Legal smallprint

OpenStreetMap Data is licensed under Open Database License (ODbL).

For you, this means that depending on how you are intending to use OpenStreetMap / or its data, you need to consider a few more items:

Adding your data to OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap requires any data added to OSM to be compatible with the ODbL license. This can cause problems with other licenses commonly used for publishing open datasets. We're going into the details of this in the section below, and all about solutions for licensing open data for OSM in the next section.

What do common open data licenses mean in relation to ODbL?

CC-BY = attribution to the original datasource

Data licensed under this term and used inside OSM would mean that all attributions are listed whenever OSM is used. This would make for a logistical nightmare whenever using OSM embedded in derivative products, such as mobile apps. Just imagine, the app developer would have to list and link to ALL global data sources that were used to make the OSM database inside the app

⛔️ Not recommended.

CC-SA = share alike

Data licensed under this term and used inside OSM (as a derivative product) would mean that OpenStreetMap including this new data could be manipulated and shared or used in derivative products. As the continuous contribution and if needed manipulation of data is the underlying belief for a crowdsourced database, this license is not compatible with ODbL.

⛔️ Not recommended.

Indemnity clauses in custom licenses

As volunteers, OSM contributors have no funds to pay such fees, so licenses including indemnity clauses are not compatible with the use of data in OSM.

⛔️ Not recommended.

👉 More info on all common licenses

✅ Read on about best practices in licensing open data for use in OSM.