Why Agencies Should Care
When a client receives a cease-and-desist letter for font infringement, they ask one question: "Who built this site?"
Agencies are not always legally liable, but font compliance is increasingly part of professional delivery — like SSL certificates and privacy policies.
When to Run a Font Audit
| Project stage | Action |
|---|---|
| Design approval | Confirm brand fonts have web licenses — not just desktop |
| Development | Track every @font-face and CDN import added |
| Pre-launch QA | Full-domain automated scan |
| Redesign handoff | Document fonts for the next team |
| Retainer / maintenance | Quarterly re-scan after plugin and content updates |
Agency Audit Workflow
Step 1: Inventory Brand Fonts
Ask the client which typefaces are in their brand guidelines. For each, collect:
- Foundry / vendor name
- License type (desktop, web, app)
- Proof of purchase or subscription status
Step 2: Scan the Staging Site
Run a full crawl before DNS cutover. Compare detected fonts against the approved inventory.
Step 3: Flag Mismatches
Common findings:
- Designer used Gotham in Figma — developer embedded it without a web license
- Client cancelled Adobe CC — Typekit fonts still served from cached kit
- Stock theme shipped with self-hosted commercial fonts
- Marketing uploaded a PDF with embedded licensed fonts linked from the homepage
Step 4: Remediate
For each flagged font, either:
- Purchase the correct web license (pass cost to client)
- Substitute an open-source alternative and update brand guidelines
- Remove unused font weights to reduce license scope
Step 5: Deliver Documentation
Provide the client a font compliance report listing:
- Fonts in use
- License status (verified / needs action)
- Pages affected
- Recommended next steps
FontScanner's shareable scan reports work well as a client deliverable.
Pricing Font Audits
Font compliance can be a billable service:
- Included in launch QA for premium clients
- Add-on ($200–$500) for full-site audit + remediation report
- Retainer — quarterly scans for e-commerce and regulated industries
Contract Language to Consider
Add a clause that:
- Client warrants they hold valid licenses for supplied brand assets
- Agency will flag detected unlicensed fonts but is not responsible for fonts client insists on using without license
- Client approves font substitutions when licenses are unavailable
Consult your lawyer for jurisdiction-specific wording.
Tools for Agency Workflows
- FontScanner — full-site crawl, commercial font detection, per-page report
- Font documentation folder — store EULAs per client in your PM tool
- Launch checklist — font audit as a required gate before go-live
Conclusion
Agencies that proactively audit fonts differentiate on professionalism and protect client relationships. A 15-minute automated scan beats a $15,000 settlement letter every time.