The National Archives (TNA)

Digitisation Department
Terms and Conditions for the Supply of Digital Copies

Copyright

1. Most public records in TNA are in Crown Copyright.

There are no restrictions on the use of copies for non-commercial research or private study. Copies
and copies of those copies may be made and used for education purposes. This covers both teaching
and preparation for teaching and/or examination by either teacher or student.

2. Copies of Public Records in privately owned (i.e. not Crown) Copyright

There are no restrictions on the use of copies for non-commercial research, private study or
education (as defined above) within the limits set in the UK Copyright Law. Applications for
permission to use copies for publication (including website publication), exhibition or broadcast or
any other purpose must be addressed to the current owner(s) of the Copyright in the original
document.

3. Copies of non-public records and of published Copyright works held in TNA

These are supplied subject to the customer completing a declaration form and observing the
conditions it contains. Any infringement of these conditions may result in legal action.
Any use other than for non-commercial research, private study or education, if approved by the
Copyright owner, may also require the permission of the Image Library.

Licensing

Images purchased by archives, universities or libraries for educational and research use within their
own reading-rooms, by staff, students or readers do not require a publication licence from The
National Archives.
If digital images of original documents are posted within secure intranet systems which limit access
to researchers, staff and students within a secure institutional network, no licence is required.

However, if, having purchased scanned images of original historic documents from TNA, an
institution wishes to post them on the open web, a short non-commercial licence is required, and
can be obtained by contacting associates@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .
If the purchasing institution wishes to charge for access to, or downloading of those images, a
commercial publication licence is required, and enquiries should also be addressed to
associates@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .
Information on licensing opportunities from TNA is available at:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/commercial/licensing.htm

Supplying Estimates

Public records held at TNA

1. The price set out in the estimate is an estimate only. This is based on the quantity and
specification requested by the customer. While TNA will make every effort to ensure the
 estimate is as accurate as possible any over/under estimation will be discussed with the
customer at the earliest practicable time.
2. The prices quoted on the estimate are valid for 60 days.
3. The prices quoted on the estimate are set out in The Public Records Office (Fees) Regulations
2014.
These Regulations prescribe the fees to be charged for authenticated copies or extracts from
records under the charge of the Keeper of Public Records and for other services afforded by
officers of the Public Record Office, which exercises its function as a part of The National
Archives.
Value added tax will apply in appropriate cases in addition to any prescribed fee.
4. The customer will identify the records for estimation by series and piece number; any changes
to these once the estimate is complete will result in a new estimate being created.
5. Queries with regards to estimates or digitisation orders should be sent to the following mailbox
digitisation@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

Supplying Copies

1. TNA will supply images as 300ppi colour Tiffs unless prior agreement has been made with the
customer at the estimating stage.
2. To ensure images meet the customers specification as detailed in the estimate, TNA will
produce a set of test images and submit these for approval prior to commencement of full scale
production.
3. TNA may cancel the order if the copying process paid for subsequently proves to be unsuitable,
e.g. if it may damage the documents or fail to produce good images. If an order is cancelled for
such reasons TNA will offer to refund the payment and if feasible will provide an estimate for
completing the work by an alternative copying process.
4. If the customer changes the specification after the original estimate has been agreed, a new
estimate may be required. If the change in specification takes place after commencement of the
work, the job will be halted until either a new estimate has been agreed or TNA and the
customer have reached an agreement on how to proceed.
5. TNA will deliver the images on hard drive as specified in the estimate.
6. TNA will securely package hard drives supplied by post and shall be responsible for replacing
these in the event of damage or loss in transit.

Conservation

All documents requested for estimation will be surveyed by the Conservation Team and the cost
of any conservation measures need to make these available for digitisation will be added to the
estimate.
Any documents deemed unfit for digitisation will be removed from the estimating list and the
customer informed.

Payment

1. Payments for jobs will be invoiced in advance of any work taking place, however in certain
circumstances arrangements can be made for work to be invoiced monthly or in one payment at
the end of the job. These arrangements will be subject to status and may require credit checks
to be undertaken.
 2. For jobs invoiced monthly or in one payment at the end, the customer shall pay all sums due to
TNA within 30 days after both the receipt of a valid invoice and the agreement to the terms and
conditions of purchase.
3. All payments shall be made in pounds sterling.

Complaints

Your comments and complaints can be registered using the following link to The National
Archives contact form. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/contact/contactform.asp?id=9

Deemed Acceptance

Customers will be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions by placing an order.
Placing an order shall be deemed to be an agreement that production shall begin on receipt of
payment. Once production has begun the right to cancel the order will cease.
Monies paid are non-refundable.
The National Archives reserves the right to cancel and order where the original document is
deemed too fragile or too large to copy or if any research is required to locate information
within a document(s). In such cases monies paid will be refunded.