Obtaining copies of in-copyright Ordnance Survey maps

The National Library of Scotland is an Ordnance Survey Licensed Partner. This allows us to make copies of Ordnance Survey maps that are still in copyright. We can supply copies of maps published within the last 50 years but before 31 December 1995. The copies can be photocopies or high resolution images of the original maps.

Copyright for Ordnance Survey maps lasts for 50 years from the end of the year in which the map was published. For example, if a map was published in December 1970, then its copyright expired in January 2021. If a map was published in January 1971, its copyright expired in January 2022.

You can order copies of up to A4-sized sections from in-copyright maps. These can only be used for private, non-commercial reasons. You can request copies of these via our online enquiry form. We will send you a copyright declaration form to complete to confirm that the copy is for private, non-commercial purposes. Our usual copying services charges apply.

The National Library of Scotland is licensed by the Ordnance Survey to supply copies of in-copyright Ordnance Survey maps. This requires payment of a royalty fee on behalf of the Ordnance Survey, in addition to our usual copying services charges.

Royalty Fee per map sheet by size:

1:10,560 (and larger):

• With VAT £18.00, no VAT — £15.00.

1:25,000 and 1:50,000:

• Calculated per square kilometre.

We can supply:

• Paper photocopies.
• Photographic quality prints.
• Digital images to download.

Where we have geo-referenced Ordnance Survey maps, we are also able to supply GeoTIFF images of in-copyright maps . Geo-referencing aligns the original map image with its real-world coordinates so that it can be displayed within geographic software. This process often involves cropping the non-map margins of the map sheet. This means that you will just see the map and nothing extra.

We supply the geo-referenced image as a GeoTIFF in the British National Grid format (EPSG:27700) by default, but we can supply in other formats and projections upon request.

Fees for a geo-referenced image of an in-copyright Ordnance Survey map:

• Ordnance Survey Royalty Fee: with VAT £18, no — VAT £15;
• Geo-referencing fee: with VAT £6, no VAT — £5;
• Copying Fee.

Contact us through the online enquiry form with the following information:

• The location of the map. Let us know:
  • either the specific sheet you require (e.g. NT 2374, published 1974);
  • or the URL of the map from our OS sheet records viewer;
  • or send us a site plan of your location.
• The date or time period or periods that you are interested in.
• The map scale or scales that you would prefer. For help in choosing map scales, see our guide to the main map series that can be copied.
• The type of copy you require, i.e. paper copy or digital image.
• If you are requesting a digital image, whether you would like this to be geo-referenced.
• Your full postal address and contact details.

We will then get back to you with details of the OS maps that are available and an estimate of costs.