PermissiveApache-2.0
Apache License 2.0
A general-purpose open-source license adopted by several type foundries; permissive but requires explicit attribution.
License Reference
A typography-focused guide to the licenses used by fonts in the Fontist archive. Each entry answers the practical question: can I use this font commercially, embed it in a PDF, bundle it in an app, modify it?
PermissiveBitstream-Vera
Bitstream Vera License
A precursor to OFL, designed for Bitstream's Vera family; still used by derivative works like DejaVu.
PermissiveBSD-3-Clause
BSD License (3-Clause)
Like MIT but with a non-endorsement clause — you can't use the author's name to promote derived works.
PermissiveCC-BY-4.0
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
A general-purpose license borrowed from creative work; permissive for fonts but requires explicit attribution.
PermissiveGUST-FONT-Source-License
GUST Font Source License
Polish TeX Users Group license for TeX Gyre; broadly OFL-equivalent but with custom attribution language.
PermissiveIPA
IPA Font License
A font-specific license from the Japanese Information-technology Promotion Agency, broadly OFL-compatible.
PermissiveMIT
MIT License
The shortest permissive license: do anything, just keep the copyright notice. Occasionally adopted for fonts.
PermissiveOFL-1.1
SIL Open Font License 1.1
The workhorse font license: free to use, modify, embed, and redistribute — with attribution and no standalone sale.
PermissiveUbuntu-font-1.0
Ubuntu Font Licence 1.0
Ubuntu's font license, written to be OFL-compatible while addressing bundled-binary use cases common in Linux distros.
Public domainCC0-1.0
Creative Commons Zero (Public Domain)
A legal tool that dedicates work to the public domain — no attribution required, no restrictions at all.
CopyleftGPL-3.0-or-later
GNU GPL (with font exception)
Strong copyleft with explicit font embedding exception; rare for fonts but seen in a few historical distributions.
CopyleftLGPL-3.0-or-later
GNU LGPL (with font exception)
A library-style copyleft license with explicit font-embedding exception; mostly used for the Ghostscript font collection.