OFL FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about the SIL Open Font License (OFL)
Version 1.1-update7 - November 2023
The OFL FAQ is Copyright (c) 2005-2023, SIL International (https://www.sil.org)
Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this license 
document, but changing it is not allowed.
(See https://openfontlicense.org/ofl-faq for updates)


CONTENTS OF THIS FAQ
1  USING AND DISTRIBUTING FONTS LICENSED UNDER THE OFL
2  USING OFL FONTS FOR WEBPAGES AND ONLINE WEBFONT SERVICES
3  MODIFYING OFL-LICENSED FONTS
4  LICENSING YOUR ORIGINAL FONTS UNDER THE OFL
5  CHOOSING RESERVED FONT NAMES
6  ABOUT THE FONTLOG
7  MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO OFL PROJECTS
8  ABOUT THE LICENSE ITSELF
9  ABOUT SIL INTERNATIONAL
APPENDIX A - FONTLOG EXAMPLE

1  USING AND DISTRIBUTING FONTS LICENSED UNDER THE OFL
1.1  Can I use the fonts for a book or other print publication, to create logos 
or other graphics, or even to manufacture objects based on their outlines?
Yes. You are very welcome to do so. Authors of fonts released under the OFL 
allow you to use their font software as such for any kind of design work. No 
additional license or permission is required, unlike with some other licenses. 
Some examples of these uses are: logos, posters, business cards, stationery, 
video titling, signage, t-shirts, personalised fabric, 3D-printed/laser-cut 
shapes, sculptures, rubber stamps, cookie cutters and lead type.

1.1.1  Does that restrict the license or distribution of that artwork?
No. You remain the author and copyright holder of that newly derived graphic or 
object. You are simply using an open font in the design process. It is only 
when you redistribute, bundle or modify the font itself that other conditions 
of the license have to be respected (see below for more details).

1.1.2  Is any kind of acknowledgement required?
No. Font authors may appreciate being mentioned in your artwork's 
acknowledgements alongside the name of the font, possibly with a link to their 
website, but that is not required.

1.2  Can the fonts be included with Free/Libre and Open Source Software 
collections such as GNU/Linux and BSD distributions and repositories?
Yes! Fonts licensed under the OFL can be freely included alongside other 
software under FLOSS (Free/Libre and Open Source Software) licenses. Since 
fonts are typically aggregated with, not merged into, existing software, there 
is little need to be concerned about incompatibility with existing software 
licenses. You may also repackage the fonts and the accompanying components in a 
.rpm or .deb package (or other similar package formats or installers) and 
include them in distribution CD/DVDs and online repositories. (Also see entry 
5.9 about rebuilding from source.)

1.3  I want to distribute the fonts with my program, does this mean my program 
also has to be Free/Libre and Open Source Software?
No. Only the portions based on the Font Software are required to be released 
under the OFL. The intent of the license is to allow aggregation or bundling 
with software under restricted licensing as well.

1.4  Can I sell a software package that includes these fonts?
Yes, you can do this with both the Original Version and a Modified Version of 
the fonts. Examples of bundling made possible by the OFL would include: text 
editors, word processors, design and publishing applications, training and 
educational software, games and entertainment software, mobile device 
applications, etc.

1.5  Can I include the fonts on a CD of freeware or commercial fonts?
Yes, as long some other font or software is also on the disk, so the OFL font 
is not sold by itself.

1.6  Why won't the OFL let me sell the fonts alone?
The intent is to keep people from making money by simply redistributing the 
fonts. The only people who ought to profit directly from the fonts should be 
the original authors, and those authors have kindly given up potential direct 
income to distribute their fonts under the OFL. Please honour and respect their 
contribution!

1.7  What about sharing OFL fonts with friends on a CD, DVD or USB stick?
You are very welcome to share open fonts with friends, family and colleagues 
through removable media. Just remember to include the full font package, 
including any copyright notices and licensing information as available in 
OFL.txt. In the case where you sell the font, it has to come bundled with 
software.

1.8  Can I host the fonts on a website for others to use?
Yes, as long as you make the full font package available. In most cases it may 
be best to point users to the main site that distributes the Original Version 
so they always get the most recent stable and complete version. See also 
discussion of webfonts in Section 2.

1.9  Can I host the fonts on a server for use over our internal network?
Yes. If the fonts are transferred from the server to the client computer by 
means that allow them to be used even if the computer is no longer attached to 
the network, the full package (copyright notices, licensing information, etc.) 
should be included.

1.10  Does the full OFL license text always need to accompany the font?
The only situation in which an OFL font can be distributed without the text of 
the OFL (either in a separate file or in font metadata), is when a font is 
embedded in a document or bundled within a program. In the case of metadata 
included within a font, it is legally sufficient to include only a link to the 
text of the OFL on https://openfontlicense.org, but we strongly recommend 
against this. Most modern font formats include metadata fields that will accept 
the full OFL text, and full inclusion increases the likelihood that users will 
understand and properly apply the license.

1.11  What do you mean by 'embedding'? How does that differ from other means of 
distribution?
By 'embedding' we mean inclusion of the font in a document or file in a way 
that makes extraction (and redistribution) difficult or clearly discouraged. In 
many cases the names of embedded fonts might also not be obvious to those 
reading the document, the font data format might be altered, and only a subset 
of the font - only the glyphs required for the text - might be included. Any 
other means of delivering a font to another person is considered 
'distribution', and needs to be accompanied by any copyright notices and 
licensing information available in OFL.txt.

1.12  So can I embed OFL fonts in my document?
Yes, either in full or a subset. The restrictions regarding font modification 
and redistribution do not apply, as the font is not intended for use outside 
the document.

1.13  Does embedding alter the license of the document itself?
No. Referencing or embedding an OFL font in any document does not change the 
license of the document itself. The requirement for fonts to remain under the 
OFL does not apply to any document created using the fonts and their 
derivatives. Similarly, creating any kind of graphic using a font under the OFL 
does not make the resulting artwork subject to the OFL.

