VisualSVN Server can stop accepting a license key for several reasons: expired or invalid keys, mismatched edition (Enterprise vs. Standard), configuration corruption, or file-permission problems. This guide walks you through diagnosing and fixing common license-key problems on Windows hosts running VisualSVN Server (steps apply to recent VisualSVN Server 3.x–4.x/5.x releases unless otherwise noted). Back up configuration and repositories before making changes.
: You must first disable Enterprise-only features like Windows Authentication or VDFS replication before this switch will work. Maintenance Renewal
Backdoors: Allowing unauthorized access to your source code.
The Scenario: An admin updates a legacy server from version 3.6 to version 5.0, assuming the free tier still applies. The installation completes, but the server refuses to start or manage repositories without a valid license key.
Right-click on VisualSVN Server (Local) and select Properties. Go to the Licensing tab.
Free for commercial use; up to 15 users; core SVN features and HTML5 web interface. Professional use Paid; includes everything in Community plus Scheduled Backups and VDFS replication. Enterprise Large Organizations Paid; adds Active Directory SSO , Remote Administration, and Access Logging. Important Maintenance Notes Subscription Expiry
Confirm key correctness
Often, the license key is corrupted in the registry due to an improper shutdown or disk write error. Removing the registry key forces Visual SVN to revert to the trial mode, allowing you to re-enter the key cleanly.