I've lost my license file. How do I get a copy?

If you are running PaperCut NG/MF version 23 or earlier, or if you’re running PaperCut NG/MF version 24 or later with a perpetual license, you will have been provided with a .license file which you then upload through the About tab in the admin interface. The steps below show how you can potentially retrieve this file if you’ve lost the original.

Retrieve a copy of the license file from your PaperCut Application Server

There are different scenarios where a license file may or may not be available on the Application Server:

• If you are running PaperCut NG/MF version 23 or earlier: you can find the license file in the Application Server filesystem location below.
• If you applied your license on PaperCut NG/MF version 23 or earlier, then upgraded to PaperCut NG/MF version 24 or later: you can find the license file in the Application Server filesystem location below.
• If you applied your license on PaperCut NG/MF version 23 or earlier, then upgraded to PaperCut NG/MF version 24 or later, and then deactivated your server: you can still find the license file in the Application Server filesystem location below, but it will be named e.g. application.license-2025-03-14T15-04-30 (containing the date/time that the server was deactivated).
• If you installed PaperCut NG/MF version 24 or later, and then applied your license: you will not be able to retrieve the license file from the Application Server.

Check the location:

• Windows: C:\Program Files\PaperCut NG\server\application.license
• macOS: /Applications/PaperCut NG/server/application.license
• Linux: ~papercut/server/application.license

This file is your digitally signed license and can be used to enable/license PaperCut on other servers (e.g. your new server).

Requesting help

If you have lost your PaperCut license file, and have been unable to retrieve it from backups, or from the original email containing your license:

• For PaperCut MF: contact your PaperCut Partner (listed on the Help tab in the admin interface - or on the About tab in older versions) for help with getting your license file.
• For PaperCut NG: contact the Sales and Licensing team requesting that it be re-issued. Please use the email address from an official domain of your organization, or the email address you used to purchase PaperCut; this will help us with verification.

Installing your license file

For information on installing your license file, please see: Installing a license.