# Do tattoo artists have to pay licensing fees if applying licensed images?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tattoo-artists-have-to-pay-licensing-fees-if-applying-licensed-images/189739>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 20, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tattoo-artists-have-to-pay-licensing-fees-if-applying-licensed-images/189739 "2003-07-20T14:42:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tattoo-artists-have-to-pay-licensing-fees-if-applying-licensed-images/189739/1 "2003-07-20T14:42:07Z")

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For example, if some gets a Mickey Mouse tatoo would Disney theoretically be entitled to a licensing fee from the tattoo artist if they pressed the issue? Just curious if this technically falls under “fair use” or not.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tattoo-artists-have-to-pay-licensing-fees-if-applying-licensed-images/189739/2 "2003-07-20T16:46:29Z")

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Theoretically, the fees need to be paid, but I don’t know if anyone has ever pushed the issue.

In addition, Mickey Mouse is trademarked, so fair use doesn’t apply, and Disney could come after the tattoo artist.

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**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tattoo-artists-have-to-pay-licensing-fees-if-applying-licensed-images/189739/3 "2003-07-20T17:40:11Z")

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There’s a fortune in uncollected royalties out there for all the prison-born Zig-Zag man tatoos.

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**Author:** ![Freiheit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e8c25b/32.png) [@Freiheit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freiheit)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-tattoo-artists-have-to-pay-licensing-fees-if-applying-licensed-images/189739/4 "2003-07-20T23:12:41Z")

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And isn’t the Harley logo the most tattooed image ever? I’m sure it’s not proven, but I heard it on some tattoo show. And I don’t suspect that Harley would want to do anything to complicate matters and discourage people from permanently inscribing their logo on their skin (even if Harley likes to bleed the most money possible from every lousy product). Advertising is advertising (they don’t like traditional ads, and this kind reinforces their image, too).