How to write a software license agreement

Formats Word and PDF. Size 4 to 6 pages. Rating 4. How does it work? Choose this template Start by clicking on "Fill out the template".

Complete the document Answer a few questions and your document is created automatically. Save - Print Your document is ready! Applicable law Although there is not one set of laws or regulations outlining what must be contained in an End-User License Agreement, the intellectual property at issue for the license will be covered under the U.

How to modify the template You fill out a form. Some software might be sold with a physical EULA enclosed that comes into effect once the seal is broken or the software is downloaded. For instance, if you're downloading software from the internet, the EULA is delivered electronically. Alternately, if you're purchasing a physical copy of software on a CD, for instance from an electronics store, the EULA can appear in the box in the form of a paper document or manual.

In some cases, the purchaser's details are included in the agreement, but this is usually only the case for physical EULAs that are accepted upon execution rather than accepted on delivery because the purchaser has to be present with the vendor to sign. All Rights Reserved. We provide information and software, and you are responsible for appropriately using this material.

Your use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use. We provide information and software and you are responsible for appropriately using this material. Note: Your initial answers are saved automatically when you preview your document. This screen can be used to save additional copies of your answers. However, make sure the liability clause is fair to both parties.

It can allow you to terminate use at any time with no problems — There should be a portion of the agreement that states that you can revoke licenses at any time. This also gives you the freedom to do so for any reason. Not only can you terminate them, but you can also suspend them if you need to. This is part of being able to maintain complete control over the software at all times. If you do have to revoke a license and your customers try to start a dispute , all you will need to do is refer them to this clause.

What Software License Agreements Cover. There are four main sections of software license agreements and each one covers different information that is key to the execution of the agreement, as follows: General information — In this section, you will find information about when the agreement will go into effect, how long the terms of the agreement will be active for, and the type of agreement.

While this is very general information, it is important because it sets the tone for the entire agreement. Parties involved — This section is important because it defines who the parties are that are entering into the agreement. It will not only detail your company as the one offering the license, but will also include the details of the person or company that is purchasing the license.

You will need to enter in their full name as well as their address and other contact information. You will also need to define whether it is an individual or a company. This information will need to be provided for both parties. Terms of the agreement — In this section, you will find all of the terms of the agreement. This includes the price to be paid for the license, which you can define as a flat fee or a flat fee with yearly maintenance fees.

You will also include information about whether you will be including the code along with the license and if it is a site license. A site license is another option that will allow your customer to use the software on more than one computer but only at one location.

This section will also include some information about maintenance, support, or refunds that will or will not be offered by your company through the agreement.

Fine details — This section is the one that you will use to detail any specifics that are not covered by the other sections of the software license agreement. These terms tend to be more specific to your situation instead of broadly expected terms. Also in this section will be the location for signatures and dates. You can also add in the requirement to have it notarized if you wish to do so.

Finally, you should state in clear terms which local or international laws apply to the licensing agreement of your software. You've got to back up the rules above by showing users that offenders will be prosecuted. International copyright law and licensing laws are also available and can be found in almost any agreement. These basically sum up the licensing agreements whichever you choose and list international laws, acts and jurisdictions under which they can be enforced.

These are all written the same so you can take them from another agreement and change the company name to your own. The best tip I can give you for creating a Licensing Agreement is to use unambiguous language. Stating the rules under which the software is used in clear, simple language closes the many loopholes which could be found by using loose language. Words can be interpreted differently. Overall though, there's not much to worry about.

Licensing agreements are pretty standardized and ironclad. Before writing your own licensing agreement, it's worthwhile reading one or two others from different pieces of software. This gives you an example of the four steps implemented above.