Open source software policy drafted for NZ teams

The issue is usually not just whether your team uses open source, but whether there are clear internal rules around when it can be used, who approves it, and how licence obligations are checked before release. Without that structure, businesses can run into problems with attribution, disclosure obligations, inconsistent developer practices, or confusion about what can be mixed with proprietary code. A policy gives your team a practical framework for approvals, contributions and escalation when a licensing or IP issue comes up.

A well-drafted policy often covers approved sources of code, internal approval steps, contribution rules, record-keeping, licence review, attribution requirements, and restrictions on using certain code in commercial products. It may also deal with how developers should document third-party components, who signs off on releases, and what happens if the business wants to publish code or contribute to an external project. Where relevant, the policy can also address ownership boundaries, brand-risk concerns and how open source use interacts with customer or investor expectations.

The drafting usually turns on your software model, team structure and release process. A SaaS business with frequent deployments may need different approval and record-keeping rules from a consultancy delivering custom code to clients. The same applies if your developers contribute to public repositories, use third-party libraries heavily, or work across multiple products. Your data collection points, internal use and third-party sharing arrangements all affect the way this should be drafted, so the policy should match how code is sourced, reviewed, stored and shipped in the real world.

Often, no. A generic template may list broad principles, but it may not deal with the specific licensing decisions, approval bottlenecks or product-release risks that matter to your business. For example, it may not reflect whether you distribute software, host it, embed third-party components, or allow engineers to contribute publicly. A more tailored document can line up with your engineering workflow and commercial model. It helps clarify the legal risks in scope, with broader compliance depending on your systems, documents and day-to-day conduct.

Timing depends on how complex your software environment is and how much detail is needed about your current development and release practices. Once we have the relevant instructions, we prepare the policy and work through any document-specific questions with you. The fixed-fee covers the policy drafting work and the inclusions listed on this page. It does not include code audits, technical implementation, security remediation, regulator engagement or ongoing representation after the document is completed.

Submit an enquiry on this page or click 'Get started'. One of our legal consultants will review it within 1 business day and get in touch to understand what you need.

Your consultant will then email you a fixed-fee quote setting out the cost, scope and timing. If you're happy with it, you can accept the quote and sign our engagement letter online.

Once you've accepted, one of our Australian-qualified lawyers will work with you to complete your project. They'll contact you by email or phone if they need anything.

Sprintlaw works on fixed-fee pricing wherever possible, so you can review the scope and cost before you decide whether to proceed. For the Open Source Software Policy service, pricing starts from $900.00.

After you enquire, a legal consultant will confirm what is included, the expected timing and whether any extra work is needed before you engage us.

We work online, so we can help wherever you are in New Zealand. Our team works remotely, mainly from Australia.

Your work is done by our Australian-qualified lawyers, who hold Australian practising certificates and specialise in business law. None of them are New Zealand lawyers or hold a New Zealand practising certificate.

Sprintlaw NZ Limited is a legal consultancy, not a law firm, and is not regulated by the New Zealand Law Society. We don't act in court or tribunal matters, conveyancing (including leases and business sales) or other reserved areas of work. Communications with Sprintlaw are unlikely to be protected by legal professional privilege. We still keep everything confidential under our engagement letter.