1.14  If OFL fonts are extracted from a document in which they are embedded 
(such as a PDF file), what can be done with them? Is this a risk to author(s)?
The few utilities that can extract fonts embedded in a PDF will typically 
output limited amounts of outlines - not a complete font. To create a working 
font from this method is much more difficult and time consuming than finding 
the source of the original OFL font. So there is little chance that an OFL font 
would be extracted and redistributed inappropriately through this method. Even 
so, copyright laws address any misrepresentation of authorship. All Font 
Software released under the OFL and marked as such by the author(s) is intended 
to remain under this license regardless of the distribution method, and cannot 
be redistributed under any other license. We strongly discourage any font 
extraction - we recommend directly using the font sources instead - but if you 
extract font outlines from a document, please be considerate: respect the work 
of the author(s) and the licensing model.

1.15  What about distributing fonts with a document? Within a compressed folder 
structure? Is it distribution, bundling or embedding?
Certain document formats may allow the inclusion of an unmodified font within 
their file structure which may consist of a compressed folder containing the 
various resources forming the document (such as pictures and thumbnails). 
Including fonts within such a structure is understood as being different from 
embedding but rather similar to bundling (or mere aggregation) which the 
license explicitly allows. In this case the font is conveyed unchanged whereas 
embedding a font usually transforms it from the original format. The OFL does 
not allow anyone to extract the font from such a structure to then redistribute 
it under another license. The explicit permission to redistribute and embed 
does not cancel the requirement for the Font Software to remain under the 
license chosen by its author(s). Even if the font travels inside the document 
as one of its assets, it should not lose its authorship information and 
licensing.

1.16  What about ebooks shipping with open fonts?
The requirements differ depending on whether the fonts are linked, embedded or 
distributed (bundled or aggregated). Some ebook formats use web technologies to 
do font linking via @font-face, others are designed for font embedding, some 
use fonts distributed with the document or reading software, and a few rely 
solely on the fonts already present on the target system. The license 
requirements depend on the type of inclusion as discussed in 1.15.

1.17  Can Font Software released under the OFL be subject to URL-based access 
restrictions methods or DRM (Digital Rights Management) mechanisms?
Yes, but these issues are out of scope for the OFL. The license itself neither 
encourages their use nor prohibits them since such mechanisms are not 
implemented in the components of the Font Software but through external 
software. Such restrictions are put in place for many different purposes 
corresponding to various usage scenarios. One common example is to limit 
potentially dangerous cross-site scripting attacks. However, in the spirit of 
libre/open fonts and unrestricted writing systems, we strongly encourage open 
sharing and reuse of OFL fonts, and the establishment of an environment where 
such restrictions are unnecessary. Note that whether you wish to use such 
mechanisms or you prefer not to, you must still abide by the rules set forth by 
the OFL when using fonts released by their authors under this license. 
Derivative fonts must be licensed under the OFL, even if they are part of a 
service for which you charge fees and/or for which access to source code is 
restricted. You may not sell the fonts on their own - they must be part of a 
larger software package, bundle or subscription plan. For example, even if the 
OFL font is distributed in a software package or via an online service using a 
DRM mechanism, the user would still have the right to extract that font, use, 
study, modify and redistribute it under the OFL.

1.18  I've come across a font released under the OFL. How can I easily get more 
information about the Original Version? How can I know where it stands compared 
to the Original Version or other Modified Versions?
Consult the copyright statement(s) in the license for ways to contact the 
original authors. Consult the FONTLOG (see section 6 for more details and 
examples) for information on how the font differs from the Original Version, 
and get in touch with the various contributors via the information in the 
acknowledgement section. Please consider using the Original Versions of the 
fonts whenever possible.

1.19  What do you mean in condition 4 of the OFL's permissions and conditions? 
Can you provide examples of abusive promotion / endorsement / advertisement vs. 
normal acknowledgement?
The intent is that the goodwill and reputation of the author(s) should not be 
used in a way that makes it sound like the original author(s) endorse or 
approve of a specific Modified Version or software bundle. For example, it 
would not be right to advertise a word processor by naming the author(s) in a 
listing of software features, or to promote a Modified Version on a website by 
saying "designed by ...". However, it would be appropriate to acknowledge the 
author(s) if your software package has a list of people who deserve thanks. We 
realize that this can seem to be a grey area, but the standard used to judge an 
acknowledgement is that if the acknowledgement benefits the author(s) it is 
allowed, but if it primarily benefits other parties, or could reflect poorly on 
the author(s), then it is not.

1.20  I'm writing a small app for mobile platforms, do I need to include the 
whole package? 
If you bundle a font under the OFL with your mobile app you must comply with 
the terms of the license. At a minimum you must include the copyright 
statement, the license notice and the license text. A mention of this 
information in your About box or Changelog, with a link to where the font 
package is from, is good practice, and the extra space needed to carry these 
items is very small. You do not, however, need to include the full contents of 
the font package - only the fonts you use and the copyright and license that 
apply to them. For example, if you only use the regular weight in your app, you 
do not need to include the italic and bold versions.

1.21  What about including OFL fonts by default in my firmware or dedicated 
operating system? 
Many such systems are restricted and turned into appliances so that users 
cannot study or modify them. Using open fonts to increase quality and language 
coverage is a great idea, but you need to be aware that if there is a way for 
users to extract fonts you cannot legally prevent them from doing that. The 
fonts themselves, including any changes you make to them, must be distributed 
under the OFL even if your firmware has a more restrictive license. If you do 
transform the fonts and change their formats when you include them in your 
firmware you must respect any names reserved by the font authors via the RFN 
mechanism and pick your own font name. Alternatively if you directly add a font 
under the OFL to the font folder of your firmware without modifying or 
optimizing it you are simply bundling the font like with any other software 
collection, and do not need to make any further changes.

1.22  Can I make and publish CMS themes or templates that use OFL fonts? Can I 
include the fonts themselves in the themes or templates? Can I sell the whole 
package?
Yes, you are very welcome to integrate open fonts into themes and templates for 
your preferred CMS and make them more widely available. Remember that you can 
only sell the fonts and your CMS add-on as part of a software bundle. (See 
entry 1.4 for details and examples about selling bundles).

1.23  Can OFL fonts be included in services that deliver fonts to the desktop 
from remote repositories? Even if they contain both OFL and non-OFL fonts?
Yes. Some foundries have set up services to deliver fonts to subscribers 
directly to desktops from their online repositories; similarly, plugins are 
available to preview and use fonts directly in your design tool or publishing 
suite. These services may mix open and restricted fonts in the same channel, 
however they should make a clear distinction between them to users. These 
services should also not hinder users (such as through DRM or obfuscation 
mechanisms) from extracting and using the OFL fonts in other environments, or 
continuing to use OFL fonts after subscription terms have ended, as those uses 
are specifically allowed by the OFL.

