Property and model releases help page

The quickest way to find out if you need a model or property release.

Model and property releases are signed documents which ensure that the people or owners of property (e.g. works of art, trademarks, brands or buildings) featured in an image or clip have given permission for commercial uses of the content.

You require permission from any people and/or owners of property in an image or clip, if you want to use it in a commercial context. Click on the clip or image you're interested in, to check if a release already exists. If it does, you only need the Alamy license to proceed with any commercial uses. If there is no release available, you can still use the clip or image commercially if you obtain permission from the relevant people and/or property owners. Without that permission you could face legal claims.

If you're a photographer looking for more information, visit our contributor pages for all the details you need. 

No, you don’t need a model or property release for every content, not always. Whether you need a release depends on what's featured in the image and how you plan to use it. 

Not all of Alamy's images are model or property released. You can check for releases on the image page and use the filters to search for images with the proper releases. 

If you think you need a release but there isn’t one available:

For images or video clips featuring works of art still under copyright, additional third-party permissions might be needed for editorial or commercial use. Always get specialist legal advice or consult us if you're unsure. 

Releases generally don't allow uses that could be considered controversial, sensitive, or defamatory. Avoid the following without legal advice: 

A signed release might still be required from the heirs or estates up to 70 years after death.

For publishers on the lookout for the right image or video clip but need more clarity, below are some points you don't want to miss.  

  1. Inside use - Generally, you can use images inside an educational product without needing extra permission from third-party property owners or the models featured. 

Exception: If the image is a work of art and it is still in copyright i.e. the artist is still alive or within 70 years of their death, you might need third-party permissions. You don’t need one if: 

 a. You’re reviewing the art or artist. 

b. You’re creating a new piece of art using elements of the images. 

 Sometimes, the instructions might not be too clear so we would always recommend you double-check. Either contact the third-party copyright owner or check with your legal team. 

 2. Cover use - When using images on the covers, you need to make sure the people, property, and in-copyright artwork have all the relevant releases or permissions. We always recommend that you secure permission from brands before using their trademark or logo. Front cover use rules are not always straightforward. Some images featuring people or buildings are occasionally okay–for example, wide-angle crowd scenes and cityscapes.   

There are some easy points to remember in case you find images you want to use but you can’t see there is a release attached to it.If you think you need a release for your intended use, but there isn’t one, you can contact the owner, agent, or estate directly to see if you can secure permission.  Get in touch with our customer service team. We have lots of experience in what can be cleared, and we might be able to give you some advice. If needed, we can also contact the photographer for more information. 

If you’re new to image buying there might be some industry terms on this page you’re not familiar with yet: