When do I need to license an Apple product or technology?
If you use all or part of any Apple software in a program that will be distributed to other people, you need to license the use of that software from Apple, Inc. Apple Trademarks must also be licensed for use. This is true whether the product will be sold, used internally, or given away. It’s true for commercial vendors and educators. It’s true for old, new, and future Apple products. Licensable Apple Software and Trademarks include QuickTime, Apple Game Sprockets, OpenGL, Open Transport, the Mac OS Logo, the FireWire Trademark and Built for Mac OS X Logo, and others. Software Licensing Agreements are provided in Adobe Acrobat format. For more information, please visit http://www.apple.com/legal/sla/.
Why do I need to be licensed?
We license our software in order to protect our legal rights. Apple’s intellectual property — consisting of our name, our logo, our trademarks, and our copyrighted material — is a valuable corporate asset. All Apple software is copyrighted, and it is illegal for anyone to redistribute it without a license. Our Software Distribution Agreement allows developers to use and distribute Apple software in combination with their products.
When do I need to contact the Software Licensing Department?
Contact the Software Licensing department before producing written materials (such as manuals and disk labels) associated with your product, because there are several legal requirements of which you may need to be aware. For example, Apple requires developers to include a warranty disclaimer and other legal information in their manual. Developers must execute a license agreement before distributing a product containing Apple software.
How do I contact Software Licensing?
Apple, Inc.
Software Licensing Dept
12545 Riata Vista Circle, MS: 198-3SWL
Austin, TX 78727
Phone: (512) 674-2645
email: sw.license@apple.com
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept faxed or emailed agreement forms. All agreements must be originally signed and sent to the address below via post.
For more information, visit the Licensing & Trademarks page.
How can I participate in any logo licensing programs Apple offers?
For information regarding licensing, visit the Licensing & Trademarks page.