1.24  Can services that provide or distribute OFL fonts restrict my use of them?
No. The terms of use of such services cannot replace or restrict the terms of 
the OFL, as that would be the same as distributing the fonts under a different 
license, which is not allowed. You are still entitled to use, modify and 
redistribute them as the original authors have intended outside of the sole 
control of that particular distribution channel. Note, however, that the fonts 
provided by these services may differ from the Original Versions.

1.25  Can a font released under the OFL be used as a source by an AI 
(Artificial Intelligence), an ML (Machine Learning) model, a NN (neural 
network), or similar system to create a new font and release it under a 
different license?
No. Any font produced from such systems whose input or training data contains 
any source file from a font project licensed under the OFL should be considered 
a derivative work. All Font Software released under the OFL and marked as such 
by the author(s) must remain under the OFL regardless of the way the sources 
might have been transformed, in whole or in part. If you would like to use font 
sources to produce a font to be released under a different license, then you 
need to contact the corresponding authors directly to ask for their explicit 
permission.

1.26  Can OFL fonts be used by AI-based design tools?
Yes, as long as the resulting work is not intended to be a font. Using such 
automated systems to produce graphical output - something that is not a font - 
is considered similar to normal usage. It is equivalent to using an OFL font in 
the graphic design process as discussed in question 1.1.


2  USING OFL FONTS FOR WEBPAGES AND ONLINE WEBFONT SERVICES

NOTE: This section often refers to a separate paper on 'Webfonts and Reserved 
Font Names'. This is available at 
https://openfontlicense.org/webfonts-and-reserved-font-names

2.1  Can I make webpages using OFL fonts?
Yes! Go ahead! You could ask visitors to download and install the fonts, but 
loading the fonts dynamically as webfonts through CSS @font-face declarations 
is a much better method. The referenced fonts can be hosted on the same server 
as other site assets and content, or loaded from a separate webfont service. 
This is recommended and explicitly allowed by the licensing model because it is 
distribution.

2.2  Can I make and use WOFF (Web Open Font Format) versions of OFL fonts?
Yes, but you need to be careful. A change in font format normally is considered 
modification, and Reserved Font Names (RFNs) cannot be used. Because of the 
design of the WOFF and WOFF2 formats, however, it is possible to create a 
WOFF/WOFF2 version that is not considered modification, and so would not 
require a name change.

2.2.1  How can I make sure that a WOFF/WOFF2 version is not considered 
modification?
You are allowed to create, use and distribute a WOFF version of an OFL font 
without changing the font name, but only if the original font data remains 
unchanged except for WOFF compression, and WOFF-specific metadata is either 
omitted altogether or present and includes, unaltered, the contents of all 
equivalent metadata in the original font.

2.2.2  Do WOFF conversion tools and services automatically meet these 
requirements?
No. Some WOFF conversion tools and online services do not meet the two 
requirements listed above, and so their output must be considered a Modified 
Version. So be very careful and check to be sure that the tool or service 
you're using is compressing unchanged data and completely and accurately 
reflecting the original font metadata.

2.3  What about other webfont formats such as EOT/EOTLite/CWT/etc.?
In most cases these formats alter the original font data more than WOFF, and do 
not completely support appropriate metadata, so their use must be considered 
modification and RFNs may not be used. However, there may be certain formats or 
usage scenarios that may allow the use of RFNs. See 
https://openfontlicense.org/webfonts-and-reserved-font-names

2.4  Can I make OFL fonts available through webfont online services?
Yes, you are welcome to include OFL fonts in online webfont services as long as 
you properly meet all the conditions of the license. The origin and open status 
of the font should be clear among the other fonts you are hosting. Authorship, 
copyright notices and license information must be sufficiently visible to your 
users or subscribers so they know where the font comes from and the rights 
granted by the author(s). Make sure the font file contains the needed copyright 
notice(s) and licensing information in its metadata. Please double-check the 
accuracy of every field to prevent contradictory information. Other font 
formats, including EOT/EOTLite/CWT and superior alternatives like WOFF, already 
provide fields for this information. Remember that if you modify the font 
within your library or convert it to another format for any reason the OFL 
restrictions apply and you need to change the names accordingly. Please respect 
the author's wishes as expressed in the OFL and do not misrepresent original 
designers and their work. Don't lump quality open fonts together with dubious 
freeware or public domain fonts. Consider how you can best work with the 
original designers and foundries, support their efforts and generate goodwill 
that will benefit your service. (See entry 1.17 for details related to 
URL-based access restrictions methods or DRM mechanisms).

2.5  Some webfont formats and services provide ways of 'optimizing' the font 
for a particular website or web application; is that allowed? 
Yes, it is permitted, but remember that these optimized versions are Modified 
Versions and so must follow OFL requirements like appropriate renaming. Also 
you need to bear in mind the other important parameters beyond compression, 
speed and responsiveness: you need to consider the audience of your particular 
website or web application, as choosing some optimization parameters may turn 
out to be less than ideal for them. Subsetting by removing certain glyphs or 
features may seriously limit functionality of the font in various languages 
that your users expect. It may also introduce degradation of quality in the 
rendering or specific bugs on the various target platforms compared to the 
original font from upstream. In other words, remember that one person's 
optimized font may be another person's missing feature. Various advanced 
typographic features (OpenType, Graphite or AAT) are also available through CSS 
and may provide the desired effects without the need to modify the font.

2.6  Is subsetting a webfont considered modification?
Yes. Removing any parts of the font when delivering a webfont to a browser, 
including unused glyphs and smart font code, is considered modification. This 
is permitted by the OFL but would not normally allow the use of RFNs. Some 
newer subsetting technologies may be able to subset in a way that allows users 
to effectively have access to the complete font, including smart font 
behaviour. See entry 2.8 and 
https://openfontlicense.org/webfonts-and-reserved-font-names

2.7  Are there any situations in which a modified webfont could use RFNs?
Yes. If a webfont is optimized only in ways that preserve Functional 
Equivalence (see entry 2.8), then it may use RFNs, as it reasonably represents 
the Original Version and respects the intentions of the author(s) and the main 
purposes of the RFN mechanism (avoids collisions, protects authors, minimizes 
support, encourages derivatives). However this is technically very difficult 
and often impractical, so a much better scenario is for the webfont service or 
provider to sign a separate agreement with the author(s) that allows the use of 
RFNs for Modified Versions.

