---
title: "Product activation | Nutrient Document Engine"
canonical_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/document-engine/deployment/product-activation/"
md_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/document-engine/deployment/product-activation.md"
last_updated: "2026-05-14T21:57:26.836Z"
description: "Learn how to activate your license for Nutrient Document Engine. Follow our guide for instructions on licensing your deployment, including online and offline activation methods."
---

# Product activation

Document Engine is a commercial product and requires a license to work. We provide one activation key for one production installation, and one development activation key for all development installations. Contact our [Sales team](https://www.nutrient.io/contact-sales) if you have any questions related to your license.

## License types

Document Engine offers two types of licenses: online and offline.

### Online license

Online licenses use an activation key to register the license with the [Nutrient Portal](https://my.nutrient.io/). The first time the Document Engine container is started, it’ll authenticate the key from the [Nutrient Portal](https://my.nutrient.io/) and store the license-related data either in the configured database, or, if the container was started without the database configured, in memory.

Document Engine pings the [Nutrient Portal](https://my.nutrient.io/) every two hours to verify its license and download updated license information. It also sends anonymous usage analytics to the [Nutrient Portal](https://my.nutrient.io/). These analytics help us in diagnosing issues and improving the product.

When using an online license, the Document Engine container needs to be able to contact the [Nutrient Portal](https://my.nutrient.io/).

### Offline license

Offline licenses use a license key that works without connecting to the [Nutrient Portal](https://my.nutrient.io/). Each time the Document Engine container is started, it’ll validate the license key offline and store the license-related data either in the configured database, or, if the container was started without the database configured, in memory.

When using an offline license, Document Engine doesn’t ping the [Nutrient Portal](https://my.nutrient.io/), nor does it collect any analytics. Any updates to the license must be handled manually, and the Document Engine instance must be restarted. Contact our [Support team](https://support.nutrient.io/hc/en-us/requests/new) for assistance.

## Configuring the license

As of [version 1.2.0](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/document-engine/changelog.md#1.2.0), Document Engine supports both license types using either the `ACTIVATION_KEY` or `LICENSE_KEY` environment variable. You can use either variable name to provide your license credentials, regardless of the license type.

### Setting Helm values

For deployment with [Helm](https://www.nutrient.io/guides/document-engine/deployment/helm.md), use the values in the `documentEngineLicense` section:

```yaml

documentEngineLicense:
  activationKey: "<your activation or license key>"

```

You can also use `LICENSE_KEY` instead of `ACTIVATION_KEY`.

We recommend using external secrets for the license. For example, for a secret resource named `document-engine-license` with an activation key or license key stored as `DOCUMENT_ENGINE_ACTIVATION_OR_LICENSE_KEY`, use:

```yaml

documentEngineLicense:
  externalSecret:
    name: document-engine-license
    key: DOCUMENT_ENGINE_ACTIVATION_OR_LICENSE_KEY

```
---

## Related pages

- [Choose a Docker registry](/guides/document-engine/deployment/docker-registry.md)
- [Deploying on Kubernetes with Helm](/guides/document-engine/deployment/helm.md)
- [Deploying to Amazon Web Services](/guides/document-engine/deployment/aws.md)
- [Deploying to Google Cloud Platform](/guides/document-engine/deployment/google-cloud-platform.md)
- [Horizontal scaling](/guides/document-engine/deployment/horizontal-scaling.md)
- [Backup and recovery](/guides/document-engine/deployment/backup-and-recovery.md)
- [Document Engine deployment overview](/guides/document-engine/deployment.md)
- [Deploying on Kubernetes](/guides/document-engine/deployment/kubernetes.md)
- [Deploying to Microsoft Azure](/guides/document-engine/deployment/microsoft-azure-aks.md)
- [Application-specific timeouts](/guides/document-engine/deployment/ingress.md)