Why does my n8n license key show as already used during activation?

Below is some guidance to help troubleshoot your license activation:

What Does the Error Mean?

The error message, "Activation failed; the license key has already been used," indicates that the license key may be active on another instance or was previously activated in your n8n setup. In other words, the key is not available for reuse on a new or different deployment.

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Verify Previous Activation
   Confirm if the license key was already activated on a different n8n instance. The enterprise license key is intended for a single active deployment at a time. If you’ve activated it before, it won’t work again on another instance without deactivation or re-allocation.

2. Check Your Configuration

   • If you’re using the UI, double-check that the key you pasted is correct.
   • If using environment variables, ensure that the variable N8N_LICENSE_ACTIVATION_KEY is set correctly in your Docker environment.

3. Network Configuration
   Make sure that your network is configured to allow n8n to reach the license server. Refer to the documentation instructions on allowlisting the full range of Cloudflare IP addresses. While this primarily ensures connectivity, it can help rule out network misconfigurations as a cause.

4. Contact Support
   If you’re sure that you haven’t activated the key on any other instance or if you need to transfer the license to a new instance, contact n8n support (e.g., via license@n8n.io) for further assistance. They can help determine if the key needs to be reset or reissued.

Next Steps

• Review the Enterprise License Key documentation to verify that your steps match the installation guidelines.
• Check any previous deployments where the key might have been used.
• If needed, prepare details of your deployment (like version and environment) when reaching out to support so they can help resolve the activation conflict.

Following these steps will help identify whether the issue is due to reuse on another instance or a potential misconfiguration.