2.8  How do you know if an optimization to a webfont preserves Functional 
Equivalence?
Functional Equivalence is described in full in the 'Webfonts and Reserved Font 
Names' paper at https://openfontlicense.org/webfonts-and-reserved-font-names, 
in general, an optimized font is deemed to be Functionally Equivalent (FE) to 
the Original Version if it:

- Supports the same full character inventory. If a character can be properly 
displayed using the Original Version, then that same character, encoded 
correctly on a webpage, will display properly.
- Provides the same smart font behavior. Any dynamic shaping behavior that 
works with the Original Version should work when optimized, unless the browser 
or environment does not support it. There does not need to be guaranteed 
support in the client, but there should be no forced degradation of smart font 
or shaping behavior, such as the removal or obfuscation of OpenType, Graphite 
or AAT tables.
- Presents text with no obvious degradation in visual quality. The lettershapes 
should be equally (or more) readable, within limits of the rendering platform.
- Preserves original author, project and license metadata. At a minimum, this 
should include: Copyright and authorship; The license as stated in the Original 
Version, whether that is the full text of the OFL or a link to the web version; 
Any RFN declarations; Information already present in the font or documentation 
that points back to the Original Version, such as a link to the project or the 
author's website.

If an optimized font meets these requirements, and so is considered to be FE, 
then it's very likely that the original author would feel that the optimized 
font is a good and reasonable equivalent. If it falls short of any of these 
requirements, the optimized font does not reasonably represent the Original 
Version, and so should be considered to be a Modified Version. Like other 
Modified Versions, it would not be allowed to use any RFNs and you simply need 
to pick your own font name.

2.9  Can fonts released under the OFL be used with Incremental Font Transfer 
(IFT) or similar on-the-fly subsetting and compression technologies?
Yes, if they provide a sufficient level of Functional Equivalence. Extra care 
should be taken to make sure that such processes - both on the server and on 
the client - do not break glyph coverage and smart features especially for 
lesser-known and lesser-resourced languages in the resulting document or app. 
See the 'Webfonts and Reserved Font Names' paper on 
https://openfontlicense.org/webfonts-and-reserved-font-names for more about the 
goals and the rationale.

2.10  Isn't use of webfonts another form of embedding?
No. Unlike embedded fonts in a PDF, webfonts are not an integrated part of the 
document itself. They are not specific to a single document and are often 
applied to thousands of documents around the world. The font data is not stored 
alongside the document data and often originates from a different location. The 
ease by which the webfonts used by a document may be identified and downloaded 
for desktop use demonstrates that they are philosophically and technically 
separate from the webpages that specify them. See 
https://openfontlicense.org/webfonts-and-reserved-font-names

2.11  So would it be better to not use RFNs at all if you want your font to be 
distributed by a webfont service?
No. Although the OFL does not require authors to use RFNs, the RFN mechanism is 
an important part of the OFL model and completely compatible with webfont 
services. If that webfont service modifies the fonts, then the best solution is 
to sign a separate agreement for the use of any RFNs. It is perfectly valid for 
an author to not declare any RFNs, but before they do so they need to fully 
understand the benefits they are giving up, and the overall negative effect of 
allowing many different versions bearing the same name to be widely 
distributed. As a result, we don't generally recommend it.

2.12  What should an agreement for the use of RFNs say? Are there any examples?
There is no prescribed format for this agreement, as legal systems vary, and no 
recommended examples. Authors may wish to add specific clauses to further 
restrict use, require author review of Modified Versions, establish user 
support mechanisms or provide terms for ending the agreement. Such agreements 
are usually not public, and apply only to the main parties. However, it would 
be very beneficial for webfont services to clearly state when they have 
established such agreements, so that the public understands clearly that their 
service is operating appropriately.

See the separate paper on 'Webfonts and Reserved Font Names' for in-depth 
discussion of issues related to the use of RFNs for webfonts. This is available 
at https://openfontlicense.org/webfonts-and-reserved-font-names


3  MODIFYING OFL-LICENSED FONTS

3.1  Can I change the fonts? Are there any limitations to what things I can and 
cannot change?
You are allowed to change anything, as long as such changes do not violate the 
terms of the license. In other words, you are not allowed to remove the 
copyright statement(s) from the font, but you could put additional information 
into it that covers your contribution. See the placeholders in the OFL header 
template for recommendations on where to add your own statements. (Remember 
that, when authors have reserved names via the RFN mechanism, you need to 
change the internal names of the font to your own font name when making your 
modified version even if it is just a small change.)

3.2  I have a font that needs a few extra glyphs - can I take them from an OFL 
licensed font and copy them into mine?
Yes, but if you distribute that font to others it must be under the OFL, and 
include the information mentioned in condition 2 of the license.

3.3  Can I charge people for my additional work? In other words, if I add a 
bunch of special glyphs or OpenType/Graphite/AAT code, can I sell the enhanced 
font?
Not by itself. Derivative fonts must be released under the OFL and cannot be 
sold by themselves. It is permitted, however, to include them in a larger 
software package (such as text editors, office suites or operating systems), 
even if the larger package is sold. In that case, you are strongly encouraged, 
but not required, to also make that derived font easily and freely available 
outside of the larger package.

3.4  Can I pay someone to enhance the fonts for my use and distribution?
Yes. This is a good way to fund the further development of the fonts. Keep in 
mind, however, that if the font is distributed to others it must be under the 
OFL. You won't be able to recover your investment by exclusively selling the 
font, but you will be making a valuable contribution to the community. Please 
remember how you have benefited from the contributions of others.

3.5  I need to make substantial revisions to the font to make it work with my 
program. It will be a lot of work, and a big investment, and I want to be sure 
that it can only be distributed with my program. Can I restrict its use?
No. If you redistribute a Modified Version of the font it must be under the 
OFL. You may not restrict it in any way beyond what the OFL permits and 
requires. This is intended to ensure that all released improvements to the 
fonts become available to everyone. But you will likely get an edge over 
competitors by being the first to distribute a bundle with the enhancements. 
Again, please remember how you have benefited from the contributions of others.

