Through the purchase of iWay MDS, a license key is obtained (a file with a .plf extension). When the iWay MDS Core starts, it first searches for this file in the license_keys directory of the installation folder, and then in the home folder of the current user.

Each license file may contain several restrictions, such as the operating system, iWay MDS version, date validity range, and so on. A license file is considered valid only if all of its conditions for use are met. If no matching license key is found, then iWay MDS exits with an associated error. Additionally, a license file may contain a restriction of functionality. The functionality not covered by the license is reported as an error by both the IDE and Core.