Selected year snapshot
For 2025, the active event in this file is Ley Nº 9.739 de 17 de diciembre de 1937 (as amended up to Ley Nº 19.857 of 23 December 2019).
60%
Current rationale
As of 2025, the law in force is Ley 9.739 as amended up to Ley 19.857 of 2019. The most permissive research-relevant exception remains Art. 45, which permits individual reproduction of a full work ('una obra') by a person exclusively for their own use and without profit motive. This covers: (1) Uses: reproduction only (not sharing/communication); (2) Works: all types of works (no category exclusions); (3) Users: individuals only (explicitly excludes enterprise/organizational use for non-personal purposes). Art. 44 permits reproduction of fragments only for research, which is more restrictive (RED). Art. 46 permits free use in the private home, which is similarly restricted to private/personal scope. No TDM-specific exception exists. No fair use or fair dealing clause exists. No library/institutional exception for research copying was identified. No three-step-test general enabling clause exists. The classification is LIGHT BLUE: full-work reproduction is permitted but restricted to private/personal individual use. The non-commercial restriction is classification-neutral per the rules.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of fragments of works for criticism, commentary, teaching, academic interest or research, provided use is honest and proportionate to the purpose
Individual reproduction of a work or fragment, by a person exclusively for own use, without profit motive. Excludes reproduction within enterprises/organizations for non-personal purposes.
Free use of scientific, literary and artistic works in the private home, without profit motive
Law changes
Ley Nº 9.739 de 17 de diciembre de 1937 (Propiedad Literaria y Artística)
Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01
0%
Relevant section: Arts. 44, 45, 46
Dates: Effective 1990-01-01 · Enacted 1937-12-17
Why this score
The baseline law as in force on 1990-01-01 is the original Ley 9.739 of 1937. The key research-relevant exceptions are: Art. 44 (reproduction of 'fragments' for criticism, teaching, academic interest or research — but limited to fragments, not full works); Art. 45 (individual reproduction of a work or fragment for personal use without profit — this could theoretically cover a full work for personal use); and Art. 46 (free use in the private home). However, the text of Art. 44 explicitly limits reproduction to 'fragmentos' (fragments) for research purposes. Art. 45 mentions 'una obra o fragmento de una obra' for personal use, which could permit full-work reproduction for personal use. IMPORTANT NOTE: The text I have verified is the consolidated version as amended by Ley 17.616 of 2003, not the original 1937 text. The original 1937 text of Arts. 44-46 was substantially different and more limited. The original Art. 44 dealt with quotation rights ('citas') and Art. 45 with free performances. The research/private-use exceptions in the form quoted above were introduced by Ley 17.616 in 2003. For the 1990 baseline, the original 1937 provisions were in force, which provided only for quotation (Art. 44 original) and did not contain explicit research or private-use exceptions of the modern form. Under the original 1937 law, the only research-relevant provision was a quotation right limited to fragments/excerpts. This is RED: no provision permitted full-work reproduction for research for any type of work. The ceiling was excerpts/quotations.
Exceptions considered
Right of quotation: permitted reproduction of short passages/fragments for criticism and commentary purposes
Free use in private home without profit motive — original version dealt with private performance/execution, not reproduction
Original text
Artículo 44.- Es lícita la reproducción de fragmentos de obras literarias, científicas y artísticas, de grabaciones sonoras y de emisiones de radiodifusión, siempre que se realice con fines de crítica, comentario, enseñanza, interés académico o investigación, y su utilización sea honrada y la extensión de la misma no exceda la medida justificada por el fin que se persiga. Artículo 45.- Es lícita la reproducción individual de una obra o fragmento de una obra, hecha por una persona exclusivamente para su propio uso y sin fines de lucro. No se considerará reproducción individual la que se realice en el marco de una empresa, entidad u organización, con el propósito de usar la copia para fines distintos de los personales. Artículo 46.- Es libre la utilización de obras científicas, literarias y artísticas en el domicilio privado, sin ánimo de lucro.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 44.- The reproduction of fragments of literary, scientific and artistic works, sound recordings and broadcasts is lawful, provided it is carried out for purposes of criticism, commentary, teaching, academic interest or research, and its use is honest and the extent thereof does not exceed the measure justified by the purpose pursued. Article 45.- The individual reproduction of a work or fragment of a work, made by a person exclusively for his own use and without profit motive, is lawful. Reproduction made within the framework of an enterprise, entity or organization, for the purpose of using the copy for purposes other than personal ones, shall not be considered individual reproduction. Article 46.- The use of scientific, literary and artistic works in the private home, without profit motive, is free.
