Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQ is being put together by the community regarding OSDP. In addition to the primary authors, the following people have helped generously to obtain these information.

David Eriksson

Is OSDP standardized?

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

Who is the owner of this protocol?

OSDP is wholly owned by SIA.

Can I use OSDP/libosdp in my product?

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

Where can I find the specification document?

Though the protocol is free, the specification is developed maintained and by Security 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 document and implement it yourself.

Although, there is a very specific OSDP use case named Transparent Mode for smart cards that MAY have a license requirement from HID/Assa. There is an alternate method of transporting APDUs from a smart card called Extended Packet Mode that was developed by the OSDP WG and included in the standard that has no encumbrance.

I’m contributing to libosdp project should I buy the specification?

Please send an email to sidcha.dev@gmail.com. Contributors of this project do not need to purchase the specification.

Update (29.06.2021):

This needs to be confirmed with SIA due to the new terms under which the specification is shared to me.