The BBC has a wealth of archive content available for independent production companies and BBC teams for both research and production purposes.
Our archive holdings include the BBC TV and Radio programme archives, music, news and photograph archives and a sheet music collection along with programme documentation. Find out more about what's in the BBC archive on the Archive Services website.
Please see the Policies and guidelines page to find information about the Programme release (holdback) policy, the Digital release policy and the Library sales holdback policy.
Please note information about using music in BBC progammes including clearance and BBC MusicBox can be found on the Using music in BBC programmes page.
Archive Search: accessing the BBC television and radio archive online
Our archive of TV and Radio content can be accessed for both programme research and production purposes via the BBC Archive Search website.
The Archive Search website allows users to search for content from across our different online libraries and catalogues via a single portal. It also enables users to quickly cut and download browse quality (non-broadcast quality) and - with appropriate permissions - high resolution (broadcast quality) clips. It also offers curated collections of content ahead of major events and anniversaries for production use.
New and existing Archive Search users will now automatically be granted access to the BBC Library website. BBC Library will have improved search and browse functionality making it easier for users to find, clip and export content from across the BBC archive estate. It will become the single online destination for BBC archive content in the latter half of 2026, replacing Archive Search and the Digital Archive. BBC Library is still developing, and users are encouraged to try out and feedback on the system.
Criteria for access
Access to the Archive Search (and BBC Library) website is granted based on the following criteria:
- for archive based programmes where access to the BBC archive is essential for research
- where regular access to the BBC archive is required for an ongoing returning series or strand for the research of past programmes
- where a company or department are confirmed as eligible for a competitive tender, for the duration of the tender application
- in a small number of cases, where the commissioner feels the volume or nature of commissions from a key supplier requires regular access to the BBC archive on an ongoing basis, and this is the most efficient means of delivering that.
How to access Archive Search
There is a two-step process to be granted access to the BBC Archive Search (and the BBC Library) website:
1. Production-level authentication
For each production, the head of production or equivalent key production contact must submit the following information via the online production registration form before individual users can register for an account. Note, only five users per production can be granted access:
- name of head of production or the key production contact and their email address
- company name and website address
- PiCoS ID of commission
- title/working title of the commission/project
- commissioning genre or area
- reason for requiring BBC Archive access
- BBC commissioner name
- the names, roles and company email addresses of up to five individuals requiring access
Note, no users will be able to register for or access BBC Archive Search (or BBC Library) until this step has been completed.
Productions requiring additional users, or without a PiCoS ID, should email the Archive Services team for assistance.
2. Individual registration
Once the production-level information has been submitted and approved, individual users must register for an Archive Search (and BBC Library) account via the online user registration form providing the following information:
- name of the commissioner sponsoring access
- name of the company you are working for
- job title
- title of the programme or series you are working on
- name of the executive producer
- reason access is required
Once this has been approved, users will be granted access to the Archive Search website (and BBC Library) for eight weeks. To request an extension, users should email their BBC commissioner for approval, copying in the Archive Services team.
A BBC Login is required to complete the forms. New BBC Logins can be requested from PiCoS Support by the company’s PiCoS account administrator. Those without a company PiCoS account should email the Archive Services team to request access to the form.
To request access to high-res broadcast quality archive content users should email their commissioner, copying in the Archive Services team.
Use of BBC archive in commissioned content
Please see General term 6 and Special term 3.2 of the Programme production agreement (PPA) for specific clearance requirements.
The Programme production agreement (PPA) will make it clear which BBC uses need to be pre-paid within the licence fee and which BBC uses should be clearable subject to further payment. These repeat/use costs must be as approved by the BBC (for the avoidance of doubt, standard union rates are approved) and recorded in the Schedule of residuals which the production is required to deliver to the BBC at the end of production. The production should therefore establish that it is possible to get these rights and what they cost, even if under the terms of the PPA the production is not required to pay for them straight away.
For any queries in relation to clearances please refer in the first instance to the production management or Business Affairs team.
When using BBC Archive for chargeable services, independent production companies must quote a credit card number along with the usual company details. Please note that internal charge codes can not be used and services will be directly charged for via the credit card. Independent production companies should therefore make their status clear when contacting BBC Archive. Costs involved in using BBC Archive’s services should be budgeted as they must be covered by the primary rights licence fee.
See the Business and contractual information page for more information about the Programme production agreement and Schedule of residuals.
Clearance for non-BBC archive in commissioned content
Archive houses are generally familiar with the nature of the 'public service rights' required for BBC commissions. If there any difficulties obtaining rights from any archive house please inform the business affairs manager. Any archive footage that cannot be cleared for the rights the BBC needs should not be included in the programme.
Using clips from other BBC programmes in BBC content
Productions are required to clear clips for public service rights as defined in the Programme production agreement.
Productions are entitled to use clips taken from other BBC programmes (made or commissioned by the BBC) subject to certain limitations (for example, the restrictions relating to clips featuring sexual content or clip durations laid out in talent union agreements).
Use of comedy and drama clips are restricted to a maximum of two clips per episode with strict limits on duration due to the relevant underlying rights frameworks.
Online rights must be cleared separately for material from another programme or bought in footage.
For assistance in relation to specific advice on short form video or music rights and clearance please refer in the first instance to the business affairs manager.
Please note: freelancers who are not attached to an independent production company or BBC programme team should see BBC Motion Gallery for access to BBC archive material.
See the BBC Archives website for further information applicable to independent production companies.
Commercial exploitation of programme clips
See the Business framework on the Business and contractual page for full information about commercial exploitation of programme clips.
Programme as completed (P as C) form
The Programme as completed form (sometimes referred to as the P as C form) provides information about the content, music and contributors in a programme and together with the Music cue form is the complete written record of a programme’s content and ensures correct copyright payments are made.
It is therefore essential that the Programme as completed form records details of any and all restrictions on use of the programme (for example any restrictions on clip use in any contributor contract, as pre-approved by the BBC).
Productions complete this information via the online production reporting system Silvermouse. In Silvermouse information has been divided into three separate forms: the contributors, front page and copyrights forms.
It is mandatory that the Programme as completed form or related information on Silvermouse is submitted within four weeks of the final episode delivery, or earlier if all data is available
Please note, users already registered on Silvermouse (including for other broadcasters) can use their existing login.
Visit the contacts page to find technical and non-technical support contacts and training resources for Silvermouse.
Non-linear form
The Non-linear form is required for some commissioned content that does not sit on our linear channels. This may include content which is commissioned for bbc.co.uk. bbc.com, or social media platforms. The form is completed and submitted via the production reporting system Silvermouse. Producers should consult their contract for full details about their reporting and delivery requirements.
The non-linear form includes information about content rights, such as the territories the content is cleared for, how long the content can be made available and if there are restrictions of any kind. It must be completed by the production within four weeks of final episode delivery.
Visit the contacts page to find technical and non-technical support contacts and training resources for Silvermouse.
BBC Archives Music Collection
BBC Archives Music Collection consists of the Commercial Music Collection and the Sheet Music Collection. Visit the Archive services website to find out more.
Information about using music in BBC progammes including clearance and BBC MusicBox can be found on the Using music in BBC programmes page. Information about the Schedule of residuals and key agreements can be found on the Business and contractual information page.
