Check the licence before reusing data

Check the licence before reusing data — method

Public access does not mean unconditional reuse. A platform may host different licences; text, data, software, images and third-party material may follow different terms.

1. Identify the resource

   Open the used file or record page. Note named rights holder, licence, version and full text URL. Do not substitute portal terms for the file licence.

2. Read obligations

   Licence Ouverte and CC BY require attribution under their terms. ODbL also sets conditions for adapted databases and certain public uses. Read the text for your reuse.

3. Prepare publication

   Prepare visible attribution, licence link and change notice when required. Check personal data, third-party rights and trademarks separately. A data licence does not settle all these issues.

Situations and decisions

Typical situations for preparing a check. They do not describe completed assignments or actual observations.

Record to retain

• Exact resource, rights holder and downloaded version.
• Licence text, version, URL and access date.
• Planned attribution, transformations and additional checks.

Official references

• Licence Ouverte 2.0
• CC BY 4.0
• ODbL 1.0
• OpenStreetMap

Related source profiles

• data.gouv.fr
• OpenStreetMap
• Zenodo

Related protocols

• Assess a public dataset before reuse
• Evidence and source register

Checks before reaching a conclusion

• Do not infer permission from a download button; find the producer’s licence or request clarification.
• Distinguish map attribution from adapted database conditions; check ODbL terms and producer policy.