Dataset reference · OpenStreetMap · ODbL
The one source whose licence travels with your export
Most sources in the LocateRight catalogue are CC BY: attribute and carry on. OpenStreetMap is different. The Open Database License carries a share-alike obligation, and that obligation can reach your own derived dataset. This page explains what it requires, how attribution is handled, and how OSM records combine with Overture Places. Full licence table: data sources.
What ODbL actually requires
OpenStreetMap data is published under the Open Database License 1.0. In LocateRight's licence registry this is recorded as approved for commercial use, carrying two conditions — and it is the only source in the catalogue with the second one:
- Attribution is required. Credit to OpenStreetMap contributors must travel with the data.
- Share-alike. If you publicly distribute a derived database, it must be shared under ODbL-compatible terms. This is a real obligation that flows back to you, and it is the reason the registry flags this source separately.
Practically: using OSM data to produce an internal analysis is unproblematic. Publishing a derived dataset as an open product is a licensing decision, not a technical one, and it should be made deliberately rather than discovered later. That is why every export carries its per-source licence field — the rules that attach to the specific dataset in your hands, not a site-wide blanket statement.
Coverage, and why two place sources are used
OpenStreetMap is community-mapped, so coverage varies enormously by place and tracks the activity of the local mapping community. In some cities it is exceptional; in others it is sparse or dated.
LocateRight therefore combines OSM POIs with Overture Places as a single deduplicated place set rather than relying on either alone. A place present in both is reconciled into one record with the contributing sources recorded, so the union reads as a stable measurement instead of a figure that moves whenever a source is added.
What this licence means for your own use
ODbL is the only entry in the LocateRight catalogue whose conditions attach to your downstream work rather than only to our use of the data. The distinction matters when you decide what to do with an export.
| Situation | What ODbL requires | What you must do |
|---|---|---|
| Internal analysis, never published | Attribution applies | Nothing beyond normal use |
| A report or slide deck quoting figures | Attribution applies | Credit OpenStreetMap contributors visibly |
| A derived dataset you publish as an open product | Attribution and share-alike | License your published derivative under ODbL-compatible terms |
| A derived dataset you keep proprietary and sell | Attribution applies | Do not publish the ODbL-derived database itself; cite figures instead |
| Mixing OSM records with CC BY sources in one export | Per-record licence applies | Check the licence field on each record — the strictest term governs any dataset built substantially from it |
The practical guard is the per-record licence field on every export: it tells you which terms attach to the specific data in your hands, rather than relying on a site-wide blanket statement that would be wrong for at least one source.
OpenStreetMap POI data: FAQ
What does the ODbL share-alike obligation mean for data I export from LocateRight?
Open Database License 1.0 requires attribution to OpenStreetMap contributors and requires that a derived database, if you publicly distribute it, be shared under ODbL-compatible terms. This is the one source in the LocateRight catalogue where a derivative carries an obligation back to you. Every export records its per-source licence so you can tell which rules attach to the specific dataset you are redistributing.
Can I use OpenStreetMap data commercially?
Yes. ODbL permits commercial use. The conditions are attribution to OpenStreetMap contributors, and share-alike if you publicly distribute a derived database. The registry records this as approved for commercial use with a share-alike obligation, which is why it is flagged differently from the CC BY sources.
How does LocateRight combine OpenStreetMap with other place sources?
OpenStreetMap POIs and Overture Places are read as one deduplicated place set, because their coverage is complementary and counting a shared place twice would inflate every density figure. Contributing sources are recorded per place so the deduplication is auditable rather than a silent reduction.
Is OpenStreetMap POI data complete enough to rely on?
Coverage varies a great deal by place, depending on how active the local mapping community is. That is precisely why LocateRight combines it with a second place source rather than relying on it alone, and why place counts are reported as a coverage measure rather than a verified count of operating businesses.
See the place set and its licences
Run an analysis and inspect the contributing sources behind each place figure — with the licence attached to each exported record.