Royal Mail PAF Public Sector Licence

As a Royal Mail Solutions Provider, we pass on their terms of use when we supply any of our addressing products.

This licence entitles you to

Use Postcode Address File (PAF) data throughout your (public sector) organisation as well as on external websites for displaying or confirming address details.

  • PSGA members
Get this licenceLicence agreement
Get this licenceLicence agreement

Key features

Postcode Address File (PAF)

As all of our addressing products and some of our other non-Open Data products contain Royal Mail's Postcode Address File (PAF®) data, we have to pass on their terms of use when we supply any of our addressing products. These terms are set out in your PSGA Member Licence.

Free for Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA)

Geospatial Commission and Scottish Government have agreements in place with Royal Mail’s Address Management Unit, for centrally paid PAF® Public Sector Licences (PAF® PSL) to cover use of the Postcode Address File (PAF®) in the delivery of public service activity for Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) members.

Benefits for public sector organisations

The PSL Use Terms simplify licensing arrangements, reduce administration, enable easier use of addressing data and enable sharing data across public sector organisations.

Licence agreement

Use cases
  • We encourage you to opt in to PAF® PSL when using OS Addressing products, because opt-out of PAF® PSL means you will be responsible for paying relevant PAF® fees. 
Customer suitability
  • PSGA members
Length of licence
5 years
Licence fee

Free at the point of use in conjunction with PSGA member licence

Terms and conditions

What members need to know

When new members apply for agreements related to OS addressing products, they are encouraged to opt in to PAF® PSL, because opt-out of PAF® PSL means the applicant will be responsible for paying relevant PAF® fees.

What the terms permit you to do

The Public Sector Licence (PSL) Use Terms permit data sharing between public sector licensees; will cover sub-contractors and working with third parties, as well as emergency use situations.

What the terms do not permit you to do

The PSL Use Terms will not permit profit-making or commercial activity. Any public sector organisation wishing to use PAF data for commercial purposes must use the standard licence terms for this purpose.

Data supply arrangements

Data supply arrangements are not affected by the implementation of the PSL Use Terms.

Third party OS data entitlements

Royal Mail 

Documents and support

Trademark acknowledgements

  • Product names and trademarks
    An extensive list of product names and trademarked brands registered to Ordnance Survey
    link
  • Crown Copyright
    Our data and our brand are protected by a variety of intellectual property (IP) rights (including copyright, database rights and trade marks), and our primary income comes from licensing these IP rights to Government, public sector organisations, commercial businesses and consumers.
    link

Who do I contact for licence support?

Please contact Royal Mail's PAF licensing helpline for information and support

Contact Royal Mail

Get this licence

Key features
  • Postcode Address File (PAF)
  • Free for Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA)
  • Benefits for public sector organisations
This licence entitles you to

Use Postcode Address File (PAF) data throughout your (public sector) organisation as well as on external websites for displaying or confirming address details.

Length of licence
5 years
Read licence agreement

How to apply

How can my organisation become a PSL licensee?

You can check to see if your organisation is already registered to the PSL or you can apply to join the PSL on our website.

Apply for PAF Licence

Who do I contact for licence support?

Please contact Royal Mail's PAF licensing helpline for information and support

Contact Royal Mail