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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), use the applicable license correctly, and keep protected D&D intellectual property out of an independent release. For the earlier 2014-era rules, the established choices are SRD 5.1 under OGL 1.0a or Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0). For the newer rules, use SRD 5.2.1 under CC-BY-4.0. If your project needs official settings, characters, locations or other material outside an SRD, DMsGuild is the relevant platform route. This is a practical licensing guide, not jurisdiction-specific legal advice.
What is the D&D Open Game License?
The Open Game License 1.0a (OGL 1.0a) is a Wizards-created license first released in 2000. It lets creators copy, modify and distribute material designated as Open Game Content in an authorized SRD, subject to the license’s conditions. It does not open all D&D rules or story material, and it does not grant a general right to use the D&D brand.
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For a publication using SRD 5.1 under OGL 1.0a, you do not sign a separate agreement with Wizards. The official creator FAQ says you confirm the license by placing the complete OGL 1.0a text, together with the required notices and attribution information, in the product. Read the license and the SRD’s designation of Open Game Content and Product Identity before writing or commissioning material.
The OGL is a permission framework, not a declaration that every element of D&D is free to use. The SRD identifies names, trademarks, settings, proper names and other listed material as Product Identity. Those elements remain outside the open rules permission unless you have another authorization.
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Is the D&D OGL still valid?
Yes, OGL 1.0a remains available for SRD 5.1. In a January 13, 2023 announcement, D&D Beyond stated, “We’re leaving OGL 1.0a in place and also making SRD 5.1 available under a Creative Commons license.” The current SRD information says creators may choose OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0 for the full SRD 5.1 contents, provided they follow the chosen license’s requirements.
That answer is specific to SRD 5.1. It does not mean that a creator can copy any D&D book under the OGL, or that material outside the SRD automatically became open. You still need to identify the exact source text you are using and preserve the Product Identity boundaries.
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Choose the route that matches the rules edition you intend to support and the intellectual property your product needs. The following comparison reflects the licensing guidance available in October 2026.
| Route | Rules target | Official settings, characters and locations | Independent publication | Main compliance task |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRD 5.1 + OGL 1.0a | Earlier, 2014-era fifth-edition rules | No, unless separately licensed | Yes, when OGL terms are followed | Include the complete OGL 1.0a text and required notices; respect Product Identity |
| SRD 5.1 + CC-BY-4.0 | Earlier, 2014-era fifth-edition rules | No, unless separately licensed | Yes, when CC terms are followed | Use the exact attribution statement in the SRD legal notice |
| SRD 5.2.1 + CC-BY-4.0 | Newer rules | No, unless separately licensed | Yes, when CC terms are followed | Stay within SRD 5.2.1 and provide the required CC attribution |
| DMsGuild | Platform route for official D&D material | Yes, subject to its platform license and rules | Published through the marketplace rather than as an independent SRD release | Follow the current DMsGuild license, content limits and marketplace requirements |
SRD 5.1 is the practical choice when your product is written for the earlier rules. The current D&D Beyond SRD page identifies SRD 5.2.1 as the latest SRD for the newer rules and says future SRDs will be Creative Commons-only. Wizards also provides a conversion guide for creators moving from SRD 5.1 to SRD 5.2.1.
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How do I publish an SRD-based supplement under OGL 1.0a?
Use this process when your product targets the earlier rules and you prefer the OGL route.
- Set the rules target. Decide that the product supports the SRD 5.1 rules rather than the newer SRD 5.2.1 rules. State that target consistently in the manuscript, stat blocks and compatibility language.
- Work from the SRD. Copy, adapt or reference only material that the relevant SRD designates as Open Game Content. Do not use the D&D Beyond Basic Rules as a substitute; the Creator FAQ expressly says, “The D&D Beyond Basic Rules cannot be used in content creation.”
- Audit every borrowed element. Check classes, monsters, spells, rules text, names and proper nouns against the SRD. Remove or rewrite anything identified as Product Identity or anything not present in the SRD unless you have a separate license.
- Add the legal text. Insert the complete OGL 1.0a text and the required attribution and notice information in the product. The license text is part of the publication’s compliance, not an optional web-page link.
- Separate your original material. Your adventure plot, setting, characters, illustrations, maps and new rules can be your own work, but describe them without implying that Wizards created, approved or sponsors the product.
- Label compatibility accurately. Use a clear statement that identifies the rules edition you support. Do not use D&D logos, trade dress or official-looking branding in a way that suggests endorsement.
- Review before release. Have an attorney examine trademark, copyright, employment, localization, crowdfunding and distribution issues if the project has significant financial or legal exposure.
How do I publish with Creative Commons instead?
CC-BY-4.0 is often the cleaner default for a new independent supplement. SRD 5.1 is available under that license, and SRD 5.2.1 is released under it. The permission covers the SRD material itself; it does not open official settings, characters, logos or unrelated D&D books.
- Choose the correct SRD. Use SRD 5.1 for the earlier rules or SRD 5.2.1 for the newer rules. Do not mix edition assumptions casually; Wizards says creators must ensure compatibility with older editions themselves when using the newer SRD.
- Keep a source ledger. Record which passages, terms or stat-block components come from the SRD and which are your own. This makes an editorial and legal review possible before publication.
- Insert the exact attribution. Copy the attribution statement supplied in the applicable SRD legal notice exactly as required. Do not replace it with a shortened credit or add extra Wizards attribution that the notice does not request.
- Use permitted compatibility wording. The SRD 5.1 CC document permits a statement that a work is “compatible with fifth edition” or “5E compatible.” Use only wording that is accurate for your product and consistent with the license notice.
