Clear symbols make better maps.
Whether you are designing a city guide, transport network, tourism map or wall map for print, icons play a central role in how quickly users understand information. A well chosen symbol communicates instantly. A poorly chosen one creates clutter or confusion.
For commercial cartographers, there is an additional consideration: licensing.
Not all free icons are legally safe for resale within printed maps or commercial products. If you are producing wall maps, client commissions or downloadable files, it is essential to use public domain assets or carefully check licence terms.
This guide outlines trusted icon sources and explains how to build a legally secure, scalable symbol library for professional cartography.
Why Licensing Matters for Commercial Maps
MapShop works primarily with printed wall maps and large format products. In this environment, icon licensing becomes particularly important.
Before using any icon, confirm:
- Commercial use is permitted
- Modification is allowed
- Redistribution within a product is allowed
- Attribution requirements are practical
Many stock icon platforms restrict redistribution as part of a resold product. This can apply directly to printed wall maps.
Where possible, prioritise:
- Public domain
- CC0
- Clearly permissive open licences
Keep a simple spreadsheet logging icon source and licence for each project.
Why SVG Is Essential for Map Icons
For professional cartography, SVG is the preferred format.
SVG allows you to:
- Scale symbols from small inset maps to large wall formats
- Adjust stroke weight to match map hierarchy
- Recolour icons to fit your palette
- Simplify geometry for clarity
- Maintain crisp output at high print resolutions
Raster PNG icons rarely perform well when printed large or reduced to small symbol sizes.
The Importance of Good Map Icon Design
Icons are not decoration. They are functional design tools.
Good cartographic symbols should:
- Remain clear at small sizes
- Work in black and white
- Avoid excessive detail
- Follow a consistent visual language
- Support the map’s hierarchy
If you are producing wall maps for sale, consistency is especially important. Mixed icon styles undermine the professional appearance of the finished product.
Trusted Sources for Public Domain and Open Map Icons
Mapbox Maki Icons
Developed by Mapbox, Maki is one of the most respected open icon sets designed specifically for mapping.
Strengths:
- Built for cartographic use
- Clean geometry
- Excellent legibility at small sizes
- Available in SVG
For many digital and print cartographers, Maki provides a reliable baseline symbol system.
https://labs.mapbox.com/maki-icons
OpenStreetMap Carto Symbols
The OpenStreetMap Carto style includes a wide range of mapping symbols used in global map rendering.
Advantages:
- Designed specifically for maps
- Broad coverage of amenities and features
- Proven usability in real-world cartography
https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OpenStreetMap_Carto/Symbols
SVG Repo
SVG Repo provides a large searchable collection of vector icons.
Benefits:
- Licence filtering
- Many public domain options
- Easy SVG download
- Broad category coverage
Always verify licence terms for individual icons.
Pinhead Icons
Pinhead offers clean, minimal icon sets that reproduce well at small sizes.
Well suited to:
- Tourism maps
- City guides
- Visitor wayfinding
- Transport diagrams
Building Your Own Map Icon Library
For long-term efficiency, create your own reusable SVG symbol sheet.
Best practice:
- Standardise stroke widths
- Remove unnecessary detail
- Align icons to consistent bounding boxes
- Test at small sizes
- Maintain a documented licence record
Over time, this becomes a valuable asset for consistent commercial mapping.
Common Licensing Pitfalls
- “Free download” does not always mean commercial resale is allowed.
- Attribution requirements may not suit printed wall maps.
- Some licences prohibit redistribution as part of a product.
- Mixing incompatible licences can create compliance issues.
When producing commercial maps, it is safest to:
- prioritise CC0 or public domain
- document icon sources
- retain original licence information
- store source SVG files separately
Icons are one of the most powerful tools in cartography. When carefully selected and legally compliant, they improve clarity, usability and professionalism.
By working in SVG format, sourcing from trusted open libraries and building a consistent internal symbol system, cartographers can create maps that are both visually effective and legally secure.
