Sample Permission Letter

Revised: August 12, 1998

Get Permission Before You Use It!

What did you learn from the activity? Is it always easy to figure out whether or not you can use another site's graphics, sounds, text, video, or ideas? The answer should be no. Everything, including what you create, on the web is automatically copyright and you don't even have to register it to be so. So that means that if in doubt, ask permission!

Here is a sample permission letter that you can cut-n-paste to email someone for permission to use something from her/his web site. (Remember to change the parts I colored red and put between parentheses! )

Dear (author or webmaster's name goes here),
My name is (your name) and I am a student at (your school name) . I am (creating a web page or writing a report, whatever you're doing,) for a class assignment and I was wondering if I could have your permission to use your (whatever it is you want to use goes here) on my (whatever you are doing, explain how you will use whatever you are asking permission to use.) .
You can email me at (write your email address here). Please feel free to visit my web site at (http:// URL goes here). Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

(Again write your name and under your name write the class you are doing the assignment for. These lines are signature lines usually done automatically by your email program if you set it up to do so.)

Check out these copyright resources and cool free graphics web sites!