- Preserve the boundary around non-SRD material. Creative Commons permission does not authorize Forgotten Realms, Faerûn, named official characters, official locations or rules absent from the chosen SRD.
The SRD FAQ describes the Creative Commons release as irrevocable and says Wizards cannot revoke or deauthorize the SRD content released under those terms. That protects the license grant for the released SRD material; it does not cure an unauthorized use of other D&D intellectual property.
What can I include in an independent supplement?
You can create a compatible adventure, setting, bestiary, character options or rules aid using the permitted SRD material and your own expression. You can write original names, lore, maps, art, encounters and presentation, then sell the finished work independently when the license conditions are met.
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The difficult line is between generic rules compatibility and official D&D identity. An independent SRD product should not assume it may include:
- Official campaign settings such as Forgotten Realms or named regions such as Faerûn.
- Official characters, locations, storylines or recognizable setting lore.
- Rules, classes, monsters, spells or other text that is absent from the selected SRD.
- D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual or other protected names and logos as product branding.
- Proper names and creatures listed as Product Identity in the OGL materials.
Changing a few words does not automatically turn protected expression into open content. If a concept is important to the product, replace it with an original setting, name and description rather than trying to recreate an official one. A compatibility notice should make clear that the work is unofficial.
When is DMsGuild the better route?
Choose DMsGuild when the product depends on official D&D settings, characters, locations or other material outside the SRD. Its licensing page describes DMsGuild as the platform route that permits official rules and setting content under the marketplace’s license. That permission is different from an independent OGL or Creative Commons publication.
DMsGuild is not a shortcut around every restriction. You must follow the current platform license, submission rules, ownership provisions, content policies and marketplace requirements. The platform route also means publishing in that marketplace context rather than distributing the same official-IP product as a standalone release under your own SRD license.
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If you want an independently distributed book with no official setting material, an SRD 5.1 or SRD 5.2.1 publication is generally the more direct structure. If official IP is central to the pitch, do not try to imitate a DMsGuild product while claiming only SRD permission.
Who owns a supplement made with the SRD?
Wizards’ Creator FAQ states, “Anything you create using SRD 5.2.1 or SRD 5.1 is yours!” In practical terms, Wizards does not own your original adventure, setting, artwork or other original expression merely because you used SRD material. Your rights remain subject to the license terms and to ordinary copyright and trademark law.
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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 authorized for content creation. Start from the official SRD files.
- Leaving out the license notice. An OGL publication needs the full OGL 1.0a text. A CC publication needs the exact attribution statement required by the applicable SRD notice.
- Mixing editions without saying so. A product that combines assumptions from SRD 5.1 and SRD 5.2.1 can confuse customers and create compatibility problems. Identify the primary rules target and explain any conversion required.
- Assuming “D&D-compatible” means “official.” Compatibility language does not grant trademark rights or endorsement. Use original branding and a prominent unofficial presentation.
- Importing setting lore by implication. A renamed version of an official place, character or faction may still create legal and customer-confusion risks. Build a genuinely original setting when using the independent route.
- Relying on a license for questions it does not answer. Crowdfunding, employment agreements, translations, international distribution, AI-generated assets and tax treatment can raise separate issues. Obtain qualified legal advice for those circumstances.
Can I publish without Wizards’ individual permission?
Yes, when the work stays within an authorized SRD license and its conditions. You do not need a separate Wizards approval for every independent supplement that uses SRD 5.1 under OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0, or SRD 5.2.1 under CC-BY-4.0. You do need another authorization when the project uses material outside those permissions, which is why DMsGuild or a negotiated private license may be necessary for official-IP content.
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Keep records of the SRD version, license choice, attribution text, content audit and final notices. Those records will not replace legal advice, but they make it easier to show how the product was assembled and to correct an error before release.
What should I verify before releasing the file?
- Confirm whether the product targets SRD 5.1 or SRD 5.2.1.
- Confirm whether you are using OGL 1.0a or CC-BY-4.0, and remove conflicting notices from an earlier draft.
- Check every borrowed rule and named element against the selected SRD.
- Delete official settings, characters, locations, logos and Product Identity unless a separate license covers them.
- Insert the complete OGL text or exact CC attribution required by the relevant legal notice.
- Check that the title, cover, trade dress and compatibility statement do not imply Wizards endorsement.
- Verify that stat blocks and terminology match the edition named on the cover.
- Obtain professional legal review for unusual or high-value projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I publish a free D&D-compatible supplement, or does the license only cover paid products?
The licensing question is about the material and the permission, not simply whether you charge money. A free PDF still needs to stay within the selected SRD and license terms, use the required notice or attribution, and avoid unauthorized D&D intellectual property.
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The SRD licenses do not, by themselves, answer every software, trademark, platform or user-interface question. Treat the rules permission separately from code, artwork, branding and distribution issues, and obtain legal advice before launching a commercial implementation.
Can I translate an SRD-based supplement for another country?
Translation adds copyright, contract and territory questions that are not resolved by simply copying the English-language notice. Confirm that your license covers the intended adaptation and have local counsel review trademark and distribution requirements.
Does using Creative Commons let me copy a later D&D rulebook that is not in the SRD?
No. CC-BY permission applies to the SRD content released under that license. A later rulebook, setting book or other official publication remains outside the permission unless its own terms or a separate agreement authorize the use.
What should I do if a publisher or platform asks whether my product is official?
Answer plainly that it is an independent, compatible product unless you are publishing through an authorization such as DMsGuild. Keep the compatibility statement separate from logos, trade dress and wording that could suggest Wizards sponsorship.
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