> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.casebender.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# License

> View your CaseBender plan, seats, and Installation ID, and apply a paid license key.

A new on-premises installation starts on the **Community** plan. That plan is issued locally during first boot. You do not need a key from CaseBender to begin using the product.

Paid plans (Pro and Enterprise) are issued by CaseBender against this appliance's **Installation ID**. Open **Settings → License** as a Super Admin or Organization Admin.

## What the License page shows

* Current plan (Community, Pro, or Enterprise)
* Seat count
* Expiration date, when the plan has a term
* **Installation ID**, a stable public identifier such as `CBI-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX`
* **Contact sales**, which opens a mail draft that already includes the Installation ID

The Installation ID identifies this deployment. It is not a secret and is safe to copy into a license request. Settings never displays `LICENSE_SECRET_KEY`. Do not send that value to CaseBender.

## Request a paid license

<Steps>
  <Step title="Copy the Installation ID">
    Open **Settings → License** and copy the Installation ID. Operators can also print it from the installation host:

    ```bash theme={null}
    ./casebender license
    ```

    The command prints only the Installation ID. It never prints `LICENSE_SECRET_KEY`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send the ID to CaseBender">
    Use **Contact sales** on the License page, or email CaseBender with the Installation ID, the plan you need, the number of seats, and the term.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Paste the key you receive">
    Select **Upgrade to Pro** or **Update your license**, paste the full key into the dialog, and save. The same field accepts a new paid key and a key you already applied on this installation.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The key is bound to this Installation ID. A key issued for a different appliance will not activate here.

## Community plan

Community includes **1** user and does not expire. Invite and account-creation paths enforce that seat limit on the server. To add analysts, request a paid key.

## Paid plans

A paid key declares the seat count and the expiration date. CaseBender re-reads the key on the appliance; the date stored in the database is not the source of truth.

* While the term is valid, Super Admins and Organization Admins can change the deployment as usual.
* After the term ends, CaseBender keeps a short grace period so you can apply a renewal key without interrupting investigations.
* When grace ends, the appliance becomes **read-only** until you apply a renewed key. Existing cases remain visible; writes are blocked.

Applying a key does not require outbound access to CaseBender. Air-gapped installations can paste a key received over an approved offline channel.

## After you apply a key

* Keep the Installation ID with your runbooks. It does not rotate when Community is refreshed or when you upgrade the images.
* Back up `.env` with the rest of the installation. New installs write `CASEBENDER_INSTALLATION_ID` there so web, API, and worker share the same ID.
* Rebuilding the appliance on a new host creates a **new** Installation ID. Ask CaseBender for a key bound to the new ID; do not reuse a key from the previous host.

<Warning>
  Do not paste `.env`, `LICENSE_SECRET_KEY`, database URLs, or other secrets into a license request. The Installation ID is the only identifier CaseBender needs to issue a paid key.
</Warning>

## Related guides

* [Members](/en/settings/account/members) — inviting users within the licensed seat count
* [First-run setup](/en/deployment/first-run-setup)
* [Upgrading CaseBender](/en/deployment/upgrading)