Correct Usage of Envato Elements Items

The Envato Elements licence is designed to give you the confidence to use downloaded Stock Catalog items across most creative projects and commercial applications. This page summarises the key permitted uses.

1. An active subscription is required for new project use

To use items you have downloaded from Envato Elements in a new project, you must have an active Envato Elements subscription at the time of use.

Note: If your subscription expires, you do not lose your licence for items you have already downloaded and used. Items licensed during an active subscription retain their lifetime commercial licence after your subscription ends. However, you cannot use downloaded items in new projects without an active subscription.

2. Each use in a new project requires a separate licence

Items downloaded from Envato Elements are licensed for use in a single specific project only. To use the same item in multiple projects, you must create a separate license for each new project.

You can use the same item in multiple projects, but a separate licence is required for each project. You can re-download an item from your My Downloads or item page to generate a new licence for a new project at no additional cost.

Only fonts and add-ons ("tools") can be used on as many projects as you like provided that these tools are used on the same device/computer. If you want to use these tools on another device, a new license must be created.

3. Items must be customised or incorporated into a larger project

Items downloaded from Envato Elements must be customised or incorporated into a larger end project in a way that requires skill and effort. You cannot simply redistribute or deliver an item in its original, unmodified form.

What counts as skill and effort? For guidance on what constitutes sufficient customisation or transformation, see: What Constitutes Skill and Effort?

This requirement is the most important concept in the Envato Elements licence. If you are unsure whether your use meets this threshold, read the skill and effort guidance before proceeding.

4. Public display, broadcast, and reproduction of end products is allowed

The Envato Elements licence permits end products using downloaded items to be:

• Publicly displayed
• Communicated or broadcast
• Distributed or reproduced

This applies as long as the item has been customised or incorporated into a larger end project (as described in rule 3 above). You cannot publicly display or distribute the raw downloaded item on its own. 

For music Items, the rights granted under Envato Elements License are subject to certain restrictions: check Music Items special terms for more information.

5. End products can be transferred to a client (sublicensing)

If you have created an end product for a client using Envato Elements items, you may transfer the entire end product to that client. This transfer comes with a limited sublicence of the item rights as part of the end product.

Three conditions must be met when transferring an end product to a client:

• Active subscription at time of transfer — you must have an active Envato Elements subscription at the point you transfer the end product to your client.
• Item cannot be extracted — you must ensure the downloaded item cannot be extracted from the end product by the client and used as a standalone asset.
• Client must be informed — you must inform your client of their obligations in relation to the item, including that they may not extract or separately use it.

There's no need to update the licensee name on your license to hand over the completed End Product to your client. The license you already created for that project covers this — you're passing it to your client under a Limited Sublicense (clause 10), not creating a new licensee. Just make sure to inform your client of their obligations under the Limited Sublicense.

6. Unlimited copies and distribution of end products is permitted

You can create an unlimited number of copies of an end product that incorporates downloaded Envato Elements items. You are also permitted to distribute end products across any number of media formats.

For example: you may print a poster incorporating an Envato Elements graphic any number of times. You may publish a video template in multiple formats across multiple platforms. There is no copy limit or distribution volume cap.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I use Envato Elements items for commercial projects?

  Yes. The Envato Elements licence explicitly covers commercial use. You can use downloaded items in projects for paying clients, in marketing materials, in commercial video productions, and in other commercial end products, provided you comply with the licence terms — including the skill and effort requirement.

• How many times can I use the same Envato Elements item?

  You can use the same item in as many projects as you need. However, each use in a new project requires a separate licence. Re-download the item from your My Downloads page or item page for each new project to generate a new licence at no extra cost.

• Can I give my client the original source files?

  Only with care. You can transfer a completed end product to a client, but the downloaded item must not be extractable from that end product. Handing over raw source files that contain the original downloaded item as a separable layer or asset may violate this condition. You must ensure the item cannot be extracted and used separately, and you must inform your client of their obligations.

• Do I need an active subscription to keep using items I've already licensed?

  No — not for existing licensed uses. Items you have already downloaded and incorporated into projects during an active subscription retain their lifetime commercial licence after your subscription ends. However, you need an active subscription to use items in new projects.

• Is there a limit on how many copies of an end product I can distribute?

  No. The Envato Elements licence permits unlimited copies and distribution of end products in any and multiple media formats. There is no copy limit or distribution volume cap.

• Does the Envato Elements license cover AI-generated content?

  No. Content generated using Envato's AI tools — including images, videos, music, voiceovers, sound effects, and graphics — is governed by the Envato AI Product Terms , applied at the point of generation. For Stock Catalog Items, please refer to the Envato Elements License. For AI-generated Output, please refer to the Envato AI Product Terms to understand how your Output is licensed and what you can do with it..