Cease and Desist Letter for Copyright Infringement

If someone is using your photos, writing, designs, music, or video without permission, a cease and desist letter is the standard first move. It is faster and cheaper than any legal filing, and in most cases it works: infringers who receive a credible demand usually take the material down rather than risk escalation.

Your letter should identify the work, identify the infringement, and demand removal by a deadline. If the material is hosted on a platform, you can pair the letter with the platform's own takedown process; the letter targets the infringer directly.

Build yours in five minutes

Answer a short questionnaire and get the complete escalation set built around your facts: this letter polished and ready to send, plus a follow-up and a final notice for if they ignore you. $19.99, one time, no account.

Start my letter

Sample letter

This is the exact structure your finished letter will follow, with placeholders where your facts go.

[Your Full Name] [Your Street Address] [City, State ZIP] [Date] [Recipient's Full Name] [Recipient's Street Address] [City, State ZIP] RE: Demand to Cease and Desist Copyright Infringement Dear [Recipient's Full Name]: This letter is a formal demand that you immediately cease and desist from the following conduct: reproducing and displaying my copyrighted [work, e.g. photograph titled X], which I created on [date], on your website at [URL] without my permission or any license For the record, the conduct includes the following: The infringing copy appears at [URL] and was first observed on [date]. I have preserved dated screenshots. Accordingly, I demand that you immediately stop reproducing, distributing, or displaying my copyrighted work, remove all infringing copies under your control, and confirm in writing that you have done so. You must comply within 10 days of receiving this letter. If you do not comply, I am prepared to pursue every remedy available to me, which may include filing a civil action seeking damages and injunctive relief and reporting your conduct to the appropriate authorities. I would prefer to resolve this without involving the courts, and your prompt compliance will make that possible. This letter is not a complete statement of the facts or of my rights, all of which are expressly reserved. Please treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves. Sincerely, [Your Full Name]

What to include

What the original work is and that you created or own it
Exactly where the infringing copy appears, with links or locations
A demand to stop using the work and remove all copies
A demand for written confirmation of compliance
A deadline and reservation of your rights

Common questions

Do I need to have registered my copyright first?

No. You can demand that infringement stop regardless of registration. Registration affects what you can recover in a lawsuit, which is a question for an attorney if the letter does not resolve it.

Should I send this letter or a platform takedown notice?

They work together. A platform takedown removes the copy the platform hosts; the cease and desist letter tells the infringer to stop everywhere, including places you have not found yet.

What if they claim fair use?

Fair use is a fact-specific defense, not a magic word. If the use is commercial and substitutes for your original, their position is weak. If they push back with a fair use claim, that is a good moment to consult an attorney.

New to this? What a cease and desist letter is, whether it is legally binding, and how to send it properly.