usageuntil

Usageuntil is a metadata field used to indicate the date on which the current usage rights for a digital resource expire. It serves as a temporal boundary that informs automated systems and human managers when access or use restrictions must be updated or revoked. The term is not standardized across industries, and its exact meaning can vary by schema or organization.

Format and semantics: Usageuntil is typically stored as a date, often in ISO 8601 form (YYYY-MM-DD) or a full timestamp (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ). It usually appears alongside other rights-related fields such as beginDate, licenseType, region, and entitlement. It conveys expiration of permission to use the resource under the stated terms, regardless of availability or maintainability.

Applications: In asset management, digital libraries, and API licensing, usageuntil helps enforce access controls, audit usage, and plan renewals. For example, a stock photo license may have usageuntil 2025-12-31, after which a renewed license or new terms are required. It may interact with renewal processes and versioning of licenses.

Considerations: Clear interpretation requires precise definitions of time zones, grace periods, and extensions. Systems must distinguish between temporary suspensions and permanent expiry, and must handle extensions or re-licensing gracefully to avoid gaps in access.

See also: validUntil, expirationDate, licenseExpiry, terms of service, metadata schema, access control. See also that usageuntil is used in some metadata implementations as a practical indicator of permission validity.