Welcome
The University of California, Berkeley’s Licensing Program protects and promotes the use of the University’s logos, name, seal, wordmarks, and landmarks. By licensing high quality, ethically sourced products, the Licensing Program works to strengthen and advance the image of the University while creating brand awareness in the retail marketplace. The cornerstone of the Licensing Program is the UC Code of Conduct for trademark licensees, which governs all UC licensees systemwide.
University IP
The University’s IP is defined as names, images, art/designs, and logos that represents any of the following: Departments, programs, classes, events, teams, student groups, campus, landmarks, buildings, statues, etc. Anything that a reasonable person might connect to UC Berkeley’s campus, or its Athletic teams (such as ‘Cal’) constitutes IP. An extra level of protection is used for Campus’ Trademarks and Registered marks.
Use of TMs and Registration Marks
To protect University IP TMs and Registration marks are required when most IP is used on product no matter how the item is being used. If your official departmental branding has not been provided with the correct TM/® designation, a licensee can add it at your request.
Royalties
Royalties are the licensee’s cost for the ability to use University intellectual property (IP). Licensees often pass this cost along to the client in the same way they would embellishing costs, set up fees, taxes, shipping, etc. Some licensees choose to line item the royalty in the cost of their goods, and some do not. When in doubt as to if it was included in your estimate, or when comparing various licensee estimates, please check with the licensee to see that they have included that cost.
Please note on some occasions the University will waive the licensee’s requirement to pay royalty for very specific items, art, and uses, and typically the licensee passes that savings on to the department.
University Departments Process for Purchasing Merchandise
- Pick a licensee form the University Licensee list. All orders using an image, name, logo, or art connected to campus must be sourced, produced, and embellished by a licensed vendor.
- Contact the license to discuss promotional item options, the art you hope to use, and your budget.
- The Licensee will provide an estimate and a proof of your design.
- The Licensee submits the art official to Licensing for approval or for corrections. Turnaround time for art review once received by Licensing is typically same day but can be longer depending on office hours, vacation, and when the submission was made.
- Once the art is officially approved, it moves to production.
***Please be sure to give your licensee a minimum of three weeks to process your order from start to finish if possible, and the more time the better.
Sponsored or Registered Student Group’s Process for Purchasing Merchandise
- Pick a licensee from the Student Group Licensee list as these companies have the most experience working with registered student groups. All orders using an image, name, logo, or art connected to campus must be sourced, produced, and embellished by a licensed vendor.
- Contact the license to discuss promotional item options, and the art you hope to use.
- The Licensee will provide an estimate and a proof of your design.
- The Licensee submits the art official to Licensing for approval or for corrections (please note student groups should be checking the Oasis website for ordering promotional items for their groups, and that no group can sell any products on campus.
- Once an approve art design it finalized, it will be officially approved, and then it will move to production.
Important Additional Information
“Greenwashing”: At no time can blank products be ordered and then taken to any other company (licensee or otherwise) for embellishment as this violates the UC Code of Conduct.
No one on campus (Departments, teams, student groups, staff, etc.) may sell any branded products to staff, students, etc., as the University does not hold a retail business licensee, and it puts the University out of compliance with an exclusive retail contract. If you would like to offer products for sale, please contact licensing (
stephanie_matthews@berkeley.edu) to discuss what options may be available.
Retail Licensing Information
Any commercial organization, company, manufacturer, or business wishing to use The University of California, Berkeley’s Trademarks for commercial purposes must obtain a license to do so. All use of The University of California’s Trademarks must be done under license or permission of The University of California, Berkeley.
Applying for a License
To apply for a license please contact our licensing agent, The Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), at
clc.com.
Types of Licenses
Standard License
For companies that produce licensed consumer products that will be resold, such as items for sale at retail in local, regional, and national retail outlets.
Promotional License
This license is for companies who work primarily on sponsored projects.
Restricted/Internal License
For companies that produce licensed consumer products for sale ONLY to University departments and approved campus organizations for internal/non-retail use. UC Berkeley has a royalty bearing restricted licensee program.
Reporting Unlicensed products
To report an unlicensed product or vendor, please email Licensing Manager, Stephanie Matthews at
stephanie_matthews@berkeley.edu. Please be sure to include a link to the site and product, the name of the company selling the product, and a description of the unlicensed merchandise.
Use of The University of California, Berkeley’s Trademarks without license or permission is strictly prohibited. Prior authorization of the use of The University of California, Berkeley’s Trademarks will not be construed as an authorization of use in the future, nor will any prior course of conduct, use, or infringement prohibit The University of California, Berkeley from enforcing any of its rights with respect to the Trademarks. The University of California, Berkeley reserves the right to pursue any, and all legal remedies and will take whatever measures necessary to protect its Trademarks from infringement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are campus departments or student groups required to obtain permission to use the University’s names/marks/logos on items used as giveaways, fundraisers or for internal use (shirts for staff, etc.)?
Yes, in order for the University to maintain and protect its value, permission must be obtained from the Licensing Department and a licensed vendor must be used.
How does the artwork approval process work?
The licensee submits artwork through CLC’s proprietary software to Licensing for their approval. This site manages the entire artwork approval process online. Artwork turnaround time can vary depending on volume, but it typically 1-2 business days.
If my product is not going to be resold, do I still have to select a licensed vendor?
All items bearing University marks must be produced by a licensed vendor, no matter what the use of the product.
How do I become licensed?
To obtain a license please go to
clc.com, where you will find information regarding the licensing process and where you can also access the licensing application.
How can I obtain a list of licensees?
A list of licensees can be on found
here.
Can I alter a logo or mark?
Logos or trademarks cannot be altered, as this would dilute the integrity, strength, and value of the marks.
How do I tell if merchandise is officially licensed by The University of California, Berkeley?
To confirm that a product is licensed, look for the “Officially Licensed Collegiate Products” hangtag and/or hologram sticker.
How does the University ensure that licensed goods are not produced in “sweatshops” or illegally?
The University of California system requires licensees to sign and adhere to the
UC Code of Conduct.
How long does it take to complete the licensing process?
The entire licensing process usually takes 21 days, but may take longer depending on the length of time an applicant takes to fulfill each requirement.
