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Yes—creators can legally publish and sell D&D-compatible supplements, but only when they use an authorized rules source and comply with its license. For the earlier 2014-era rules, you can use SRD 5.1 under either OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0. For the newer rules, SRD 5.2.1 is available under CC-BY-4.0. Those routes let you create independent, compatible products, not products that use every D&D setting, character, logo, or rulebook. If your supplement needs official settings or characters, DMsGuild is the relevant platform license. This guide explains the choices, what each permits, the notices you must include, and where independent publishing stops being lawful without another permission.
What is the D&D Open Game License?
The D&D Open Game License (OGL) 1.0a is a license Wizards created in 2000 to let creators use designated D&D rules material from a System Reference Document (SRD) in their own products. It grants permission to copy, modify and distribute the SRD material covered by the license, subject to the OGL’s conditions. The license is not a blanket release of all D&D intellectual property.
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You do not normally sign a separate contract with Wizards to use OGL 1.0a. The official creator FAQ says a publisher shows that choice by including the full OGL 1.0a text and required notices in the product. That inclusion is a legal condition, not optional boilerplate.
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Is the D&D OGL still valid?
Yes, OGL 1.0a remains available for SRD 5.1 material. In its January 13, 2023 announcement, D&D Beyond said, “We’re leaving OGL 1.0a in place and also making SRD 5.1 available under a Creative Commons license.” The current D&D Beyond SRD page continues to identify both OGL 1.0a and CC-BY-4.0 as options for the full SRD 5.1 contents.
That answer is narrower than “the OGL covers D&D.” It means the license is an available route for the material Wizards designates in SRD 5.1. It does not authorize use of official campaign settings, named characters, logos, or material that appears only in other books.
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For a publication that uses OGL 1.0a, include the complete current OGL text and the required Section 15-style attribution and notice information supplied with the SRD. Keep a copy of the source version and your compliance notes so you can show which SRD content you used.
Should I use OGL 1.0a or Creative Commons for SRD 5.1?
Both routes can cover SRD 5.1; Creative Commons is often the simpler forward-looking choice, while OGL 1.0a is the established route many 2014-era products recognize. Choose one deliberately and follow that license’s notice rules throughout the product.
| Question | SRD 5.1 under OGL 1.0a | SRD 5.1 under CC-BY-4.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Rules target | Earlier, 2014-era fifth-edition rules | Earlier, 2014-era fifth-edition rules |
| Required legal text | Full OGL 1.0a text plus required attribution and notices | Exact attribution statement specified in the SRD 5.1 legal notice |
| What is licensed | Only Open Game Content identified by the SRD and license | Only the SRD 5.1 content covered by the CC release |
| Brand presentation | Compatible, non-official presentation; do not imply endorsement | Compatible, non-official presentation; do not imply endorsement |
| Future direction | Available for SRD 5.1 | Wizards describes CC as the preferred forward-looking approach |
The CC-BY-4.0 license requires attribution and allows the licensee to indicate changes. The SRD legal notice supplies the wording to use, including the permitted compatibility language. Do not add invented Wizards credits or treat the CC release as permission to copy an entire D&D rulebook.
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Wizards says the SRD 5.1 Creative Commons release is irrevocable and cannot be revoked or deauthorized on the terms of that release. That does not remove your responsibility to avoid material outside the SRD or to comply with trademark, copyright and other applicable law.
What is SRD 5.2.1, and which license covers the newer rules?
SRD 5.2.1 is the current SRD for material targeting the newer rules, and it is released under CC-BY-4.0. The SRD page, last updated March 2, 2026, identifies it as the latest SRD and says future SRDs will be Creative Commons-only.
Use SRD 5.2.1 when your product is intended for the newer rules set. Wizards also keeps SRD 5.1 available for creators targeting the earlier rules and provides a conversion guide for moving from 5.1 to 5.2.1. Treat the editions as separate design targets: a product written from 5.2.1 may not work with older rules without your own conversion guidance.
The same page describes routes for designing and selling 5e or 5.5e-compatible content under the relevant SRD. “Compatible” is a rules statement, not permission to market the product as an official Wizards publication.
Can I legally publish and sell a D&D-compatible supplement?
Yes, if the supplement uses permitted SRD material, carries the correct license notice and avoids protected Product Identity. You can write an original adventure, bestiary, setting, class option or tool using the rules concepts and text the selected SRD makes available, then distribute it in print or digital form independently.
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Your own original expression—such as your story, maps, illustrations, original names, setting lore and new text—belongs to you, subject to ordinary copyright rules. Wizards’ Creator FAQ states, “Anything you create using SRD 5.2.1 or SRD 5.1 is yours!” That statement does not transfer ownership of Wizards’ pre-existing material and does not override the conditions of CC-BY-4.0 or OGL 1.0a.
Pricing, sales channel and whether you use print-on-demand do not replace the license analysis. Before release, confirm that every rules excerpt, stat block, term and illustration has a lawful source and that your title, cover and marketing do not suggest official sponsorship.
What D&D material cannot I use under an independent SRD license?
An SRD license gives rules compatibility, not access to D&D’s official fiction and branding. Unless you have a separate permission, remove or replace material that is not in your chosen SRD or that the OGL identifies as Product Identity.
- Official settings: do not set an independent product in Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk or another official setting.
- Official characters and locations: named heroes, villains, cities, planes and story elements outside the SRD are not automatically open.
- Protected names and marks: Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, book titles, logos and other trademarks cannot be used as if your product were official.
- Non-SRD rules: a class, monster, spell, feat, subclass or system text from a later or different book is not available merely because it is familiar to players.
- Copied presentation: artwork, maps, trade dress and distinctive text have their own copyright issues, even when the underlying game idea is compatible.
You can instead create an original setting, names, cosmology, art direction and lore while using only the permitted rules material. Describe the product accurately as compatible or designed for the relevant rules, and avoid a logo or visual treatment that could confuse buyers about its source.
When should I publish through DMsGuild instead?
Use DMsGuild when official D&D settings, characters, locations or other non-SRD material is essential to the project. The platform’s licensing terms are designed for that official-IP use, subject to its current content, marketplace and revenue rules.
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The official DMsGuild licensing guidance describes two broad routes for 5e publishers: a private Wizards license or an applicable SRD license. It identifies DMsGuild as the alternative that permits official rules, settings, characters and more under the platform license.
| Decision point | Independent SRD publication | DMsGuild publication |
|---|---|---|
| Rules target | SRD 5.1 (earlier rules) or SRD 5.2.1 (newer rules) | Defined by the platform’s current license and content rules |
| Official settings and characters | No, unless separately licensed | Yes, within the platform’s permitted catalog |
| Independent printing and selling | Yes, when the chosen license is followed | Platform distribution rather than unrestricted independent publication |
| Main compliance work | SRD scope, OGL text or CC attribution, trademarks and notices | Platform license, content guidelines, account and marketplace requirements |
| Brand positioning | Compatible and non-official | Official-IP marketplace context, still subject to platform rules |
Do not copy the DMsGuild model into an independently sold PDF and assume the same permissions follow you. If you need the freedom to sell through your own storefront, a distributor or multiple marketplaces, design around the SRD and original IP unless you have a separate written license.
How do I choose a license and prepare a supplement?
Follow this sequence before writing final copy or commissioning art:
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- Define the edition target. State whether the product supports SRD 5.1’s earlier rules or SRD 5.2.1’s newer rules. If you support both, maintain separate compatibility notes and audit each rules reference.
- Select the authorized source. Download the official SRD, not a fan transcription. Wizards’ Creator FAQ specifically warns: “The D&D Beyond Basic Rules cannot be used in content creation.” Use the SRD legal document as your source of permitted text.
- Pick the license for that SRD. SRD 5.1 can use OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0. SRD 5.2.1 uses CC-BY-4.0. Record the choice in your production brief so editors and layout staff apply one consistent notice.
- Build a rights inventory. Mark every copied or closely adapted rule, proper name, stat block, quotation, image, map and logo. Identify its source and remove anything outside the selected SRD or obtain separate permission.
