How do I check the license of an npm or PyPI package?

Short answer: Example: a package declaring MIT, shipped commercially: Yes.

Packages declare their license in registry metadata. Rightshold reads it for you: pass the package page URL as source_url.

Example: a package declaring MIT, shipped commercially: Yes

License: MIT License (MIT, curated)

• Every use you described is granted by MIT, and nothing you described is prohibited.

Duties: attribution, license_notice

Context

• A declared license is the publisher's claim; check the LICENSE file for anything unusual. Packages with no declared license have no grant: no license found is not permission.

Sources

• npm package.json license field
• PyPI core metadata: License-Expression

Check it yourself (free, no key)

{
  "tool": "check_license",
  "arguments": {
    "license": "MIT",
    "intended_use": {
      "commercial_use": true,
      "redistribution": true
    }
  }
}

Computed from Rightshold's license profiles; not legal advice. Updated 2026-10-19. JSON · Markdown