---
id: claim-free-licence
title: Claim a Free licence
sidebar_label: Claim a Free licence
---

A self-hosted install stays read-only until you give it a licence. You claim a
Free one from Vantage HQ, and it takes a couple of minutes.

:::warning An unlicensed install is read-only
You can sign in and look around, but adding servers, keys, workflows and
everything else is refused until a licence is installed. Do this before
[adding your first server](./first-server.md).
:::

## What a licence is

A signed file that names your instance, its tier, how many servers you may
manage, which features are enabled and when it expires. Your install checks the
signature itself, so it never has to reach Vantage HQ to work.

:::info One Free licence per account, per deployment
A Free cloud instance does not use up your Free self-hosted one. They are
separate.
:::

## 1. Find your instance ID

Open the **Licence** page from the sidebar of your install. The instance ID is
shown at the top, and it is the value Vantage HQ asks for.

## 2. Create the instance in Vantage HQ

1. Sign in at [Vantage HQ](https://vantage-hq.hostxtra.co.uk). If you have no
   account yet, see [Accounts and signup](../hq/accounts-and-signup.md).
2. On **Overview**, choose **Create a self-hosted instance**. 
3. Choose **Self-hosted**, then the **Free** plan.
4. Paste your instance ID, give the instance a name you will recognise, and
   click **Create licence**.

The new instance now appears on the **Overview** page.

## 3. Download the licence

Expand the new instance on **Overview** and click **View Instance Settings**.
From there, use **Download licence** or **Copy to clipboard**.

## 4. Install the licence

Back in your self-host install, open the **Licence** page, paste the licence and save.
Your instance confirms the licence was issued to it, then shows your tier,
server allowance and expiry date.

:::info Cloud instances need none of this
A cloud instance is licensed automatically when it is created. These steps are
for self-hosted installs only.
:::

## Renewing

Free licences run for a year. The renew button appears in Vantage HQ seven days
before expiry and stays available after it, so a lapsed instance can still be
rescued. See [Free tier](../hq/free-tier.md).

## Moving the install to new hardware

A rebuilt install gets a new instance ID, and a licence only works for the ID it
was issued to. Use **Relink** in Vantage HQ to move the licence across. You get
three relinks per term, and the portal shows how many are left.

## Next

- [Add your first server](./first-server.md)
- [Licensing and entitlements](../hq/licensing-and-entitlements.md)
- [Buying a paid self-hosted licence](../hq/self-hosted-instances.md)