Model release form
Send one link and get a signed release before the shoot, timestamped and stored with the images rather than in a drawer.
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Or download the printable PDF. Free, no email address, ready to print and pin up.
The form people fill in, and the list you get back
You can reword any of these questions, or add your own, after you create it.
| 9 May, 11:13 | Ida Lindqvist | ida@example.com | (646) 555-0198 | 2009-04-02 | Karin Lindqvist | Fenwick Studio | 2026-05-09 | Rooftop, downtown | Website, Social media | Two years | Worldwide | Paid, per the agreed fee | 2026-05-09 |
| 8 May, 18:22 | Cleo Marchetti | cleo.m@example.com | (213) 555-0107 | 1999-09-30 | Fenwick Studio | 2026-05-08 | Studio 4, Los Angeles | Website, Portfolio | Two years | United States only | Unpaid, portfolio use | 2026-05-08 | |
| 8 May, 18:04 | Jonah Reyes | jonah@example.com | (213) 555-0155 | 1996-02-11 | Fenwick Studio | 2026-05-08 | Studio 4, Los Angeles | Website, Social media, Print advertising | Five years | Worldwide | Paid, per the agreed fee | 2026-05-08 |
Scroll sideways for the rest of the 14 answers, and press any heading to sort by it. In your own form you can search the answers as well, and download them as a spreadsheet at any time.
When you need a model release
A model release is written permission from a recognisable person to use their image. As a rule of thumb it is needed whenever the photograph will be used commercially: advertising, packaging, promotional material, or sold through a stock library — and not needed for editorial or news use, though the line between the two is less clean than photographers would like.
Get one whether or not the model is paid. An unpaid portfolio shoot with a friend is exactly the situation that produces a problem two years later, when the image turns out to be the best one you have and a client wants it.
The four things a release has to be specific about
Who. The model's full legal name, and a parent or guardian's signature as well if they are under 18. A minor cannot give this permission themselves.
What use. "Any purpose" is easy to write and easy to challenge. Listing the actual uses (portfolio, social media, print advertising, stock) is more work and considerably more durable.
How long, and where. A release for one campaign is a different thing from one in perpetuity, worldwide. Say which.
What was exchanged. Even "unpaid, in exchange for images for the model's portfolio" is consideration, and writing it down makes the agreement look like an agreement.
Sign it on the day
The release should be signed before or on the day of the shoot, not chased afterwards. Chasing a signature after the fact is how photographers end up with an unusable set of images and an awkward message thread.
This is the practical argument for a phone rather than paper: the model signs on the screen while they are standing in front of you, and the signed copy is in your account before they have left.
This is a template, not legal advice
Image rights vary by country and by state, and the difference between editorial and commercial use is genuinely contested. Use this as a starting point and have a lawyer look at it if the work is high-value or the usage is unusual.
Questions people ask
When do I need a model release form?
Generally whenever a recognisable person's image will be used commercially: advertising, packaging, promotional material or stock. Editorial and news use usually does not require one, though the boundary is less clear than it sounds. Get one for unpaid portfolio shoots too.
Does a model release need to be signed before the shoot?
Before or on the day. Chasing a signature afterwards is how photographers end up with images they cannot use. Signing on a phone at the shoot removes the problem entirely.
What if the model is under 18?
A minor cannot give this permission themselves. A parent or legal guardian must sign, and the form should record their name and relationship to the model.
Does a model release have to be notarised?
Not usually. A signature and a date are normally sufficient. Some stock libraries and some higher-value commercial uses ask for a witness. Check the requirements of whoever will license the images.
Is this model release form free?
Yes. Download the PDF with no account or email address, or use the online version so models can sign on a phone at the shoot.
Ready to send it out?
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