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Microsoft licensing agreements

We offer multiple agreement options to help partners license Microsoft cloud services and on-premises software.

Microsoft Cloud Agreement (MCA) is a transactional licensing agreement for commercial and government organizations seeking to fully outsource management of their cloud services through a Cloud Solution Provider (CSP).

In combination with the value-added services offered by a systems integrator, hosting partner, or born-in-the-cloud reseller partner, the CSP program offers an easy way to license the cloud services your customers need. On-premises software and Software Assurance are not available through CSP partners.

The CSP model keeps partners at the center of the customer relationship by providing them with direct management of billing, provisioning, and support. CSP partners:

  • Own the monthly or annual customer billing.
  • Recognize topline revenue and directly provision, manage, and support.
  • Sell cloud products and partner offers in one monthly or annual package.

Learn more about the CSP program and policies >

Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) is for service providers and ISVs who want to license eligible Microsoft products to host software services and applications to end customers. SPLA provides the license rights to host specific Microsoft products monthly for a three-year term, as outlined in the Microsoft Service Provider Use Rights (SPUR) with pricing based on use rights.

SPLA is offered through authorized SPLA resellers

Learn more about SPLA

To host application server licenses using License Mobility through Software Assurance, you must be an Authorized License Mobility Partner.

Becoming an Authorized License Mobility Partner

To become an Authorized License Mobility Partner you must be a Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) partner and attach an addendum, with additional License Mobility terms, to your SPLA agreement. Contact your reseller or Microsoft partner development manager or partner tech strategist to obtain the addendum.

Read more

Getting on the Authorized Mobility Partner list
Partners whose authorization addenda have been accepted and processed by Microsoft will be placed on the Authorized Mobility Partners. This list is made publicly available to Microsoft Volume Licensing customers and is updated monthly.

View list

Microsoft ISV Royalty Licensing Program is for ISVs who want a convenient way to license Microsoft products and integrate them into a unified solution. ISVs can then replicate the business solution and distribute a fully-licensed solution to their end users. ISV Royalty (ISVR) agreements are for a three-year term and payment is made monthly through an authorized ISV Royalty Licensing Program distributor.

Learn more about the ISV Royalty Licensing Program >

Microsoft Enterprise Agreement and Microsoft Enterprise Subscription Agreement are commitment-based licensing agreements for commercial organizations signing a new enrollment with 500 or more users/devices* and government organizations with 250 or more users/devices. These agreements work best for organizations that want to license Microsoft on-premises software and cloud services organization-wide, over a three-year period, and at the best available pricing.

Enterprise Enrollment, Enterprise Subscription Enrollment, and Server and Cloud Enrollment (SCE) allow committed customers to standardize broadly on one or more user technologies from Microsoft. Software Assurance is included.

You must be a Microsoft licensing solution provider (LSP) to sell licenses and subscriptions through the Microsoft Enterprise agreements and enrollments.

*The minimum requirement for the Enterprise Agreement and Enterprise Subscription Agreement changed from 250 to 500 users or devices for new commercial customers on July 1, 2016. It excludes government and SCE deals. For more information regarding this policy change, download the minimum requirement policy change FAQ for partners.

Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA) is a transactional licensing agreement for commercial, government, and academic organizations with 250 or more users/devices. MPSA works best for organizations that want to license Microsoft on-premises software, cloud services, or both as needed—with no organization-wide commitment and multi-year subscription options under a single, non-expiring agreement. Software Assurance is optional.

You must be a Licensing Solutions Partner to sell licenses and subscriptions through the MPSA. You must also be a Microsoft-authorized education reseller (AER) to sell licenses through MPSA for Academic.

Learn more about the MPSA >

Microsoft Select Plus is a transactional licensing agreement for government and academic organizations with 250 or more users/devices. Select Plus works best for organizations that want to license Microsoft on-premises software only for up to three years with no organization-wide commitment. Software Assurance is optional and cloud services are not available.

Effective July 1, 2016, in markets where the MPSA is available*, Microsoft no longer accepts new orders and Software Assurance renewals through existing commercial Select Plus agreements at the customer’s next agreement anniversary date.

You must be an LSP to sell licenses through Select Plus. You must also be an AER to sell licenses through Select Plus for Academic.

Learn more about Select Plus >

*This retirement does not apply to government and academic Select Plus agreements or where the MPSA is unavailable on July 1, 2016. See the MPSA FAQ for a full list of markets where the MPSA is available. Get answers to frequently asked questions about the Select Plus retirement.

Microsoft Open Value and Microsoft Open Value Subscription are Microsoft Volume Licensing agreements for organizations with 5–499 users/devices that want to license Microsoft on-premises software, cloud services, or both.

Open Value non-company-wide is a transactional agreement. Software Assurance is included.

Open Value company-wide and Open Value Subscription are commitment-based agreements for commercial and government organizations that want to license organization-wide over a one or two-year period. Software Assurance is included.

Open Value Subscription for Education Solutions is a commitment-based Microsoft Volume Licensing agreement for academic organizations with five or more FTEs or students that want to license organization-wide. Software Assurance is included.

Partners must work with Microsoft authorized distributors to sell licenses and subscriptions through the Open agreements.

Learn more about Open agreements >

Microsoft Online Subscription Agreement

Microsoft Online Subscription Agreement (MOSA) is a transactional licensing agreement for commercial, government, and academic organizations with one or more users/devices. MOSA works best for organizations that want to subscribe to, activate, provision, and maintain cloud services seamlessly and directly via the web through the Microsoft Online Subscription Program (MOSP). On-premises software and Software Assurance are not available through MOSA.

Partners can advise customers on MOSP transactions.

Learn about Microsoft web pricing for the following cloud services:

Office 365 >

Microsoft Dynamics 365 >

Microsoft Azure >