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

A self-hosted install runs unlicensed until you give it a licence. Free is a
real tier in both deployments, and you can claim one for your install from the
HQ portal.

## What a licence is

A signed file. It carries the instance ID it belongs to, the tier, the server
allowance, feature toggles and an expiry. The control plane verifies the
signature locally.

A running instance does not need HQ to be reachable.

:::info One Free per account, per deployment.
The limit is enforced per account **and** deployment, so a Free cloud instance does not stop you claiming Free on a self-hosted install.
:::

## 1. Find your instance ID

In the control plane, go to **Settings → Licence**. The instance ID is shown there.

## 2. Create a free license

1. Sign in at [Vantage HQ](https://vantage-hq.hostxtra.co.uk). If you have no
   account, see [Accounts and signup](../hq/accounts-and-signup.md).
2. Click on the **Buy A Plan** button.
3. Click on **Self Hosted** then click on the **Free** plan, then finally Paste the instance ID and give it a name you will recognise.

You will then see the new instance on the **Overview** page.

## 3. Downloading the free license

With the instance created go to the **Overview** page and expand the new instance.

Click on the **View Instance Settings** button. You can then click on the **Download License** or the **Copy to clipboard** button.

## 4. Install the licence

Download the licence from HQ and paste it in the control plane at
**Settings → Licence**.

The instance validates the signature, checks the ID matches its own, and
starts reporting the tier, allowance and expiry.

:::info Cloud instances do **not** require installing the license as this is done automatically.
:::

## Renewing

Free licences are renewable from HQ within a renewal window near expiry;
outside that window you cannot renew early. See [Free tier](../hq/free-tier.md).

## Moving the install to new hardware

Rebuilding produces a new instance ID, and a licence binds to a ID. Use
**Relink** in HQ to move the licence across. The number of relinks per term is
capped; the portal shows how many you have left.

## Next

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