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P4 CLI Reference | 2025.1

# p4 license

Update or display the license file.

## Syntax

    p4 [g-opts] license -o
    p4 [g-opts] license -i
    p4 [g-opts] license -u
    p4 [g-opts] license -L

Syntax conventions

## Description

The `p4 license` command allows P4 Server superusers to update or display the license file. This command requires that a valid license file already be present in the P4 Server root directory, P4ROOT.

See also Requesting a license in the P4 Server Administration Documentation.

Use `p4 license` to add licensed users to a P4 Server without having to shut down the service and manually copy the license file into the root directory.

Most new license files obtained from Perforce can be installed with `p4 license`, or by copying over the existing license file. However, if the server IP address or port number has changed, you must explicitly "stop" the server:

For UNIX, see Stopping the Perforce Service and Starting the Perforce Service.

For Windows, see Start and stop the Perforce service.

License expiration occurs at the START of the expiration date according to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). For example, if `p4 license -o` shows the UNIX time for expiration as 1546300801, that means Tuesday, January 1, 2019 12:00:01 AM for UTC (GMT). If your server is in California, the license expires the day before on Monday, December 31, 2018 4:00:01 PM because California local time is 8 hours behind UTC. To convert UNIX time to a more readable format, use a converter, such as https://www.epochconverter.com/.

Alternatively, to get `licenseTimeRemaining` in seconds, use `p4 license -u` as in this example:

    >p4 -u su-bruno -p p4prod.mycompany.com:1666 license -u
    ... isLicensed yes
    ... userCount 651
    ... userLimit 1000
    ... clientCount -
    ... clientLimit unlimited
    ... fileCount -
    ... fileLimit unlimited
    ... repoCount -
    ... repoLimit unlimited
    ... licenseExpires 1582934400
    ... licenseTimeRemaining 5172009
    ... supportExpires 1582934400

If you want a warning that the license will expire within a specified amount of time, consider the script at https://swarm.workshop.perforce.com/files/guest/nick_poole/scripts/nagios/readme.txt.

### Limits for unlicensed use depend on the release

2019.2 patch 14, 2020.1 (patch 8), 2020.2 (patch 6), 2021.1 (patch 1), and later | 2016.1 and later but prior to 2019.2 patch 14, 2020.1 (patch 8), 2020.2 (patch 6), and 2021.1 (patch 1) | prior to 2016.1
Unlimited number of files for 5 users and 20 client workspaces, or Unlimited number of users and workspaces for up to 1,000 files | Unlimited number of files for 5 users and 20 client workspaces, or Unlimited number of users and workspaces for up to 1,000 files | Unlimited number of files for 20 users and 20 client workspaces, or Unlimited number of users and workspaces for up to 1,000 files
Three repos for Git Connector A component of P4 Server that enables you mirror, cache, or replicate a Git repository into a P4 Server repo in a graph depot. See also 'hybrid workspace'., which leverages the power and scale of P4 Server for large binary assets while allowing you to manage Git repos natively. |  |

## Options

`-o` | Display the current license file on the standard output.
`-i` | Read in a new license file from the standard input. For example, see Adding or updating the license file.
`-u` | Report license limits, including the expiration of the license and of Support, and show how many entities (users or files) are in use with respect to these limits.
`-L` | Display valid server IP and MAC addresses to be used when requesting a valid license from Perforce Support.
`g-opts` | See Global options.

## Usage notes

Can File Arguments Use Revision Specifier? | Can File Arguments Use Revision Range? | Minimal Access Level Required
--- | --- | ---
N/A | N/A | super (`admin` for `-u` option)

## Examples

`p4 license -o` | Display the current license file on the standard output.
`p4 license -i` | Read in a new license file from the standard input.

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