cPanel License Update Command: Update, Refresh or Renew a cPanel License Key (cpkeyclt)

Updated: 8 October 2026 · Applies to: cPanel & WHM 138 on AlmaLinux 9 and Ubuntu 24.04 (root access)

To update a cPanel license, run /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt as root on the server. It fetches the licence issued to your server's IP address from cPanel's licence servers over outgoing TCP port 2089, usually within a few seconds. According to cPanel, a successful run prints Updating cPanel license...Done. Update succeeded. Then reload WHM or cPanel in your browser.

/usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt

The same command refreshes or re-syncs the licence. There is no key to type in: a cPanel licence belongs to the server's public IPv4 address, and cpkeyclt downloads it.

When to run the licence update command

• Right after you buy, renew or reactivate a licence.
• After moving from the 15-day trial to a paid licence, or changing tier (for example Admin, 5 accounts, to Pro, 30 accounts).
• After the licence has been moved to a new IP address or server.
• When WHM shows an expired or invalid licence banner although the licence is active.

cPanel also refreshes the licence by itself once a day (the log records Daily license update requested.), and according to cPanel its licence callback alerts the server as soon as the licence changes in the cPanel Store or Manage2. The command saves you the wait.

Update the cPanel licence step by step

1. Connect over SSH as root, or as a sudo user and run sudo -i. Without SSH, open WHM » Server Configuration » Terminal as root.
2. Run the licence update command:

   /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt

3. Read the result. Update succeeded. means the new licence is in place. Update Failed! is followed by the reason on a line starting The exact message was: (see "If the update fails" below).
4. Reload WHM; log out and back in if the old banner stays.

Check that the licence is active

1. Find the IP address cPanel sees for your server with cPanel's own commands. The second one connects on port 2089, so it also proves that port is open:

   curl -w '\n' -s http://myip.cpanel.net/v1.0/
   curl -w '\n' -s http://myip.cpanel.net:2089/v1.0/

   Each prints only the address, for example 198.51.100.10.
2. Enter that address on cPanel's licence verification page (verify.cpanel.net). It lists the licences for the IP, newest first, with their status. If the newest cPanel licence is expired, it must be renewed; if none is listed, the IP has no licence.
3. Read the licence log (root only):

   tail -n 20 /usr/local/cpanel/logs/license_log

Excerpt of a real successful refresh on one of our cPanel & WHM 138 servers (IP addresses replaced):

Thu Oct  8 04:52:05 2026: License Update Request
Thu Oct  8 04:52:05 2026: Trying server 203.0.113.85
Thu Oct  8 04:52:17 2026: License update failed for server 203.0.113.85
Thu Oct  8 04:52:17 2026: Trying server 203.0.113.82
Thu Oct  8 04:52:17 2026: Connected using local address 198.51.100.10
Thu Oct  8 04:52:19 2026: Server 203.0.113.82 on port 2089 returned:
Key Accepted
Key Follows
Thu Oct  8 04:52:19 2026: License update succeeded after trying 2 servers

The first licence server did not answer within 12 seconds, so the client tried the next one. Connected using local address shows which of your IPs made the request; it must be the licensed IP. For a summary of recent attempts:

grep -E 'succeeded|failed after|exact message' /usr/local/cpanel/logs/license_log | tail -n 5

Renewing a cPanel licence

You renew a licence where you bought it, not on the server. The server then picks it up at the next automatic check, or at once when you run cpkeyclt.

• From a provider or partner: renew or reactivate it with them, then run the command.
• From the cPanel Store: according to cPanel, a licence that expired less than 30 days ago is reactivated by paying the pending invoice; after that you must buy a new one. It is active as soon as you pay.

On our server, the refresh after a reactivation also logged Scheduling cpsrvd restart for product type change (graceful with autofallback to hard). cpsrvd serves the cPanel, WHM and Webmail interfaces, not your websites, so only those logins may reconnect briefly. For an expired licence, read cPanel licence is expired.

Changing the licence to a new server IP

Whoever issued the licence must change its IP (cPanel Store customers: View My Licenses, the pencil icon, Edit IP). Then run /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt on the server that now has that IP. According to cPanel, until the licensed IP matches, the cPanel, WHM, WebDAV and Webmail interfaces are unavailable, while websites, FTP and desktop email keep working.

On a server with several IPs, the request leaves from the main IP of the interface that holds the default route. If myip.cpanel.net prints a different address from the licensed one, see cPanel licence update failed.

If the update fails

• Port 2089 blocked. Test with timeout 5 bash -c '</dev/tcp/auth.cpanel.net/2089' && echo open. The log then shows Timed out while connecting to port 2089, and according to cPanel the client falls back to ports 23, 25, 80, 110, 143, 993 and 995. Incoming TCP 2083 must also be open to deliver the licence file.
• DNS. host auth.cpanel.net must return several addresses.
• The license is expired. Renew the licence first.
• No valid cPanel/WHM license found. (IP) No licence exists for the IP in brackets; compare it with the licensed IP.
• Your clock is too far off NIST time. cPanel needs the correct time to validate the licence. In WHM » Server Configuration » Server Time, click Sync Time with Time Server, then try again.
• Skipping license update since it was updated 0 minutes ago. Not an error: the licence was refreshed moments earlier. The lines above it show that result.

Every error, with CSF and firewalld rules, is covered in how to fix a failed cPanel licence update.

Licence scripts from other sources

For a licence from cPanel or a cPanel partner, cpkeyclt is the only licence script you need. Any other "licence script" is not part of cPanel; ask whoever supplied it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cPanel license update command?
/usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt, run as root over SSH or in WHM's Terminal. It is also what "refresh the licence" or "run the licence script" means.

How do I update my cPanel licence key?
There is no key to enter. Buy, renew or upgrade the licence for your server's IP, then run the command to download it.

How do I renew a cPanel licence?
Pay the renewal with your provider or in the cPanel Store, then run the command on the server.

I renewed, but my cPanel licence is not updating. Why?
Run the command and read the exact message. Common causes are a blocked port 2089, DNS, a different outgoing IP or a wrong clock.

Ucartz sells cPanel Solo, Admin and Pro licences for your VPS or dedicated server, activated for your server's IP. If the refresh fails, open a ticket with the server IP. To hand the server work over, see cPanel server management or our managed cPanel VPS.

Official documentation: How to Fix License File Errors, How to Renew a Canceled or Expired cPanel License.