To use OpenVMS and its associated layered products, you need to obtain a license. The type of license you require depends on your intended purpose and technical environment. Please review the information below for a description of each license type and its intended use. Once you have determined the most appropriate license, please follow the instructions provided following each description.
Commercial license
Commercial licenses are available for the latest versions of the OpenVMS operating system, its associated layered products, native compilers, and a collection of capability-enhancing packages we refer to as our Performance Series (VMS SPI, Job Management, Console Management, Performance Management, and System Watchdog). Commercial licenses are typically provided as an annual subscription that includes access to VMS Support resources and are available on three platforms: Alpha, Integrity, and x86. VMS Software also offers Support Only agreements for clients running certain legacy versions of OpenVMS. If you are interested in learning more about OpenVMS Commercial Licenses or Support Only agreements, please briefly describe your area of interest, and a member of our team will be in touch. Click here to request a commercial license.
Commercial evaluation
Commercial Evaluation Licenses are occasionally made available for various products developed by VMS Software. When provided, Commercial Evaluation Licenses are time-bound and may not include the full range of capabilities available in the product. Commercial Evaluation Licenses generally provide ample functionality to enable our customers and prospects to test the product's suitability in their environment(s). If you are interested in applying for a Commercial Evaluation License for any of these solutions, please provide the information requested in the form below, and a team member will contact you. Click here to request a commercial evaluation license.
CSLG (Campus-Wide Software License Grant)
A special Commercial License subscription and VMS Support services are available for a reduced rate to companies that are non-profit and lawfully operating either as an accredited college or university; a vocational, technical, or trade school system; a state or local school system, or an independent primary or secondary school exclusively for non-profit educational purposes. The license is limited to Institutional administrative system use only (not research, teaching, classroom, or system use). The CSLG is available to users of OpenVMS on Alpha, Integrity, and x86. If you are interested in learning more about the CSLG Program, please use the Commercial Inquiry Form and indicate you are interested in learning more about the CSLG in the free text section of the form.
ISV license
If you are an Independent Software Vendor of Commercial software for OpenVMS, you are eligible for a no-cost ISV License and/or reduced-rate access to VMS Support services for OpenVMS on the Alpha, Integrity, and x86 platforms. To learn more about the ISV License program and apply for an ISV license, click here.
Ambassador license
This license is designed for experienced VMS community members interested in working with OpenVMS's latest capabilities and optionally participating in exercises and direct feedback forums with our team members. Members of the VMS Ambassador Program are not new to OpenVMS. As such, they are provided more full-featured licenses than members of the Community License Program. As with the Community License Program, the VMS Ambassador Program is strictly intended for the non-commercial use of OpenVMS. If you are an experienced member of the OpenVMS ecosystem who is interested in joining the VMS Ambassador Program, please provide the information requested in this form.
Community license
If you are new to OpenVMS and looking to learn more through hands-on experience (and your intended use is strictly non-commercial - as described in the Community License Agreement), the Community License Program is for you. If accepted into the Community License Program, you will be provided a disk image with a pre-installed, limited OpenVMS system and a few layered products that can be used on a KVM, VMware, or VirtualBox virtual machine. The current Community License Program package is valid until March 30, 2025, at which time a new community package will be available. New Community Licenses for Alpha and Integrity are not currently available. If you are interested in applying for membership in the VMS Community License Program, please provide the information required in this form.