Is using certain fonts illegal?

In the United States, fonts are protectable under copyright law. Typefaces, however, are not. A trademark protects what a typeface is called, a copyright protects how a font program is written, and a design patent protects letter design—how the letters appear.

Is it legal to use fonts commercially?

Fonts can be free or licensed, for a fee, for commercial use. Whether you pay for a font or acquire it for free, each font comes with a license that explains how you may use that font (and how you may not use the font). Your rights and obligations are defined in the End User License Agreement (EULA).

Can you get caught using unlicensed fonts?

If you did not reproduce the font and distribute it you have not broken any U.S. criminally punishable law. If you only used a font in your work that you were not licensed to use then you can not be punished under the law. If you distributed the actual font with your work then maybe you could be punished.

Can you trademark licensed font?

No, you cannot trademark a font. Generally speaking, a font does not qualify for trademark protection as it is considered a specific product. They can, however, potentially be protected by copyrights.

Is font Squirrel legal?

We’ve done our best to verify that the fonts we add to our site have free for commercial use licenses. As far as we know, all the fonts on the site have free desktop licenses, meaning they can be used in commercial graphics and images free of charge. Are you designing a logo with the font? That’s fine.

Can a company be sued for using unlicensed font?

Using unlicensed software doesn’t seem like a smart way to start your new company off on the right fo Yes, multiple large companies have been sued for unlicensed font use. The most notable defendant is NBCUniversal who has been sued three times in as many years.

What is the Font Bureau lawsuit?

In a 2009 lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Font Bureau claimed that media powerhouse NBC Universal (NBC) misused fonts owned by Font Bureau.

Can I legally use a Font i purchased commercially?

Many fonts are sold commercially and cannot be used by people who do not purchase those fonts from proper vendors. If you purchased the font or obtained a free font that was created for free commercial use, you may legally use the font as long as the EULA gives you the right to use it in the way you intend to use it (i.e. for logo design). 2.

Can I get in trouble for using fonts without a license?

If you only used a font in your work that you were not licensed to use then you can not be punished under the law. If you distributed the actual font with your work then maybe you could be punished. You can be held civilly responsible and get sued by the copyright owner and you have also put your client at risk because they could be sued as well.