Is there still a perpetual Java SE licence?

No. New Java SE sales are the employee-based Universal Subscription only. It is a subscription, not a perpetual licence.

Do I only pay for staff who use Java?

No. The metric counts your whole employee base as Oracle defines it — including contractors and consultants who support internal operations — not just Java users.

I signed a Java SE agreement before 2023 — does this affect me?

Pre-2023 agreements are honoured until they expire. At renewal, new terms move to the employee-based Universal Subscription.

Oracle

Oracle Java SE licensing: how the employee-based Universal Subscription works

Since 23 January 2023, Oracle Java SE sells only as the Universal Subscription: priced per employee across your whole headcount, not just the people who use Java.

VeriLicense · 5 min read

How is Oracle Java SE licensed now?

As one product: the Java SE Universal Subscription, priced per employee. Since 23 January 2023 it is the only way Oracle sells Java SE to new customers. It is a subscription, not a perpetual licence.

The metric is the headline change. You are not counting servers, processors or installs — you are counting employees.

Who counts as an “employee”?

Oracle defines it broadly. It is not just the people who use Java. It includes:

All full-time, part-time and temporary staff.
Agents, contractors and consultants who support your internal operations.

So an organisation with a small Java footprint but a large headcount is licensed across that whole headcount. That is the part that catches people out.

What happened to the old metrics?

The Named User Plus and Processor metrics were discontinued for new sales when the Universal Subscription launched. You cannot buy Java SE per processor or per named user any more.

I have a pre-2023 Java agreement — what now?

Pre-2023 agreements are honoured until they expire. Nothing changes mid-term. At renewal, new terms move to the employee-based Universal Subscription, so factor that into your next budget cycle.

Tell us your total employee headcount as Oracle defines it. We will quote the Java SE Universal Subscription the same day.

The bottom line: Java SE is now the per-employee Universal Subscription — counted across your whole organisation, not just Java users. It is not perpetual, and the old per-processor and Named User Plus options are gone for new sales.

Common questions

Is there still a perpetual Java SE licence?: No. New Java SE sales are the employee-based Universal Subscription only. It is a subscription, not a perpetual licence.
Do I only pay for staff who use Java?: No. The metric counts your whole employee base as Oracle defines it — including contractors and consultants who support internal operations — not just Java users.
Can I still buy Java SE per processor or per Named User Plus?: No. The Processor and Named User Plus metrics were discontinued for new sales when the Universal Subscription launched on 23 January 2023.
I signed a Java SE agreement before 2023 — does this affect me?: Pre-2023 agreements are honoured until they expire. At renewal, new terms move to the employee-based Universal Subscription.

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