1C-Bitrix license renewal

1C-Bitrix License Renewal

A 1C-Bitrix license is valid for 12 months from activation. After expiration, the website continues to work, but updates stop. This isn't an abstract inconvenience: without updates, vulnerabilities accumulate in the core, and modules stop receiving compatible updates—especially critical for payment gateways, which change APIs.

What Happens After License Expiration

In practice—nothing immediate. The site works normally. But:

• A red warning appears in the admin panel
• The "Update" button in "System Updates" only offers renewal, no updates
• When attempting to update modules manually—error "License expired"
• New components and templates from Marketplace are unavailable for installation

A website with an outdated core version—not a catastrophe in the first months. But over a year or two, security fixes (XSS, CSRF, SQL injection in outdated module versions) accumulate, only closed by updates.

Which Vulnerabilities Are Critical Without Updates

Bitrix regularly publishes security bulletins. Closed vulnerabilities in recent years included: sale module (payment status check bypass), main module (REST API authentication bypass), file upload component (executable file upload via form). Without license renewal, these patches don't arrive.

Especially critical for websites that accept payments, authenticate users, and store personal data.

Renewal Procedure

1. Log in to your personal account at partners.1c-bitrix.ru or www.1c-bitrix.ru
2. Select license, click "Renew"—standard term (12 months) and extended packages available
3. Pay—bank card, invoice for legal entities
4. After payment, the new license key arrives via email or is available in your personal account
5. Enter the key in the website admin panel: Settings → License

If time has passed since expiration—intermediate updates may be required. Bitrix doesn't allow skipping major versions directly: for example, can't go directly from 20.x to 23.x. You'll have to update in stages.

Update After Extended Break

If the license wasn't renewed for a year or more and the core version is far outdated—renewal alone doesn't solve the problem. Updating with a lag of 2+ major versions requires preparation:

1. Backup—site files and database. Mandatory. Not one backup—two, in different locations
2. Staging environment—site copy on test server, where update is done first
3. Compatibility check—custom modules written for old API may not work with new version. Particularly vulnerable: custom code in init.php, old components with direct $DB->Query() calls, Marketplace modules without author support
4. Staged update—if core version is 3+ years outdated, update in steps through intermediate versions

Most labor-intensive scenario: 18.x → 23.x after 3-year break. Core updates, but custom code needs adaptation.

Cost of Delay

Renewal immediately after expiration—standard license price. After six months—same price, but time must be spent updating to current version. After two years—add site restoration work after staged updates to license cost.

Renewal and key activation: several hours. Update after extended break (depends on version):