Source links
Ley Nº 17.616 de 10 de enero de 2003 (Ley de Derecho de Autor y Derechos Conexos)
Relevant update · Effective 2003-01-10
60%
Relevant section: Arts. 44, 45, 46 (as substituted by Ley 17.616)
Dates: Effective 2003-01-10 · Enacted 2003-01-10
Why this score
Ley 17.616 of 2003 substantially reformed the exceptions in Ley 9.739. The new Art. 44 permits reproduction of 'fragments' (fragmentos) for research, academic interest, criticism, commentary, and teaching — but is limited to fragments, not full works, so on its own it would be RED. The new Art. 45 permits 'individual reproduction of a work or fragment of a work' (reproducción individual de una obra o fragmento de una obra) made by a person exclusively for their own use and without profit. This explicitly mentions 'una obra' (a work), meaning full-work reproduction is permitted, but only for personal/individual use (not institutional, not for sharing). Art. 46 permits free use in the private home without profit. Art. 45 is the most permissive exception: it covers reproduction of full works, applies to all types of works, but is restricted to individual/personal use only. It does not authorize sharing or communication. This maps to LIGHT BLUE: full-work reproduction permitted but restricted to private/personal use by individuals. Non-commercial restriction and single-copy implications are classification-neutral. No broader fair dealing, fair use, or general research exception exists that would override this classification.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of fragments of works for criticism, commentary, teaching, academic interest or research, provided use is honest and proportionate
Individual reproduction of a work or fragment, by a person exclusively for own use, without profit motive. Not available within enterprises/organizations for non-personal purposes.
Free use of works in the private home without profit motive
Original text
Artículo 44.- Es lícita la reproducción de fragmentos de obras literarias, científicas y artísticas, de grabaciones sonoras y de emisiones de radiodifusión, siempre que se realice con fines de crítica, comentario, enseñanza, interés académico o investigación, y su utilización sea honrada y la extensión de la misma no exceda la medida justificada por el fin que se persiga. Artículo 45.- Es lícita la reproducción individual de una obra o fragmento de una obra, hecha por una persona exclusivamente para su propio uso y sin fines de lucro. No se considerará reproducción individual la que se realice en el marco de una empresa, entidad u organización, con el propósito de usar la copia para fines distintos de los personales. Artículo 46.- Es libre la utilización de obras científicas, literarias y artísticas en el domicilio privado, sin ánimo de lucro.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 44.- The reproduction of fragments of literary, scientific and artistic works, sound recordings and broadcasts is lawful, provided it is carried out for purposes of criticism, commentary, teaching, academic interest or research, and its use is honest and the extent thereof does not exceed the measure justified by the purpose pursued. Article 45.- The individual reproduction of a work or fragment of a work, made by a person exclusively for his own use and without profit motive, is lawful. Reproduction made within the framework of an enterprise, entity or organization, for the purpose of using the copy for purposes other than personal ones, shall not be considered individual reproduction. Article 46.- The use of scientific, literary and artistic works in the private home, without profit motive, is free.
