My cPanel license is expired or shows a license error. How do I fix it?

A cPanel license error is cPanel saying it can't phone home to verify you. Usually it's fixable in a minute, once the license itself is active.

Steps

You need SSH access as root and your server's Main IP. An invoice that is overdue or an expired license can cause the error, so check those first.

1. Log in at https://noc.versaweb.com and click Invoices. Look for anything unpaid that relates to your server or its license.
2. Open your server under Services and check that its Status is Active.
3. Connect to your server by SSH as root: ssh -l root YOUR.MAIN.IP.
4. Ask cPanel to refresh the license: /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt
5. Wait for the command to finish. It prints whether the license was updated.
6. Reload WHM or cPanel in your browser and try logging in again.
7. If the error says the license is expired, inactive, or not found, open a ticket in the portal, set Department to Technical Support, and ask us to check the license. Include your Main IP and the exact error text.

If it didn't work

• Make sure the server can reach the internet: ping -c 3 cpanel.net. A server with a broken network can't verify its license.
• Confirm the date and time are correct with date. A wrong clock causes license errors.
• If the license is active and cpkeyclt still fails, send us the output of the command in your ticket.