Selected year snapshot
For 2024, the active event in this file is Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as extended to the Cayman Islands by the Copyright (Cayman Islands) Order 2015 and the Copyright (Cayman Islands) (Amendment) Order 2016).
100%
Current rationale
As of 2025, the copyright law in force in the Cayman Islands is the UK CDPA 1988 as extended by the 2015 and 2016 Orders. The most permissive research-relevant exception is Section 29 — fair dealing for the purposes of research (non-commercial) or private study. 'Fair dealing' covers any exclusive right, not only reproduction. It applies to any user and any type of work. This maps to GREEN. Additionally, Section 29A provides a TDM exception for non-commercial research (which on its own would be BLUE as it covers only copying/reproduction, not communication). The fair dealing exception (Section 29) is more permissive and determines the overall classification. The non-commercial restriction on research does not affect the color per the classification-neutral factors rule. No amendments to the copyright regime applicable to the Cayman Islands have been identified between 30 June 2016 and 2025 that would affect these research-related exceptions.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research for a non-commercial purpose or private study — no infringement if accompanied by sufficient acknowledgement
Text and data mining: copying of a work for computational analysis for non-commercial research, where the person has lawful access
Personal copying for private use
Library and archive copying provisions — libraries may make and supply copies for users for research or private study
Educational copying by educational establishments
Fair dealing for criticism, review, quotation, and reporting current events
Law changes
Copyright Act 1956 (as extended to the Cayman Islands)
Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01
100%
Relevant section: Section 6 (fair dealing for research or private study)
Dates: Effective 1990-01-01
Why this score
The UK Copyright Act 1956 was extended to the Cayman Islands by the Copyright (Cayman Islands) Order 1966 (SI 1966/1635). Section 6(1) of the 1956 Act provided that 'No fair dealing with a literary, dramatic or musical work for purposes of research or private study shall constitute an infringement of the copyright in the work.' Section 6(2) similarly provided fair dealing for criticism, review, and news reporting. Section 6(3) provided that 'No fair dealing with an artistic work shall constitute an infringement of the copyright in the work.' The term 'fair dealing' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction). The exception was open to any user and any type of work. This maps to GREEN: full works, any user, any use (dealing covers reproduction and communication). The 1956 Act remained in force in the Cayman Islands until 30 June 2016. I was unable to retrieve the full verbatim text of the 1956 Act via web search, but the extension to the Cayman Islands is confirmed by multiple official sources including the Mondaq article citing the Ministry of Financial Services and the CIIPO website, which state that the 1956 Act was in force until replaced by the 2015/2016 Orders.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic or musical work for purposes of research or private study — no infringement
Fair dealing for criticism, review, or reporting current events
Fair dealing with an artistic work — no infringement
Copyright (Cayman Islands) Order 2015 and Copyright (Cayman Islands) (Amendment) Order 2016
Relevant update · Effective 2016-06-30
100%
Relevant section: Sections 29, 29A, 30, 28A, 28B, 36, 38–43 (as extended with modifications to the Cayman Islands)
Dates: Effective 2016-06-30 · Enacted 2015-03-19
Why this score
The Copyright (Cayman Islands) Order 2015 and the Copyright (Cayman Islands) (Amendment) Order 2016 came into force on 30 June 2016, extending the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (CDPA 1988) to the Cayman Islands with modifications. The CDPA 1988 as extended includes: Section 29 — fair dealing for research and private study (research must be for non-commercial purpose); Section 29A — copies for text and data mining for non-commercial research; Section 30 — fair dealing for criticism, review, quotation, and reporting current events; Sections 28A/28B — personal copying for private use; Sections 36–36A — educational copying; Sections 38–43 — library and archive copying provisions. The CIIPO official website lists the following as exceptions: personal copying for private use; non-commercial research and private study; text and data mining for non-commercial research; criticising, reviewing and reporting current events; educational use; use by libraries, archives and public administrations; parody, caricature and pastiche; backup copies of computer programs; and others. The most permissive exception is Section 29 (fair dealing for research or private study). 'Fair dealing' covers any exclusive right, not only reproduction. It is open to any user and any type of work. The non-commercial restriction does not affect the color classification per the rules. Additionally, Section 29A provides a specific TDM exception for non-commercial research. This maps to GREEN: fair dealing for research covers full works, any user, any use (dealing covers reproduction and communication). I could not retrieve the full verbatim text of the Orders or the CDPA 1988 as modified for the Cayman Islands via web search, but the CIIPO website (official Cayman Islands Government) and the Maples Group article on Mondaq confirm the provisions and the date of entry into force.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research for a non-commercial purpose — no infringement if accompanied by sufficient acknowledgement. Also covers fair dealing for private study.
Text and data mining: copying of a work for computational analysis for non-commercial research, where the person has lawful access to the work
Personal copying for private use — making a copy of a work for private use
Library and archive copying provisions — libraries may make copies for users for research or private study
Educational copying by educational establishments
Fair dealing for criticism, review, quotation, and reporting current events
Source links
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as extended to the Cayman Islands by the Copyright (Cayman Islands) Order 2015 and the Copyright (Cayman Islands) (Amendment) Order 2016)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2016-06-30
100%
Relevant section: Sections 29, 29A, 30, 28A, 36, 38–43
Dates: Effective 2016-06-30
Why this score
As of 2025, the copyright law in force in the Cayman Islands is the UK CDPA 1988 as extended by the 2015 and 2016 Orders. The most permissive research-relevant exception is Section 29 — fair dealing for the purposes of research (non-commercial) or private study. 'Fair dealing' covers any exclusive right, not only reproduction. It applies to any user and any type of work. This maps to GREEN. Additionally, Section 29A provides a TDM exception for non-commercial research (which on its own would be BLUE as it covers only copying/reproduction, not communication). The fair dealing exception (Section 29) is more permissive and determines the overall classification. The non-commercial restriction on research does not affect the color per the classification-neutral factors rule. No amendments to the copyright regime applicable to the Cayman Islands have been identified between 30 June 2016 and 2025 that would affect these research-related exceptions.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research for a non-commercial purpose or private study — no infringement if accompanied by sufficient acknowledgement
Text and data mining: copying of a work for computational analysis for non-commercial research, where the person has lawful access
Personal copying for private use
Library and archive copying provisions — libraries may make and supply copies for users for research or private study
Educational copying by educational establishments
Fair dealing for criticism, review, quotation, and reporting current events
English rendering
As listed on the CIIPO official website (ciipo.ky), the exceptions to copyright in the Cayman Islands include: Personal copying for private use; Non-commercial research and private study; Text and data mining for non-commercial research; Criticising, reviewing and reporting current events; Educational use by schools, universities or other educational establishments; Helping disabled people by making a braille copy; Time shifting, by recording TV to privately view later; Use for parody, caricature and pastiche; Use by libraries, archives and public administrations; Making backup copies, decompilation, observing, testing and studying, and correcting computer programme errors; Any acts necessary to access the contents of a database; Using a design to make a product; Creating backup copies of eBooks when originals are no longer usable; Making notes or recordings for purpose of recording current events; Publicly reciting a reasonable extract from a published literary or dramatic work; Using abstracts of scientific and technical articles; When it's difficult to identify authors or to ascertain if the copyright has expired.