To send a DMCA takedown notice, write a message with six parts: your signature, a description of your work, the link to each copy, your contact details, a statement that you believe in good faith the use isn't authorized, and a statement under penalty of perjury that the notice is accurate and you own the work or act for the owner. Send it through the platform's copyright form, or by email to the website's DMCA agent or host. Our generator writes it for you.
What a DMCA takedown notice must include
US copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3)) lists what a takedown notice needs. Leave something out and the service can ignore it:
- A signature, physical or electronic. Your typed name between slashes, like /Jamie Rivera/, counts.
- The work that was copied, described so it can be identified: "my photograph of Lake Placid at sunset, taken June 14, 2026".
- The infringing copy, with enough detail to find it. Give the exact address of each post or page, not just the site's home page.
- Your contact details: name, mailing address, phone number and email.
- A good-faith statement that the use isn't authorized by the copyright owner, its agent or the law.
- An accuracy statement under penalty of perjury that the information is correct and that you own the copyright or are authorized to act for the owner.
The DMCA takedown notice generator builds a notice with all six from a short form.
Where to send a DMCA notice
Big platforms (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, X, Pinterest) have their own copyright forms, and they act faster through those than through email. The forms ask for the same six things, so you can paste each part of your notice into the matching field. The generator links to each one.
A website usually has a DMCA or copyright page naming who to contact. US sites often register a DMCA agent with the US Copyright Office, which keeps a public directory. If you can't find anyone, send the notice to the company that hosts the site; most hosts have an abuse address.
Google Search takes notices too. That removes the page from Google's results but leaves it on the website, so also send one to the site or host.
Before you send it: fair use and false claims
Save evidence first: a screenshot of each copy showing the address and date, and the image or file itself. Pages get edited or deleted quickly once a complaint comes in.
Check that the use isn't one the law allows. A short quote in a review, a news report or a parody can be fair use, and courts expect you to think about that before sending a notice. And keep it to what you own: a notice is a statement under penalty of perjury.
For photos, the compare two photos tool shows how closely the copy matches your original and lists the evidence that it's yours, ready to paste into the notice. Our guide on how to prove a photo is yours covers the rest.
What happens after you send it
Most services remove or block the copy and let the poster know. The poster can send a counter-notice saying it was a mistake or isn't infringing. If they do, the service tells you and can restore the material after 10 to 14 business days, unless you tell it you've filed a lawsuit.
If the same site keeps copying your work, keep sending notices: services with a repeat-infringer policy can close the account. And if a company is making money from your work, our guide on what to do when someone steals your photo covers asking to be paid.
This page explains how things usually work, in plain words. It’s general information, not legal advice, and rules differ by country. For a decision that matters, talk to a lawyer. Terms