Get Licensed To Sell Disney T-Shirts: A Cost Guide

Disney is notoriously protective of its intellectual property, and it can be difficult to obtain a license to sell products featuring its characters. The company has the right to license its characters from various movies, TV shows, and cartoons or to not license them, and it tends to be selective about who it grants licenses to. To even be considered for a license, businesses typically need to demonstrate several years of six-figure revenue, in addition to meeting various other requirements. Even then, Disney does not offer a general license but rather licenses specific characters and products, with each license requiring separate approval. Obtaining a license can cost thousands of dollars, and licensees are required to comply with strict guidelines regarding the use of Disney's intellectual property.

T-shirt licensing costs

Disney has the right to license the characters in its movies, TV shows, and cartoons, but it is unlikely that they will grant a license to most businesses. On Disney's licensing website, almost every category, such as retailer, game developer, or costume maker, is met with a "No" or a similar response.

However, if you are interested in using Disney imagery on cakes, for example, you can work with one of Disney's licensed dealers, such as DecoPac. You can set up an account with them and pay for the right to use specific Disney images.

If you wish to license Disney intellectual property for non-commercial uses such as hand-made artwork, clothing, themed private parties, student projects, or stage shows, these requests are handled by the Disney Legal Department on behalf of Disney Enterprises, Inc. Due to the high volume of requests, it can take up to eight weeks to receive a response.

The cost of licensing Disney content varies depending on the media, term, and territory rights required for your project. You can obtain a quote by filling out a form on the Disney Studios Licensing Website.

It is important to note that you cannot call yourself a Disney store or imply that you are an authorized Disney dealer. Additionally, if you are selling unlicensed bootlegs, you can expect a cease and desist letter from Disney.

Reselling Disney items

However, there are some important things to keep in mind. Firstly, you cannot call yourself a Disney store or do anything that implies you are an authorized Disney dealer. This could lead to legal trouble with Disney. Secondly, the items you are reselling cannot be unlicensed bootlegs, as this would also violate Disney's intellectual property rights. Additionally, you need to be careful not to infringe on Disney's trademarks or copyrights in your marketing and product descriptions. The definition of trademark infringement includes the 'likelihood of confusion', so if a customer could confuse your product with an official Disney product, it could be considered infringement.

If you want to use Disney imagery or characters in your products, you will likely need a license. Disney has the right to license its characters and intellectual property, or not, as it sees fit. You can try to obtain a license by filling out an intake form on Disney's licensing website, but it is reportedly very difficult to get approved. One option could be to work with one of Disney's existing licensees, who may be able to provide you with the rights to use certain Disney imagery or characters in your products.

In summary, reselling officially licensed Disney items that you have purchased is generally legal under the first-sale doctrine. However, you must be careful not to infringe on Disney's trademarks or copyrights in how you market and sell the products. If you want to create your own Disney-themed products, you will likely need a license, which can be difficult to obtain.

Disney's intake form

Disneys Intake Form

Welcome to the Walt Disney Licensing Website.

Please note that we do not have a comprehensive list of our productions that we can provide to the general public.

To request permission to use Disney intellectual property for non-commercial uses such as hand-made artwork, clothing, themed private parties, student projects, stage shows, etc., please contact the Disney Legal Department on behalf of Disney Enterprises, Inc. Inquiries are processed in the order they are received and, due to the high volume of requests, this can take up to eight weeks.

To request permission to use Disney intellectual property such as still images and textual excerpts (including Disney/Pixar, Muppets, and certain DreamWorks titles) for use in publications, exhibitions, presentations, and thesis/dissertations, please contact the Disney Enterprises, Inc. Image Licensing team using the online submission form.

For requests related to television and motion picture content from the Disney and ABC libraries, please contact the relevant individuals listed below:

• Walt Disney Television (1955-1984) and Motion Picture Studios content: Paula Potter, Director Legal Affairs, Rights Administration. Phone: (818) 560-3224. Fax: (818) 569-3333. Email: [email protected]
• Disney/ABC Domestic Television (Primetime): Lisa Ramati, Paralegal Specialist. Phone: (818) 460-6553. Email: [email protected]
• ABC Daytime: Lisa Gagliardi, Director, Business Affairs. Phone: (212) 456-7492. Fax: (212) 456-6328. Email: [email protected]
• ABC Signature (Current Programming – Promotional Footage): Gloria Stabolito, Administrator. Phone: (818) 460-5055. Fax: (818) 460-6658. Email: [email protected]
• ABC Library (Post-1985): Dan Kilgore, Vice President, Legal Affairs. Phone: (818) 460-6387. Email: [email protected]
• ABC Primetime Reality and ABC Touchstone (SCHOOLHOUSE ROCKS!): Lisa Koes, Principal Counsel, ABC Entertainment & Marketing. Email: [email protected]
• FREEFORM: David Kraczek, Associate Principal Counsel, ABC Cable Networks Group. Email: [email protected]
• ABC News: Email: [email protected]
• ABC News Videosource Stock Footage Library. Phone: (818) 460-5972. Fax: (818) 460-5274. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.abcnewsvideosource.com
• KABC-TV (Los Angeles): Ruth House, News Business Operations Supervisor. Phone: (818) 863-7223. Email: [email protected]

