Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQ has been put together by the community. In addition to theprimary authors, the following people have contributed:

• David Eriksson

Is OSDP standardized? ​

Yes. OSDP has become an IEC standard — IEC 60839-11-5.

Who owns this protocol? ​

OSDP is wholly owned by SIA (Security Industry Association).

Can I use OSDP/libosdp in my product? ​

Yes, you are free to use OSDP and/or LibOSDP in your product. You do not haveto pay any royalties to SIA or goToMain.

Where can I find the specification document? ​

The protocol is free, but the specification is developed and maintained by theSecurity Industry Association and must be purchased from their website.

Is OSDP free to consume? ​

Yes. OSDP is open to consumption. You can procure the specification documentand implement it yourself.

There is one specific use case — Transparent Mode for smart cards — that mayhave a license requirement from HID/Assa. An alternative method, ExtendedPacket Mode (developed by the OSDP WG and included in the standard), transportsAPDUs from a smart card without encumbrance.

I'm contributing to LibOSDP — should I buy the specification? ​

Please send an email to [email protected]. Contributors of this project donot need to purchase the specification.

Update (2021-06-29): This needs to be confirmed with SIA due to the newterms under which the specification is shared.