So you’ve found your content online somewhere you didn’t put it. What now?
Now, you can file a DMCA takedown notice.
But before you do, there are a few things you need to know and some receipts you need to gather to make your takedown notice as effective (and, honestly, intimidating) as possible.
Here’s what you need to have to file a DMCA takedown notice and a few free templates you can use.
Reclaim Your Stolen Content
Our content was stolen! So, we found an anti-piracy expert to reclaim our lost rankings and stop unauthorized copies. Now you can work with him too.
- Avoid lost revenue when others monetize YOUR content
- Stop brand damage when your name is used on shady websites
- Prevent pirated copies from appearing above you in search results
We offer this website completely free to our visitors. To help pay the bills, we’ll often (but not always) set up affiliate relationships with the top providers after selecting our favorites. However, we do our best not to let this impact our choices. There are plenty of high-paying companies we’ve turned down because we didn’t like their product.
An added benefit of our relationships is that we always try to negotiate exclusive discounts for our visitors.
What is a DMCA Takedown Notice?
A DMCA takedown notice is a letter that you send to the offending party (usually the host site, like YouTube, Reddit, or even Google) letting them know that sharing your original content without your permission.
It’s the first step in getting your stolen content removed, and, a lot of the time, it’s all you need to do to protect your content and get it removed. The best part is that it requires no real legal action (like hiring a lawyer, suing, etc.)
To learn more about what a DMCA takedown request is, check out our article detailing what a DMCA takedown is.
What to Include In a DMCA Takedown Request
A takedown notice requires three essential pieces of information: the URL of the infringing content you wish to have removed, the original URL where the content was originally posted, and a description of your ownership of the content and how it was infringed upon.
Some of the information you should gather ahead of time includes:
- Screenshots to show infringement
- Proof of ownership (ex: the original blog post on your website, a screengrab of the content on your OnlyFans page, proof of copyright if you have one, etc.)
- Infringing URL
- Source URL
- Good faith statement
- Accuracy statement
- Physical or electronic signature
Did you find your products on other e-commerce platforms, like Shopify [guide] and WooCommerce [guide]?
Sample DMCA Takedown Notice Template
Here’s a general example of a DMCA takedown notice:
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
- [Name of the Service Provider's Designated Agent]
- [Service Provider's Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Service Provider's Email Address for DMCA Notices]
Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice
Dear [Service Provider's Designated Agent's Name],
I, [Your Full Name], am contacting you to report a copyright infringement that I have identified on your platform. I am providing this notice in good faith and with the conviction that the use of the copyrighted material described below is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
Identification of Copyrighted Work: Please find a detailed description of the copyrighted work that I believe has been infringed. This could include a specific URL or any other relevant information that can help identify the work.
Description of copyrighted work: [Provide detailed information about your copyrighted work, including any relevant registration numbers or a detailed description if the work is not registered.]
Location of Infringing Material: Please provide the exact URL or location on the platform where the infringing material can be found.
Infringing material located at: [Provide the exact URL or location of the material on the platform.]
Contact Information: To facilitate the resolution of this matter, I am providing my contact information below:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Good Faith Belief: I have a good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted material described above in the manner I have complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
Accuracy of Information: I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information provided in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
Signature: [Your Full Name]
I request that you take immediate action to remove or disable access to the infringing material described above. Please inform me about the actions you have taken in response to this notice.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name].
Remember to have all of the information necessary before sending this takedown notice.
DMCA Takedown Request Template for YouTube
Did you find your content on YouTube? Check out our guide on submitting takedown requests on YouTube>>
Here’s one for YouTube specifically:
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
DMCA Agent
YouTube, LLC
901 Cherry Ave.
San Bruno, CA 94066
USA
Email: [email protected]Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice
Dear YouTube DMCA Agent,
I, [Your Full Name], am writing to inform you of instances of copyright infringement that I have discovered on your platform. I am the copyright owner of the following material, and I have not authorized the use of this content on YouTube.
Identification of Copyrighted Work: The copyrighted work in question is titled “[Title of Your Work],” which is [a detailed description of your copyrighted work, including any relevant registration numbers, publication dates, etc.].
Location of Infringing Material: The infringing material is being displayed on YouTube at the following URL(s):
- [URL where the infringing material is located]
- [Additional URLs as necessary]
Contact Information: Below is my contact information:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Good Faith Belief: I have a good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted material described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
Accuracy of Information: I declare, under penalty of perjury, that the information provided in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
Signature:
- [Your Full Name]
I request that you remove or disable access to the infringing material as specified above. Please inform me about the actions you have taken in response to this notice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name]
DMCA Takedown Request Template for Reddit
Did you find your content on Reddit? Check out our guide on submitting takedown requests on Reddit>>
Reddit has its own process for filing a DMCA takedown notice that makes the process way easier when compared to drafting and sending an official DMCA takedown notice.
Still, here’s what a DMCA takedown request for Reddit could look like:
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
Reddit, Inc.
