Licensing

We want to encourage the development and further use of our hydrographic information. To access, reproduce or publish AHO material you must have the Commonwealth's written permission and apply for permission via a licence agreement with us.

Ship and tugboat departing harbour

Licensing Terms and Conditions

The Commonwealth has prepared standard terms and conditions for granting access to its material. These terms and conditions control the way you may use our material. You will need to meet our copyright conditions and any unique terms that are specified in your licence agreement.

You cannot transfer or allow anyone else to use your licence. However, we may give you permission to engage someone else to assist you in your work.

You must use our official published material for derived products intended for use to assist navigation.

If you do not follow the terms and conditions, it will result in the termination of your licence.

Duration of licences

  • Our licences usually operate for up to three years at a time. Some licences may be for longer periods depending on the circumstances.

Updating your licence

  • If you already have a licence from us, you can ask to have other material or extra uses added to it.

Updates to materials covered by your licence

  • We frequently update our products to ensure they contain the latest information.
  • An update service may be included with your licence. This will allow you to incorporate these updates into your intended work.

Fees, charges and royalties

  • Fees and charges may apply to your licence agreement. We may also charge royalties when reproducing our material. Our licenses give us the right to revise our charges and fees from time to time. For more information, see Pricing and Fees.
  • If you sell or distribute derived products containing our material, we will charge you a royalty on each derived product or service that you supply.
  • The royalty will be a fixed percentage of the net selling price of every derived product that you sell or distribute. We may also charge a fixed amount for every copy of a derived product, instead of charging you a percentage royalty.
  • We will request regular progress reports during the term of your licence including your audited sales and production figures.

Audits and inspections

  • The licence conditions allow us to check that you are keeping to the terms of your licence. We may want to visit your premises at times, to inspect your operations or ask auditors to look at your records.

How to apply for a licence

  1. Contact us to discuss your request. We will determine if we have material that is suitable for your intended purpose.
  2. We will inform you of the most suitable application process, fees, charges or royalties that may apply.
  3. We will assess your application and inform you of the outcome. We reserve the right to refuse any application for a licence at our discretion.

Your licence explains what materials you can use and exactly how you may use them.

All AHO publications and material, in whatever form or media, are protected under the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. 

If you need further information about licensing or the use of our material please contact AHO Licensing.