LicenseCheck MCP. Audit any software license detail instantly.
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LicenseCheck API is a specialized MCP server for managing software compliance. It connects your AI client to deep legal data on open-source and proprietary licenses.
Use it to search specific license IDs, audit usage permissions, find mandatory conditions, or list entire catalogs without visiting an external legal portal.
It turns complex code auditing into natural conversation.
What your AI agents can do
Check api status
Checks if the LicenseCheck service is currently running and available for queries.
Check software license
Searches a license catalog using a name or identifier to find matching licenses.
Get license details
Retrieves the complete legal metadata and details for one specific license ID.
You ask for a license by name or ID, and the server returns its full metadata, versions, and IDs.
The agent verifies if your intended use case violates any rights defined within a specific license's terms.
It identifies required actions or inclusions (like retaining copyright notices) that must be followed for the software to remain compliant.
You request a full catalog, and the agent lists every license definition stored in the database.
The agent checks the API endpoint to confirm that the entire compliance research workflow is currently operational.
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LicenseCheck API MCP Server: 4 Tools for Code Compliance
These tools allow you to check the server's operational status, search license catalogs by name or ID, retrieve full legal details, and list every available license definition.
019d8453check api status
Checks if the LicenseCheck service is currently running and available for queries.
019d8453check software license
Searches a license catalog using a name or identifier to find matching licenses.
019d8453get license details
Retrieves the complete legal metadata and details for one specific license ID.
019d8453list all licenses
Provides a list of every single software license definition stored in the database.
Choose How to Get Started
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Build Your Own
Turn any API into an MCP. Import a spec, define Agent Skills, or deploy with MCPFusion.
- Import from OpenAPI, Swagger, or YAML specs
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- Deploy to edge with MCPFusion framework
- Built in DLP, auth, and compliance on every call
- Real time usage dashboard and cost metering
- Publish to catalog or keep private
Make Your AI Do More
Start with LicenseCheck API, then connect any of our 4,700+ other servers whenever your AI needs more. One click, no limits.
- Use this MCP plus 4,700+ others, all in one place
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- Every connection is secured and compliant automatically
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- Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and more
- New servers added to the catalog every week
What you can do with this MCP connector
You need to know if your software's legal standing is solid before you ship it. LicenseCheck API handles the mess of open-source and proprietary compliance data, letting your agent dive deep into complex licensing rules right through your AI client. Forget hopping between external legal portals; this server keeps all the necessary data structured for immediate use.
The moment your agent connects to LicenseCheck, complicated code auditing becomes a simple conversation. You don't have to worry about vague terms or missing compliance requirements again. It’s built specifically to manage software licensing risk directly where you work.
Checking Server Status and Availability
To start any audit, the system first runs check_api_status. This tool verifies if the LicenseCheck service is active and ready for queries, ensuring your entire compliance research workflow doesn't hit a dead end. You can confirm right away that the API endpoint is operational before running deep checks.
Searching and Auditing Specific Licenses
When you need to audit specific licenses—whether by name or ID—you use check_software_license. This tool searches the entire license catalog using identifiers, returning any matching licenses found. You can then refine that search using get_license_details, which pulls every bit of legal metadata for a single, specific license ID.
That deep dive gives you the complete terms, versions, and associated IDs you need to understand its full scope.
Understanding Usage Permissions
Your agent verifies exactly what your intended use case permits within any given license's established rights. You can check if using certain components violates the defined terms—it tells you straight up if your usage crosses a legal line. Furthermore, it identifies mandatory compliance conditions; this includes finding required actions or inclusions, like maintaining copyright notices, that must be followed to keep the software legally compliant.
Listing and Reviewing Catalogs
Sometimes you need the big picture. You can request a full inventory of all available definitions using list_all_licenses. This tool provides an exhaustive list of every single software license definition stored in the database. If you're doing dependency research or managing corporate compliance, this ability lets you pull up the entire catalog at once.
