Can you use someone's quote without permission?
Asked by: Nya Willms | Last update: February 15, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (52 votes)
Yes, you can often use someone's quote without permission under the doctrine of "fair use," especially for short excerpts in commentary, news, criticism, or education, but extensive quotes, unpublished material, or commercial uses usually require permission; it's always safer to ask, especially for longer passages or creative works, and to provide proper attribution.
Is it legal to quote someone without their permission?
There are circumstances under the fair use doctrine where a quote or a sample may be used without permission. However, in cases of doubt, the Copyright Office recommends that permission be obtained.
What quotes can I legally use?
You DON'T need permission:
To use quotes from famous people as long as they are used in a brief and positive or neutral way to support your independent work - and with prop- er attribution. To quote or reference the title or author of a work such as books, poems, movies, TV shows or songs.
What are the rules for using quotes?
Quotation Dos and Don'ts
- Enclose directly quoted material in double quotation marks.
- Punctuation, as a rule, goes within quotation marks.
- Exceptions to the rule above: Colons, semicolons, and question marks and exclamation points that are not part of the quotation fall outside closing marks.
How to use a quote without plagiarizing?
Put quotation marks at the beginning and end of the copied text. Add an in-text citation at the end of the quoted text (outside the quotation mark). Write (in your own words) to give context or introduce the quoted text. Add the sentence with your own words, the quote, and the in-text citation to your paper.
How to legally use other people's videos -- YouTube Guide
Do quotes get flagged on Turnitin?
Turnitin may identify the quote and flag it. A second issue is the parenthetical citation. It is not a part of the quotation, it has an extra word ('source'), and it does not have parentheses surrounding it. Any or all of these items may result in a flag from Turnitin.
Do I have to cite a quote from a person?
All well-known quotations that are attributable to an individual or to a text require citations.
Are quotes free to use?
It's important to note that in addition to quotes from books, quotes from television, film, and advertisements are all copyrightable, and using them without permission can lead to copyright infringement.
How do I quote someone else's quote?
Use double quotation marks (“”) around a direct quote. A direct quote is a word- for-word report of what someone else said or wrote. You use the exact words and punctuation of the original.
What is the law of quotation?
A quotation is a precise reproduction of a segment of text from a literary work, used in another document or writing. In legal contexts, quotations often involve citing authoritative texts, such as statutes or case law, to support an argument presented in court.
Is a quote legally binding?
The short answer: a quote is not always legally binding, but it can form the basis of a legally binding contract if certain conditions are met.
Are quotes public domain?
Quotes from ancient sages, philosophers, and famous people who have since passed are a part of the public domain. This means that anyone may use these works without having to worry about intellectual property law issues.
How to know if a quote is fair use?
Consider these four factors when making a fair use claim:
- For what purpose is your work going to be used? ...
- What is the nature of the work to be used? ...
- How much of the work is going to be used? ...
- What potential effect on the market for that work may your use have?
What qualifies as fair use?
About Fair Use
Section 107 of the Copyright Act provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—as examples of activities that may qualify as fair use.
Which quotes are copyrighted?
Copyright law protects original works of authorship, including literary works. Therefore, a quote that originates from a copyrighted work—such as a book, a speech, or a movie—would typically be protected by copyright. However, short phrases or expressions, clichés, or facts cannot be copyrighted.
Is a request for quotation legally binding?
A Critical Legal Note: An RFQ is Not a Binding Contract
Submitting a quote is the vendor's offer, but the process doesn't create a legally binding agreement on its own. The final contract is only formed after you select a vendor and issue a formal purchase order or sign a separate agreement.
What are the rules for using quotations?
Use the following rules to make sure your usage is correct.
- Always put direct quotations in quotation marks. ...
- Put quotes within quotes in single quotation marks. ...
- Put titles of "short works11" in quotation marks. ...
- Use quotation marks to enclose words used as words.
Can I cite someone citing someone else?
'Secondary referencing' is the term for when you want to reference a source that is quoted in something else. Good academic practice is to go back to the original text, read the quote in context and then cite that directly but sometimes this isn't possible.
What does it mean to misquote someone?
: to report or repeat (something that someone has said or written) in a way that is not correct or accurate : to quote (someone) incorrectly.
How to tell if a quote is copyrighted?
Search Copyright Records: Copyright Public Records Portal
This is your starting point for finding copyright records held by the Copyright Office. Here, you can search our online records, learn about our searching and retrieval services, and view educational videos and materials.
Does a quote mean you have to pay?
A quote is always given before the work is started. It details how much a job or project will cost and the materials or services involved. An invoice comes after the work is complete, and when payment is due.
How long are quotes copyrighted?
For most works, the term continues for the life of the author plus 70 years. For pseudonymous and anonymous works, and works made for hire, the term continues until 95 years from first publication or 120 years from creation, whichever expires first.
Do I need permission to quote someone?
If you're going to quote someone's words, even if you appropriately attribute the quote to the rightful owner, you should have their permission. Many commonly cited authors don't mind having their famous lines reused, but some do, so tread carefully. Always get legal advice, or if in doubt, leave it out.
How do I reference a quote from somebody?
In the reference list, provide the details of the work in which you found the quotation or idea (this work is considered the secondary source). For the in-text citation, include the author and year of both the original and secondary sources. Add "as cited in" between the sources in the in-text citation.
How do I credit someone for a quote?
To cite a direct quote in APA, you must include the author's last name, the year, and a page number, all separated by commas. If the quote appears on a single page, use “p.”; if it spans a page range, use “pp.”