PBR texture licenses decide whether a floor can go into a client still, a Steam page, or only your portfolio. CC0, CC-BY, and paid commercial terms all appear on texture sites. This guide is a working checklist—not legal advice—so you stop mixing a “free” personal-use JPEG into a billed job.

CC0: public-domain waiver

CC0 asks the author to waive copyright as far as the law allows. You may use, modify, and redistribute the maps, including in commercial products, without attribution. Locker3d uses this model. You still cannot claim you created the original scan or that you own it exclusively. Full practical limits: CC0 textures: what you can and cannot do. Download from the catalog and apply maps with the Blender PBR setup.

CC-BY and share-alike

CC-BY allows use and modification, including commercial, if you credit the author in the way they ask (name, title, link, license). That is easy in a film end crawl and annoying in a mobile game with no credits screen—plan a readme or store page. CC-BY-SA adds share-alike: if you redistribute a modified texture pack, you may have to offer it under the same license. Shipping a unique game atlas is usually fine; selling a “100 wood textures” pack built from SA sources is not. CC-BY-NC forbids commercial use: skip it for client work.

Paid commercial and “royalty-free”

Paid libraries often sell a custom license: one seat or a studio, sometimes a cap on game copies, sometimes no redistribution of the raw files. “Royalty-free” means you do not pay per view or per unit after the license fee; it does not mean free, and it does not always mean you can put the raw maps on an asset store. Rights-managed stock can limit territory, duration, or exclusivity. Compare that model in royalty-free vs rights-managed textures. For unpaid commercial options, see free textures for commercial projects.

A five-minute check before you ship

  • Find the license on the download page, not in a forum comment.
  • Note CC0, CC-BY, NC, SA, or a custom PDF.
  • If credit is required, add it to the credits or readme now.
  • If raw-file redistribution is banned, pack only inside your build.
  • If the page is silent, do not use the file in a paid job.

Map quality is separate from license. A CC0 set still needs correct color space; see the complete PBR textures guide.

What to use on a deadline

For most indie and archviz jobs, stay on CC0: Locker3d, plus known CC0 libraries such as Poly Haven and AmbientCG. You avoid credit spreadsheets and NC surprises. Browse wood, stone, and metal when you need a client-safe floor today. More license posts sit on the blog.

Put the license next to the file

A license you cannot find is a license you will violate under deadline. When you download from Locker3d, Poly Haven, or AmbientCG, save the URL and the word CC0 in a SOURCES.txt beside the maps. When you download a paid RF pack, save the PDF. Git-ignore huge binaries if you must, but do not git-ignore the text file. If a freelancer joins the project, they should see in one minute which floors are CC0 and which chair fabric is CC-BY. That file also answers the client’s lawyer. If you cannot fill a row, delete the texture before the first paid still. For commercial-use workflow, continue with free textures for commercial projects.

Frequently asked questions

Is CC0 the same as commercial-use free?

CC0 is the most permissive common grant: commercial use, modification, and redistribution without credit. Always confirm the site still labels the file CC0.

Can I use CC-BY textures in a paid game?

Usually yes, if you give the required credit. CC-BY-SA can force share-alike on your derivative texture pack, which may conflict with a closed project.

What license does Locker3d use?

Locker3d textures are CC0. You can use them in commercial work without attribution. You cannot claim exclusive ownership of the original maps.