Renner, who designed Futura, died in 1956, so his own drawings and writings become free in life+70 countries. Typeface designs have never been protected by copyright in the US.
| Where | Status |
|---|---|
| Life+70 countries: EU, UK, Australia, Turkey, Russia, most of South America | Free from 1 January 2027 |
Limits
Digital font files are software and stay with their foundries, and the Futura name is used as a trademark by font vendors. Make your own digitisation under another name, as many free geometric sans fonts already do.
Ideas
An open-source revival font, design teaching material.
Sources
Checked 31 October 2026. Report a correction.
More typefaces
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EarlierTypeface designs (US)Type designers · various · Typefaces
In the US, the shapes of letters are not protected by copyright; only font software and names are.
US ·
General information, not legal advice. Copyright, patent and trademark status differs by country, edition and translation: check before you publish or sell. Full disclaimer