Welcome to the NIH Public Access Policy Guide! This guide is intended for researchers who have received funding from the NIH, as well as those interested in learning more about the policy.
Please note: This guide is intended for educational purposes only and does not act as substitute for official guidance from the NIH. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure they understand the NIH Public Access Policy, the associated publication requirements, and their responsibilities as an investigator and/or author.
Last updated: September 11, 2025
A new 2024 NIH Public Access Policy went into effect on July 1, 2025.
The main change in this new policy is the removal of the 12-month embargo that was previously allowed. As such, all manuscripts accepted for publication on or after this date must be made available in PubMed Central immediately upon publication in a journal.
The below video provides an overview of the changes in the new policy, as well as tips to help you stay compliant.
These resources from the NIH are the authoritative source to learn more about the policy.
Policy Background
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued new guidance on August 25, 2022 to make federally funded research freely available without a delay. The new NIH Public Access Policy was developed in response to this memo.
Users of this guide will learn:
If you are looking for information on the 2023 NIH Data Management & Sharing Policy, please check out our guide: