<p>Alternative for your local site is to create something like <code>mysite.craft.dev</code> and that will allow you in Pro mode permanently.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-11T14:00:26.063Z
2015-06-11T14:00:26.063Z
Steven Grant
<blockquote>
  <p>From what I understand you can use the one licence key on multiple
  environments but you can only then login to the Admin area from one of
  them?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Sort of – you'll be able to login everywhere, but if the license isn't valid the CP will be blocked behind a "upgrade-wall", prompting you to purchase a valid license or downgrading to Personal (the free edition). The frontend will continue to function as normal, though.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Alternatively I can use Craft for 'Free' using a appropriate .dev or
  staging URL (eg. <a href="http://staging-subdomain.mysite.com" rel="nofollow">http://staging-subdomain.mysite.com</a>) and then make
  sure the paid for license is in place on the live version. Is that
  correct?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes. From the <a href="http://buildwithcraft.com/help/license-enforcement" rel="nofollow">docs</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>You’re allowed to run a single Craft license on multiple domains (e.g.
  example.com and example.fr), so long as they’re all a part of the same
  website. In order to enforce that, Craft does have one technical
  limitation: you may only access Craft’s control panel from one public
  domain per Craft license. (There is no such restriction on non-public
  domains, though.)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>One of the ways Craft determines if the domain is non-public, is if the site has a dev-sounding sub domain (e.g. <code>dev</code>, <code>local</code>, <code>stage</code>, or <code>staging</code>). This means that a Client or Pro license registered to <code>www.mysite.com</code> should also work for a staging site at <code>http://stage.mysite.com</code>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-11T19:31:53.827Z
I don't believe that's correct. I asked P&T about this and they told me this:

The staging server whitelist is just a way for licenses (Personal, Client or Pro) to not get prematurely tied to a "public" staging domain before they're ready for the production domain.

It doesn't let you freely swap between the different editions of Craft like craft.dev or ontherocks.dev does.
Bryan Redeagle
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-12T06:41:52.880Z
On closer inspection it'd appear you're right, @BryanRedeagle. Weird, I could've sworn I done this in the past... I think someone needs to explain further though, because I don't fully understand. Say you have a staging server at ```stage.mysite.com```. You _do_ need to purchase a license for that, but once you go live @ ```www.mysite.com``` the license will be valid on both sites?
Mats Mikkel Rummelhoff
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-12T07:31:52.020Z
I tested some more and re-read the docs – think I figured it out, see updated answer.
Mats Mikkel Rummelhoff
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-06-11T10:04:00.077Z
2015-06-12T07:32:02.370Z
2015-06-12T07:32:02.370Z
Mats Mikkel Rummelhoff
<p>My usual development process is to build the site locally, then upload on a staging subdomain for client reviews, going back and fourth between the two environments for updates, before deploying it on its live environment.</p>

<p>From what I understand you can use the one licence key on multiple environments but you can only then login to the Admin area from one of them? Which would cause me issue when I have the staging site up but I'm working between that and the dev version?</p>

<p>Alternatively I can use Craft for 'Free' using a appropriate .dev or staging URL (eg. <a href="http://staging-subdomain.mysite.com">http://staging-subdomain.mysite.com</a>) and then make sure the paid for license is in place on the live version. Is that correct? </p>

<license>
License for multiple domains
# License for multiple domains

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-06-11)

My usual development process is to build the site locally, then upload on a staging subdomain for client reviews, going back and fourth between the two environments for updates, before deploying it on its live environment.

From what I understand you can use the one licence key on multiple environments but you can only then login to the Admin area from one of them? Which would cause me issue when I have the staging site up but I'm working between that and the dev version?

Alternatively I can use Craft for 'Free' using a appropriate .dev or staging URL (eg. <http://staging-subdomain.mysite.com>) and then make sure the paid for license is in place on the live version. Is that correct?

**Tags:** license

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-06-11. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

> From what I understand you can use the one licence key on multiple
> environments but you can only then login to the Admin area from one of
> them?

Sort of – you'll be able to login everywhere, but if the license isn't valid the CP will be blocked behind a "upgrade-wall", prompting you to purchase a valid license or downgrading to Personal (the free edition). The frontend will continue to function as normal, though.

> Alternatively I can use Craft for 'Free' using a appropriate .dev or
> staging URL (eg. <http://staging-subdomain.mysite.com>) and then make
> sure the paid for license is in place on the live version. Is that
> correct?

Yes. From the [docs](http://buildwithcraft.com/help/license-enforcement):

> You’re allowed to run a single Craft license on multiple domains (e.g.
> example.com and example.fr), so long as they’re all a part of the same
> website. In order to enforce that, Craft does have one technical
> limitation: you may only access Craft’s control panel from one public
> domain per Craft license. (There is no such restriction on non-public
> domains, though.)

One of the ways Craft determines if the domain is non-public, is if the site has a dev-sounding sub domain (e.g. `dev`, `local`, `stage`, or `staging`). This means that a Client or Pro license registered to `www.mysite.com` should also work for a staging site at `http://stage.mysite.com`.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I don't believe that's correct. I asked P&T about this and they told me this:  The staging server whitelist is just a way for licenses (Personal, Client or Pro) to not get prematurely tied to a "public" staging domain before they're ready for the production domain.  It doesn't let you freely swap between the different editions of Craft like craft.dev or ontherocks.dev does.  
> **username_2**: On closer inspection it'd appear you're right, @BryanRedeagle. Weird, I could've sworn I done this in the past... I think someone needs to explain further though, because I don't fully understand. Say you have a staging server at ```stage.mysite.com```. You _do_ need to purchase a license for that, but once you go live @ ```www.mysite.com``` the license will be valid on both sites?  
> **username_2**: I tested some more and re-read the docs – think I figured it out, see updated answer.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-06-11. Score: 4

Alternative for your local site is to create something like `mysite.craft.dev` and that will allow you in Pro mode permanently.


---