Attn: DMCA Designated Agent
548 Market St #16093
San Francisco, CA 94104
Email: [email protected]Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice
Dear Reddit DMCA Designated Agent,
I, [Your Full Name], am writing to inform you of instances of copyright infringement that I have discovered on your platform. I am the copyright owner of the following material, and I have not authorized the use of this content on Reddit.
Identification of Copyrighted Work: The copyrighted work in question is titled “[Title of Your Work],” which is [a detailed description of your copyrighted work, including any relevant registration numbers, publication dates, etc.].
Location of Infringing Material: The infringing material is being displayed on Reddit at the following URL(s):
- [URL where the infringing material is located]
- [Additional URLs as necessary]
Contact Information: Below is my contact information:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Good Faith Belief: I have a good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted material described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
Accuracy of Information: I declare, under penalty of perjury, that the information provided in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
Signature:
- [Your Full Name]
I request that you remove or disable access to the infringing material as specified above. Please inform me about the actions you have taken in response to this notice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name]
DMCA Takedown Request Template for Instagram
Did you find your content on Instagram? Check out our guide on submitting takedown requests on Instagram>>
A DMCA takedown request for Instagram looks a little like this:
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
Designated Agent
Instagram, LLC
1601 Willow Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Email: [email protected]Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice
Dear Instagram DMCA Agent,
I, [Your Full Name], am writing to inform you of instances of copyright infringement that I have discovered on your platform. I am the copyright owner of the following material, and I have not authorized the use of this content on Instagram.
Identification of Copyrighted Work: The copyrighted work in question is titled “[Title of Your Work],” which is [a detailed description of your copyrighted work, including any relevant registration numbers, publication dates, etc.].
Location of Infringing Material: The infringing material is being displayed on Instagram at the following URL(s) or username(s):
- [URL or username where the infringing material is located]
- [Additional URLs or usernames as necessary]
Contact Information: Below is my contact information:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Good Faith Belief: I have a good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted material described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
Accuracy of Information: I declare, under penalty of perjury, that the information provided in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
Signature:
- [Your Full Name]
I request that you remove or disable access to the infringing material as specified above. Please inform me about the actions you have taken in response to this notice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name]
DMCA Takedown Request Template for Google
Did you find your content on Google? Check out our guide on submitting takedown requests on Google>>
Last (but certainly not least!), here’s one for Google:
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
Google LLC
Attn: DMCA Complaints
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
USA
Email: [email protected]Subject: DMCA Takedown Notice
Dear Google DMCA Agent,
I, [Your Full Name], am writing to inform you of instances of copyright infringement that I have discovered on your platform. I am the copyright owner of the following material, and I have not authorized the use of this content on any of Google's services, including but not limited to Google Search, Google Images, YouTube, Blogger, or any other service managed by Google.
Identification of Copyrighted Work: The copyrighted work in question is titled “[Title of Your Work],” which is [a detailed description of your copyrighted work, including any relevant registration numbers, publication dates, etc.].
Location of Infringing Material: The infringing material is being displayed on Google's services at the following URL(s):
- [URL where the infringing material is located]
- [Additional URLs as necessary]
Contact Information: Below is my contact information:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Good Faith Belief: I have a good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted material described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
Accuracy of Information: I declare, under penalty of perjury, that the information provided in this notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
Signature:
- [Your Full Name]
I request that you remove or disable access to the infringing material as specified above. Please inform me about the actions you have taken in response to this notice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name]
What to Do If You Receive a DMCA Counter Notice
Describe what it is and what it means if you do nothing after getting one. Talk about how responding can help and what it may result in.
Sometimes, after submitting a DMCA takedown request, you will receive a DMCA counter notice.
Once you submit the DMCA takedown notice to the site, they notify the offending party (the user, sudscriber, etc who posted or shared the “stolen” content). If the user or subscriber believes that their content is not infringing on any copyright laws, they have the opportunity to respond with a DMCA counter-notice.
The site owner then has the obligation to send the DMCA counter-notice to the person who sent the DMCA notice in the first place.
According to the Copyright Alliance: “Once the service provider has received a valid DMCA counter notice they must wait 10-14 days. If the copyright owner sues the alleged infringer in that time frame the material will remain down, but if no suit is filed then the service provider must re-activate or allow access to the alleged infringing activity.”
So, if you receive a counter-notice, you have two weeks to decide if you want to sue. If you don’t, the content will likely get put back up on the site it was on. Unfortunately, a counter-notice generally requires you to escalate to a more official avenue, usually requiring legal action to ensure the removal of the offending content.
DMCA Counter-Notice Response Templates
Here are a few examples of templates you can use if you receive a DMCA takedown notice and believe you have good legal standing to prove that the content isn’t infringing on copyright laws.
For Reddit:
Below is a template for a DMCA counter-notice that you can use if you believe that your content on Reddit was removed or disabled due to an error or misidentification.
Before submitting a counter-notice, ensure that you fully understand your rights and obligations under the DMCA. It's often wise to consult with an attorney if you're unsure about the process or your rights.
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
Reddit, Inc.