3.6  Do I have to make any derivative fonts (including extended source files, 
build scripts, documentation, etc.) publicly available?
No, but please consider sharing your improvements with others. You may find 
that you receive in return more than what you gave.

3.7  If a trademark is claimed in the OFL font, does that trademark need to 
remain in modified fonts?
Yes. Any trademark notices must remain in any derivative fonts to respect 
trademark laws, but you may add any additional trademarks you claim, officially 
registered or not. For example if an OFL font called "Foo" contains a notice 
that "Foo is a trademark of Acme", then if you rename the font to "Bar" when 
creating a Modified Version, the new trademark notice could say "Foo is a 
trademark of Acme Inc. - Bar is a trademark of Roadrunner Technologies Ltd.". 
Trademarks work alongside the OFL and are not subject to the terms of the 
licensing agreement. The OFL does not grant any rights under trademark law. 
Bear in mind that trademark law varies from country to country and that there 
are no international trademark conventions as there are for copyright. You may 
need to significantly invest in registering and defending a trademark for it to 
remain valid in the countries you are interested in. This may be costly for an 
individual independent designer.

3.8  If I commit changes to a font (or publish a branch in a DVCS) as part of a 
public open source software project, do I have to change the internal font 
names? 
Only if there are declared RFNs. Making a public commit or publishing a public 
branch is effectively redistributing your modifications, so any change to the 
font will require that you do not use the RFNs. Even if there are no RFNs, it 
may be useful to change the name or add a suffix indicating that a particular 
version of the font is still in development and not released yet. This will 
clearly indicate to users and fellow designers that this particular font is not 
ready for release yet. See section 5 for more details.


4  LICENSING YOUR ORIGINAL FONTS UNDER THE OFL

4.1  Can I use the SIL OFL for my own fonts?
Yes! We heartily encourage everyone to use the OFL to distribute their own 
original fonts. It is a carefully constructed license that allows great freedom 
along with enough artistic integrity protection for the work of the authors as 
well as clear rules for other contributors and those who redistribute the 
fonts. The licensing model is used successfully by various organisations, both 
for-profit and not-for-profit, to release fonts of varying levels of scope and 
complexity.

4.2  What do I have to do to apply the OFL to my font?
If you want to release your fonts under the OFL, we recommend you do the 
following:

4.2.1  Put your copyright and Reserved Font Names information at the beginning 
of the main OFL.txt file in place of the dedicated placeholders (marked with 
the <> characters). Include this file in your release package.

4.2.2  Put your copyright and the OFL text with your chosen Reserved Font 
Name(s) into your font files (the copyright and license fields). A link to the 
OFL text on the OFL website is an acceptable (but not recommended) alternative. 
Also add this information to any other components (build scripts, glyph 
databases, documentation, test files, etc). Accurate metadata in your font 
files is beneficial to you as an increasing number of applications are exposing 
this information to the user. For example, clickable links can bring users back 
to your website and let them know about other work you have done or services 
you provide. Depending on the format of your fonts and sources, you can use 
template human-readable headers or machine-readable metadata. You should also 
double-check that there is no conflicting metadata in the font itself 
contradicting the license, such as the fstype bits in the os2 table or fields 
in the name table.

4.2.3  Write an initial FONTLOG.txt for your font and include it in the release 
package (see Section 6 and Appendix A for details including a template).

4.2.4  Include the relevant practical documentation on the license by adding 
the current OFL-FAQ.txt file in your package.

4.2.5  If you wish you can use the OFL graphics 
(https://openfontlicense.org/promotion) on your website. 

4.3  Will you make my font OFL for me?
We won't do the work for you. We can, however, try to answer your questions. 
Unfortunately we do not have the resources to review and check your font 
packages for correct use of the OFL. We recommend you turn to designers, 
foundries or consulting companies with experience in doing open font design to 
provide this service to you.

4.4  Will you distribute my OFL font for me?
No. The easiest way for users to always get the most current version of the 
font is for you to distribute it through your own website. You can also 
distribute your own font source files, or host them on services such as GitHub 
or GitLab. You can use various channels, including social media, to promote and 
get attention to your project. If you want someone else to distribute the font, 
consider services and sites that already distribute OFL fonts. Some of those 
are listed on the OFL website (https://openfontlicense.org/ofl-fonts). Contact 
them to find out how to submit fonts to them. We do not endorse any particular 
catalog or hosting service. It is your responsibility to determine if the 
service is right for you and if it treats authors with fairness.

4.5  Why should I use the OFL for my fonts?
Here are a few of the many good reasons:

- to meet needs for fonts that can be modified to support lesser-known languages
- to provide a legal and clear way for people to respect your work but still 
use it (and reduce piracy)
- to involve others in your font project
- to enable your fonts to be expanded with new weights and improved writing 
system/language support
- to allow more technical font developers to add features to your design (such 
as OpenType, Graphite or AAT support)
- to renew the life of an old font lying on your hard drive with no business 
model
- to allow your font to be included in Libre Software operating systems like 
Ubuntu
- to give your font world status and wide, unrestricted distribution
- to educate students about quality typeface and font design
- to expand your test base and get more useful feedback 
- to extend your reach to new markets when users see your metadata and go to 
your website
- to get your font more easily into one of the webfont online services
- to attract attention for your commercial fonts
- to make money through webfont services
- to make money by bundling fonts with applications
- to make money adjusting and extending existing open fonts
- to get a better chance that foundations, NGOs, charities, or companies who 
commission fonts will pick you 
- to be part of a sharing design and development community 
- to give back and contribute to a growing body of font sources

4.6  Can I cancel or undo the OFL license for a font that I've already released 
under it?
No, as an author, you cannot cancel or undo the permissions you have granted 
earlier by releasing a font under the OFL. But as an original author of that 
specific font you can always re-release it separately under another license of 
your own choosing. Of course, you cannot re-license a font for which you are 
not the author. If there are multiple authors they need to be all in official 
written agreement with the re-licensing. For practical reasons, a different 
name than an existing and publicly available open font should be chosen.

