A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit that includes a processor includes receiving a storage request from a user device via a network, where the storage request indicates a data object for storage in a distributed storage network (DSN) and a licensing identifier associated with the data object. Encoded data slices are generated by utilizing a dispersed storage error encoding scheme. Storage requirement data is generated based on the licensing identifier, indicating unique instance numbers corresponding to each of the encoded data slices. A plurality of write requests are generated, each corresponding to one of the encoded data slices and each for transmission to one of the storage units via the network. Each write request indicates a number of unique writes of a corresponding encoded data slice to a storage unit based on the corresponding unique instance number indicated by the storage requirement data.