Title: WordPress Theme Licensing
Last modified: August 20, 2016

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# WordPress Theme Licensing

 *  Resolved [hoofedcracker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hoofedcracker/)
 * (@hoofedcracker)
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/)
 * Hi,
 * Sorry if this has been already solved, but I could only find one or two posts
   referring to this and I did not feel as though it was fully covered!
 * Is there anyway to contact WordPress Support directly for legal advice?
 * Like many other developers, I am really concerned about the licensing of WordPress
   Themes that we create.
 * So, WordPress and all of its derivatives (plugins and themes) are licensed under
   the GPL license…
 * As CSS and graphics can be used without WordPress and do not rely solely on WordPress
   to be executed- this means that they are not necessarily derivatives of WordPress.
 * In light of this- We can then independently license and sell our works (WP themes)
   as a whole. I understand that the core files (i.e. PHP functions) are under the
   GPL license, but with our graphics and CSS integrated- this would allow us to
   sell our works with our independent licensing.
 * By independent licensing- I refer to a basic single site or developers license
   that we sell a theme under.
 * Please let me know if I am correct?
 * Cheers!

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

 *  [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/)
 * (@anevins)
 * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400875)
 * Are you using WordPress.com?
 *  Thread Starter [hoofedcracker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hoofedcracker/)
 * (@hoofedcracker)
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400883)
 * No.
 *  [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/)
 * (@anevins)
 * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400901)
 * It seems you’ve a presumption that WordPress is an organisation
    [http://wordpress.org/about/](http://wordpress.org/about/)
 * WordPress.org is what you see on this website; the community.
 *  Thread Starter [hoofedcracker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hoofedcracker/)
 * (@hoofedcracker)
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400911)
 * The terms of derivatives (i.e. themes) being licensed out side of gpl is very
   un-clear and it would be great to have some kind of clarification on this.
 * can you provide any information towards my original questions?
 * cheers!
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400915)
 * > Is there anyway to contact WordPress Support directly for legal advice?
 * We aren’t lawyers, so we don’t give out legal advice. However you could refer
   issues relating to trademarks and licensing to the [WordPress Foundation](http://wordpressfoundation.org/).
 * > Like many other developers, I am really concerned about the licensing of WordPress
   > Themes that we create.
 * In what way are you concerned?
 * > CSS and graphics can be used without WordPress and do not rely solely on WordPress
   > to be executed- this means that they are not necessarily derivatives of WordPress
 * At the present time, the GPL licensing extends to CSS and graphics – certainly
   in relation to any theme hosted on wordpress.org. However, using the GPL license
   does not, in any way, restrict your ability to sell your work on the commercial
   market.
 *  Thread Starter [hoofedcracker](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hoofedcracker/)
 * (@hoofedcracker)
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400918)
 * Thank you esmi for the direct answers!
    I truly appreciate it!
 * Cheers!
 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400922)
 * No problem 🙂

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

The topic ‘WordPress Theme Licensing’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [Themes](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/themes/)

 * In: [Everything else WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/miscellaneous/)
 * 7 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * Last activity: [13 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-theme-licensing-1/#post-3400922)
 * Status: resolved

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