I'm getting a 'Required license is missing: Runtime' when running my Sitecore site

In this tutorial, you will learn how to fix the 'Required license is missing: Runtime' exception that can be thrown when working within a Sitecore CMS-powered website. In order to run a Sitecore website, you need to have a valid license file. When running the website, if Sitecore can't find this file, then the above error will occur.

License files can only be obtained by giving Sitecore some money. When I have encountered this error, it's usually because I'm installing Sitecore from source control on a new PC, or, I have moved my Sitecore instance to a new location on my PC. When you install Sitecore through an installer, the license file will usually be copied into the Data folder within your webroot. If there is no license within this folder,. you get an error 😊

How Do I Fix a Sitecore License Error?

Fixing the issue is pretty simple. You either need to move the missing license file into the Data folder or tell Sitecore to look within a new location. In some instances, adding a license file to the Data folder might not fix the issue. It is possible that your Sitecore instance might have been configured to look within a different directory for the license file. You can check where Sitecore expects to find the the license file in one of two places. You will find the value either within the web.config file within the Sitecore section, or, within _sitecore.config_ (which can be found in your webroots App_Config folder). After you have found your Sitecore section, you should see a property called datafolder:

You need to make sure the value is pointing to the correct folder location on your PC. In 95% of the cases when I have encountered this error, this value is wrong. After applying the change, reload the site and everything should be working again. If the site stills broken, the next most likely cause of the issue is a patch file. If you look within this location:

App_Config ➡ Include

It is possible something is intercepting the request and changing the location. Have a look for something called DataFolder.config This may have a different dataFolder path which is why your Sitecore instance can't pick up your license.

If you are still having issues after trying all the above, it might be worth trying to run www.website.com/sitecore/admin/showconfig.aspx. This page should tell you if your LicenseFile is valid. If it's not, it might be worth getting in contact with Sitecore to get a new license.

Happy Coding 🤘