Skip to Main Content

NIH Public Access Policy

Guidance for researchers on the NIH Public Access Policy

2025 NIH Public Access Policy

Effective July 1, 2025, a new NIH Public Access Policy will take effect, replacing the 2008 policy. Note that the original effective date for the new policy was December 31, 2025, but that date was moved up to July 1, 2025. The new policy is as follows:

NIH Public Access Policy requires Author Accepted Manuscripts accepted for publication in a journal, on or after July 1, 2025, to be submitted to PubMed Central upon acceptance for publication, for public availability without embargo upon the Official Date of Publication. If an article is accepted before July 1, 2025 or it is linked to a grant which ended before July 1, 2025, it is subject to the original 2008 policy, and an embargo is permitted. 

What stays the same?

  • All publications that benefit from NIH funding must be submitted to PubMed Central, the NIH's open access publication repository.
  • If a journal does not submit the article to PubMed Central directly, it is the responsibility of the PI to ensure that the article is submitted.
  • The version of the article that must be submitted is the author accepted manuscript.

What is changing?

  • There is no longer an allowed embargo period -- submitted publications must become available on the date of publication.
  • The date of publication is now defined as whenever the article first becomes available, whether that is print or electronic

Below are definitions from the policy:

Author Accepted Manuscript: The author’s final version that has been accepted for journal publication and includes all revisions resulting from the peer review process, including all associated tables, graphics, and supplemental material.

Final Published Article: The journal's authoritative copy, including journal or publisher copyediting and stylistic edits, and formatting changes, even prior to the compilation of a volume or issue or the assignment of associated metadata.

Official Date of Publication: The date on which the Final Published Article is first made available in final, edited form, whether in print or electronic (i.e., online) format.