Some font creators require you to pay an additional fee for commercial use. But this isn't actually legally enforceable. So technically, once you install the font on your computer and use it within a graphics program, you can use it however you want. At that point, it is a typeface (artwork) and not a font (computer file). Typefaces cannot be protected as IP.

 

I've been wondering about that as well. I've never met any one that got harassed about using a font they got on line. I almost left a post saying "Find Tim, he'll know"

 

I recently bought two fonts for a commercial project. I paid the creator a licensing fee to use his/her font on my product. I usually use free fonts for commercial projects, but I make sure I can use a font or quote etc. legally. Check out the following info.

Fonts, Copyright Laws, and Licensing

Technically, a “font” is a computer file or program that’s used to tell your printer how to print the shape of a letter of character or how it’s supposed to look on your computer screen. The actual shape of the letters and characters is called the “typeface.” For example, “Times New Roman” is a typeface, but the software that tells your printer how to print an “A” in Times New Roman is the font.

US copyright laws protect “original works of authorship,” such as writings, art work, and music. It also protects computer software. A copyright gives the owner the right to control the way his work is used by others. Generally, you need the owner’s permission to copy and use his copyrighted work. As a general rule, the copyright laws don’t cover typefaces, but fonts may be protected by copyright so long as the font qualifies as computer software or a program. Today, most fonts you come across are in fact programs or software.

Licensing is when an owner of copyrighted material lets someone use that material. When it comes to fonts and computer software, a license is usually called an End User License Agreement. Usually, you’re charged a fee for the license, and the agreement limits how you may use the software. For example, an agreement typically lets you use the software on one computer only.

http://intellectual-property.lawyer...lectual-property-licensing/company-sues-over-unauthorized-use-of-its-fonts.html

http://blog.crowdspring.com/2011/03/font-law-licensing/

 

I recently bought two fonts for a commercial project. I paid the creator a licensing fee to use his/her font on my product. I usually use free fonts for commercial projects, but I make sure I can use a font or quote etc. legally. Check out the following info.

Fonts, Copyright Laws, and Licensing

Technically, a “font” is a computer file or program that’s used to tell your printer how to print the shape of a letter of character or how it’s supposed to look on your computer screen. The actual shape of the letters and characters is called the “typeface.” For example, “Times New Roman” is a typeface, but the software that tells your printer how to print an “A” in Times New Roman is the font.

US copyright laws protect “original works of authorship,” such as writings, art work, and music. It also protects computer software. A copyright gives the owner the right to control the way his work is used by others. Generally, you need the owner’s permission to copy and use his copyrighted work. As a general rule, the copyright laws don’t cover typefaces, but fonts may be protected by copyright so long as the font qualifies as computer software or a program. Today, most fonts you come across are in fact programs or software.

Licensing is when an owner of copyrighted material lets someone use that material. When it comes to fonts and computer software, a license is usually called an End User License Agreement. Usually, you’re charged a fee for the license, and the agreement limits how you may use the software. For example, an agreement typically lets you use the software on one computer only.

http://intellectual-property.lawyer...lectual-property-licensing/company-sues-over-unauthorized-use-of-its-fonts.html

The Law on Fonts and Typefaces: Frequently Asked Questions « crowdSPRING Blog

Thanks for the great input on the topic, but as I have mentioned above, when purchasing fonts (typefaces) from MyFonts: Fonts for Print, Products & Screens they only provide four types of licensing: Dekstop, Webfont, Server, E-Book. Nothing else mentioned whatsoever. Do you mean that I have put an extra effort in finding the font creator, sending him/her an email asking if I could use the font on bla bla bla, sounds like a bit of a mission, looking at how many printed products out there on the market right now, with tons of various slogans using tons of different fonts.

So as Kimura suggested, I just pay for the font (desktop license most probably) and use it the way I want?

