Plan Copyright Information

Summary statement:

Purchasing one full set of plans gives you the right to build one structure, according to the plans, without modification, within a reasonable period of time. If you purchase blueprints you are not allowed to modify the plan; you must build the house as specified. You may not reproduce the illustrations or the working drawings for any reason or in any form. If you want to make changes to a plan, you can (usually) purchase a reproducible master copy, which will license you to make changes or modifications, and to make enough working copies to build one structure.

The following is adapted (with permission) from information provided by the Council of Publishing Home Designers:

Home plans are intellectual property, the same as books, movies, songs, and other creations. Copyright is a legal protection which prevents anyone from reproducing, modifying, or re-using the plans or design without permission from the copyright owner. It is illegal to copy home designs from this Website or from any plan book, CD-ROM, or other source. It is illegal to copy, adapt or change a plan or design. It is also illegal to copy a constructed home that is protected by copyright, even if you have never seen plans for the home. You, as the original purchaser of plans, are licensed to build a single home from the plans. Plans may not be copied; if additional sets are required for estimating or construction, they may be purchased at nominal cost. Copy shops are prohibited from making copies of these plans. The purchase of additional sets does not give you the right to build more than one home. Plans cannot be modified or redrawn without first obtaining permission. With your purchased of plans, you are authorized to make non-structural changes by "red- lining" the purchased plans. "Redlined" plans are still copyrighted and cannot be copied. Blueprints do not come with an automatic license to make structural changes or to redraw the plans. Reproducible plans come with a license to make modifications of the plans. Once modified, up to 10 copies may be made to use in the construction of a single home. Any modification of plans relieves from liability for design defects and voids all warranties expressed or implied.