Intellectual Property Permission Letter

An Intellectual Property Permission Letter is used when someone is seeking the use of a creative work they don't own the rights to. Sometimes, when others create intellectual property, it's possible to use that intellectual property, either for a fee or under the terms of an agreement. The first step in being able to use that intellectual property, however, is to ask the person that created it (or the person that currently owns it) for permission. Depending on who owns the work, it may be entirely possible to receive a favorable response to a permission letter.

The work could be any number of things. Some examples include books, films, paintings, brochures, speeches, articles, or any other type of creative work. When someone else owns the rights to these types of works, a good way to find out whether they can be used is to send a letter asking for permission. Often, a letter is better than a phone call because it provides a written record of the request.

How to use this document

Use this document to find out if legal permission to use a work of intellectual property can be received. The sender of the letter may wish to attach a photograph of the work that is being requested for use, but it's not strictly necessary. This letter contains everything needed to allow an intellectual property owner to make a decision about whether or not their property can be used.

In this letter, a description of the intellectual property is entered, as well as a description of the purpose for which permission is being requested. The letter allows someone to request a written response to the inquiry so that they can find out definitively whether permission has been received to move forward with the use of the intellectual property.

After this letter is filled out, it should be printed and then signed. As a best practice, the party sending it may wish to send it via Certified Mail.

Applicable law

There are no laws outlining what must be put into an Intellectual Property Permission Letter. Overall, intellectual property in the United States is covered under primarily federal law, with the main statute applicable being the Copyright Act of 1976. It is a best practice, however, to give the intellectual property rights owner as much as information as possible about why rights to use the work should be received.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.