Watermarking OS data

OS data is made up of, or is derived from these products:

• OS MasterMap Topography Layer.
• OS MasterMap Highways Network.
• OS VectorMap Local.
• Withdrawn products - Land-Line, Integrated Transport Network (ITN), OSCAR, 1:10 000 Scale Raster.

No watermarking is required when you are making OS data available in:

• A hard copy.
• An electronic document (e.g. a PDF).
• A static internet image.

When you are making OS data available in an electronic document and/or a static internet image, you must ensure the OS data is not able to be edited, manipulated, interrogated (for example, for feature attribution) or geo-referenced. The OS data must not be customised in any way, or be used within any geographical information system (GIS), comparable database or software system.

It is your choice whether you add a watermark or not - providing that you have employed the appropriate security measures to support your decision.

If you do add a watermark, you can choose the type of watermark and the method to apply it. It should always identify the authority publishing the map.

Watermarking does not apply to web map services and web feature services for INSPIRE purposes. Instead this falls under our:

• Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) refer to paragraph 8 of Appendix 1 in the PSGA Member Licence (PDF).

You can use OS data within your business, including on intranets. Follow the same guidance as above.

Where you have a statutory obligation to publish planning applications on the internet, you may use your discretion and choose not to include a watermark on any mapping extras, which may be included in the planning application. This is regardless of the guidance on electronic publishing outlined above.