When you use stock video, photos or other image-based items from Envato Market that feature identifiable people, recognisable property or distinctive locations, you may need to consider whether a model, location or property release is relevant to your intended use.
This article explains what releases are, how they are handled across Envato’s services, what authors are responsible for, and how to make an enquiry about a specific item.
Your responsibility as a licensee
Under the applicable Envato licence terms, you are responsible for ensuring that your use of any item complies with all relevant laws, regulations and licence conditions. This includes making your own assessment about whether an appropriate model, location or property release is needed and whether it is in place before using the item in your project.
Envato’s licence terms do not constitute legal advice, and Envato does not guarantee that all releases required for your intended use have been obtained for a given item.
Please review the Envato Market Licence terms that apply to your purchase or download.
If you are unsure about your legal obligations for a particular use, we recommend seeking independent legal advice, especially for high-visibility campaigns, sensitive subject matter, or use in jurisdictions with specific personality, privacy, publicity or property rights.
What are model, location and property releases?
A model release is a signed agreement from an identifiable individual granting permission for their likeness to be used in specified ways, most commonly for commercial purposes such as advertising, marketing or promotional materials.
A location or property release serves a similar function for recognisable private property, distinctive buildings, artworks, interiors, branded spaces or identifiable locations.
Whether a release is required depends on several factors, including the nature of the content, how and where it is used, what is depicted, and the applicable laws in your jurisdiction. There is no universal rule. Requirements vary between countries and between commercial, editorial and other use cases.
How Envato Market works
Envato Market is a marketplace and items are contributed by a global community of independent authors.
Under the Envato Market Author Terms that apply to Envato Market, authors are responsible for:
- obtaining and retaining all necessary model, location and property releases for their items; and
- providing a copy of any release to Envato on request.
Envato does not independently verify the existence, scope, legal sufficiency or validity of releases for every item available through Envato Market.
If you would like to know whether the author has indicated that a release is available for a specific item, you can make an enquiry through our support team as set out below.
Making an enquiry about a specific item
If you are considering purchasing, licensing or using an item from Envato Market and would like to know whether the author has indicated that a release is available, please contact our support team with:
- the item ID or a link to the item; and
- a brief description of your intended use.
Our team can pass your enquiry on to the author and share any response we receive.
Please note:
- Response times will depend on the author’s availability.
- Any response we share is based on information provided by the author.
- Envato does not independently verify the existence, scope, legal sufficiency or validity of any release.
- Even where a release exists, Envato may not be able to share the release document directly, as it may contain personal information or confidential details relating to the individuals, property owners or locations involved.
- A release obtained by an author may be limited in scope, for example to particular use cases, media, territories, time periods or distribution channels, and may not cover your particular intended use.
What Envato can and cannot do
Envato can:
- pass item-specific release enquiries to the author; and
- share any response we receive from the author.
Envato cannot:
- provide legal advice;
- guarantee that a release exists for a given item;
- confirm that a release is legally sufficient or valid;
- confirm that a release covers your specific intended use;
- determine whether a release is required for your use; or
- warrant that your use of an item will comply with applicable law.
Need help?
If you have questions about releases or need assistance with a specific item from Envato Market, include the item ID or link along with a short description of your intended use when seeking guidance.