Yes—you can legally publish and sell a D&D-compatible supplement, but only if you build it from an authorized System Reference Document (SRD) and follow the license attached to that SRD. For earlier fifth-edition rules, the established choices are SRD 5.1 under Open Game License (OGL) 1.0a or Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0). For the newer rules, SRD 5.2.1 is available under CC-BY-4.0. If your project needs official settings, characters, locations, or other material outside an SRD, use the Dungeon Masters Guild platform or obtain a separate license.
The OGL does not make all D&D content public. It opens only material designated as Open Game Content; trademarks, settings, proper names, and other listed elements remain protected Product Identity. Treat this as a practical licensing guide, not jurisdiction-specific legal advice.
What is the D&D Open Game License?
The Open Game License 1.0a is a permission framework created by Wizards of the Coast in 2000. It lets creators copy, modify, and distribute designated rules material from a D&D System Reference Document (SRD), provided they comply with the license. It was designed for independent adventures, supplements, rules expansions, and other compatible products rather than for copying an entire commercial rulebook.
An SRD is the source text that defines what Wizards is making available for licensed reuse. The OGL itself is not a catalog of every D&D rule or piece of lore. You must identify the exact SRD text you are using and check whether each element is Open Game Content or Product Identity.
Open Game Content and Product Identity are different
Open Game Content is the rules material the SRD designates as available under its license. Product Identity is excluded material that remains protected, including D&D names and trademarks, settings, proper names, places, story material, and other items identified in the OGL notices. A supplement can use permitted mechanics while presenting an original setting, cast, artwork, terminology, and lore.
That distinction is why “D&D-compatible” and “official D&D” are not interchangeable descriptions. A compliant independent product should not look as though Wizards endorsed or published it.
Is the D&D OGL 1.0a still valid?
Yes, for SRD 5.1 material. On January 13, 2023, D&D Beyond announced that OGL 1.0a would remain in place and that SRD 5.1 would also be available under a Creative Commons license. The current SRD guidance continues to list the full SRD 5.1 under both OGL 1.0a and CC-BY-4.0.
You do not sign a separate OGL contract with Wizards for a normal publication. The official FAQ says you confirm an OGL publication by including the complete OGL 1.0a text in the product, together with the required notices and attribution information. The license still requires you to respect the SRD’s Open Game Content and Product Identity designations.
OGL 1.0a is therefore an available route for products targeting the earlier, 2014-era fifth-edition rules. It is not permission to copy material from books, websites, or digital rules pages that are outside SRD 5.1.
Should you use the OGL or Creative Commons?
For SRD 5.1, you may choose OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0. For many new projects, CC-BY-4.0 is the cleaner default because it avoids reproducing the full OGL text and is the direction Wizards identifies for future SRD releases. Your choice does not expand the underlying SRD content: both routes cover only what SRD 5.1 actually releases.
SRD 5.1 under OGL 1.0a
- Use only Open Game Content from SRD 5.1 or another source that validly designates material as Open Game Content.
- Keep Product Identity out of the independent product unless you have a separate permission.
- Include the complete OGL 1.0a text and the required legal notices in the publication.
- Describe compatibility accurately and avoid language or design that implies official Wizards approval.
The OGL route can fit an established production workflow that already uses OGL notices, but the legal text and scope audit are mandatory rather than optional formatting.
SRD 5.1 under CC-BY-4.0
- Use the SRD 5.1 material covered by the Creative Commons release.
- Include the exact attribution statement supplied in the SRD 5.1 legal notice.
- Do not add extra Wizards attribution that the legal notice does not request.
- Do not infer that other D&D books, settings, characters, or later rules are Creative Commons content.
The SRD guidance describes the CC release as irrevocable and says Wizards cannot revoke or deauthorize content released under those terms. You still must follow the attribution and scope requirements that apply to your use.
SRD 5.2.1 under CC-BY-4.0
SRD 5.2.1 is identified as the latest SRD on the current D&D Beyond SRD page, last updated March 2, 2026. It covers material based on the newer rules and is released under CC-BY-4.0. Wizards says future SRDs will be Creative Commons-only.
Choose SRD 5.2.1 when your rules target the newer edition. SRD 5.1 remains available for creators targeting the earlier rules, and Wizards provides a conversion guide for moving from 5.1 to 5.2.1. Do not mix terminology, stat blocks, or assumptions casually between editions; if you claim compatibility with both, you must make that compatibility accurate yourself.
What can you publish independently under an SRD license?
You can create and sell an original adventure, class option, monster, rules supplement, setting, or accessory that uses the permitted SRD rules and your own creative expression. Your original writing, illustrations, layout, maps, names, setting history, and characters belong to you, subject to the license terms for any SRD material you incorporated.
The Creator FAQ states: “Anything you create using SRD 5.2.1 or SRD 5.1 is yours!” That means Wizards does not own your independently created work merely because it is compatible with an SRD. Ownership does not eliminate your obligation to provide the required attribution or to remove protected D&D identity elements.
Material you should not assume is available
- Official campaign settings such as the Forgotten Realms.
- Official characters, locations, factions, plots, and story text.
- Rules, classes, monsters, spells, or other text absent from the SRD you selected.
- D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Wizards of the Coast, and other protected names and logos.
- Proper names and creatures that the OGL materials identify as Product Identity.
Changing a spelling or copying a recognizable setting element does not automatically solve a trademark or copyright problem. If an element is important to the product, either replace it with original material or obtain a license that expressly covers it.