4.7  Should I apply the OFL early in the design process, even before the font 
is complete, or wait until I want to release a completed version?
It is really up to you and the circumstances of your project. But in any case, 
we would recommend you place appropriate warning messages in your public 
repository or website to say something like "Please wait for a finished release 
before using and redistributing this font". We recommend you have a clear 
versioning scheme and repository tagging to make it as easy as possible to see 
if the font is a released version or still under development. You can also 
consider choosing a separate name (or suffix) for the development version, and 
only give the final name to a released version.


5  CHOOSING RESERVED FONT NAMES

5.1  What are Reserved Font Names?
These are font names, or portions of font names, that the author has chosen to 
reserve for use only with the Original Version of the font, or for Modified 
Version(s) created by the original author.

5.2  Why can't I use the Reserved Font Names in my derivative font names? I'd 
like people to know where the design came from.
The best way to acknowledge the source of the design is to thank the original 
authors and any other contributors in the files that are distributed with your 
revised font (although no acknowledgement is required). The FONTLOG is a 
natural place to do this. Reserved Font Names ensure that the only fonts that 
have the original names are the unmodified Original Versions. This allows 
designers to maintain artistic integrity while allowing collaboration to 
happen. It eliminates potential confusion and name conflicts. When choosing a 
name, be creative and avoid names that reuse almost all the same letters in the 
same order or sound like the original. It will help everyone if Original 
Versions and Modified Versions can easily be distinguished from one another and 
from other derivatives. Any substitution and matching mechanism is outside the 
scope of the license.

5.3  What do you mean by "primary name as presented to the user"? Are you 
referring to the font menu name?
Yes, this applies to the font menu name and other mechanisms that specify a 
font in a document. It would be fine, however, to keep a text reference to the 
original fonts in the description field, in your modified source file or in 
documentation provided alongside your derivative as long as no one could be 
confused that your modified source is the original. But you cannot use the 
Reserved Font Names in any way to identify the font to the user (unless the 
Copyright Holder(s) allow(s) it through a separate agreement). Users who 
install derivatives (Modified Versions) on their systems should not see any of 
the original Reserved Font Names in their font menus, for example. Again, this 
is to ensure that users are not confused and do not mistake one font for 
another and so expect features only another derivative or the Original Version 
can actually offer.

5.4  Am I not allowed to use any part of the Reserved Font Names?
You may not use individual words from the Reserved Font Names, but you would be 
allowed to use parts of words, as long as you do not use any word from the 
Reserved Font Names entirely. We do not recommend using parts of words because 
of potential confusion, but it is allowed. For example, if "Foobar" was a 
Reserved Font Name, you would be allowed to use "Foo" or "bar", although we 
would not recommend it. Such an unfortunate choice would confuse the users of 
your fonts as well as make it harder for other designers to contribute.

5.5  So what should I, as an author, identify as Reserved Font Names?
Original authors are encouraged to name their fonts using clear, distinct 
names, and only declare the unique parts of the name as Reserved Font Names. 
For example, the author of a font called "Foobar Sans" would declare "Foobar" 
as a Reserved Font Name, but not "Sans", as that is a common typographical 
term, and may be a useful word to use in a derivative font name. Reserved Font 
Names should also be single words for simplicity and legibility. A font called 
"Flowing River" should have Reserved Font Names "Flowing" and "River", not 
"Flowing River". You also need to be very careful about reserving font names 
which are already linked to trademarks (whether registered or not) which you do 
not own.

5.6  Do I, as an author, have to identify any Reserved Font Names?
No. RFNs are optional and not required, but we encourage you to use them. This 
is primarily to avoid confusion between your work and Modified Versions. As an 
author you can release a font under the OFL and not declare any Reserved Font 
Names. There may be situations where you find that using no RFNs and letting 
your font be changed and modified - including any kind of modification - 
without having to change the original name is desirable. However you need to be 
fully aware of the consequences. There will be no direct way for end-users and 
other designers to distinguish your Original Version from many Modified 
Versions that may be created. You have to trust whoever is making the changes 
and the optimizations to not introduce problematic changes. The RFNs you choose 
for your own creation have value to you as an author because they allow you to 
maintain artistic integrity and keep some control over the distribution channel 
to your end-users. For discussion of RFNs and webfonts see section 2.

5.7  Are any names (such as the main font name) reserved by default?
No. That is a change to the license as of version 1.1. If you want any names to 
be Reserved Font Names, they must be specified after the copyright statement(s).

5.8  Is there any situation in which I can use Reserved Font Names for a 
Modified Version?
The Copyright Holder(s) can give certain trusted parties the right to use any 
of the Reserved Font Names through separate written agreements. For example, 
even if "Foobar" is an RFN, you could write up an agreement to give company 
"XYZ" the right to distribute a modified version with a name that includes 
"Foobar". This allows for freedom without confusion. The existence of such an 
agreement should be made as clear as possible to downstream users and designers 
in the distribution package and the relevant documentation. They need to know 
if they are a party to the agreement or not and what they are practically 
allowed to do or not even if all the details of the agreement are not public.

5.9  Do font rebuilds require a name change? Do I have to change the name of 
the font when my packaging workflow includes a full rebuild from source?
Yes, all rebuilds which change the font data and the smart code are Modified 
Versions and the requirements of the OFL apply: you need to respect what the 
Author(s) have chosen in terms of Reserved Font Names. However if a package (or 
installer) is simply a wrapper or a compressed structure around the final font 
- leaving them intact on the inside - then no name change is required. Please 
get in touch with the author(s) and copyright holder(s) to inquire about the 
presence of font sources beyond the final font file(s) and the recommended 
build path. That build path may very well be non-trivial and hard to reproduce 
accurately by the maintainer. If a full font build path is made available by 
the upstream author(s) please be aware that any regressions and changes you may 
introduce when doing a rebuild for packaging purposes is your own 
responsibility as a package maintainer since you are effectively creating a 
separate branch. You should make it very clear to your users that your rebuilt 
version is not the canonical one from upstream.

5.10  Can I add other Reserved Font Names when making a derivative font?
Yes. List your additional Reserved Font Names after your additional copyright 
statement, as indicated with example placeholders at the top of the OFL.txt 
file. Be sure you do not remove any existing RFNs but only add your own. RFN 
statements should be placed next to the copyright statement of the relevant 
author as indicated in the OFL.txt template to make them visible to designers 
wishing to make their separate version.