The combination of these tools means your agent can execute a full legal audit cycle: First, it validates service availability via check_api_status. Next, if you ask for something by name, check_software_license finds potential matches. You then narrow that down using get_license_details to get the precise terms and rules. Finally, your agent uses those details to check usage permissions and find mandatory compliance conditions, all without ever leaving your client environment.
It's fast. It’s accurate. And it keeps you out of trouble.
How LicenseCheck MCP Works
- 1 Subscribe to LicenseCheck on Vinkius and input your specific API Key.
- 2 Instruct your AI client (e.g., 'What are the limitations of GPL-3.0?')
- 3 The agent calls the relevant tool, receives structured license data, and relays a plain English summary back to you.
The bottom line is: you talk naturally to your agent about compliance, and it uses the server to get verified legal answers instantly.
Who Is LicenseCheck MCP For?
This is for people who spend too much time manually cross-referencing license agreements. If you're a Software Architect staring at dependency graphs or a Legal Tech Officer needing real-time compliance reports, this saves hours of manual searching and reading legal jargon.
You use it to verify license compatibility across multiple project dependencies without having to manually consult dozens of OSS licenses.
You automate the process of auditing entire software stacks, querying specific mandatory conditions or prohibitions for official reporting.
You run rapid audits on new codebases to identify and flag potential licensing risks before they hit production.
What Changes When You Connect
- Stop manually reading legal documents. Your agent handles the heavy lifting, retrieving specific metadata and conditions from tools like
get_license_detailsin seconds. - Instantly audit compliance risks. Use the
check_software_licensetool to verify if a dependency's license has limitations that conflict with your project goals. - Maintain operational confidence. The
check_api_statustool confirms the entire legal research workflow is running, so you never get stuck waiting on a broken connection. - Scope out all options at once. Running
list_all_licensesgives you an immediate overview of every license available in the database for cross-referencing. - Pinpoint required compliance steps. You can query mandatory conditions using the server, ensuring your project meets legal requirements before deployment.
Real-World Use Cases
Dependency check for a new feature
A Software Architect adds a library using the 'AGPL-3.0' license. Instead of opening the legal text, they ask their agent: 'What are the limitations of AGPL-3.0?' The agent runs get_license_details and reports back that it requires derivatives to be licensed under the same terms, flagging an immediate risk.
Preparing for a compliance audit
A Legal Officer needs to prove all open-source components are tracked. They use their agent to run list_all_licenses first, then filter results by 'MIT' or 'Apache 2.0', ensuring they have the precise metadata needed for the external auditors.
Debugging a build failure
The CI/CD pipeline fails because of an unknown license conflict. The Ops Lead asks their agent to check_software_license against the failing component's name. The agent returns not just a match, but also flags specific prohibitions that caused the error.
Onboarding new developers
A team needs quick training on company licensing rules. They ask their agent to check 'GPL-3.0' using check_software_license. The agent provides a clear, concise summary of the license's scope and requirements in natural language.
The Tradeoffs
Searching manually on external sites
Opening ten different browser tabs—GitHub, legal blogs, and specific license websites—to cross-reference a single dependency's usage rights.
→
Use your agent. Simply ask it to audit the license directly using get_license_details or check_software_license. The server pulls all the official metadata in one go.
Relying on partial information
Getting a general 'open source' warning, but not knowing if it requires specific attribution or modifies your corporate legal standing.
→
Don't accept vague warnings. Use the get_license_details tool to get the full, official metadata and identify mandatory conditions for precise compliance.
Assuming compatibility
Writing code assuming a license is 'permissive' when it actually has subtle copyleft requirements that affect your distribution model.
→
Always run check_software_license against the suspected dependency. The tool will audit permissions and clearly report any legal restrictions.
When It Fits, When It Doesn't
Use this server if your primary job is information retrieval concerning software rights, dependencies, or compliance rules. You need to know what a license says about usage (permissions, conditions, limitations). Don't use it if you are trying to physically update licenses, manage payments, or initiate renewals—those require write access outside of this API's scope. If your goal is simply to check the operational status of the compliance workflow, check_api_status handles that perfectly; otherwise, rely on the core auditing tools like get_license_details for deep dives.