For requests related to licensing content from other Disney-affiliated companies, please contact the following:

• 20th Century Studios/Twentieth Century Fox/Twentieth Century Fox Television/Searchlight/FX: Andy Bandit, Director. Trinh Dang, Senior Rights Administrator, Legal Affairs, Rights Administration. Email: [email protected]
• Lucasfilm Ltd: Christopher Holm. Phone: (415) 623-1938. Email: [email protected]
• Marvel Films: Send requests in writing to [email protected]
• Disney Television Animation: Send requests in writing to [email protected]
• Disney Channel/Disney XD/Disney Junior: David Kraczek, Associate Principal Counsel, ABC Cable Networks Group. Email: [email protected]
• Disney Music Publishing: Send inquiries to [email protected]. Note in the subject line: "DISNEY MUSIC USE INQUIRY" and include contact name and phone number
• Walt Disney World Resort: Email: [email protected]. Note in the subject line: "Walt Disney World Footage Inquiry" and include contact name and phone number
• Disneyland Resort: Alison Bowman, Business Operations Director. Phone: (818) 544-1363. Fax: (818) 260-8873. Email: [email protected]

Please note that we do not accept unsolicited submissions of creative material, including scripts, artwork, and product prototypes.

Additionally, we do not provide quotes for licensing costs without a completed form detailing the specific media, term, and territory rights required for your project.

Thank you for your interest in licensing Disney intellectual property.

Licensed dealers

Disney's licensing website provides an intake form that allows businesses to enquire about becoming licensed dealers. However, the majority of categories available on the form, such as retailer, game developer, or costume maker, are met with a response of "We cannot authorise your proposed use".

Despite the challenges of obtaining a direct license from Disney, there are alternative avenues for businesses seeking to sell Disney-related products. One option is to work with an existing licensed dealer. For example, a baker seeking to offer Disney imagery on cakes would be directed to DecoPac, the licensed company that provides this service. By setting up an account with DecoPac, businesses can pay for the right to use specific Disney images.

Another approach is to utilise classic characters that have entered the public domain, such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, and Beauty and the Beast. These characters existed before Disney adapted them, and as such, can be used without a Disney license, as long as the specific elements of Disney's adaptations are not replicated. For instance, a baker could create a cake featuring Snow White, but they couldn't dress her in the same outfit as Disney's version of the character.

It is important to note that while reselling purchased Disney items is legal under the first-sale doctrine, it is illegal to produce and sell Disney items without a license. Additionally, it is prohibited to call oneself a Disney store or imply being an authorised Disney dealer without authorisation.

Using Disney characters

Disney has the right to license its characters from various movies, TV shows, and cartoons, but it is unlikely that they will grant permission to use their intellectual property. When using the intake form on Disney's licensing website, you select a category (e.g., muralist, costume maker, distributor) indicating your intended use, and in almost every category, the response is "No."

Disney is very selective about its licensees and is not interested in unsolicited requests for licenses. However, this does not mean that it is impossible to obtain a license. You can work with one of Disney's licensed dealers or use classic characters that are in the public domain, such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, and Beauty and the Beast.

If you wish to submit a request to use Disney's intellectual property, you must do so through the Disney Legal Department on behalf of Disney Enterprises, Inc. Inquiries are processed in the order they are received, and due to the high volume of requests, it can take up to eight weeks to receive a response. It is important to note that Disney does not accept unsolicited submissions of creative material, including scripts, artwork, and product prototypes.

Additionally, licensing costs vary depending on the media, term, and territory rights required for your project, and you will need to comply with the Walt Disney Company's Standards of Business Conduct if your request is approved. Obtaining a license to use Disney characters on T-shirts, or any other merchandise, is a complex and potentially costly process, and Disney is very selective about who they grant licenses to.

Frequently asked questions