Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about using the NCL license.

What is NCL?

NCL (Non-Commercial Open License) is a general-purpose non-commercial license applicable to any type of work, including source code packages, video works, audio works, documents, images, and more. Anyone may use, modify, and distribute the work for non-commercial purposes. Commercial use requires explicit written authorization from the original author.

What counts as commercial use?

Any use primarily intended for or directed toward commercial advantage or monetary compensation. This includes selling the work, incorporating it into a commercial product or service, using it to generate revenue, using it to train commercial AI models, using it in a revenue-generating SaaS or cloud service, using it internally in a for-profit organization to support revenue-generating activities, charging for access or support, monetizing through advertising, or bundling it with paid products. Personal learning, academic research at non-profit institutions, and uncompensated open source contributions are not considered commercial use.

What do I need to do to apply this license to my work?

You must indicate the license in the place where the work is published or within the work itself. The license may be referenced in any form, provided that the referenced version is an unmodified version of NCL. You may either self-host the unmodified full text or link to the official NCL website. The key requirement is that anyone who receives the work must be able to find and read the unmodified license text.

How should I provide contact information?

The original author MUST provide valid contact information. For source code packages, place it in a file named CONTACT.md at the root of the archive. For video works, display it clearly within the video (such as at the end) or in the video description. For other types of works, include it in a clearly visible location in the publication page or within the work itself. Contributors may add their own contact information to CONTACT.md, provided that the original author contact information is not removed or altered and the contributor information is clearly separated.

What happens if I do not provide contact information?

The license remains valid but is automatically classified as Strictly Non-Commercial. Only the original author retains commercial rights, and no third party may apply for commercial authorization because there is no way to contact the author. The work is effectively treated as No Commercial Use for Anyone Except the Original Author.

Can I use NCL for any type of work?

Yes. NCL applies to any type of work, including but not limited to source code packages, video works, audio works, documents, images, datasets, model weights, and other copyrightable works. There are no restrictions on the type of work.

What is LICENSE-ADD?

LICENSE-ADD is an optional separate file where the author can add their own additional terms that do not conflict with the core terms of NCL. It may include jurisdiction clauses, additional permissions, additional restrictions, warranty disclaimers, or limitation of liability. It must be placed separately in a LICENSE-ADD file and must not modify the LICENSE file itself.

Can I modify the license text?

No. You must retain the full text of this license without modification. You may not remove or obscure the copyright notice of the original author. If you distribute modified versions, you must clearly state the modifications made.

What license must modified versions use?

Any modified version must be released under NCL or a license that is fully compatible with NCL non-commercial terms. Licenses that permit commercial use, including GPL, MIT, Apache, BSD, and MPL, are NOT compatible with NCL. If the modifier adds their own new content, those additions may be released under a different license of the modifier choice, provided that the original NCL-licensed portion remains under NCL, the NCL license text itself is not modified, and the derivative work clearly indicates which parts are governed by NCL and which parts are governed by other licenses.

How does commercial authorization work?

Any third party seeking to use the work for commercial purposes must obtain explicit written authorization from the original author. Acceptable forms include signed documents, emails, or text messages from instant messaging applications. Voice calls, verbal agreements, implied consent, or ambiguous expressions do not constitute valid authorization. If the work has multiple authors, all authors jointly retain the exclusive commercial rights, and no single author may grant commercial authorization without the explicit written consent of all other authors.

What is the anti-circumvention clause?

Any attempt to circumvent the terms of this license through technical means is strictly prohibited. This includes code obfuscation, variable or function renaming, extracting and reassembling portions of the work, translating the work into another language or format, or any other modification whose primary purpose is to conceal the origin of the work or evade compliance with this license. Such acts constitute a material breach.

Where must the license be placed for different types of works?

The license must be indicated in the place where the work is published or within the work itself. It may be referenced in any form, provided that the referenced version is an unmodified version of NCL. You may either self-host the unmodified full text or link to the official NCL website. For source code packages, placing the full LICENSE file in the root directory is one acceptable way. For video works, including the notice at the beginning or in the description is acceptable. For audio works, including the notice in the metadata or accompanying description is acceptable. For documents and images, including the notice in the document itself or on the publication page is acceptable.

What happens if someone violates the license?

Any violation results in automatic termination of the license, effective immediately. Upon termination, the licensee must cease all use, distribution, and modification of the work. License enforcement and legal remedies are the sole responsibility of the original author. The license drafter and the NCL Team assume no responsibility for enforcement, legal action, or any disputes arising from the use of this work.

Are older versions of the license still valid?

Yes. The license may be revised from time to time. After a new version is released, the old version remains valid. The terms of the new license apply only to projects adopting the new version and do not retroactively apply to projects using the old version.