Independent Platform Disclaimer: Vinkius is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, verified by, or otherwise authorized by LicenseCheck. All third-party trademarks, logos, and brand names are the property of their respective owners. Their use on this website is strictly for informational purposes to identify service compatibility and interoperability.
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Works with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and more
The Model Context Protocol standardizes how applications expose capabilities to LLMs. Instead of operating in isolation, your AI gains direct access to external platforms, live data, and real-world actions through secure, standardized connections.
This server provides 4 capabilities that interface natively with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and any MCP client. No middleware. No custom integration required.
Available Capabilities
License checks shouldn't involve 20 browser tabs and three different legal dictionaries.
Today, determining if a piece of code is safe to use means clicking through GitHub documentation, opening the license file, cross-referencing it with internal legal guidelines, and then manually asking your team what that actually means for your product roadmap. It's tedious, slow, and you always risk missing one critical clause.
With LicenseCheck API MCP, that entire process shrinks to a single chat prompt. You ask the agent about the license (e.g., 'GPL-3.0'), and it runs the necessary checks instantly, giving you a clear, actionable summary of permissions and limitations. The output is legal intelligence, not raw text.
LicenseCheck API MCP Server: Audit software compliance with `get_license_details`.
Before, verifying a license meant downloading a PDF and paying a lawyer to read it. You had to confirm the ID, find the specific clause in the body text, and then write up an internal memo explaining the risk.
Now, your agent runs `get_license_details` directly on the server. It pulls out the exact legal metadata you need—the prohibitions, the mandatory conditions—and presents it immediately. You get definitive answers that let you keep building.
Common Questions About LicenseCheck MCP
How do I check if a license is active using `check_api_status`? +
Running check_api_status confirms the service is operational. This tells you that your entire compliance workflow—including searching and auditing—is currently available to your agent.
What does `get_license_details` provide beyond just the name? +
get_license_details gives you deep, full metadata. It provides versions, specific legal restrictions, and detailed conditions required by that precise license ID.
Can I use `check_software_license` to find a dependency? +
Yes. You can use check_software_license to search the catalog using common names or identifiers, helping you locate the official record for your dependency.
Is `list_all_licenses` better than checking individually? +
list_all_licenses is useful for mapping out what's available in the system. If you need to audit a specific license, running get_license_details on that ID will give you more actionable compliance information.
What credentials do I need for `check_api_status`? +
You must provide a valid LicenseCheck API Key, which you get after subscribing to this server. Your agent uses that key to authenticate every request, guaranteeing your access is secure and properly tracked.
Is using an official license ID better than using the name in `check_software_license`? +
Yes, a specific license ID is always more reliable. Names can be common or ambiguous (like 'MIT'), while IDs provide one precise, unique identifier for guaranteed results.
If I run `check_software_license` with a non-existent license name, what error do I get? +
The API returns a specific standardized error code and message. This tells your agent exactly why the lookup failed—whether it's a typo or if the license simply doesn't exist in our database.
Are there rate limits when I use `list_all_licenses`? +
Yes, the service imposes standard API rate limits. We recommend building exponential backoff into your agent workflow to handle high-volume data retrieval gracefully and maintain stable performance.
How do I find my LicenseCheck API Key? +
Log in to your LicenseCheck account, and you will find your API Key in your dashboard or profile settings. Copy and paste it below.
What types of licenses are covered? +
The API covers thousands of common open-source licenses (like MIT, Apache, GPL) as well as various proprietary and commercial licensing models.
Can the agent check for specific permissions? +
Yes. Every license record retrieved by your agent includes metadata on permitted actions, such as commercial use, distribution, and modification.
Use it with your favorite AI tools
Connect this server to Cursor, Claude, VS Code, and more.
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