consistent with fair practice, to extent justified by purpose
Using the work exclusively for personal purposes
Single copy by library, archive, or documentation center for preservation or replacement, non-commercial
Short excerpts for reporting current events
Reproduction for judicial or administrative proceedings
Temporary/transient reproduction as part of technological process
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 20(2): Using the work exclusively for personal purposes.