Vai al contenuto
License type guide

NFR License (Not For Resale)

NFR licenses are issued for demonstration, testing, and review — to reviewers, partners, and demo machines. They are explicitly not for resale or production use. An NFR key on the open market is a red flag: it was never licensed to be sold.

Key points

Issued for demos, testing, and press/partner evaluation
Explicitly not for resale and often not for production use
Usually time-limited or feature-flagged
Cannot legally be sold — an NFR key on sale is unlicensed

Pros & cons

Advantages

  • Full-featured software for evaluation at no cost to the reviewer
  • Lets reviewers and partners test every feature before recommending
  • Handy for building repeatable demo environments

Drawbacks

  • Not licensed for everyday production use
  • Frequently expires or deactivates after the evaluation window
  • Zero legal purchase channel — it was issued, not sold
  • Buying one leaves you with no license at all

Transferability

Not transferable and not sellable — the license is issued to the original recipient only.

Best for

  • Journalists and reviewers evaluating software
  • Microsoft partners running customer demos
  • QA teams verifying behavior on demo builds

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy an NFR key?+
No. NFR means Not For Resale — the license was issued for demonstration and evaluation to a specific recipient. Anyone selling you an NFR key has no right to, and the key may be blocked or expired at any time.
What is an NFR license used for?+
Demonstration, training, testing, and review. Reviewers get them to evaluate software, partners to demo it to customers, and testers to verify installs — all non-production purposes.
Do NFR licenses expire?+
Many do. Evaluation-issued keys are commonly time-limited (for example 90 or 180 days) or tied to the recipient's partner status. Expiry behavior is set when the key is issued.
How is NFR different from a trial?+
A trial is a public offer anyone can download; NFR is a channel for specific recipients (press, partners) who need full functionality for evaluation. Both are non-production, but only trials are meant to be generally obtained.

From the blog

Microsoft Office 2024 LTSC: The Last One-Time Purchase Office Suite?

Microsoft Office 2024 LTSC is the latest perpetual Office suite — but with Microsoft 365 dominating, is this the last standalone version?

6 min read

Is It Legal to Buy Cheap Software License Keys? What You Need to Know

Wondering if cheap software keys are legal? We explain the difference between legitimate wholesale licenses and grey-market keys, and how to stay safe.

9 min read

Where to Buy the Cheapest Microsoft Office 2024 License (Legitimately)

Find the best deals on genuine Microsoft Office 2024 licenses. Compare editions, pricing, and where to buy safely at the lowest price.

7 min read

Help & guides

How to Activate Your Software License Key

Step-by-step instructions for activating Windows, Office, and other software keys purchased from Distivo.

3 min read

How Digital License Delivery Works

Understand how Distivo delivers your software license keys digitally — instantly after payment.

3 min read

Downloading Your Purchased Software

How to download Windows, Office, and other software after purchasing a license key from Distivo.

3 min read