Source links
Ley Nº 19.857 de 23 de diciembre de 2019 (Rendición de Cuentas y Balance de Ejecución Presupuestal)
Relevant update · Effective 2019-12-23
60%
Relevant section: Arts. 44, 45 (as amended by Ley 19.857)
Dates: Effective 2019-12-23 · Enacted 2019-12-23
Why this score
Ley 19.857 of 23 December 2019 is identified by WIPO Lex as the most recent amendment to Ley 9.739. The WIPO Lex entry references the consolidated text as amended up to Ley 19.857. However, I was unable to retrieve the full text of the specific amendments made by Ley 19.857 to the copyright exceptions via web search. Based on available information, Ley 19.857 was primarily a budget accountability law that included some copyright-related provisions (particularly regarding collective management organizations and enforcement). There is no indication from available sources that it materially changed Arts. 44, 45, or 46 regarding research exceptions. The classification therefore remains LIGHT BLUE based on the continued force of Art. 45 (individual reproduction of a full work for personal use without profit) as the most permissive research-relevant exception. Art. 44 (fragments for research) remains RED on its own. No TDM-specific exception has been introduced.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of fragments for criticism, commentary, teaching, academic interest or research
Individual reproduction of a work or fragment, by a person exclusively for own use, without profit motive
Free use of works in the private home without profit motive
Source links
Ley Nº 9.739 de 17 de diciembre de 1937 (as amended up to Ley Nº 19.857 of 23 December 2019)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2025-01-01
60%
Relevant section: Arts. 44, 45, 46
Dates: Effective 2025-01-01
Why this score
As of 2025, the law in force is Ley 9.739 as amended up to Ley 19.857 of 2019. The most permissive research-relevant exception remains Art. 45, which permits individual reproduction of a full work ('una obra') by a person exclusively for their own use and without profit motive. This covers: (1) Uses: reproduction only (not sharing/communication); (2) Works: all types of works (no category exclusions); (3) Users: individuals only (explicitly excludes enterprise/organizational use for non-personal purposes). Art. 44 permits reproduction of fragments only for research, which is more restrictive (RED). Art. 46 permits free use in the private home, which is similarly restricted to private/personal scope. No TDM-specific exception exists. No fair use or fair dealing clause exists. No library/institutional exception for research copying was identified. No three-step-test general enabling clause exists. The classification is LIGHT BLUE: full-work reproduction is permitted but restricted to private/personal individual use. The non-commercial restriction is classification-neutral per the rules.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of fragments of works for criticism, commentary, teaching, academic interest or research, provided use is honest and proportionate to the purpose
Individual reproduction of a work or fragment, by a person exclusively for own use, without profit motive. Excludes reproduction within enterprises/organizations for non-personal purposes.
Free use of scientific, literary and artistic works in the private home, without profit motive
Original text
Artículo 44.- Es lícita la reproducción de fragmentos de obras literarias, científicas y artísticas, de grabaciones sonoras y de emisiones de radiodifusión, siempre que se realice con fines de crítica, comentario, enseñanza, interés académico o investigación, y su utilización sea honrada y la extensión de la misma no exceda la medida justificada por el fin que se persiga. Artículo 45.- Es lícita la reproducción individual de una obra o fragmento de una obra, hecha por una persona exclusivamente para su propio uso y sin fines de lucro. No se considerará reproducción individual la que se realice en el marco de una empresa, entidad u organización, con el propósito de usar la copia para fines distintos de los personales. Artículo 46.- Es libre la utilización de obras científicas, literarias y artísticas en el domicilio privado, sin ánimo de lucro.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 44.- The reproduction of fragments of literary, scientific and artistic works, sound recordings and broadcasts is lawful, provided it is carried out for purposes of criticism, commentary, teaching, academic interest or research, and its use is honest and the extent thereof does not exceed the measure justified by the purpose pursued. Article 45.- The individual reproduction of a work or fragment of a work, made by a person exclusively for his own use and without profit motive, is lawful. Reproduction made within the framework of an enterprise, entity or organization, for the purpose of using the copy for purposes other than personal ones, shall not be considered individual reproduction. Article 46.- The use of scientific, literary and artistic works in the private home, without profit motive, is free.