00WHAT THE LICENCE SAYS

Public data,
yours to reuse.

A bright modern public library reading room with long tables and tall windows, people working quietly in the distance — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

A great deal of UK government information is free to build on.

Reports, statistics, datasets and even source code are usually published under the Open Government Licence. It lets you copy, adapt and use them commercially, on one main condition: say where they came from.

FREEworldwide, royalty-freeUpdated 16 October 2026

Check what's covered

01Principles

Copy and adapt
Use it commercially
Credit the source
Open by default, with a few limits

02THE SHORT ANSWER

Use it freely,
say where it's from.

The licence is worldwide, royalty-free and perpetual.
Its key condition is attribution.

FREEDOMS

Copy, adapt, even sell

Under OGL v3.0 you may copy, publish, adapt and exploit the information commercially, for example by combining it with other data in your own app.

Check what's covered

CONDITION

Credit the source

Include the publisher's attribution statement, or if none is given: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

How to reuse

CROWN COPYRIGHT

Made by government

Work made by civil servants and ministers in their duties is Crown copyright. Its default licence is the OGL, managed by the Keeper of Public Records.

See the numbers

03A QUICK REUSE CHECK

Does the licence
cover it?

Pick a kind of material to see whether the Open Government Licence lets you reuse it. The bar shows how freely you can use it under the OGL.

Based on the Open Government Licence v3.0 published by The National Archives. Always check the licence statement on the page you are using. Not legal advice.

Reuse check

Choose a kind of materialA published dataset or reportPublished source codeA third-party photo in a reportA department logo or crestPersonal data

A published dataset or reportCovered

If it is published under the OGL, you may copy, adapt and use it commercially, as long as you acknowledge the source.

Published source codeCovered

The licence's definition of Information includes source code, alongside content and data, where it is offered under the OGL.

A third-party photo in a reportCheck first

The OGL does not cover third-party rights the publisher is not authorised to license, so you may need the owner's permission.

A department logo or crestNot covered

Logos, crests and the Royal Arms are excluded unless they form an integral part of a document or dataset. You must not suggest official endorsement.

Personal dataNot covered

The licence does not cover personal data in the information, or identity documents such as the British passport.

Source: The National Archives, Open Government Licence for public sector information, version 3.0.

04TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

Open for years,
protected for longer.

When the national open data site started,
and how long Crown copyright can last.

2010

Year data.gov.uk began helping people find open data

The site, now known as the National Data Library, is run by the Government Digital Service. In early 2026 it began turning into a single gateway to curated public sector data.

OPEN DATA · DATA.GOV.UK

125 years

Longest term for an unpublished Crown work

Crown copyright lasts 125 years from creation, or 50 years from commercial publication if the work is published within 75 years of being made.

CROWN COPYRIGHT · IPO

Crown copyright is defined in section 163 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. It covers legislation, government reports, official press releases and many public records.

05FOUR STEPS TO REUSE

Building on
public information.

These steps follow the licence text. They take a minute, and they keep your reuse within the terms.

Look for the licence statement
Check the page or dataset says it is published under the Open Government Licence, and which version.
Copy the attribution
Use the publisher's own attribution statement, or the standard OGL wording if none is given, and link to the licence where possible.
Leave out what's excluded
Personal data, logos and crests, third-party material and trade marks are not licensed under the OGL.
Don't imply endorsement
The licence gives no right to suggest official status, or that the publisher endorses you or your use.

Rows of plain grey archive boxes on metal shelving in a quiet records store — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

06PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS

Compatible with
Creative Commons.

Hands holding a tablet showing a colourful abstract bar chart, on a desk beside a cup of coffee — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

The National Archives says OGL v3.0 is compatible with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence and the Open Data Commons Attribution Licence.

That means if you adapt OGL information and license your version under either of those licences, complying with them automatically satisfies the OGL's conditions. Attribution matters: if you fail to meet the conditions, your rights under the licence end automatically.

07Questions

Questions people ask

Can I use government statistics in my own app or business?

Yes, if they are published under the Open Government Licence. OGL v3.0 allows you to exploit the information commercially, including combining it with other information in your own product or application, as long as you acknowledge the source.

What attribution do I need to give?

Any attribution statement the publisher specifies. If there isn't one, use: Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and link to the licence where possible.

Can I use a government department's logo?

Generally no. The OGL excludes departmental or public sector logos, crests and the Royal Arms, except where they form an integral part of a document or dataset.

What is Crown copyright?

Copyright in works made by officers or servants of the Crown in the course of their duties, under section 163 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The default licence for most of it is the OGL.

Is the OGL compatible with Creative Commons?

Yes. The National Archives says OGL v3.0 is compatible with Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and the Open Data Commons Attribution Licence.

08Sources

Public data,
yours to reuse.