CC BY-ND License

Audiodrome | Last Updated: March 13th, 2026 | 4 min read | Glossary

A CC-BY-ND license is a Creative Commons license that lets people copy and redistribute a work, including commercially, as long as they give proper attribution and do not modify the original. In practice, it matters because it allows wide sharing while protecting the creator from remixes, edits, translations, or other derivative versions.

Quick facts:
Also called: Creative Commons Attribution–NoDerivatives; CC BY-ND
Applies to: text, images, music, video, reports, educational materials, published media
Separate from: CC BY License, CC BY-NC License, CC BY-NC-ND License, CC0 License
Common uses: unchanged redistribution, press kits, finalized works, archival publishing, controlled sharing
Often handled by: creators, publishers, educators, archives, rights holders.

Example:
A photographer releases a finished image under CC BY-ND. A publisher can repost it in a commercial article with proper credit, but cannot crop it, recolor it, translate text embedded in it, or turn it into a remix without separate permission.

Free tools icon

Free Tools:

Where should I get music for this use? Music Source Finder

How should I credit this CC music? Attribution Line Generator

Gotchas:

  • CC BY-ND still allows commercial redistribution, so it is more permissive than many people expect on the business side.
  • “NoDerivatives” is strict: translation, cropping, color grading, remixing, subtitles, sampling, and mashups can all count as prohibited derivatives.
  • Attribution is still required, including creator credit and a reference to the license.
  • It is a poor fit for projects that depend on adaptation, localization, remixing, or collaborative iteration.

FAQs

Yes, as long as the image is not cropped, altered, or edited. Thumbnails that show the original work in reduced size (without distortion or filtering) are generally allowed and not considered derivatives. However, if a platform crops for layout purposes, it may require additional permission.

Only if you include the full, unmodified version of the work (e.g., an image or audio clip) and provide full attribution. You cannot overlay, edit, remix, or shorten the content – even for intros or background visuals – unless you have separate permission.

No. Translations count as derivative works and are not allowed under CC BY-ND without explicit permission from the original author.

Yes, as long as the individual items remain unmodified and are clearly credited. Compilations (like photo galleries or playlists) are generally permitted if each work is preserved in its original form.

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Related terms:
Creative Commons • CC BY License • CC BY-NC License • CC BY-NC-ND License • CC-BY-NC-SA License • ShareAlike • Commercial Use