One-for-one exception for visually impaired people

The following will help you decide if what you want to do falls within the scope of the ‘one-for-one’ exception:

You are entitled to make an accessible copy, or have someone else make one for you if:

• you are visually impaired (in a way that cannot be corrected by use of lenses)
• you lawfully have, or have the right to use, a ‘master copy’ which is inaccessible because of your visual impairment (for example, you own it or have borrowed it from a library, school or friend)
• a copy that would be reasonably accessible to you is not commercially available (which might mean that you will have to ask the publisher or library if there is a large print version for example which you could manage to read comfortably, and with the same degree of flexibility available to readers who are not visually impaired).

You are not allowed to make an accessible copy if:

• you make changes not needed to overcome your visual impairment
• it involves recording a performance of a musical work (but you can still make an enlarged photocopy of sheet music for example)
• it involves copying a database.

When making an accessible copy you must always:

• put a statement on the copy that it is made under section 31A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
• acknowledge the title and author on the accessible copy.

Please note that no-one can make a profit out of helping you make an accessible copy, but anyone can help you and you can pay them enough to cover the costs of what they do for you.

If you make an accessible copy, it must remain with the original, so you are not permitted to borrow a book, make an accessible copy for yourself and then return the book to its owner