Reproducing Currency

Under section 120(373) of the Penal Code, it is a criminal offence for any person, without the prior consent in writing of Bank of Uganda, to reproduce on any substance whatsoever, and whether or not on the correct scale, any Bank of Uganda banknote/coin or any part of a Bank of Uganda banknote. Bank of Uganda also owns the copyright in its banknotes and coins.

Novelty currency

Bank of Uganda does not give authority for any reproductions in the form of a novelty banknote or coin (e.g. one where a celebrity or other images are shown on a banknote/coin or other such changes).

Procedure

Those wishing to reproduce Bank of Uganda banknotes and coins should, before taking steps to reproduce such notes, apply for consent, with explanation and guidance notes. Bank of Uganda will endeavor to respond within five working days of receipt. 
The conditions must be met for any reproductions of any notes currently in circulation. For notes from earlier Series, the conditions may under certain circumstances be relaxed. If you wish to reproduce older Bank of Uganda notes that were issued before 1987 but cannot meet all of the conditions stated in the current guidelines, please contact the Central Bank to discuss the matter further.

Consent to reproduce a Bank of Uganda currency is required:

i) Whether the front or the back of a banknote or coin is reproduced;
ii) For reproductions of all currency issued by the Bank whether current legal tender or not; and
iii) For all possible reproductions, including modified or distorted reproductions.

Bank of Uganda will normally grant consent subject to fulfillment of the Conditions set out below.
Until you receive written consent, you are not entitled to reproduce any Bank of Uganda banknote/coin or any part of a Bank of Uganda banknote. Where consent is granted, it will normally be granted for a period of less than12 months. Renewals of consents are available by contacting the Central Bank directly.

Condition 1:

Reproductions must be one-sided only (i.e. nothing should appear on the reverse of a reproduction which might give the impression that the reproduction is a genuine banknote/coin).

Condition 2:

Reproductions must not be the same size as actual banknotes. If they are to be smaller, they must be at most two-thirds as long and at most two-thirds as wide. If they are to be larger, they must be at least one and a half times as long and at least one and a half times as wide. Reproductions of parts of banknotes must meet the same conditions.

Condition 3:

Reproductions may not appear in an offensive or inappropriate context or in such a manner that the Bank, in its sole opinion, believes would undermine the integrity of the currency.

Condition 4:

There should be no distortion to the motifs (apart from an enlargement, reduction or slant). 
At least one of the following conditions must also be met:

Condition 5:

a) The reproduction of the banknote is shown on the slant and not flat to camera. In such a case the distortion must be such that right angles are reduced to acute angles of 70° or less, or increased to obtuse angles of 110° or more.
or
b) The reproduction is printed on a material clearly different and distinguishable from paper or paper-like material.
or
c) The colours on the reproduction differ distinctly from the main colours used on any of the current series of Bank of Uganda banknotes.
or
d) In the case of a reproduction of part of a banknote, at most 50% of the total surface area of one side of the original banknote may be reproduced.
or
e) If the reproduction is flat to camera it must be overprinted with the word “NOT LEGAL TENDER” diagonally in accordance with Condition 6.

Condition 6:

The banknotes must also include the word NOT LEGAL TENDER in solid black capital letters. Once from the bottom left corner to the top right corner of the banknote. The word NOT LEGAL TENDER must be not less than one third of the length of the reproduction in length and not less than one eighth of the height of the reproduction in height. This applies whether the entire banknote is reproduced or just part.