Which design files and fonts should come with a graphic design studio I buy?
Ask for the working files behind every active client job, plus archives, templates, stock assets and the font licences the studio relies on. Confirm in writing what each client owns, what the studio keeps, and which licences can transfer to you.
Open files matter more than finished artwork. A client may hold the exported logo, but the layered source files, templates and production notes usually sit on the studio’s drives. Ask where they are stored, how they are organized and who has access. If files live on a former employee’s laptop or a personal cloud account, get them moved before closing.
Fonts and stock assets are where buyers get caught. Many are licensed to a person or a number of seats, and a licence may not pass to a new owner. Ask for a list of fonts, stock libraries and plug-ins the studio uses, who holds each licence and whether it can be transferred or must be bought again. Work already delivered under a licence may be fine, but ongoing jobs may not be.
Then ask about ownership of the work itself. Review a sample of client agreements to see who owns finished designs and who owns the rough concepts. Your lawyer can tell you what transfers in a sale. Finally, check backups: can the studio restore an old project, and are the archives readable with the software you plan to use?
Key takeaways
- Collect a list of source files, templates and archives, and confirm where each one is stored.
- List every font and asset licence and find out which can be transferred to you.
- Have your lawyer review who owns finished work and concepts under the client agreements.
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Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentWhat are the steps to buying a business?
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentAfter buying a business, what is the next step?
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