Secure Privacy requires a license for each domain and subdomain that places cookies or trackers on visitors' devices. Understanding how the domain licensing model works ensures you have the right coverage in place — and avoids compliance gaps across your web properties. This guide explains when a license is needed, what is covered by a single license, and how to handle special cases such as language subpages and staging environments.
Who Is This For?
Website administrators managing multiple domains or subdomains in Secure Privacy
Developers responsible for cookie compliance across complex web architectures
Marketers handling multilingual websites, brand subdomains, or regional domains
How the Domain Licensing Model Works
Each domain and subdomain that independently places cookies or trackers requires its own Secure Privacy license. A single license covers the domain or subdomain and all of its subpages — but separate domains and subdomains each need their own license.
Type |
Example |
License Required? |
|---|---|---|
Root domain |
example.com |
Yes |
Subdomain |
subdomain.example.com |
Yes — separate license required |
Subpage |
example.com/subpage |
No — covered by the domain license |
Domains vs. Subdomains vs. Subpages
Why domains and subdomains need separate licenses
Domains and subdomains are treated as separate entities because both can independently place cookies and trackers on a visitor's device — regardless of whether they share the same root domain. Each therefore requires its own Secure Privacy license.
Subpages are covered by the parent license
All subpages beneath a domain or subdomain fall under that entity's license and do not require separate licensing. For example:
example.com/contactandexample.com/aboutare both covered by theexample.comlicenseblog.example.comis a subdomain and requires a separate license fromexample.com
Special Case: Language-Based Subpages
Some websites structure language versions as subpages — for example, example.com/en or example.com/fr. While these are technically subpages and would normally be covered by the root domain license, if you require separate consent management, cookie blocking configurations, or customized banner text for each language version, a separate license is needed for each.
Licensing for Development and Staging Environments
Licenses are not mandatory for test or staging environments where Secure Privacy is not actively used. However, you may want to license specific non-production environments to ensure consistent consent management during testing, particularly for:
Staging or user acceptance testing (UAT) domains
Customer-specific subdomains used for demos or previews
Country-specific or brand subdomains ahead of launch
How to Discover All Your Subdomains
To identify all subdomains that may need licensing, use a public DNS subdomain discovery tool:
These tools surface subdomains associated with your root domain — helping you ensure no active subdomain that places cookies is missing a license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license for every subpage?
No. Subpages beneath a licensed domain or subdomain are automatically covered by that license. The only exception is if you need separate consent management, custom blocking rules, or different banner text for a specific subpage — in which case a separate license is required for that subpage.
How do I know if I need multiple licenses?
You need separate licenses if your website uses multiple root domains, subdomains that independently place cookies, or language-based subpages that require different consent configurations. Use a subdomain discovery tool to audit all active subdomains across your web properties.
Can I license my test and staging sites?
Yes. Licenses for staging and development environments are optional in most cases, but recommended if those environments actively place cookies or if you need to verify your Secure Privacy configuration before going live. Contact [email protected] if you are unsure whether a specific environment requires a license.