FAQ — MIT License Questions

Frequently asked questions about MIT License — commercial use, open source obligations, compatibility and more

Can I use MIT-licensed code in a commercial product?

Yes ✅ — MIT License explicitly allows commercial use without restrictions. You can build paid applications, SaaS products, and services using MIT code.

Do I need to open-source my code if I use MIT libraries?

No ❌ — MIT is a permissive license. Unlike GPL, it does not require you to open-source your own code. You can keep your application fully proprietary.

What exactly do I need to include?

You must include:

  1. The original LICENSE file (or its full text)
  2. The copyright notice Copyright (c) YEAR AUTHOR

That’s it. Nothing more is required.

Is MIT compatible with GPL?

Yes ✅ — MIT code can be included in GPL projects. The resulting project would then fall under GPL terms. This is called “license upgrade.”

What happens if I forget to include the attribution?

This is a license violation ⚠️. While rarely litigated, it is legally actionable. Always include the LICENSE file in your distribution.

Can I change the MIT license text?

No ❌ — You cannot modify the license text itself. You can choose a different license for your own project, but you cannot alter the MIT license wording of the original code.

Does MIT protect me from patent claims?

No ❌ — MIT License does not include patent protection. If you need patent protection, consider Apache 2.0 instead, which includes an explicit patent grant.

Can I relicense an MIT project?

Partially ✅ — You can license your modifications and additions under a different license. But you cannot remove the original MIT license from the original code portions.

Where should I put the LICENSE file?

Always place it in the root of your repository with the name LICENSE (no file extension). GitHub automatically detects it and shows the license badge.

my-project/
├── LICENSE        ← Here
├── README.md
└── src/

How do I add MIT badge to README?

1

[![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)

Result: displays a yellow “MIT” badge in your README.

Can I use MIT without a lawyer?

Yes ✅ — MIT License is designed to be self-sufficient and understandable without legal expertise. For most projects, no lawyer is needed.

What is the difference between MIT and BSD?

Both are permissive licenses. The main difference:

  • BSD 3-Clause adds a non-endorsement clause (you can’t use the author’s name for promotion)
  • MIT is slightly shorter and simpler
  • Both are practically equivalent for most use cases