Policies on self-archiving: where can I find information on journals issued by different publishers?

The Open Policy Finder database contains information on publishers’ policies in regard to self-archiving, especially in relation to which version of an article may be used and the embargo period.

Users can search by journal title or publisher name and additionally by funders’ open access requirements. However, the database only contains information on each publisher's general policies. The information is designed to provide guidance but should not be relied upon for legal advice. In some cases the actual author agreement may deviate from the details that appear in the Open Policy Finder database or may be changed through the instigation of authors.

You can find out more by consulting the copyright policies and information for authors provided by individual journals. Even these policies, however, only provide a summary of the permissions that are normally granted. The only binding provisions are those that appear in the author agreement.

See also

Author agreements (publication agreements): which aspects are relevant?
Electronic self-archiving: what are the key issues to consider when self-archiving publications in open access repositories (including document servers and online archives) or on websites?
Preprint, postprint and version of record: what do these terms mean?
Repository (document server or online archive): which is the most suitable repository for your publication?
Copyright and academic research: what are the key issues that affect you as an author
​​​​​​​Selecting a journal: How to find a suitable journal for publishing research results
​​​​​​​Journal quality and standing: which aspects are relevant to open access?​​​​​​​

Disclaimer

Important note: The information and links provided here do not represent any form of binding legal advice. They are solely intended to provide an initial basis to help get you on the right track. ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences has carefully checked the information included in the list of FAQs. However, we are unable to accept any liability whatsoever for any errors it may contain. Unless indicated otherwise, any statements concerning individual statutory norms or regulations refer to German law (FAQ updated 06/2026).