Pillar 06 · IP Navigator Shield™
Licensing & Contracts
Turn your IP into revenue without giving it away.
Who it's for
Anyone who wants others to use their IP in exchange for money, merch deals, brand collaborations, franchise agreements, SaaS licenses.
Typical cost
$0–$5,000 for a solid template. Custom deals typically $2k–$10k in legal fees. Never use a boilerplate for a deal over $50k without a lawyer.
Timeline
As short as one event or as long as the IP itself lasts.
What it is
A license is a written permission to use your IP under specific terms. You keep ownership; the licensee pays for limited rights. Contrast with an assignment, which transfers ownership permanently.
Essential clauses every license needs
Without these, the license is unenforceable or leaks value.
- Scope, exactly what IP, what territory, what use cases
- Exclusivity, exclusive (only them), non-exclusive (anyone), or sole (them + you)
- Term, how long, and how it renews or terminates
- Royalties, flat fee, per-unit, percentage of revenue, or minimum guarantee
- Quality control, you must approve their use, or you can lose the trademark
- Termination, breach, bankruptcy, sale of the licensee
- Audit rights, you can inspect their sales records
License vs. assignment vs. work-for-hire
These get confused constantly and the wrong one can cost you your IP.
- License, you keep ownership, they get to use it. Reversible.
- Assignment, you transfer ownership permanently. Requires written agreement.
- Work-for-hire, the person creating it never owned it (only works for employees or specific categories of contractor work).
Official resources
Free government and public sources. No login required unless noted.