Can I use BUSL-1.1 (Business Source License) software in production?

Short answer: Commercial production deployment: Needs review.

The Business Source License 1.1 is source-available, not open source: production use is allowed only as the licensor's Additional Use Grant says, until the Change Date.

Commercial production deployment: Needs review

License: Business Source License 1.1 (BUSL-1.1, curated)

• Production use depends on the Additional Use Grant this licensor wrote into its copy of the license, which differs from project to project. A reviewer should read that grant.
• Production deployment depends on the licensor's Additional Use Grant. A reviewer should read that grant and the Change Date for the version you use.

Duties: license_notice, keep_change_terms

Context

• Every BUSL project sets its own Additional Use Grant and Change Date; read them in that project's LICENSE file. After the Change Date the code converts to the named Change License.

Sources

• Business Source License 1.1

Check it yourself (free, no key)

{
  "tool": "check_license",
  "arguments": {
    "license": "BUSL-1.1",
    "intended_use": {
      "commercial_use": true,
      "deployment": true
    }
  }
}

Computed from Rightshold's license profiles; not legal advice. Updated 2026-10-23. JSON · Markdown