MTA Licensing Program

We encourage manufacturers to produce and market products that make creative use of MTA intellectual property. MTA officially licensed products are unique extensions of the MTA brand.

How to request a license

The steps in the design approval process are:

  1. Present the design electronically in PDF format for MTA review/approval.
  2. Submit a prototype for approval.
  3. Provide production samples for MTA to compare to the prototype for confirmation.

Each of these steps takes three to five days. In the event that urgent or same-day approval is requested, we will make every effort to accommodate the request. However, we cannot guarantee immediate turnaround.

Selling your product to the NY Transit Museum

Some MTA licensed products are featured for sale through the New York Transit Museum's online store. Upon request, we can schedule a meeting for company representatives to discuss potential sales through NY Transit Museum stores.

Contact us

To request a license, reach out to the MTA's licensing agent, IMG Licensing LLC, by emailing robert.schwartz@img.com

Licensed product categories

  • Apparel
  • Accessories
  • Plushes
  • Home fashion and décor
  • Holiday items
  • Stationery, pens, and books
  • Games, toys, and scale models
  • Ceramics, glassware, and tabletop goods
  • Jewelry and gift items
  • Interactive and entertainment
  • Retail store-within-a-store concepts
  • Packaging and POP concepts (boxes, hang tags)

Intellectual property

We own and control all rights to the use of our intellectual properties, which includes our name and logos, symbols and signage, images used on equipment and facilities, artistic works, archival and contemporary photography, architectural and industrial designs, maps, and fare media.

These properties offer you a chance to leverage the system’s status as a New York icon.

Categories of intellectual property

  • Signage
  • MetroCard and subway tokens
  • Stations
  • Subway maps
  • Grand Central Terminal
  • Route indicators
  • Rolling stock
  • Historic and contemporary images
  • Arts for Transit

Style guidelines

Officially licensed signature

The MTA Officially Licensed Signature is illustrated here in positive and reverse.

Note that because of the way the eye views negative and positive space, the artwork for the positive and reverse symbol is drawn differently. Always use the appropriate version of artwork as provided by the MTA.

Signature placement

The signature must be placed visibly and permanently on the licensed article in a manner approved by the MTA, as well as on any packaging and hang tag or decal. Any exceptions to the “rule of permanence” shall still require placement of the signature on packaging and hang tags or decals.

Do not:

  • Attempt to construct the signature.
  • Add color, including in a way that causes the “M” to appear completed.
  • Print the signature in more than one color.
  • Change the spacing of the elements.

 

Three images of the MTA logo next to the words “Officially Licensed.” Each image shows a modification of the “M” in “MTA,” with red lines through them to indicate this is not allowed.
Modifications to the “M” in the MTA logo are not allowed.

Examples of approved MTA officially licensed hang tags

Four mockups of merchandise hang tags show examples of tags with photos, contemporary photos with historic photos, and graphics using subway route indicators.

Important things to know

While we prefer that iconic items be used without revision, we do allow a degree of stylizing for some properties, subject to our review/approval. An example: a “Y” token chocolate that does not duplicate the detail of the actual token.

We’re open to adjusting colors for stylistic and artistic purposes, with the exception of certain properties.

There’s no requirement for a specific font, but we prefer the Helvetica family.

 

You can:

  • Use either the entire subway map or a portion of the map.
  • Use replicas of tokens (rather than having to use authentic ones).
  • Include appropriate text copy along with image of properties.

You cannot:

  • Combine your logo with the MTA logo.
  • Use subway route indicators to spell words or phrases. You can use the one existing combination that spells a word, which is ACE.

How to get subway tokens and other authentic items

Tokens and other archival materials are available for purchase from MTA New York City Transit Surplus Materials Sales.

Scheduled appointments to browse images available through the Transit Museum archives can be arranged. Allow two weeks to schedule a specific date and time.

You can also find photos on our Flickr page.