Use of psychological tests in scientific research: Is it always necessary to request permission?

The use of psychological tests in research often raises a practical question: is it always necessary to ask the owner for permission? This article argues that the answer depends on four interrelated aspects developed in the text: ethical and legal requirements for the use of tests and permissions, the tension between open science and intellectual property, regional regulatory frameworks, and the licensing and availability conditions of specific instruments. Based on international guidelines, regional regulations and examples of public domain, open licensed and commercial tests, we distinguish between simply administering an instrument, reproducing its protected content and creating derivative works such as translations or adaptations. We show that, in non-commercial academic contexts, administering lawfully acquired or openly licensed tests usually does not require additional permission, as long as items, keys and manuals are not reproduced or altered. In contrast, copying item banks, publishing reagents, adapting instruments without authorization or disseminating content from proprietary kits and neuropsychological batteries generally requires explicit permission. The article closes with practical recommendations and a checklist to guide responsible decisions.