Attn: DMCA Designated Agent
548 Market St #16093
San Francisco, CA 94104
Email: [email protected]Subject: DMCA Counter-Notice
Dear Reddit DMCA Designated Agent,
I, [Your Full Name], am writing to provide a formal counter-notice in response to your notification of alleged infringement regarding my content on Reddit. I believe that my content was removed or disabled due to a mistake or misidentification of the material. I am providing this counter-notice in good faith and with the understanding that, under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, I may be liable for any damages if I have knowingly materially misrepresented that the material was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification.
Identification of Material Removed or Disabled: Please describe the material that was removed or disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled.
Description of material: [Provide a detailed description of the material that was removed or disabled.]
Location of material: [Provide the URL or other identifying location of the material on Reddit before it was removed or disabled.]
Your Contact Information:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Consent to Jurisdiction: I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which my address is located, or if my address is outside the United States, for any judicial district in which Reddit may be found, and I will accept service of process from the person who provided the DMCA notification or an agent of such person.
Statement of Good Faith: I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled.
Your Signature:
- [Your Full Name]
I request that Reddit restore the material in question within 10 to 14 business days, as outlined by the DMCA.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name]
For YouTube:
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
Counter Notification – DMCA
YouTube, LLC
901 Cherry Ave.
San Bruno, CA 94066
USASubject: DMCA Counter-Notification
Dear YouTube DMCA Compliance Team,
I, [Your Full Name], am writing to provide a formal counter-notification in response to your notification of an alleged infringement regarding my content on YouTube. I believe that my content was removed or disabled due to a mistake or misidentification of the material. I am providing this counter-notification in good faith and with the understanding that, under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, I may be liable for any damages if I have knowingly materially misrepresented that the material was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification.
Identification of Material Removed or Disabled: Please describe the material that was removed or disabled and the location (URL) at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled.
Description of material: [Provide a detailed description of the material that was removed or disabled.]
URL of material: [Provide the URL where the material was located on YouTube before it was removed or disabled.]
Your Contact Information:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Consent to Jurisdiction: I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which my address is located, or if my address is outside the United States, for any judicial district in which YouTube may be found, and I will accept service of process from the person who provided the DMCA notification or an agent of such person.
Statement of Good Faith: I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled.
Signature:
- [Your Full Name]
I request that YouTube restore the material in question within 10 to 14 business days, as outlined by the DMCA.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name]
For Google:
- [Your Full Legal Name]
- [Your Address]
- [City, State, Zip]
- [Email Address]
- [Phone Number]
- [Date]
Google LLC
Attn: DMCA Counter-Notifications
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
USA
Email: [email protected]Subject: DMCA Counter-Notification
Dear Google DMCA Compliance Team,
I, [Your Full Name], am writing to provide a formal counter-notification in response to your notification of an alleged infringement regarding my content on Google's services. I believe that my content was removed or disabled due to a mistake or misidentification of the material. I am providing this counter-notification in good faith and with the understanding that, under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, I may be liable for any damages if I have knowingly materially misrepresented that the material was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification.
Identification of Material Removed or Disabled: Please describe the material that was removed or disabled and the location (URL) at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled.
Description of material: [Provide a detailed description of the material that was removed or disabled.]
URL of material: [Provide the URL where the material was located on Google's service before it was removed or disabled.]
Your Contact Information:
- Full Name: [Your Full Name]
- Address: [Your Address]
- City, State, Zip: [Your City, State, Zip]
- Phone Number: [Your Phone Number]
- Email Address: [Your Email Address]
Consent to Jurisdiction: I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which my address is located, or if my address is outside the United States, for any judicial district in which Google may be found, and I will accept service of process from the person who provided the DMCA notification or an agent of such person.
Statement of Good Faith: I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled.
Signature:
- [Your Full Name]
I request that Google restore the material in question within 10 to 14 business days, as outlined by the DMCA.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
- [Your Signature (if submitting a hard copy)]
- [Your Printed Full Name]
Conclusion
Sending a DMCA takedown can seem daunting, but luckily, there are plenty of resources available to make it as easy as possible to get infringing content taken down from various sites.
Try one of these useful templates or use a DMCA takedown service like our own DMCA takedown service!
Reclaim Your Stolen Content
Our content was stolen! So, we found an anti-piracy expert to reclaim our lost rankings and stop unauthorized copies. Now you can work with him too.
- Avoid lost revenue when others monetize YOUR content
- Stop brand damage when your name is used on shady websites
- Prevent pirated copies from appearing above you in search results
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to include in my DMCA takedown notice?
You need to include “the infringing URL you want removed, the source URL where the content was stolen from, and a description of how you own the content and how it was stolen from you” in your DMCA takedown notice.
Can I use a template to file my DMCA notice?
Yes, you can (and should!) use a template to file your DMCA notice.
How can a DMCA template help me during the process?
A DMCA template can help ensure that all of the necessary information is included in your DMCA takedown notice, as well as format it appropriately and make your intentions clear, while taking the guesswork out of filing.
How should I respond to a DMCA counter-notice?
You should respond to a DMCA counter-notice by getting evidence of legal action.