Photography & Events

Free Model Release Form Template (PDF)

A model release for an adult subject is a standalone form granting a photographer permission to use someone's likeness — separate from any contract with the person paying for the shoot, and the document to use whenever an adult who isn't your paying client appears in images you want to use.

When to use it

Use this for any adult subject who isn't the contracting client but whose likeness you want to use — a guest at a wedding you'd like to feature in your portfolio, a model in a styled shoot, a stock or competition submission, or a portrait subject brought in by someone else. If the subject is under 18, use the separate minor model release instead — a release signed by the minor themselves isn't valid; it needs a parent or guardian's signature, which this adult version doesn't include.

What's typically included

• Grant of permission to use likeness
• Scope of use (portfolio, website, social media, print, competition, licensing)
• Commercial or editorial use
• Territory and duration of the grant
• Compensation (or acknowledgment that none is provided)
• Waiver of right to inspect finished work
• Signature blocks for subject and photographer

How to fill it in

• Be specific about scope of use — "social media and portfolio use" is different from "unrestricted commercial licensing," and the subject is agreeing to whatever you actually write here, not what you meant.
• If there's no payment for the use of the images, say so explicitly ("no compensation is provided for this release") rather than leaving the compensation line blank — an empty blank reads as an oversight, not a decision.
• If you plan to use the images somewhere unusual — a paid ad campaign, a book cover, merchandise — call it out specifically rather than relying on a general "any purpose" grant, since a subject is more likely to push back later on a use they didn't anticipate.

Frequently asked questions

What if the subject is a minor?

Use the separate minor model release template instead. A release for a minor needs a parent or legal guardian's signature — a minor generally can't sign a binding release themselves — and that guardian signature block is built into the minor version, not this one.

Do I need to pay someone for a model release?

No — a release is valid with or without payment, as long as it says so clearly. Many portrait and event releases are unpaid; just state that explicitly in the compensation section rather than leaving it ambiguous.

Is an electronically signed model release legally binding?

Yes, under the U.S. ESIGN Act and state UETA laws, provided the subject consented to sign electronically — which DocuAgree captures as part of the signing record.