This article is about selling or giving away used Steinberg software. With just a few clicks, you can find out here what you need to keep in mind when selling your software and transferring licenses.
→ Restrictions
Resale restrictions
Before you begin, please note the following resale restrictions:
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Educational Licenses
Educational licenses are personal and must not be passed on or sold to any other third party or person.
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Software/hardware bundle
So-called OEM software like Cubase AI, Cubase LE, WaveLab LE, Sequel LE must not be sold separately from the hardware they initially came bundled with. This also applies to included effect plug-ins, for example, the Basic FX Suite collection.
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License Agreement
We reserve the right to refuse the ownership transfer service in case of suspected violation of the license agreement.
→ → Licensing systems
Please select the licensing system of the Steinberg software you are planning to sell.
Current software
Read more on Steinberg Licensing...
Older software
→ → → Steinberg Licensing
Reselling software relying on Steinberg Licensing
You are planning to sell Steinberg software with a Steinberg Licensing-based license. This means it is neither stored in a Soft-eLicenser nor on a USB-eLicenser.
If you want to correct your information, please .
Required steps before selling
Steinberg Licensing-based licenses can be used on up to three computers. Before requesting for change of ownership, please deactivate all active licenses via Steinberg Activation Manager.
Request for change of ownership
First, please make sure the license you want to sell or pass on is not active on any computer. Use the Steinberg Activation Manager to deactivate licenses still in use.
A license transfer is not possible as long as a license is still in use.
If the license is not active on any computer, please send us the request for change of ownership via the corresponding form in our Steinberg account:
- Log in to your Steinberg account.
- Select "Support".
- Click "Create support request".
- Select "License transfer—request change of ownership" from the pop-down menu.
Please include the following details:
- Name of registered license as shown in your Steinberg account
- If possible, please attach a screenshot showing the license in your Steinberg account.
Kindly note that we can only process your request, if the details you provide are complete and match the information registered with your Steinberg account.
Once your application has been processed and successfully verified, you will receive a new Download Access Code via email. This may take several business days.
Recommended scope of supply
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License
- The new owner needs an unused Download Access Code to download the license of the program via the Steinberg Download Assistant.
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Installation media
- The new owner will, of course, need to install the software. For all software products using Steinberg Licensing, installers are available in the Steinberg Download Assistant, and, in most cases, also in the download section of our website.
- Decide for yourself whether the availability in the Steinberg Download Assistant or a link to the download page is sufficient. Alternatively, you can include a copy of the installation files on a suitable storage medium.
→ → → USB-eLicenser
Reselling software with a license stored on USB-eLicenser
You are planning to sell Steinberg software with a license stored on a USB-eLicenser (dongle, key).
If you want to correct your information, please .
Required steps before selling
Selling software with a license stored on a USB-eLicenser is straight-forward and does not require contacting support. You can do this completely on your own. Just make sure, the USB-eLicenser is not registered with a Steinberg account.
Unregistered USB-eLicenser
If the USB-eLicenser holding the license of the software you intend to sell is not registered, you can pass it on without further ado. The new owner will be able to register the USB-eLicenser with his/her own account.
Registered USB-eLicenser
If you have already registered your USB-eLicenser with your Steinberg account, please send us the request for change of ownership via the corresponding form in your Steinberg account:
- Log in to your Steinberg account.
- Select "Support".
- Click "Create support request".
- Select "License transfer – request change of ownership" from the pop-down menu.
Please include the following details:
- Serial number of the USB-eLicenser (as shown in your Steinberg account)
- If possible, please attach a screenshot showing your license in your Steinberg account.
Kindly note that we can only process your request, if the details you provide are complete and match the information registered with your Steinberg account.
Once your application has been processed and successfully verified, you will receive an email confirming that the USB-eLicenser has been removed from your account. This may take several business days.
Multiple licenses on the USB-eLicenser
Since the eLicenser service was discontinued on May 20, 2025, licenses stored on a USB eLicenser can no longer be changed. For detailed information, please refer to this article.
Licenses stored together on a USB eLicenser can, therefore, only be transferred in their entirety.
Recommended scope of supply
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License
- The new owner needs the unregistered USB-eLicenser holding the license of the software.
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Installation media
- The new owner will, of course, need to install the software. For most products, installers are available in the Steinberg Download Assistant or in the download section of our website.
- Decide for yourself whether the availability in the Steinberg Download Assistant or a link to the download page is sufficient. Alternatively, you can include a copy of the installation files on a suitable storage medium.
- For older software, the original storage medium or media (CD-R, DVD) might be required.
→ → → Soft-eLicenser
Reselling software with a license stored in a Soft-eLicenser
You are planning to sell Steinberg software that stores its license in a Soft-eLicenser on the hard disk.
If you want to correct your information, please .
Since the eLicenser service was shut down on May 20, 2025, licenses stored on a Soft-eLicenser on your hard drive can no longer be changed. They can no longer be deleted, reactivated, or transferred to a USB-eLicenser.
Unfortunately, this makes it practically impossible to sell a license without transferring the complete computer.
Detailed information about the discontinuation of the eLicenser service can be found in this article.
→ → → Pre-eLicenser
Reselling software with a legacy licensing model
You've stated that you are planning to sell Steinberg software that is relying on an older licensing model, for example a serial number, a line printer dongle, an iLok dongle or a copy-protected CD-R. This means the software is about more than two decades old.
If you want to correct your information, please .
License and registration
Software of this age cannot be updated or upgraded to a current program version. It also cannot be registered, and registrations that might have been made previously are no longer existent.
This makes selling the software straightforward. Just make sure the new owner gets everything needed for the installation and the license.
Updates might be available on our download page.
Please understand that we cannot provide any more detailed information on reselling legacy software.