6  ABOUT THE FONTLOG

6.1  What is this FONTLOG thing exactly?
It has three purposes: 1) to provide basic information on the font to users and 
other designers and developers, 2) to document changes that have been made to 
the font or accompanying files, either by the original authors or others, and 
3) to provide a place to acknowledge authors and other contributors. Please use 
it!

6.2  Is the FONTLOG required?
It is not a requirement of the license, but we strongly recommend you have one.

6.3  Am I required to update the FONTLOG when making Modified Versions?
No, but users, designers and other developers might get very frustrated with 
you if you don't. People need to know how derivative fonts differ from the 
original, and how to take advantage of the changes, or build on them. There are 
utilities that can help create and maintain a FONTLOG.

6.4  What should the FONTLOG look like?
It is typically a separate text file (FONTLOG.txt), but can take other formats. 
It commonly includes these four sections:

- brief header describing the FONTLOG itself and name of the font family
- Basic Font Information - description of the font family, purpose and breadth
- ChangeLog - chronological listing of changes
- Acknowledgements - list of authors and contributors with contact information

It could also include other sections, such as: where to find documentation, how 
to make contributions, information on contributing organizations, source code 
details, and a short design guide. See Appendix A for an example FONTLOG.


7  MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO OFL PROJECTS

7.1  Can I contribute work to OFL projects?
In many cases, yes. It is common for OFL fonts to be developed by a team of 
people who welcome contributions from the wider community. Contact the original 
authors for specific information on how to participate in their projects.

7.2  Why should I contribute my changes back to the original authors?
It would benefit many people if you contributed back in response to what you've 
received. Your contributions and improvements to the fonts and other components 
could be a tremendous help and would encourage others to contribute as well and 
'give back'. You will then benefit from other people's contributions as well. 
Sometimes maintaining your own separate version takes more effort than merging 
back with the original. Be aware that any contributions, however, must be 
either your own original creation or work that you own, and you may be asked to 
affirm that clearly when you contribute.

7.3  I've made some very nice improvements to the font. Will you consider 
adopting them and putting them into future Original Versions?
Most authors would be very happy to receive such contributions. Keep in mind 
that it is unlikely that they would want to incorporate major changes that 
would require additional work on their end. Any contributions would likely need 
to be made for all the fonts in a family and match the overall design and 
style. Authors are encouraged to include a guide to the design with the fonts. 
It would also help to have contributions submitted as patches or clearly marked 
changes - the use of smart source revision control systems like subversion, 
mercurial, git or bzr is a good idea. Please follow the recommendations given 
by the author(s) in terms of preferred source formats and configuration 
parameters for sending contributions. If this is not indicated in a FONTLOG or 
other documentation of the font, consider asking them directly. Examples of 
useful contributions are bug fixes, additional glyphs, stylistic alternates 
(and the smart font code to access them) or improved hinting. Keep in mind that 
some kinds of changes (esp. hinting) may be technically difficult to integrate.

7.4  How can I financially support the development of OFL fonts?
It is likely that most authors of OFL fonts would accept financial 
contributions - contact them for instructions on how to do this. Such 
contributions would support future development. You can also pay for others to 
enhance the fonts and contribute the results back to the original authors for 
inclusion in the Original Version.


8  ABOUT THE LICENSE ITSELF

8.1  I see that this is version 1.1 of the license. Will there be later changes?
Version 1.1 is the first minor revision of the OFL. We are confident that 
version 1.1 will meet most needs, but are open to future improvements. Any 
revisions would be for future font releases, and previously existing licenses 
would remain in effect. No retroactive changes are possible, although the 
Copyright Holder(s) can re-release the font under a revised OFL. All versions 
will be available on our website: https://openfontlicense.org.

8.2  Does this license restrict the rights of the Copyright Holder(s)?
No. The Copyright Holder(s) still retain(s) all the rights to their creation; 
they are only releasing a portion of it for use in a specific way. For example, 
the Copyright Holder(s) may choose to release a 'basic' version of their font 
under the OFL, but sell a restricted 'enhanced' version under a different 
license. They may also choose to release the same font under both the OFL and 
some other license. Only the Copyright Holder(s) can do this, and doing so does 
not change the terms of the OFL as it applies to that font.

8.3  Is the OFL a contract or a license?
The OFL is a worldwide license based on international copyright agreements and 
conventions. It is not a contract and so does not require you to sign it to 
have legal validity. By using, modifying and redistributing components under 
the OFL you indicate that you accept the license.

8.4  I really like the terms of the OFL, but want to change it a little. Am I 
allowed to take ideas and actual wording from the OFL and put them into my own 
custom license for distributing my fonts?
We strongly recommend against creating your very own unique open licensing 
model. Using a modified or derivative license will likely cut you off - along 
with the font(s) under that license - from the community of designers using the 
OFL, potentially expose you and your users to legal liabilities, and possibly 
put your work and rights at risk. The OFL went though a community and legal 
review process that took years of effort, and that review is only applicable to 
an unmodified OFL. The text of the OFL has been written by SIL (with review and 
consultation from the community) and is copyright (c) 2005-2023 SIL 
International. You may re-use the ideas and wording (in part, not in whole) in 
another non-proprietary license provided that you call your license by another 
unambiguous name, that you do not use the preamble, that you do not mention SIL 
and that you clearly present your license as different from the OFL so as not 
to cause confusion by being too similar to the original. If you feel the OFL 
does not meet your needs for an open license, please contact us.

8.5  Can I quote from the OFL FAQ?
Yes, SIL gives permission to quote from the OFL FAQ (OFL-FAQ.txt), in whole or 
in part, provided that the quoted text is:

- unmodified,
- used to help explain the intent of the OFL, rather than cause 
misunderstanding, and
- accompanied with the following attribution: "From the OFL FAQ (OFL-FAQ.txt), 
copyright (c) 2005-2023 SIL International. Used by permission. 
https://openfontlicense.org/OFL-FAQ".

8.6  Can I translate the license and the FAQ into other languages?
SIL certainly recognises the need for people who are not familiar with English 
to be able to understand the OFL and its use. Making the license very clear and 
readable has been a key goal for the OFL, but we know that people understand 
their own language best.

