Exemptions To Permit Circumvention of Access Controls on Copyrighted Works

Open for public comment until Dec. 7, 2026. Comment on Regulations.gov

What it does

The United States Copyright Office is conducting the tenth triennial rulemaking proceeding under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"), concerning temporary exemptions to the DMCA's prohibition against circumvention of technological measures that control access to copyrighted works. Having carefully considered the petitions for new and renewal exemptions and comments received in response to the June 9, 2026 Notification of Inquiry, the Office announces the Register's intention to recommend all but one of the existing exemptions for renewal, and initiates three rounds of public comment on newly proposed exemptions. Comments submitted may not exceed twenty-five pages per class, excluding documentary evidence.

The Copyright Office, Library of Congress's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What it would change

1 part of Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

37 CFR 201

What happens next and when

Initial written comments, along with any documentary or multimedia evidence, from proponents and other members of the public who support the adoption of a proposed exemption, as well as those that neither support nor oppose an exemption but seek to share pertinent information, are due December 7, 2026. Written response comments, along with any documentary or multimedia evidence, from those who oppose the adoption of a proposed exemption are due February 22, 2027. Written reply comments from supporters of a proposal and parties that neither support nor oppose a proposal are due March 22, 2027.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Docket COLC-2026-0199 on Regulations.gov
• Title 37 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register