Order a reproduction with a commercial use

Please note: this section deals mainly with the ordering of “images” and “sound recordings” products, as these are the most frequently re-used in a commercial context, but any type of reproduction may be involved. For details of the different products on offer, see: reproduction products and fees.

How to order images, sound or video recordings from the BnF

Already digitized images

On the online databases, already digitised images delivered quickly via the BnF personal area:

• On the Image Bank: almost a million images available, including those under copyright: prints, photographs, illuminated and autograph manuscripts, drawings and engraving,newspaper front pages, maps and globes, objets d’art and coins. Purchase of high definition images and payment of the associated licence fee.
• On Gallica, online purchase of high-definition prints using the “Acheter une reproduction” (“Buy a reproduction”) function, delivery within the hour.
• On Mandragore (iconographic database of the Department of Manuscripts): purchase on quotation.
• On Retronews (the BnF Press website), for all requests for reproduction and commercial use, please contact reproduction@bnf.fr directly.

Non-digitised images

Non-digitised images can be found in the General Catalogue records.
You can also order them by requesting a quotation or sending an email directly to reproduction@bnf.fr, particularly if you wish to order a large number of images.

Sound or video recordings

Sound or video documents can be found in the General Catalogue records.
You can also order them by requesting a quotation or sending an email directly to reproduction@bnf.fr.

How to declare a commercial use

The use of images or sound recordings, whether in the public domain or not, in a publication for sale (with the exception of academic or scientific works), an exhibition, an audiovisual production, a paid service or product, a service invoiced to a third party or a promotional or commercial medium is subject to authorisation and payment of a usage fee.
The use of documents or images in an academic or scientific publication is free of charge, providing the source is acknowledged: BnF or Bibliothèque nationale de France. An academic or scientific publication is deemed to mean one published in the context of academic research work. The use of documents for publications for primary and secondary education and documentary bases that commercialise large digital corpora is not free of charge.
To declare the commercial use of the images or sound recordings ordered, a question about your use and a form will be sent to you at the end of the purchase process (by quotation or online).
Good to know:
Use the commercial use declaration form without submitting it, as this calculates the licence fee amount based on your uses (for images only).

What budget to allow for

For use of images

Prices for buying a high-definition image and for using it (not including special delivery).
The technical costs of making a previously digitised image available are €7 for a high definition (HD) image and €12 for a Premium image. The cost of scanning from the original is €25 for a high definition image and €50 for a Premium image.
Reductions on the “Licence fee” part only are applied according to the total number of images used in the same project:

• from 10 to 19 images: -10%
• from 20 to 29 images:-20%
• 30 images or more: negotiated fee

An additional fee is charged for transferring rights to another publisher: +50%

NB: if you already have the images, you only have to pay the licence fee.

For use of a sound recording

For use of reproductions of video documents

The cost of using video documents is calculated per minute. For usage above 3 minutes, a negotiated rate is possible. Authorisation is granted for in perpetuity usage.