Copyright Permission Guidelines

Content Usage

Unless otherwise indicated, all information contained on this website such as text, graphics, logos and images, is copyrighted by and proprietary to the American Heart Association, Inc. and may not be reproduced in whole or in part by persons, organizations, or corporations other than the AHA, its affiliates, divisions and units without prior written permission from the Legal Department at the AHA National Center.

How To Request Permission

To obtain permission to use or copy AHA-copyrighted materials from the AHA’s website or from AHA printed materials, videos or audio materials, you must submit your request in writing by using our online form.

Requests must include:

Requestor’s name; company/institution name; address; telephone number; e-mail address; title; copyright date; page number or website URL address; and the exact material to be used.

The request must state exactly how the material will be used and distributed, including the output format that will be used to distribute, and if the materials will be sold.

Note: Incomplete requests will be returned.

How long will it take to process my request?

Please allow 10 business days from receipt of all required information for a response. Additional time is required for requests to translate materials or reprint recipes.

General Guidelines

Permission may be granted to copy AHA material if the request meets these criteria:

The requested material does not exceed 10 percent of text or video footage, or 25 percent of charts and illustrations. (This rule does not apply to ECC materials, consumer publications or cookbooks.)

Material is being reproduced for educational purposes.

Material will not be used for a commercial or for-profit activity or to promote a commercial product.

The AHA copyright statement must be included on the reproduction.

Requests to broadcast videos on in-hospital Closed Circuit Television systems or Video On Demand require a receipt or packing slip showing that one copy of the video requested was ordered for and shipped to each address where the video will be broadcast.

Please note: Final approval is not granted until all fees and the Signed Use Agreement are received.

Permission will not be granted to:

  • Use any AHA service marks. (This includes the American Heart Association logo, the American Stroke Association logo and other service marks and logos owned by the AHA.)
  • Use AHA materials to endorse (implied or otherwise) a product, company or service.
  • Copy an entire publication, pamphlet, slide set or video. (Permission to publish, license or reproduce all or substantially all of an AHA copyrighted work will not be granted by the Legal Department through the copyright process but instead will be referred to the appropriate source.)
  • Use any material that has been discontinued or is under revision.

Fees: Processing

All requests that are granted will be assessed processing fees based on the schedule below:

Print usage only agreement—$50
Electronic usage only agreement—$100
Electronic and Print usage agreement—$150

Note: The above processing fees do not include any applicable material usage fees.

Fees: Material Usage

For ECC, Guidelines & Scientific Statement articles and Recipe material usage fees please see the individual material links in red at the end of this page.

Note: The material usage fees do not include the processing fees.

Electronic Use Guidelines

Find more information on our guidelines for using AHA materials in electronic formats:

Guidelines for Use of American Heart Association Materials in Electronic Format

Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC)/CPR Materials

Find more information on requests to use American Heart Association ECC/CPR materials:

Guidelines for use of American Heart Association Emergency Cardiac Care (ECC)/Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Materials

Journals – Guideline and Scientific Statement articles

Find more information on requests to use American Heart Association Guideline and Scientific Statement Journal materials:

Guidelines for the Use of AHA, ASA and/or AHA/ACC Guidelines/Scientific Statements Article Material

Journals – Non-Guideline, Non-Scientific Statement and original research articles

For information if you need to request copyright permission for material from a NON-guideline and/or NON-scientific statement or from an original research article:

Guidelines for use of Non-Guideline, Non-Scientific Statement or Research Article materials

For Copyright Permission to use AHA’s Non-Guideline and/or Non-Scientific Statement Journal Material

Permission requests are handled online via RightsLink, a service of the Copyright Clearance Center. Steps to request permission are:

  • Go to the online version of the AHA journal article for which you are requesting permission.
  • Once you have opened the article, on the left-hand side of the screen, click on “Tools” and then click on “Permissions” from the drop-down menu.
    small screenshot showing Tools and Permissions in the drop-down menu
  • A new window opens, which is Rightslink.
  • Follow the step-by-step instructions for requesting permission:
    1. selecting the way the content will be used
    2. creating an account, if one does not exist already
    3. accepting the terms and conditions for reuse
    4. method of payment.

Recipes

Find more information on requests to use American Heart Association recipes:

Guidelines for Use of American Heart Association Recipes

Translations

Find more information on requests to translate AHA materials:

Guidelines for Requests to Translate American Heart Association Materials