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Licensing FAQs

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In all instances please refer to the detailed information contained within the relevant License Agreements. These questions and answers are a guide only and not a replacement for the License Agreements. For further information on terminology licenses, please see Licensing.

Are there any costs involved for me as an Australian licence holder?

No. Your licence is free of charge as any licensing fees have been paid for by the Agency to ensure all Australians have ongoing access to national terminology products and services.

What are the SNOMED CT licensing agreements?

To access and use SNOMED CT within Australia, you are required to hold both the SNOMED CT Affiliate Licence Agreement and the Australian National Terminology Licence Agreement. The licence agreements provide full details of terms and conditions of use and are available here.

How do I obtain a licence to use the NCTS terminology products?

You will be provided with an opportunity to review and accept licence agreements when you register on this website or when you attempt to access a licensed product. Further information on licensing is available here.

I already hold an Affiliate licence but wish to use SNOMED CT in a non-member country, what should I do?

You must notify SNOMED International of the use of SNOMED CT in that non-Member country. SNOMED International can be notified through its Member Licensing and Distribution Service. Visit the SNOMED International website for more information. Please be aware fees may apply.

Additionally, if your registered office or principal place of business is in a Member country you must notify the Member for that country of your plans to use SNOMED CT in a non-Member country.

As an existing Affiliate Licensee in member country X, what should I do if I want to use SNOMED CT in member country Y?

You should check the website of each SNOMED CT Member country if you decide to use, deploy or distribute SNOMED CT in these locations. There may be specific requirements for use in that specific Member country. You can find each Member country’s designated website by following the links from the SNOMED International website.

As a potential Affiliate, I would like to deploy a mobile app which uses SNOMED CT. Where do I need to go to get a license?

You will need to contact SNOMED International directly by sending an email to info@snomed.org. Please include a complete description so the applicable license fee can be determined.

As a potential or existing Affiliate, I have a single system which is hosted and serves multiple healthcare organisations in different countries. How should I record this information?

You will need to contact SNOMED International directly by sending an email to info@snomed.org. Please include a complete description so the applicable license fee can be determined.

Do Affiliates have the right to translate the International Release of SNOMED CT?

No. Affiliates are not permitted to translate any part of the International Release of SNOMED CT into any other human language without the prior written consent of SNOMED International (refer to Clause 2.4 of the SNOMED CT Affiliate License Agreement).

Will I as an Affiliate, that uses SNOMED CT in a non-member country, be liable for fees and who will notify me of those fees?

Fees may be payable for usage in a non-Member country. As an Affiliate, in accordance with clause 9.3 of the SNOMED CT Affiliate License Agreement, you must notify SNOMED International and, if your registered office or principal place of business is situated in a Member country, the Member for that country, before exercising your rights under the agreement in a non-Member country. Visit the SNOMED International website for more information.

For any usage of SNOMED CT for which there is not already a fee stated in Appendix B to the SNOMED CT License Agreement, SNOMED International will establish the fees payable for usage in a non-Member country and notify the Affiliate.