Our recent UPRN roundtable with Ordnance Survey highlighted a number of questions on OS’s licensing options. To make things easier for our members using OS data or wanting to explore the benefits of location data, we now have a summary of the licensing available below.
 
Whether you want to trial the data, or use it for commercial purposes, OS offers different licensing options. Check out the summary below to find out what you can and can’t do…
 

WHAT YOU CAN DO AT NO COST

 
OS OpenData is completely free at the point of use on the terms of the Open Government Licence (OGL). This can be used for any purposes in accordance with the OGL and only requires relevant copyright/database right acknowledgments. OpenData – Free GIS Data Download – Geospatial Data Sources for Mapping (ordnancesurvey.co.uk)
 
There is also the Open ID Policy which is aimed at enabling the widest possible use and sharing of TOIDs, UPRNs and USRNs, feeding valuable data into the geospatial ecosystem. Open Identifiers policy (ordnancesurvey.co.uk)
 
Any person or organisation can also gain free access to OS Premium Data (ordnancesurvey.co.uk), a list of which can be found on our website, via the Data Exploration Licence (DEL). It will permit you to evaluate OS data to research and develop potential commercial applications for your business. The DEL lets you use OS data for 12 months and can be renewed. It also allows you to use AddressBase, AddressBase Plus, AddressBase Premium and AddressBase Islands products which include information from Royal Mail, for 3 months. Data Exploration Licence sign up (ordnancesurvey.co.uk)
 

PROPTECH SOLUTIONS/APPLICATIONS: PROVIDING TO THIRD PARTIES

 
Following a successful test, and creation of a product or application which encompasses OS premium data and grants access to a customer, your business will need to sign a commercial licence with OS, to become what is known as a “Partner”. Partner licensing allows you to develop products and services using OS premium data, to re-license to end users and customers. The contract you need depends on the product and/or service you are developing and whether it is for the business or consumer market. They also allow for further demo and testing periods, within the partner contracts.
 
Fees only become payable to OS, known as royalties, when you make sales of your product and/or service to your customer. Most royalties are paid quarterly in arrears. This is a share in success model.
 

OS DATA HUB

 
The OS Data Hub allows for easy to both Open and a selection of Premium Data content (for example OS MasterMap Topography Layer; please note AddressBase, POI and OS Imagery Data are not available) using the OS Data Hub. The OS Data Hub is available to organisations who want to develop a product or service aimed at third parties. Users can benefit from up to £1,000 of free premium data that is available every calendar month, as well as free development mode.
 
In the Prop Tech space, they are a number of use cases around OS data including Design and Planning, Building Safety, Assessing Property Risks and Presenting or Assessing Property Data. For example, if you wanted to use UPRN’s to link one dataset to another, then you would be covered under open licence terms. If you wanted to use Premium Data access the risks of property assets, then you would need an IBU licence. If you wanted to use Addressing to offer end customers, the ability to centre and map and then map a purchase of that map then you would need to enter into Licensed Partner Terms or access this via a OS Licensed Partner.
 
Finally, if you have a requirement to use OS Premium data for the internal running and operation of your business (IBU), then you will need to approach an OS Licensed Partner to obtain the data and appropriate licence.
 
For more information on getting started, and finding the licence that is right for you or for information on OS Licensed Partners who can facilitate and IBU licence , please contact Stefan Wells, Head of Partners at OS at stefan.wells@os.uk