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How to File a DMCA Takedown on Tumblr

Tumblr's reblog mechanic is great for reach and terrible for theft: one stolen upload of your art, photography, or writing can propagate across thousands of blogs in days, usually with your credit stripped somewhere along the chain. Tumblr runs a dedicated, public DMCA form that doesn't require an account, and the process is one of the simpler ones, if you know how to handle the reblogs. Here's the full walkthrough.

Before you start

  • Proof of ownership, your original files or a link to where your work first appeared (your blog, portfolio, or shop). Tumblr's form has an optional source URL field for exactly this.
  • The URL of every infringing post, including significant reblogs you want gone.
  • Your full contact details, name, address, phone, email, and country. Note that Tumblr forwards your contact information to the uploader.
  • Whether you're the copyright owner or an authorized representative.

Step 1: Copy the infringing post URLs

Open each stolen post and copy its permalink, use the share icon or the post's three-dot menu, or click the timestamp and copy the address from your browser. Because stolen posts spread by reblogging, also collect the URLs of high-visibility reblogs; removing the original doesn't always make every reblogged copy disappear, so listing them explicitly is the safer play.

Step 2: Open Tumblr's DMCA form

Go to tumblr.com/dmca. The page asks you to complete the form to submit a copyright claim and notes it's exclusively for DMCA claims, harassment, impersonation, and other problems go through the Help Center instead. No Tumblr account is needed.

Step 3: Enter the infringing URL and your source URL

Paste the Tumblr URL of the infringing material. The form also offers an optional source URL field, a link to your original work for verification. Fill it in whenever you can: a dated post on your own site or blog is the quickest way for a reviewer to confirm the work is yours.

Step 4: Describe your work and add your contact details

Describe the copyrighted work being infringed, what it is, when and where you first published it, and how the copy differs (cropped watermark, removed caption, re-edited colors). Then complete the contact section: full name, company if any, address, phone, email, and country. Remember this information is forwarded to the uploader, so use business details if you have them.

Step 5: Check the declarations, sign, and submit

Tick the boxes confirming your good-faith belief that the material is unauthorized, that you own the work or are authorized to act for the owner, that your notice is accurate, and that you understand your contact information will be shared. Type your full name as your electronic signature and submit, false claims can carry legal consequences, so report only what's genuinely yours.

What happens after you file

Tumblr reviews the notice and removes infringing posts, notifying the uploader and passing along your notice. The uploader can counter-notify, and content may be restored after the statutory waiting period unless you escalate to court. Repeat infringers risk losing their blogs. After the takedown, search Tumblr for your image or distinctive phrases from your writing, surviving reblogs and fresh re-uploads are common, and each one needs its own report. If refiling against an ever-growing reblog chain isn't a good use of your time, Rulta is a done-for-you takedown service that monitors for copies and files the notices for you.

This guide is educational information, not legal advice.

Need the notice text?Generate a complete DMCA notice for Tumblr — free, one minute

Exhibit A — official takedown formhttps://www.tumblr.com/dmca

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Tumblr account to file a DMCA report?

No. The form at tumblr.com/dmca is public and doesn't require a Tumblr login.

Are reblogs of a stolen post removed automatically?

Don't count on it. Include the URLs of prominent reblogs in your report, and check afterward, if reblogged copies are still visible, file for those URLs too.

Will the person I report see my contact information?

Yes. Tumblr's form states that your contact information will be forwarded to the uploader as part of the notice, so consider using a business address and email.

What is the source URL field for?

It's an optional field where you link to your original work so Tumblr can verify ownership faster. It's worth filling in whenever your original is online.

Can the uploader dispute the takedown?

Yes. Tumblr accepts counter-notifications, and content may be restored after the statutory waiting period unless you show you've filed a court action.