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Lithuania

Lithuania allows photographing public-space works, but Article 28 of its copyright law blocks commercial use when a copyrighted building or sculpture is the main subject of the image.

Verified Jul 1, 2026 2 official sources
Permit: conditionalPanorama: Limited: non-commercial when the work is the main subject

Guidance, not legal advice

Rules change and enforcement varies. Confirm with the issuing authority before you shoot. Drone law depth lives at Drone Authority.

Drone Authority

Check the flight side

Photography access and drone permission are separate questions. Drone Authority covers the flight-law side for this country.

Permit

Conditional

Issuer: Municipality or protected-area administration for commercial productions; no permit for personal street photography

Cost: No permit for personal photography; commercial crews and protected areas (e.g. Curonian Spit National Park) need authorization

Personal photography needs no permit. Commercial productions should coordinate with the municipality; the Lithuanian Film Centre administers the national film incentive. Protected areas such as the Curonian Spit have their own filming rules.

Drone / airspace

Governed by EU EASA rules via the Transport Competence Agency (TKA); register as a UAS operator under the Open or Specific category

For category detail, see Drone Authority.

Street / public space

Yes to photograph; GDPR and Lithuanian civil-code image rights apply to publishing identifiable people

Personal-use shooting is covered by the GDPR household exemption. Publishing a recognizable person, particularly commercially, generally needs consent, with exceptions for public figures and public events.

Freedom of panorama

Limited: non-commercial when the work is the main subject

Article 28 of the Law on Copyright and Related Rights permits reproducing and distributing images of architecture and sculpture permanently located in public places, but the exception does not apply when the work is the main subject of the image and the use is for direct or indirect commercial advantage. Wide cityscapes are safer than single-subject landmark shots.

Practical notes

  • Vilnius Old Town is UNESCO-listed and mostly out of copyright; the Article 28 limit bites on modern architecture and post-war public sculpture.
  • The border with Belarus is sensitive; keep cameras away from border infrastructure.
  • Hill of Crosses and church interiors are open to photography but treat them as managed religious sites; commercial shoots should ask.

Sources

Keep shooting

Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side:

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