Summary
Microsoft’s March 2026 update to the Services Provider Use Rights (SPUR) adds Power BI Report Server to the SQL Server Additional Software list. The update contains a single change, but it is a meaningful one for every Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) service provider running SQL Server.
Power BI Report Server (PBIRS) is now listed as Additional Software for all SQL Server editions in SPUR
SPLA service providers no longer need a separate licence to deploy PBIRS alongside SQL Server
The on-premises Product Terms have included PBIRS as Additional Software since the SQL Server 2025 release in November 2025
The change is effective 1 March 2026.
Power BI Report Server Is Now Additional Software
Microsoft has updated the SQL Server entry in the SPUR to include Power BI Report Server in the Additional Software table. The change applies to all SQL Server editions available through SPLA: SQL Server 2025 Enterprise Core, SQL Server 2025 Standard (both Core and Subscriber Access Licence, or SAL), and SQL Server 2022 Web Core.
Power BI Report Server is the on-premises component of Power BI. It provides a web portal for hosting and distributing Power BI reports, paginated reports, and key performance indicators (KPIs) within an organisation’s own infrastructure rather than in the Power BI cloud service. It is, in effect, the current evolution of SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), with the added ability to render interactive Power BI reports locally.
What “Additional Software” Means in SPUR
For readers less familiar with the Services Provider Use Rights, “Additional Software” is a defined term. It means software that the SPLA service provider is permitted to use on any device in conjunction with its use of the licensed server software. If you hold a valid SPLA licence for SQL Server, you may install and use any component listed under Additional Software without purchasing a separate licence for it.
The SQL Server Additional Software list already included Management Tools (Basic and Complete), Client Tools SDK, Data Quality Client, Distributed Replay Client, and several connectivity and documentation components. Power BI Report Server now sits alongside these.
The key word is “alongside.” Before this change, PBIRS was not on the list. If an SPLA service provider deployed Power BI Report Server as part of a hosted SQL Server environment, they were using software that fell outside the scope of their SQL Server licence. That meant a separate licence was required.
Why SPLA Providers Couldn’t Rely on On-Premises Rights
Until March 2026, there was a gap between what was permitted under the on-premises Product Terms and what was permitted under SPUR. The on-premises Product Terms added PBIRS to the SQL Server Additional Software list with the SQL Server 2025 release in November 2025. The SPUR did not follow suit until now, four months later.
That gap mattered because SPLA and on-premises licensing are governed by different documents. An SPLA provider cannot rely on rights granted in the on-premises Product Terms. Only the SPUR defines what an SPLA licence permits. A hosting provider who looked at the on-premises terms and assumed the same rights applied to their SPLA deployment would have been wrong.
With the March 2026 update, the gap is closed. SPLA providers deploying SQL Server can now include Power BI Report Server as part of their offering, covered by their existing SQL Server licences.
Practical Implications for SPLA Providers
If you are an SPLA service provider hosting SQL Server for customers, you can now offer Power BI Report Server without additional licensing cost. Customers who need on-premises reporting capabilities, whether for compliance, data residency, or simply preference, can get them through your hosted SQL Server environment.
If you have been reporting and paying for PBIRS as a separate product in your monthly SPLA usage reports, you can stop doing so from April 2026 onwards. It is now covered by your SQL Server licence. If you have been deploying PBIRS without reporting it separately, the March 2026 SPUR update now formally covers that deployment, which is worth knowing if you are approaching an SPLA audit.
For customers of SPLA service providers, the SPUR update means your hosting provider can now legitimately include Power BI Report Server as part of a hosted SQL Server service at no extra licence cost. If you have been paying separately for PBIRS, or if your provider has been unable to offer it, that constraint is now removed.
If you need help understanding how this SPUR change affects your hosting operations, or if you are preparing for an SPLA audit, get in touch. We don’t sell Microsoft licences or cloud services, so our advice is independent.