How do you publish a supplement legally?
Start with the rules target and source, not with the cover design. Keep a copy of the applicable SRD and its legal notice beside your manuscript so every borrowed rule can be checked before release.
- Choose the edition. Decide whether the supplement supports SRD 5.1’s earlier rules or SRD 5.2.1’s newer rules. State that target consistently in the manuscript, title copy, product page, and compatibility statement.
- Choose the license. For SRD 5.1, select OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0. For SRD 5.2.1, use CC-BY-4.0. Do not combine legal notices from different routes as though they were interchangeable.
- Work from the SRD. The D&D Beyond Basic Rules page is not an authorized content-creation source. The Creator FAQ explicitly warns that the Basic Rules cannot be used in content creation; use the relevant SRD instead.
- Build a scope inventory. Mark every rule, term, stat block, table, and quotation that came from the SRD. Separately flag setting names, proper names, logos, and lore so Product Identity does not slip into the draft.
- Replace protected identity. Rewrite excluded settings, characters, locations, and story elements as original material. If the concept cannot work without official IP, stop the independent route and evaluate DMsGuild or a direct license.
- Add the legal notice. An OGL publication must include the full OGL 1.0a text and required attribution information. A CC publication must include the exact attribution statement specified in the applicable SRD legal notice.
- Label compatibility carefully. You may describe a work as compatible with the relevant edition where the applicable terms allow it, but do not use official-looking logos, trade dress, or wording that suggests Wizards made or approved the product.
- Audit the final files. Check the cover, metadata, advertising copy, previews, maps, and downloadable bonuses—not only the main manuscript. A protected name in a store listing can create the same branding issue as one inside the PDF.
- Obtain specialist advice when needed. Crowdfunding, employment-created art, translations, international distribution, trademark questions, and unusual licensing arrangements can require jurisdiction-specific review.
When is DMsGuild the better route?
Use the Dungeon Masters Guild when your project needs official D&D settings, characters, locations, or other material outside the SRD. Its platform license is designed for publishing official-IP products under marketplace rules, rather than distributing an independent compatible product under OGL or Creative Commons.
The official licensing guidance identifies two broad options for a 5e publisher: obtain a private Wizards license or use the relevant SRD license. It then identifies DMsGuild as the alternative that permits official rules, settings, characters, and more under its platform terms. Read the current platform agreement before committing to revenue, distribution, ownership, or exclusivity conditions.
| Route | Rules target | Official settings and characters | Independent printing and selling | Main compliance burden | Brand positioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRD 5.1 plus OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0 | Earlier 5e rules | No, unless separately licensed | Yes, when the chosen license is followed | OGL text and Product Identity limits, or CC attribution and SRD scope | Compatible and non-official |
| SRD 5.2.1 plus CC-BY-4.0 | Newer rules | No, unless separately licensed | Yes, when CC terms and SRD scope are followed | CC attribution, edition accuracy, and Product Identity limits | Compatible and non-official |
| Dungeon Masters Guild | Platform-dependent official D&D content | Yes, subject to platform terms | Platform marketplace route | Platform license, content policy, and marketplace rules | Official-IP marketplace context |
This comparison describes the routes; it is not a substitute for reading the current license or platform agreement.
What are the most common compliance mistakes?
- Using the Basic Rules instead of the SRD: the similarly named D&D Beyond Basic Rules are not the creator resource identified by Wizards.
- Assuming “5e” means every fifth-edition book is open: only the selected SRD’s released content is covered.
- Putting a famous setting on an independent cover: compatibility does not grant permission to use official settings or logos.
- Omitting the legal text: an OGL product needs the complete OGL 1.0a text; a CC product needs the specified attribution.
- Claiming two editions without checking: SRD 5.2.1 is based on newer rules, and compatibility with an older edition is the creator’s responsibility.
- Using official-looking presentation: even original rules content can create confusion if the product implies Wizards endorsement.
Can you publish without Wizards’ permission?
Yes, when you use the applicable SRD license and stay within its scope. You do not need an individual approval email for a normal SRD-based publication, but you do need the correct source, notices, attribution, and branding discipline. Permission to use SRD rules is not permission to use every D&D name, setting, character, or book.
If the project depends on official intellectual property, DMsGuild or a negotiated license is the safer route. For a wholly original supplement that uses only permitted SRD mechanics, an independent release under OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0 can be lawful, provided the final product is accurately labeled and the applicable terms are followed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a monster name from a D&D book in my compatible supplement?
Check the specific SRD and OGL notices first. If the name or creature is listed as Product Identity, create an original alternative or obtain separate permission; the fact that a creature appears in a D&D rulebook does not by itself make its name open.
Can I crowdfund an SRD-based adventure?
The SRD license addresses use of the rules, not every crowdfunding, consumer-protection, tax, employment, or fulfillment issue. Review the campaign’s promises, rewards, and contractor agreements under the laws where you operate before taking pledges.
Can I translate an SRD supplement for another country?
A translation can raise additional copyright, trademark, and distribution questions, especially when it includes protected names or local branding. Confirm that the license covers the adaptation and obtain advice on the target jurisdiction rather than assuming an English-language release answers those issues.
Do I need to register copyright for my original supplement?
Copyright generally arises from creating an eligible original work, while registration rules and enforcement benefits vary by jurisdiction. The SRD license does not replace local registration, notice, tax, or business requirements, so treat those as separate decisions.