Audit
Font licensing audit
A simple way to understand your current position
Most organisations don’t actively manage font licensing day to day.
Fonts are introduced:
Through design work
Through agencies
Through software platforms
They then become part of the business.
Over time, it can become unclear:
What was licensed
What is currently being used
Whether the two still match
A font licensing audit is simply a way to bring those back into alignment.
When an audit becomes useful
Many organisations only review licensing when something prompts it:
Procurement checks
Legal enquiries
Brand updates
Website rebuilds
Mergers or acquisitions
At that point, having a clear view saves time.
What you’re trying to establish
A font licensing audit answers three straightforward questions:
Where are fonts being used?
How were they licensed?
Do those licences cover current use?
If those three things are clear, the setup is usually in good shape.
Step 1: map where fonts are used
Start with a practical view of the business.
Fonts are typically used across:
Websites
Apps and products
Marketing and brand materials
Internal documents and templates
You don’t need a perfect list.
You’re looking for a realistic picture.
Step 2: identify how fonts were sourced
For each use, identify where the font came from:
Purchased directly
Supplied by an agency
Activated through a platform (e.g. design software subscriptions)
This step is often where differences begin to appear.
Step 3: check what the licence covers
Now compare the licence to the current use.
Look for:
Whether the licence covers the full organisation
Whether it includes all media (web, app, print, etc.)
Whether it allows use by external partners
If the licence is tied to:
An individual user
A specific platform
A limited use case
…it may not reflect how the font is actually being used.
Where issues are commonly found
Most organisations see the same patterns.
Fonts tied to individual accounts
Fonts activated through design tools may be linked to:
A specific user
A specific subscription
This can create dependency if that setup changes.
Client work using platform-based fonts
In agency workflows:
Fonts are used to build websites or assets
The project is handed over
The underlying licence does not transfer
This is one of the most common gaps.
Usage expanding over time
Fonts often move from:
Design files
→ websites
→ products
→ internal systems
Licences don’t always expand with them.
Unclear ownership
It’s not always obvious:
Who purchased the licence
What was agreed
Whether documentation still exists
What to do if you find a gap
Most issues don’t require major changes.
The usual approach is:
Clarify how the font is currently being used
Align the licence with that use
Ensure the organisation holds the licence going forward
Handled early, this is generally straightforward.
A more stable way to structure licensing
Audits are useful—but ideally, they shouldn’t be needed often.
The simplest way to reduce future complexity is to use a licence that:
Covers the entire organisation
Allows use across all media
Supports collaboration with partners
Does not rely on tracking usage
This removes the conditions that typically cause drift.
How Newlyn approaches this
Newlyn licences are based on Business Size.
Each licence:
Covers the organisation as a whole
Allows use across all media and applications
Can include distribution to third parties working with you
Is structured to be clear and auditable
This makes future audits simple:
The scope is already defined
The organisation is already covered
If you’d like help reviewing your setup
You don’t need a complete audit before starting a conversation.
If you have a general sense that your current setup may not reflect how fonts are being used, we’re happy to take a look and give you a clear view.
Just drop me an email.
Related
To understand how licensing works:
For compliance:
If you’re concerned about current use:
For enterprise licensing: