To request permission to use FreeBSD and Foundation related trademarks, please fill out the permission request form. Please see the Trademark Terms and Conditions FAQ for more information.  

Updated July 1, 2020

The FreeBSD Foundation (the “Foundation”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the FreeBSD® Project (the “Project”), which has developed and continues to develop the FreeBSD operating system, an advanced operating system for modern server, desktop, and embedded computer platforms.

The Foundation represents the Project in executing contracts, license agreements, and other legal arrangements which require a recognized legal entity, including granting licenses or permissions to use the FreeBSD trademarks, service marks and logos (collectively, the “FreeBSD Marks”), including the below marks that are currently registered and/or otherwise being used in the United States and other countries:

 

(FreeBSD Project Logo)
NOTE: You must include the registered mark (®) even when the logo is for personal use.

FREEBSD (Word Mark)

The Foundation has the following trademarks, service marks and logos in use in the United States and/or other countries:

THE POWER TO SERVE (Word Mark)

The FreeBSD Marks are symbols of the quality and community support that people have come to associate with The FreeBSD Foundation, the FreeBSD operating system, the FreeBSD Project, and other projects under the FreeBSD Project. These Trademark Usage Terms and Conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) and the Brand Assets page are in place so that we can continue to protect the goodwill associated with the FreeBSD Marks, as well as the open source nature of the FreeBSD operating system.  You may contact us with any questions about these Terms and Conditions or any FreeBSD Marks.

Permissions

Any individual, organization, or company may, without explicit permission from the Foundation, use the FreeBSD Marks to show support for the Project or as part of a notice to users that a product incorporates the FreeBSD operating system. On websites, the FreeBSD Marks should always link to https://www.freebsdfoundation.org or https://www.freebsd.org.

The Foundation permits the use of the FreeBSD Marks for private and personal use to make t shirts, stickers, and caps for yourself, friends and family on a non-commercial basis (meaning you don’t receive anything of value in return) in a manner that is consistent with the preservation of the goodwill and value of the FreeBSD Marks. In no event may such items be sold.). You may use the FreeBSD Marks, within the guidelines specified on our Brand Assets page, on slides or signage for a FreeBSD-related presentation or event without our permission.

You may only use the FreeBSD Marks for commercial or marketing purposes—such as on posters, brochures, signs, websites, or other marketing materials to promote your commercial events, products, or services, or in a magazine or book—if you have obtained explicit written permission from the Foundation to do so. The Foundation may grant or withhold permission for any such use in its sole discretion and withdraw permission at any time. If you would like to request permission to use the FreeBSD Marks, please fill out this form. Permission is contingent on your compliance with these Terms and Conditions and the Brand Assets page. In addition to the foregoing requirements, if you intend to sell items bearing the FreeBSD Marks, you must also get advance written permission from the Foundation for the specific item that you wish to sell. Requests for permission for items for sale can be sent to trademark@freebsdfoundation.org

Any use, whether commercial or non-commercial, of the FreeBSD Marks must comply at all times with these Terms and Conditions and the Brand Assets Page.

Proper Use of the FreeBSD Marks

All uses of the FreeBSD Marks, and all goodwill associated therewith, will inure solely to the benefit of the Foundation. Any use of or reference to the FreeBSD Marks that is inconsistent with these Terms and Conditions or the Brand Assets page, or that suggests that the Foundation sponsors, endorses, or is affiliated with you, is prohibited. The Foundation reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to revoke any permission or license it has granted to use the FreeBSD Marks at any time. 

To ensure you are using the FreeBSD Marks properly, you must follow the following rules:

  •  Do not use the FreeBSD Marks as verbs or nouns.  The FreeBSD Marks should be used only as an adjective followed by the generic name/noun. For example, use “I installed the FreeBSD operating system,” not “I installed FreeBSD.”

  • Do not use the FreeBSD Marks in the plural or possessive form. For example, it is incorrect to say “FreeBSD’s operating system.”

  • Do not alter or amend the FreeBSD Marks in any way. The FreeBSD Marks should not be combined with any other mark, hyphenated, abbreviated, or displayed in parts. 
    • For example, do not divide the FreeBSD mark into two words. Use “FreeBSD”, not “Free BSD”.
    • Do not display any logos using color variations, or with other elements superimposed on top of the logo. For specific examples relating to the FreeBSD Marks, see our Brand Assets page.
  • Only use the FreeBSD Marks that are word marks in a form that distinguishes them from the text around them, such as by capitalization, bold or italic fonts, or with quotation marks. Any use of registered trademarks listed above should include the ® symbol immediately after the first usage. (For example, “The FreeBSD® operating system is an advanced operating system.”) In addition, the first usage of a FreeBSD Mark must be accompanied by a conspicuous notice that “The <<Insert the name of the FreeBSD Mark>> is a [registered] trademark of The FreeBSD Foundation and is used by ____<<Insert the name of your organization>> with the permission of The FreeBSD Foundation.” 

  • Do not use the FreeBSD Marks more prominently than your own company, product or service name.

  • Use the FreeBSD Marks consisting of logos (the FreeBSD Project logo and The FreeBSD Foundation logo) only in accordance with the guidelines specified on our Brand Assets page, where approved images of the logos may be downloaded.

  • Do not attempt to claim or assert any ownership rights in any of the FreeBSD Marks and do not attempt to register any of the FreeBSD Marks as a trademark, trade name, domain name, or “doing business as” name, alone or (unless specifically licensed) in combination with your own trademarks.

  • Do not use the FreeBSD Marks as your domain name or as part of your domain name.

  • Do not use the FreeBSD Marks as part of your product name.

  • Do not incorporate the FreeBSD Marks into your company’s logos or designs.

  • A trademark notice should be used on the most prominent and/or first appearance in any medium of a trademark, and a trademark notice should not be changed. In particular, a ™ should not be changed to an ® in a trademark notice by anyone other than the owner. If you are unsure about whether a FreeBSD Mark is registered in your country, please contact us for additional guidance as to what trademark symbol you should use.

  • The FreeBSD Marks must not be used to disparage the Foundation, the Project, projects under the Project, members, sponsors, or communities, nor be used in any way to imply ownership, endorsement, or sponsorship of any FreeBSD-related project or initiative of any kind. As a vendor-neutral organization, an important part of our brand is that FreeBSD projects are governed independently.

Disclaimer and Indemnification 

The FreeBSD Marks are provided “as is”, and the Foundation does not make any express or implied warranties, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of any third party intellectual property rights. The Foundation does not warrant that any pending trademark applications for the FreeBSD Marks will result in any granted trademark protection or that the FreeBSD Marks are registered trademarks. The Foundation shall not be liable for any claims relating to your activities falling within the scope of the permission and/or your use of the FreeBSD Marks. By using any of the FreeBSD Marks, you hereby agree to indemnify, defend, and hold the Foundation and its contributors harmless against any such claims.

Questions, Comments, Concerns

We look to our community to help us retain the value of the FreeBSD Marks. If you have questions with respect to these Terms and Conditions, please see the Trademark Terms and Conditions FAQ for more information.  If you have additional questions, would like to report concerns regarding the use or misuse of any FreeBSD Marks, or would like to obtain written permission for a proposed use of the FreeBSD Marks, contact: trademark@FreeBSDFoundation.org.  

Updates

The Foundation may release new versions of these Terms and Conditions or statements of permitted use of the FreeBSD Marks without notice.