 

The best site that I use for my business for Fonts for commercial use is Handpicked free fonts for graphic designers with commercial-use licenses. | Font Squirrel they do all the work in finding if the fonts are in the public domain, if they are for personal use only, or if you need a commercial license. Most the fonts are free for commercial use but be sure to read the terms of the license before using for commercial use.

 

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on the font. Finding out who created and/or owns a font and if it is free for commercial use is not hard to do. Just search for the font name and see if there is a commercial license required to use it. No big deal. Most fonts like Time Romans are free for personal and commercial use but some aren't. Read the terms of agreement carefully on a font website and if they don't answer your questions then search for more info. Cheers.

 

A font can only be protected from unauthorized distribution. As long as you legally obtain the font, you can use the typeface as you wish. In most cases, then end use of the font is really the typeface, which cannot be protected.

 

"Legally obtained" to use for personal or commercial uses. Yes. That is correct. But some font faces have restrictions. Most fonts are free for personal use, but a license may be necessary if you are going to use a font on a product for resell. For example:

Remachine Script
Note of the author
NOTE: This font is for PERSONAL USE ONLY!
To purchase a commercial license, visit:
http://www.aringtypeface.com/remachine-script

But I don't have a dog in this fight. Whatever. LOL! Cheers.

 

The font creator can claim whatever they want. But legally, it is not enforceable. They can only protect against the unauthorized distribution of the font. They cannot protect against someone using the typeface for commercial use (even when the user didn't pay for the commercial use license of the font). I hate saying it, because I respect the work of font creators. For anyone wanting to use a font for commercial use should honor the licensing agreement. But again, it is not actually legally enforceable due to the currently defined differences between fonts and typefaces.

 

All great points there. I would hate let's say having created a font seeing it being used for free as a typeface because of a legal loophole. But that's life. I am sure the US Justice Department comes with a complaint unit in it. Also, remember to convert your fonts to curves.

 

Also, remember to convert your fonts to curves.

Great point!

 

Hello. I am new to this site and resurrecting an older thread. I'm interested in designing some shirts to sell online and the font/typeface topic is of great interest to me. I designed a layout I like a lot but I did it using a font that was on my system. I do not recall if it loaded with AI or if it is a font I found later. This is probably very subjective, but is there a certain degree of modification you can make to a typeface for it to then be considered art and no longer the actual typeface? Do the permissions change if the font has simply been roughed up around the edges? Or, its appearance distressed? Condensed or compressed? Any further thoughts greatly appreciated.

 

A typeface is the family name of a group of fonts. Ex: Times New Roman (TNR)

A font is an individual family member of the typeface (EACH of these is a font in the TNR typeface):

10 pt TNR Regular
10 pt TNR Bold
11 pt TNR Regular
11 pt TNR Italic
and so on . . .

What is protected is the software. Typefaces/fonts existed waaaay before software. With type creation/editing applications anyone can open a typeface family/fonts and rename as their own.

It is the software that defines the shape and font metrics (kerning pairs) that is protected. I'm not sure how much of a renamed typeface family/font must be different/the same to win a copyright violation.

 

This is the third thread I have to write this.
"Typefaces" and "computer fonts" are two different things.

The font files are software and are copyrighted.
The output is just a "typeface" and it is not copyrighted.

 

Typefaces (a family of fonts) and fonts are wood or metal letters, numbers, and symbols that have been around since printing began in the 1400s. Software wasn't. Software makers have simply adopted the same nomenclature. I think the way that terms that software makers have adopted are a poor translation. The software that is used to program the shape and spacing of the letters, number, and symbols is what is protected, whatever you want to call it. If you use software to open a software typeface/font and save it with the name of your choosing and start selling it as your own, you will be charged with copyright infringement because the original owner can analyze the code and prove that it is theirs. Why do you think there are so many software fonts with crappy outlines and kerning? They either made them from scratch without know the proper design parameters or opened an existing software font and made enough code changes to the outlines and kerning that they can't be prosecuted for copyright infringement.

 

You don't know what you are talking about. The law is clear. You need a license to have the fonts in your computer, but no license is needed for the prints.