~4 min read • Updated Mar 1, 2026
1. Checking the License on a Server
You can view your DirectAdmin license information from the GUI:
Admin Level → Support & Help → Licensing
This page shows your license type, status, limits, and expiration date.
---2. What Are Legacy Licenses and the Legacy Codebase?
Historically, DirectAdmin used a hybrid codebase:
- Core feature set
- Pro Pack (additional features)
As of August 1, 2023, DirectAdmin unified all modern licenses into a single codebase. The following licenses include all features:
- Personal PLUS
- Lite
- Standard
All other license types are considered legacy and are no longer sold. Legacy licenses run on a separate codebase with limited maintenance.
The Licensing page will indicate if your server is using a legacy license.
Important: You can upgrade from legacy → unified codebase by applying a new license key, but downgrading is not supported.
---3. What Is a Limited License?
A Limited license behaves like any other DirectAdmin license but includes maximum limits:
- Account Limit – Total number of Admin, Reseller, and User accounts.
- Domain Limit – Total number of domains and domain pointers.
Account Limit
The count includes all account types. Example: A fresh install with one Admin = 1 account.
Domain Limit
Counts all active domains and pointers. Standalone DNS zones do not count toward the limit.
---4. What Happens When You Exceed Your Limits?
DirectAdmin enters over limit mode, disabling many features until you reduce the number of accounts or domains.
Disabled features include:
- Domain creation
- User creation
- Subdomains
- DNSSEC
- Email actions
- DKIM
- SSL certificates
- Backups & restores
- Multi Server Setup
- Let’s Encrypt
- FTP actions
- Database creation
- File Manager actions
Only deletion actions remain available so you can return to normal mode.
---5. License Expired – Common Errors and Solutions
All licensing errors appear in the DirectAdmin service log:
journalctl -u directadmin
5.1 Permanent Error: "invalid license key"
Your license key is incorrect or missing.
/usr/local/directadmin/scripts/getLicense.sh 'YOUR_LICENSE_KEY'
5.2 Permanent Error: "lost license session"
Your license is being used on another server.
- Restart DirectAdmin on the correct server to reclaim the license.
- If stolen, reset the license key in the Client Area.
5.3 Request failed: context deadline exceeded
The server cannot reach the licensing server.
Test connectivity:
dig +short licensing.directadmin.com
curl https://licensing.directadmin.com
5.4 Transient Error: "too many requests"
Multiple servers are fighting for the same license.
Wait 10 minutes and ensure only one DirectAdmin instance is running.
---5.5 Transient Error: "license is IP restricted"
Your server’s IP is not in the allowed IP list.
Whitelist both IPv4 and IPv6 in the Client Area.
---5.6 Transient Error: "request time is out of sync"
Your server clock is incorrect.
Enable NTP and sync the system time.
---5.7 Other transient errors
- license is not active
- license is not verified
- license is suspended
- license is expired
Check the Client Area for license status.
---6. Updating Your DirectAdmin License Manually
Since DirectAdmin 1.63.8, the license file is a simple text Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
/usr/local/directadmin/conf/license.key
Replace the license key:
echo 'YOUR_LICENSE_KEY' > /usr/local/directadmin/conf/license.key
chmod 600 /usr/local/directadmin/conf/license.key
systemctl restart directadmin
Important: The license key file must not be readable by other users.
---7. Old Servers Without Modern SSL Support
Older OS versions (e.g., CentOS 4) do not support TLS 1.2 and cannot connect to the licensing server.
DirectAdmin cannot run on systems without modern SSL/TLS support.
---8. Troubleshooting Broken Licensing
Check the DirectAdmin log:
journalctl -u directadmin
Most issues are covered in the License Expired section above.
Written & researched by Dr. Shahin Siami