Clipart ETC: An online service of Florida's Educational Technology Clearinghouse

ClipArt ETC License

The Florida Center for Instructional Technology offers two licensing plans for images in the ClipArt ETC collection. The ClipArt ETC Free Classroom License is the same as it always has been and it encourages students and teachers to make free use of ClipArt ETC content in non-commercial classroom projects. Due to the many requests we have received for commercial reproduction rights, we added a Paid Commercial License.

ClipArt ETC Free Classroom License

  1. Rights. The Florida Center for Instructional Technology grants to all students and teachers permission to use a maximum of fifty (50) clipart items in any non-commercial, educational project (report, presentation, display, website, etc.) without payment or special permission, subject to the following restrictions.

  2. Restrictions.

    1. No commercial use of ClipArt ETC images may be made under the Free Classroom License.

    2. Images may not be used in a pornographic, defamatory, offensive, or unlawful manner.

    3. Images of individuals may not be used to suggest endorsements of products, services, or activities.

    4. Images may not be used as a trademark, service mark, or logo.

    5. Images may not be distributed as a part of any clip media collection.

  3. Credit. Please credit FCIT whenever a resource is used. If resources from this site are incorporated into a website, a link to http://etc.usf.edu/clipart must be included on your site. If you would like to help others find the ClipArt ETC site, you may choose to link to us with one of these banners or buttons instead of a text link.

ClipArt ETC Paid Commercial License

  1. Rights. The Florida Center for Instructional Technology grants to the Licensee a perpetual, non-exclusive, non-transferable, worldwide right to reproduce the licensed images an unlimited number of times in any and all media for all purposes other than those uses prohibited in the following section.

  2. Restrictions.

    1. Images may not be used in a pornographic, defamatory, offensive, or unlawful manner.

    2. Images of individuals may not be used to suggest endorsements of products, services, or activities.

    3. Images may not be used as a trademark, service mark, or logo.

    4. Images may not be distributed as a part of any clip media collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did you add the Paid Commercial License?
We added the Paid Commercial License as a convenience for those who have contacted us requesting that we offer commercial licensing. Many authors, publishers, designers, and others wanted to use ClipArt ETC content for commercial purposes not permitted in our original Free Classroom License. All ClipArt ETC users will be happy to know that the fees received by FCIT for commercial licensing are used to expand the ClipArt ETC website with new content.
What is the cost for a Paid Commercial License?
The cost of a Paid Commercial License depends upon the size of the image that you want to use. Images are displayed on ClipArt ETC pages in three sizes: small, medium, and large. There is also a link to download a larger TIFF or EPS file. The schedule of fees (in US $) is as follows:
  • Small: $4.99
  • Medium: $9.99
  • Large: $14.99
  • TIFF or EPS version: $49.99
How do I pay for images under the Paid Commercial License?
Click on the “Add to Cart” link on any page to add that page’s illustration to your cart. When you have added all of the items that you would like to your cart, click the “View Cart” link. This will take you to your shopping cart where you can select the size you want for each image as well as delete images you decide you don’t want. Follow the directions to purchase your images with a credit card just as you would do on any shopping website. Your receipt will identify the items you have purchased and display the text of the Paid Commercial License. Remember, if you are using images under the terms of the Free Classroom License, you don’t have to pay anything!!!
Can I return an image I purchased for credit or refund?
No. OK, so that sounds harsh, but with the ClipArt ETC website, you can view the images exactly as they are before you purchase them. No surprises. The image you see on the webpage is the image you are purchasing the license for. Please take your time and make sure that you are very happy with an image and that it is exactly what you want and will meet your needs before you purchase it.
What do you mean by “images may not be distributed as a part of any clip media collection”?
We provide the ClipArt ETC images for you to use for a purpose. You may incorporate the image into a report, presentation, or project (using the Free Classroom License) or you may incorporate the image into a product such as a t-shirt, CD cover, or magazine article (using the Paid Commercial License). In other words, you are making something with it and distributing the thing that you made. That’s all good.
What we don’t allow is for you to distribute our ClipArt ETC images in a form that allows others to use them as they would use a clip art site. Don’t distribute a CD of fifty ClipArt ETC Civil War illustrations or publish a website with several dozen ClipArt ETC decorative letters for others to use. Those are examples of distributing the images as clip art. But, of course, you could create a cool CD about the Civil War and use fifty of our images as a part of an interactive timeline you create or you could publish a book and use a decorative letter clip art for the opening of each chapter.
Does that mean a teacher can't collect a number of ClipArt ETC items for students to use?
Of course not! In fact, we hope that teachers will collect favorites from our site for use in the classroom. Just don't publish the collection.
Why do you require a link to ClipArt ETC if I use your clipart on my website?
We want to help other students and teachers find this site. We realize how difficult it is for students and teachers to find good clipart sites without lots of advertising, endless links that go in circles, and redirects to inappropriate content. If we ask students and teachers who use our clipart to link to our site, then more people will be able to use our collection. The link requirement only applies to images used under the Free Classroom License. If you have purchased images under the Paid Commercial License, no link or credit is required.
How do I credit FCIT in printed projects?
If you are just using a few clipart items for decoration putting "Clipart courtesy FCIT" in small print is sufficient. If you have more room please include the URL "http://etc.usf.edu/clipart" so that others can find the site. If you are including clipart as part of the content of a report, you should cite the illustration as you would do for any other source. Your teacher may specify a particular format for citing web sources. We have tried to make it easy for you by including information about the original source where one exists. In general you should include the original source, title of the item, when you downloaded it, and the URL where you found it. Here's an example:
Gray, Asa. The Elements of Botany for Beginners and for Schools. New York: The American Book Company, 1887. "Live oak leaves." Retrieved January 1, 2010, from http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/plants/live_oak_1.html
Which license should US government agencies or NPOs use?
Any agency of the United States federal, state, or local government; or any registered 501(c) organization may use ClipArt ETC under the terms of the Free Classroom License. We have heard from hundreds of non-profits and government agencies that have used ClipArt ETC images in displays, signage, video, and other publications.

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Clipart ETC is a part of the Educational Technology Clearinghouse and is funded by various grants. Produced by the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, College of Education, University of South Florida. Email the project manager.


Clipart ETC Educational Technology Clearinghouse