How data licence income is classed and taxed
2 of 6 tax texts read in GB and the US put a sales or use tax on information or data services, newest read 28 October 2026.
What the text treats
Whose law it is
The rule it states
The full board, one instrument per row
A instrument per row. Every answer opens onto the line it comes from, quoted exactly, with the text it sits in and the day of the read. "Not stated" marks a question the text leaves unanswered.
| Instrument | What the text treats | Whose law it is | The rule it states |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporation Tax Act 2009 (UK) | the data as an asset that is bought or sold | not statedNot addressed in Section 712, intangible assets Not addressed in HMRC CIRD11150, meaning of intangible asset | In particular, “intangible asset” includes intellectual property. |
| Internal Revenue Code (US) | varies by document | not statedNot addressed in 26 U.S.C. 197, amortisation of intangibles Not addressed in 26 U.S.C. 1221, capital asset defined Not addressed in 26 U.S.C. 1235, sale or exchange of patents Not addressed in 26 U.S.C. 61, gross income defined | amortizing the adjusted basis (for purposes of determining gain) of such intangible… |
| New York Tax Law | a sales or use tax on information or data services | not statedNot addressed in Section 1105, imposition of sales tax | excluding the furnishing of information which is personal or individual in nature and… |
| Revised Code of Washington | a sales or use tax on information or data services | not statedNot addressed in RCW 82.04.192, digital products definitions | The mere storage of digital products, digital codes, computer software, or master copies… |
| UK VAT (HMRC) | where VAT on a supply of services falls | the United Kingdom | B2B general rule services: supplied where the customer belongs (read paragraph 6.3) |
| Value Added Tax Act 1994 (UK) | where VAT on a supply of services falls | not statedNot addressed in Schedule 4A, place of supply: special rules | a supply of services consisting of the provision of electronically supplied services to a… |
Quoted wording for all 33 answers
- Corporation Tax Act 2009 (UK), HMRC CIRD11150, meaning of intangible asset, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
provides that an intangible asset ‘includes’ (and so is not confined to) ‘intellectual property’ as defined in sub-section (3)
- Corporation Tax Act 2009 (UK), HMRC CIRD11150, meaning of intangible asset, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 2,819 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Corporation Tax Act 2009 (UK), HMRC CIRD11150, meaning of intangible asset, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
CIRD11150 - Intangible assets within CTA09/PART8: asset conditions: meaning of intangible asset: intellectual property
- Corporation Tax Act 2009 (UK), Section 712, intangible assets, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
In this Part “intangible asset” has the meaning it has for accounting purposes
- Corporation Tax Act 2009 (UK), Section 712, intangible assets, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 5,778 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Corporation Tax Act 2009 (UK), Section 712, intangible assets, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
In particular, “intangible asset” includes intellectual property.
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 1221, capital asset defined, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
the term “capital asset” means property held by the taxpayer (whether or not connected with his trade or business), but does not include
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 1221, capital asset defined, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 7,137 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 1221, capital asset defined, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
a patent, invention, model or design (whether or not patented), a secret formula or process, a copyright, a literary, musical, or artistic composition, a letter or memorandum, or similar property, held by
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 1235, sale or exchange of patents, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
property consisting of all substantial rights to a patent, or an undivided interest therein
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 1235, sale or exchange of patents, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 2,869 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 1235, sale or exchange of patents, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
shall be considered the sale or exchange of a capital asset held for more than 1 year
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 197, amortisation of intangibles, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
business books and records, operating systems, or any other information base (including lists or other information with respect to current or prospective customers),
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 197, amortisation of intangibles, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 15,418 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 197, amortisation of intangibles, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
amortizing the adjusted basis (for purposes of determining gain) of such intangible ratably over the 15-year period beginning with the month in which such intangible was acquired
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 61, gross income defined, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, gross income means all income from whatever source derived
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 61, gross income defined, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 1,692 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Internal Revenue Code (US), 26 U.S.C. 61, gross income defined, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
gross income means all income from whatever source derived, including (but not limited to) the following items:
- New York Tax Law, Section 1105, imposition of sales tax, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
analyzing information of any kind or nature and furnishing reports thereof to other persons
- New York Tax Law, Section 1105, imposition of sales tax, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 23,726 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- New York Tax Law, Section 1105, imposition of sales tax, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
excluding the furnishing of information which is personal or individual in nature and which is not or may not be substantially incorporated in reports furnished to other persons
- Revised Code of Washington, RCW 82.04.192, digital products definitions, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
"Digital automated service," except as provided in (b) of this subsection (3), means any service transferred electronically that uses one or more software applications.
