Stolen art on Etsy is usually being sold: printed on mugs and stickers, or offered as a digital download. Etsy handles intellectual property complaints through its Reporting Portal, and the older one-off report form is no longer available for listing-level reports.
You must own the work or be authorized to act for the owner. Etsy suggests contacting the seller first, but you aren't required to before reporting.
Legal basis: Copyright (DMCA §512) and trademark, through Etsy's Intellectual Property Policy.
Where to file
Etsy Reporting Portal
Register for the portal, add the intellectual property you own, then create a report and add the infringing listings. Once your work is on file, later reports are faster.
Etsy Help Center
Etsy's own walkthrough of how to report intellectual property infringement and what happens next.
What you need
- The URL or listing ID of each infringing listing
- Proof the work is yours: a link to where you first published it, your original files, or a registration number if you have one
- Screenshots of the listings, since sellers often relist under new titles
- Your contact details, which Etsy may share with the seller
Typical response time
Etsy typically reviews reports within a few business days.
What usually goes wrong
- The seller can file a counter-notice. If they do and you don't start legal proceedings, the listing can be restored.
- Report each listing. A shop selling many of your pieces needs every listing added to the report.
- Etsy acts on listings, not on copies sold elsewhere. If the same seller runs a separate website, that needs its own notice.
Need the notice itself?
Our free generators build a notice containing every element the law requires — nothing you type leaves your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a copyright registration to report on Etsy?
No. Copyright exists from the moment you create the work, and you can report without registering. A registration number helps, and it matters if a dispute goes to court.
Should I message the seller first?
Etsy recommends it, and it sometimes works. If you don't want contact with the seller, or they don't respond, report through the portal.
Will the seller see my name?
Etsy may share the reporter's contact information with the seller as part of the intellectual property process, so use contact details you're comfortable sharing.
Go deeper
Other platform guides
Legal disclaimer
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Platform processes and response times change, so confirm the current route on the platform's own help pages before filing. A DMCA notice contains a statement made under penalty of perjury — file only for content you own or are authorized to act for. Consult an attorney for contested or complex situations.
Filing is the last step
Proprias scans daily across Google, image results, X, Reddit, forums, Instagram, TikTok and the open web, preserves hashes and screenshots before content moves, and — on Defend and VIP — files as your authorized agent so your legal name stays off the notice.
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