license

license · Recommended by Google

Appears in

Dataset

What is it?

The license property specifies the legal terms under which a dataset can be used, shared, or modified. It tells data consumers whether they can freely use the data, need to give attribution, or face restrictions on commercial use.

The value should be a URL pointing to the specific license document, such as a Creative Commons license page.

Why this matters for AEO

When a user asks "can I use the NOAA weather data commercially," AI answer engines check the license field to determine usage rights. A structured license URL lets the AI give a definitive answer about permissions rather than advising the user to "check the source."

What the specs say

Schema.org:CreativeWork, URL. A license document that applies to this content, typically indicated by URL.

Google: Recommended. "A license under which the dataset is distributed." Source

How to find your value

• CC0 (Public Domain) — https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
• CC BY 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• CC BY-NC 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• MIT License — https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
• Open Data Commons ODC-By — https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/by/1-0/
• Custom license — URL to your own terms page

Format and code

URL string (most common):

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "NCDC Storm Events Database",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/"
}

As a CreativeWork object (for custom licenses):

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "Proprietary Climate Data",
  "license": {
    "@type": "CreativeWork",
    "name": "Custom Data License v2",
    "url": "https://example.com/data-license"
  }
}

Webflow implementation

Static pages

Add the license URL string inside your Dataset JSON-LD block in Page Settings > Custom Code > Footer Code. Use the canonical URL for the license, not a shortened version.

CMS template pages

Create a CMS link field for the license URL. Reference it in a custom code embed to populate the license property dynamically.

In Schema HQ

The license field does not currently generate Dataset markup. Add license data manually through Webflow custom code.

Real examples

From Swedish Research Data Service:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "Water balance dataset",
  "license": "https://meta.fieldsites.se/ontologies/sites/sitesLicence"
}

From Google Dataset Search Documentation:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "NCDC Storm Events Database",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/"
}

Related fields

• creator
• spatialCoverage
• temporalCoverage
• name

FAQ

Should I use a URL or a CreativeWork object for license?

Use a URL string pointing to a well-known license (Creative Commons, MIT, ODC). Use a CreativeWork object only if your organization has a custom license that needs its own name and description. Google Dataset Search works best with standard license URLs.

What if my dataset has no formal license?

Add one. Datasets without a license are legally ambiguous, and many data catalogs and AI systems will deprioritize or skip them. CC0 (public domain) or CC BY 4.0 (attribution required) are the most common choices for open data.

Does the license URL need to match an exact format?

Use the canonical URL for the license version. For Creative Commons, use the format https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ with the trailing slash. Avoid linking to license chooser pages or translated versions.