activate_license
Activate a license with hardware ID and product code
LABSCO SUMMARY
Two servers, because reading a licence and administering one need different keys.
The split is a security boundary, not packaging convenience: a client wired to the License API can activate and check, and cannot create or delete anything. Add the management server only where that authority belongs. Note that what actually works depends on your LicenseSpring tier — the server starts either way and reports the limitation rather than hiding it.
What it is
A LicenseSpring integration that ships as two separate server entry points. The License API side handles what an installed product does — activation against a hardware id, status checks, consumption, floating licences. The Management API side is the back office: listing, creating and updating licences and customers.
What you get
- Licences activated and deactivated against a hardware id, and checked for status and validity —
activate_license,check_license,deactivate_license - Consumption units added, and trial keys generated —
add_consumption,get_trial_key - Floating licences released, and borrowed for offline use —
floating_release,floating_borrow - Product, version and installer information, plus SSO URL generation and password change for user-based licences —
get_product_details,get_versions,get_installation_file,get_sso_url,change_password - Management-side licence lifecycle: list with filters, create, read, update, delete —
list_licenses,create_license,get_license,update_license,delete_license - Customers listed with filters and created —
list_customers,create_customer
Requirements
A LicenseSpring account. LICENSE_API_KEY is the primary credential for the licence server, taken from the dashboard under Settings → Keys; LICENSE_SHARED_KEY is optional and only for organisations on shared API settings. The management server takes MANAGEMENT_API_KEY instead. Node.js 20.x or higher; the two servers run from the two Docker images. The README launches them instead from @tfedorko/licensespring-mcp-server, taking license-api or management-api as the argument, a name npm does not have. Behaviour adapts to your subscription tier — Basic and Standard run in a limited mode rather than failing to start.
Setup effort
Run a container — pull the image and point your client at it
USE CASES
01
Debugging why a customer's activation is failing
Check the licence's status and validity, then try an activation against the hardware id they report, and read the error the API actually returns.
02
Handing out a trial to a prospect
Generate a trial key and pull the product details and the installer information to send with it.
03
Moving a licence to a new machine
Deactivate against the old hardware id, then activate against the new one, without opening the dashboard.
04
Onboarding a new customer with their licences
Create the customer on the management side, create the licences against them, and list back what exists to confirm.
18 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
activate_offline
Activate a license for offline use with hardware ID and product code
add_consumption
Add consumption units to a license
add_feature_consumption
Add consumption units to a specific feature
change_password
Change password for a user-based license
check_license
Check license status and validity
deactivate_license
Deactivate a license for a specific hardware ID
deactivate_offline
Deactivate a license for offline use with hardware ID and product code
floating_borrow
Borrow a floating license for offline use
floating_release
Release a floating license
get_customer_license_users
Get customer license users for a specific license
get_device_variables
Get tracked variables for a device
get_installation_file
Get installation file download information
get_product_details
Get detailed information about a product
get_sso_url
Get Single Sign-On URL for customer portal access
get_trial_key
Generate a trial license key for a product
get_versions
Get available software versions for a product
track_device_variables
Track custom variables for a device
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
18 tools when we connected. These 18 come from the License API server. The Management API server adds seven more, which the README lists: list_licenses, create_license, update_license, get_license, delete_license, list_customers and create_customer.
Requires
- LICENSE_API_KEY in your environment (LicenseSpring dashboard → Settings → Keys) for the License API server
- MANAGEMENT_API_KEY only if you add the Management API server
- Docker
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 18 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
MCP Clients
Claude Desktop — Docker
CLAUDE DESKTOP — DOCKER · JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"licensespring": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run",
"-i",
"--rm",
"-e",
"LICENSE_API_KEY",
"-e",
"LICENSE_SHARED_KEY",
"stiertfedorko/licensespring-mcp:latest"
],
"env": {
"LICENSE_API_KEY": "<YOUR_LICENSE_API_KEY>",
"LICENSE_SHARED_KEY": "<YOUR_LICENSE_SHARED_KEY>"
}
},
"licensespring-management": {
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run",
"-i",
"--rm",
"-e",
"MANAGEMENT_API_KEY",
"stiertfedorko/licensespring-mcp-management:latest"
],
"env": {
"MANAGEMENT_API_KEY": "<YOUR_MANAGEMENT_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}The block adds two servers. licensespring is the License API server and needs only LICENSE_API_KEY (LICENSE_SHARED_KEY can stay empty unless your organisation uses shared API settings). licensespring-management is the Management API server: keep it only if you have a Management API key, otherwise delete that entry.