- Rewrite Product Identity. Replace official settings, characters, locations and protected names with original equivalents. Check headings, examples, sidebars, metadata, filenames, alt text and advertising—not just the body manuscript.
- Insert the legal notice. For OGL 1.0a, include the full license text and required attribution/notice information. For CC-BY-4.0, copy the exact attribution statement from the SRD legal notice and identify modifications as the license requires.
- Label compatibility carefully. Use the compatibility wording allowed by the applicable notice. Do not place D&D or Wizards marks in a way that implies endorsement, sponsorship or an official product line.
- Perform a final edition and trademark audit. Search the manuscript, cover, store listing and promotional images for references that belong to another edition or to Product Identity. Correct claims that promise compatibility your rules content does not actually provide.
- Escalate unusual risks. Obtain qualified legal advice for employment ownership, commissioned art, translations, crowdfunding contracts, international distribution, privacy, consumer law or any planned use of trademarks beyond a straightforward compatibility reference.
What are the most common OGL and SRD mistakes?
Most problems come from confusing the SRD with the complete game, or confusing compatibility with official status. Use this quick troubleshooting list before release:
- “I included a short OGL notice.” OGL 1.0a publications need the full license text and required notices, not a summary.
- “The name appears in a rulebook, so it must be open.” Check the SRD and Product Identity designations; familiarity is not permission.
- “I used the D&D Beyond Basic Rules page.” The FAQ says that page cannot be used for content creation. Start from SRD 5.1 or SRD 5.2.1 instead.
- “I can use the setting because my mechanics are original.” Rules originality does not license setting names, characters or locations.
- “5e and the newer rules are interchangeable.” Declare the target edition and test your own compatibility; Wizards says creators must handle compatibility with older editions themselves.
- “CC-BY means I can omit attribution.” Attribution is the core condition. Copy the exact legal-notice language and keep a record of changes.
- “DMsGuild permission follows me everywhere.” Platform rights are tied to that platform’s terms. They do not automatically authorize a separate storefront or print run.
Can I publish without Wizards’ permission?
For an ordinary SRD-based supplement, you generally do not need an individual permission letter from Wizards. You rely on the standing OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0 grant, use only covered SRD content and meet the notice and branding conditions. The legal analysis changes if you want official IP, a private license, or a use that raises separate trademark or copyright questions.
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This is a licensing explainer, not jurisdiction-specific legal advice. Copyright, trademark, contract, employment and consumer rules can differ by country and by project structure. When a product has substantial investment or unusually close adaptation, have a qualified lawyer review the manuscript, artwork agreements, distribution contracts and marketing claims before launch.
Which route is right for my project?
Choose SRD 5.1 plus OGL 1.0a when you are targeting the earlier rules and want the established OGL framework, accepting the full-text notice and Product Identity limits. Choose SRD 5.1 plus CC-BY-4.0 when you prefer the Creative Commons attribution model for that same rules target. Choose SRD 5.2.1 plus CC-BY-4.0 for the newer rules. Choose DMsGuild when the product’s value depends on official settings, characters or locations that the SRDs do not license.
The practical dividing line is simple: an independent supplement can be compatible and commercially sold, but it must be built from the right SRD and your own creative material. Official D&D fiction and branding require a different permission path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both SRD 5.1 and SRD 5.2.1 in one book?
You can design for more than one rules target, but you must identify which text comes from which SRD and make the compatibility claim understandable. Separate conversion notes or editions are often clearer than blending rules assumptions without explanation.
Does Creative Commons require me to release my entire supplement for free?
No. CC-BY-4.0 governs the licensed SRD material and its attribution conditions; it does not by itself set your product’s price. Your original writing, art and layout can remain your own, while the required attribution and change notices stay with the licensed material.
Can a freelancer or employee reuse SRD-derived work in another product?
The SRD license does not settle who owns commissioned or employee-created original expression. Put copyright ownership, reuse rights and delivery obligations in a written agreement, and treat those contract questions separately from the SRD permission.
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A translation is still an adaptation that must respect the selected license, attribution and any third-party rights in the original work. Check local trademark and consumer rules, and document permission for every original element you did not create.
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