- Revised Code of Washington, RCW 82.04.192, digital products definitions, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 26,559 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Revised Code of Washington, RCW 82.04.192, digital products definitions, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
The mere storage of digital products, digital codes, computer software, or master copies of software.
- UK VAT (HMRC), VAT rules for digital services to private consumers, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
The place of supply of cross-border digital services is the consumer’s location, which is determined by where the consumer usually lives.
- UK VAT (HMRC), VAT rules for digital services to private consumers, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is:
If you are a business making supplies of digital services to UK consumers, those supplies are liable to UK VAT.
- UK VAT (HMRC), VAT rules for digital services to private consumers, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
The place of supply will be where the consumer is located.
- UK VAT (HMRC), VAT Notice 741A, place of supply of services, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
B2B general rule services: supplied where the customer belongs (read paragraph 6.3)
- UK VAT (HMRC), VAT Notice 741A, place of supply of services, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is:
If you belong in the UK and the place of supply of your services is the UK, you must charge any UK VAT due and account for it to HMRC regardless of where your customer belongs.
- UK VAT (HMRC), VAT Notice 741A, place of supply of services, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
B2B general rule services: supplied where the customer belongs (read paragraph 6.3)
- Value Added Tax Act 1994 (UK), Schedule 4A, place of supply: special rules, read 2026-10-28, What the text treats:
a supply of services consisting of the provision of electronically supplied services to a relevant business person would otherwise be treated as made in the United Kingdom
- Value Added Tax Act 1994 (UK), Schedule 4A, place of supply: special rules, read 2026-10-28, Whose law it is: No answer on the text, which ran to 39,761 characters when read on 2026-10-28.
- Value Added Tax Act 1994 (UK), Schedule 4A, place of supply: special rules, read 2026-10-28, The rule it states:
a supply of services consisting of the provision of electronically supplied services to a relevant business person would otherwise be treated as made in the United Kingdom, and
Documents we read but did not count
After reading, 1 named document was excluded as off the board's subject; the reason sits below. It counts as read but gives no answer.
- Texas Tax Code ch. 151 (limited sales, excise and use tax): the stored read is the statutes site's shell page (1,610 characters); the text of chapter 151 is not in it
How the figures are worked out
Each instrument's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US were read through estate-fetch and stored whole (sha256 on every row).
For every text, three questions were answered from its own words: what the text treats, whose law it is, the rule it states.
Every stated answer carries the sentence it rests on, checked against the stored text; 'not stated' means the text read does not address the question.
A instrument with several texts reads 'varies' where they disagree.
6 instruments, 11 texts.
All 12 sources
- 26 U.S.C. 61 (gross income defined) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- 26 U.S.C. 197 (amortisation of goodwill and certain intangibles) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- 26 U.S.C. 1221 (capital asset defined) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- 26 U.S.C. 1235 (sale or exchange of patents) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- New York Tax Law s. 1105 (imposition of sales tax) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- RCW 82.04.192 (digital products definitions) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- Texas Tax Code ch. 151 (limited sales, excise and use tax) (read, set aside)
- HMRC VAT Notice 741A (place of supply of services) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- HMRC, VAT rules for digital services to private consumers (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- Value Added Tax Act 1994, Schedule 4A (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- Corporation Tax Act 2009, s. 712 (intangible assets) (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
- HMRC Corporate Intangibles Research and Development Manual, CIRD11150 (cited for reporting; the publisher's own the tax statutes and the tax authorities' own guidance in GB and the US)
Take this figure with you
2 of 6 tax texts read in GB and the US put a sales or use tax on information or data services, newest read 28 October 2026.
What the text treats, by instrument: a sales or use tax on information or data services 2 of 6, where VAT on a supply of services falls 2 of 6, the data as an asset that is bought or sold 1 of 6, varies 1 of 6 (6 instruments, read 28 October 2026).
Whose law it is, by instrument: not stated 5 of 6, the United Kingdom 1 of 6 (6 instruments, read 28 October 2026).
The rule it states, by instrument: stated 6 of 6 (6 instruments, read 28 October 2026).
Credit as: "How data licence income is classed and taxed", updated 2026-10-28, https://monetisecompanydata.com/datasets/data-licence-income-tax-rules/.
Download as CSV (33 answers; derived 2026-10-28)