If you are an experienced translator, you are very welcome to translate the OFL 
and OFL-FAQ so that designers and users in your language community can 
understand the license better. But only the original English version of the 
license has legal value and has been approved by the community. Translations do 
not count as legal substitutes and should only serve as a way to explain the 
original license. SIL - as the author and steward of the license for the 
community at large - does not approve any translation of the OFL as legally 
valid because even small translation ambiguities could be abused and create 
problems.

SIL gives permission to publish unofficial translations into other languages 
provided that they comply with the following guidelines:

Put the following disclaimer in both English and the target language stating 
clearly that the translation is unofficial: "This is an unofficial translation 
of the SIL Open Font License into <language_name>. It was not published by SIL 
International, and does not legally state the distribution terms for fonts that 
use the OFL. A release under the OFL is only valid when using the original 
English text. However, we recognize that this unofficial translation will help 
users and designers not familiar with English to better understand and use the 
OFL. We encourage designers who consider releasing their creation under the OFL 
to read the OFL-FAQ in their own language if it is available. Please go to 
https://openfontlicense.org for the official version of the license and the 
accompanying OFL-FAQ."

Keep your unofficial translation current and update it at our request if 
needed, for example if there is any ambiguity which could lead to confusion. If 
you start such an unofficial translation effort of the OFL and OFL-FAQ please 
let us know.

8.7  Does the OFL have an explicit expiration term?
No, the implicit intent of the OFL is that the permissions granted are 
perpetual and irrevocable.

8.8  Why is there no automatic upgrade clause, a 'version 1.1 or later' like in 
the GPL?
This is by design, with the goals of establishing clear trust and of preventing 
any situation where the actual terms could be changed from underneath any user 
of the license. That would introduce uncertainty and confusion. Any perceived 
benefits of automatic incremental licensing under newer versions is strongly 
outweighed by the inherent risks and confusion it would cause. If a new version 
becomes officially available, Copyright Holder(s) can review the new version 
and decide whether to re-release their fonts under it. Derivative fonts could 
not be re-licensed unless the original versions were re-released first.

8.9  How do you pronounce the name of the license?
The OFL is pronounced as three individual letters /ˈɑː.əf.əl/ or OH-EFF-ELL.


9  ABOUT SIL INTERNATIONAL

9.1  Who is SIL International and what do they do?
SIL is a global, faith-based nonprofit that works with local communities around 
the world to develop language solutions that expand possibilities for a better 
life. SIL serves language communities worldwide, building their capacity for 
sustainable language development, by means of research, translation, training 
and materials development. SIL makes its services available to all without 
regard to religious belief, political ideology, gender, race, or ethnic 
background. SIL's members and volunteers share a Christian commitment.

9.2  What does this have to do with font licensing?
The ability to read, write, type and publish in one's own language is one of 
the most critical needs for millions of people around the world. This requires 
fonts that are widely available and support lesser-known languages. SIL 
develops - and encourages others to develop - a complete stack of writing 
systems implementation components available under open licenses. This open 
stack includes input methods, smart fonts, smart rendering libraries and smart 
applications. There has been a need for a common open license that is 
specifically applicable to fonts and related software (a crucial component of 
this stack), so SIL developed the SIL Open Font License with the help of the 
Free/Libre and Open Source Software community.

9.3  How can I contact SIL?
Our main website is: https://www.sil.org/
Our main site about fonts and software is: https://software.sil.org/
Our site about complex scripts is: https://scriptsource.org/
Information about this license (and contact information) is at: 
https://openfontlicense.org 


APPENDIX A - FONTLOG EXAMPLE

Here is an example of the recommended format for a FONTLOG, although other 
formats are allowed.

-----
FONTLOG for the GlobalFontFamily fonts

This file provides detailed information on the GlobalFontFamily Font Software. 
This information should be distributed along with the GlobalFontFamily fonts 
and any derivative works.

Basic Font Information

GlobalFontFamily is a Unicode typeface family that supports all languages that 
use the Latin script and its variants, and could be expanded to support other 
scripts.

NewWorldFontFamily is based on the GlobalFontFamily and also supports Greek, 
Hebrew, Cyrillic and Armenian.

More specifically, this release supports the following Unicode ranges...
This release contains...
Documentation can be found at...
To contribute to the project...

ChangeLog

10 December 2010 (Fred Foobar) GlobalFontFamily-devel version 1.4
- fix new build and testing system (bug #123456)

1 August 2008 (Tom Parker) GlobalFontFamily version 1.2.1
- Tweaked the smart font code (Branch merged with main)
- Provided improved build and debugging environment for smart behaviours

7 February 2007 (Pat Johnson) NewWorldFontFamily Version 1.3
- Added Greek and Cyrillic glyphs

7 March 2006 (Fred Foobar) NewWorldFontFamily Version 1.2
- Tweaked contextual behaviours

1 Feb 2005 (Jane Doe) NewWorldFontFamily Version 1.1
- Improved build script performance and verbosity
- Extended the smart code documentation
- Corrected minor typos in the documentation
- Fixed position of combining inverted breve below (U+032F)
- Added OpenType/Graphite smart code for Armenian
- Added Armenian glyphs (U+0531 -> U+0587) 
- Released as "NewWorldFontFamily"

1 Jan 2005 (Joe Smith) GlobalFontFamily Version 1.0
- Initial release

Acknowledgements

If you make modifications be sure to add your name (N), email (E), web-address 
(if you have one) (W) and description (D). This list is in alphabetical order.

N: Jane Doe
E: jane@university.edu
W: https://art.university.edu/projects/fonts
D: Contributor - Armenian glyphs and code

N: Fred Foobar
E: fred@foobar.org
W: https://foobar.org
D: Contributor - misc Graphite fixes

N: Pat Johnson
E: pat@fontstudio.org
W: https://pat.fontstudio.org
D: Designer - Greek & Cyrillic glyphs based on Roman design

N: Tom Parker
E: tom@company.com
W: https://www.company.com/tom/projects/fonts
D: Engineer - original smart font code

N: Joe Smith
E: joe@fontstudio.org
W: https://joe.fontstudio.org
D: Designer - original Roman glyphs

Fontstudio.org is an not-for-profit design group whose purpose is...
Foobar.org is a distributed community of developers...
Company.com is a small business who likes to support community designers...
University.edu is a renowned educational institution with a strong design 
department...
-----

