The License

The current Fair Labor License, formatted for reading. You can also grab the Markdown.

Current version

v1.3

· 2026-10-29

Fair Labor License (FLL) v1.3

1. Purpose

The Fair Labor License connects access to shared software with responsibility to the people whose labor creates it. It grants free use to individuals and organizations that meet its eligibility conditions and requires paid licensing for operational use by those outside them. Its purpose is to support software creators while encouraging a more equitable distribution of economic resources.

2. License Grant

Subject to the conditions in this license, the author(s) grant permission to any individual or organization to use, reproduce, modify, and distribute this software.

3. Evaluation Use Exception

Anyone may download, install, and use the software solely for evaluation and testing purposes. Evaluation use may not exceed 90 days and may not include operational, commercial, or production use.

4. Fair Compensation Condition (Eligibility for Free Use)

This software is free to use for any individual or organization that meets at least one of the following conditions at the time of operational use:

a. Individuals

The individual's net worth is under 5 million USD.

b. Organizations

The organization meets the compensation-ratio condition, defined as:

The CEO's (or highest-paid executive's) total annual compensation is no more than fifteen (15) times the total annual compensation of the organization's median employee, and
Eligibility is assessed on a consolidated basis, including all parent and subsidiary entities under common control or brand identity.

Definitions

"Total annual compensation" includes wages, bonuses, overtime, equity or stock-based compensation, and employer-provided benefits.
"Median employee" refers to the worker whose compensation is the exact midpoint of all workers, including part-time and contract labor when they constitute a majority of operational personnel.
"Operational use" means deployment or use of the software in any product, system, or service that provides business value, revenue, or ongoing internal operations beyond evaluation, whether used directly or indirectly, including when incorporated as a dependency or component of another product, system, or service.

5. Paid License Requirement

If an individual or organization does not meet the Fair Compensation Condition at the time of operational use, they must obtain a paid license from the author(s) or an authorized licensing provider such as fllicense.org before such use begins.

Unauthorized operational use constitutes copyright infringement.

6. Self-Attestation and Documentation

Licensees utilizing the software under the free-use provisions must self-attest compliance and maintain documentation supporting eligibility. Upon request by the author(s) or a licensing provider, documentation must be provided within 30 days.

Failure to provide documentation is considered a material breach of this license.

7. Change in Eligibility / Cure Period

If a licensee's eligibility changes, they must:

Either purchase a paid license within 30 days, or
Immediately cease operational use of the software.

Restoring eligibility restores the rights granted under this license.

8. No Misrepresentation

Licensees may not claim to meet the applicable free-use eligibility conditions, nor use the Fair Labor License name or abbreviations in sales, marketing, or investor materials, unless they meet the Fair Compensation Condition.

9. No Warranty

This software is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement. Use is at your own risk.

10. Limitation of Liability

In no event shall the author(s) be liable for any claim, damages, or liability arising from the software or its use.

11. Governing Law

This license is governed by the copyright law applicable in the jurisdiction of the author(s).

Free Within the Compensation Threshold

Organizations qualify for free operational use when their CEO’s (or highest-paid executive’s) total annual compensation is no more than 15 times their median employee’s, subject to the license’s conditions.

The Solution

Substantial resources carry responsibilities. FLL connects free operational use to personal wealth and organizational compensation eligibility. Those outside these conditions must purchase a license from the software’s rightsholder, supporting the creators whose work they use.

For individuals: Free operational use if your net worth is under US$5 million, subject to the license’s conditions.

For organizations: Free operational use if CEO or highest-paid executive compensation is no more than 15 times median employee compensation, subject to the license’s definitions and conditions.

For those outside these conditions: Purchase a license before operational use.

Read the open letter

Why do substantial resources carry a responsibility to contribute? Our open letter explores reciprocity, compensation equity, and the labor that sustains shared software.

Read the open letter to the open source community →

Benefits for Everyone

FLL gives creators a way to connect shared software with reciprocity, compensation equity, and sustainable work.

For Developers

Choose the terms on which you share your work. Require paid licenses from users outside the eligibility conditions. Your labor creates value, and you should be compensated.

For Eligible Organizations

Qualify for free operational use by meeting the compensation-ratio condition and the license’s other requirements. Eligibility recognizes a compensation boundary, rather than certifying every labor practice.

For the Community

Encourage fair labor practices across the industry. Sustain shared software while promoting economic justice.

Ready to Get Started?

Read the full license text or use it for your project.

View Full License Read the Open Letter