What to do when a Shutterstock account holder dies
Shutterstock, Inc. has a formal process for transferring accounts after an account holder dies
OverviewWhen someone dies
Shutterstock Contributor Support
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursTicket-based support via messenger (Fin AI Agent)
Shutterstock Contributor Support
Timeline
No published timeline for estate transfer processing. Content continues to earn royalties during processing. Portfolio removal or reactivation takes up to 72 hours to reflect on the website; once content is removed from creative marketplace licensing, the portfolio cannot be reinstated on the customer site for 30 days. No documented inactivity deactivation policy for contributor accounts. Licenses already issued to Shutterstock customers remain in effect even if content is later removed.
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
HoursTicket-based support via messenger (Fin AI Agent)
(General customer service)
Verified Apr 2026
When a Shutterstock account holder dies, Shutterstock, Inc. provides a process for transferring accounts to the estate or designated heirs.
How to request a transfer
Here is the process for transferring Shutterstock accounts after the account holder dies:
1
Contact Shutterstock through the contributor support messenger at submit.shutterstock.com/help/en. Shutterstock states their Fin AI Agent "can help or put you in contact with the right team" to process the necessary paperwork for an account transfer.
2
Provide the will or trust document naming the beneficiary. Shutterstock requires this to be "reviewed and approved by a lawyer or notary public." Shutterstock honors "the instructions of Estate representatives worldwide," so executors and other estate representatives can initiate the process.
3
The portfolio (all uploaded photos, videos, vectors) continues to earn royalties while the estate claim is processed. Content remains active and available for licensing.
4
Understand copyright ownership: the contributor retains copyright under the Contributor Terms of Service. The estate inherits this copyright along with the ongoing royalty stream. Shutterstock holds a non-exclusive license to continue selling the content.
5
Royalty payments are issued monthly between the 7th and 15th via PayPal, Payoneer, or Skrill, based on the contributor's selected minimum payout amount. Ensure the linked payment account remains accessible or work with Shutterstock to update payment details after the transfer.
6
Update tax forms after the transfer. US contributors need an approved W-9 on file (required once earnings reach $10). Payments are withheld until a valid W-9 is on file, even if the account has reached the minimum payout. The estate will need to update tax information (typically a new W-9 with estate EIN), though the specific estate-transition process is not documented.
7
Review the data licensing opt-in status. Contributors can toggle image and video data licensing independently in contributor account settings. The estate can manage these settings after account access is transferred.
8
Do NOT close the contributor account or remove content unless you want to stop earning. Images continue to generate royalties indefinitely as long as they remain on the platform. If content is removed from creative marketplace licensing, the portfolio cannot be reinstated on the customer site for 30 days.
Required Documents
- Will or trust document naming the beneficiary (reviewed and approved by a lawyer or notary public)
- Contact initiated through Shutterstock contributor support messenger
- Updated W-9 tax form (for US contributors) with the estate's information
- Specific documentation requirements beyond the above are not publicly published
Timeline
No published timeline for estate transfer processing. Content continues to earn royalties during processing. Portfolio removal or reactivation takes up to 72 hours to reflect on the website; once content is removed from creative marketplace licensing, the portfolio cannot be reinstated on the customer site for 30 days. No documented inactivity deactivation policy for contributor accounts. Licenses already issued to Shutterstock customers remain in effect even if content is later removed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Shutterstock publishes a help article stating: "In the event of a contributor's death, Shutterstock honors the instructions of Estate representatives worldwide." Portfolios can be transferred to a beneficiary named in a will that has been reviewed and approved by a lawyer or notary public. Shutterstock's Fin AI Agent routes estate-transfer cases to the appropriate team for processing. This is one of the most explicit estate-friendly policies among digital platforms.
Yes. As long as the portfolio remains on the platform, images continue to be licensed and generate royalties indefinitely. The contributor retains copyright (inherited by the estate), and Shutterstock holds a non-exclusive license to continue selling the content. There is no documented inactivity deactivation for contributor accounts.
Yes. Shutterstock states: "Your portfolio may be transferred over to a beneficiary if it is mentioned in a will that is reviewed and approved by a lawyer or notary public." The platform recommends contributors "seek legal counsel to answer your questions regarding Trusts and Estates and set up a Last Will and Testament." The estate inherits both the copyright and the ongoing royalty stream.
Yes. The Contributor Terms of Service provide that contributors retain the copyright in their content; Shutterstock holds a non-exclusive, sublicensable license to continue selling the content. The estate inherits the underlying copyright along with the royalty stream.
Data licensing earnings continue to accrue as long as the contributor's content remains in Shutterstock's datasets. Contributors earn a 20% average corporate royalty rate from data licensing contracts, distributed periodically through a collective Contributor Fund (visible as a separate line in the Earnings Summary). The estate can manage the image and video data licensing toggles independently in account settings after transfer. Opting out excludes content from future datasets but does not retroactively remove content from datasets already licensed.
After the transfer is complete, the recipient can use the accounts according to the program's standard terms. Document the deceased account holder's details to make this process easier for your executor or family.
Shutterstock Contributor Support
WebsiteVisit website→
HoursTicket-based support via messenger (Fin AI Agent)
Shutterstock Contributor Support
Timeline
No published timeline for estate transfer processing. Content continues to earn royalties during processing. Portfolio removal or reactivation takes up to 72 hours to reflect on the website; once content is removed from creative marketplace licensing, the portfolio cannot be reinstated on the customer site for 30 days. No documented inactivity deactivation policy for contributor accounts. Licenses already issued to Shutterstock customers remain in effect even if content is later removed.
WebsiteSubmit claim online →
HoursTicket-based support via messenger (Fin AI Agent)
(General customer service)
Verified Apr 2026