// how to
How to Read the DeepSeek Open-Weight License Before You Build
Open the model’s page on Hugging Face and read its License section. Recent DeepSeek models such as DeepSeek-R1 and DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash-1017 are released under the MIT License, which allows commercial use and changes. The small distilled R1 models also carry the license of the model they were built on: Apache 2.0 for the Qwen versions, and Meta’s Llama 3.1 or 3.3 licenses for the Llama versions.
The short version
“Open weights” means you can download the model, but the license decides what you may do with it. For recent DeepSeek models the answer is generous (MIT). For the distilled versions people actually run at home, there’s a second license to read.
Step by step
- Find the exact model. “DeepSeek” covers many models. Write down the full name, such as
DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Qwen-14B. - Open its Hugging Face page under huggingface.co/deepseek-ai and scroll to License.
- Check the base model if it’s a distilled version. The R1 card names the base and its license.
- Keep a copy of the license text with your project, and note the date you checked.
- Ask a lawyer if you’re building a product people pay for and anything is unclear.
Which license applies
| Model | License, per DeepSeek’s model card |
|---|---|
| DeepSeek-R1 | MIT |
| DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash-1017 | MIT (code and weights) |
| R1-Distill-Qwen 1.5B, 7B, 14B, 32B | MIT, derived from Qwen-2.5 (Apache 2.0) |
| R1-Distill-Llama-8B | MIT, derived from Llama 3.1 (Llama 3.1 license) |
| R1-Distill-Llama-70B | MIT, derived from Llama 3.3 (Llama 3.3 license) |
| DeepSeek-V3 | Code MIT; weights under the DeepSeek Model License |
What MIT lets you do
The MIT License lets you use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense and sell copies, free of charge, as long as you include the copyright notice and license text. It comes with no warranty.
Prompts to copy
Use DeepSeek, or any assistant, to understand a license, not to approve it:
Here is a software license. In plain English, list what I may do, what I must do
(for example, include notices), and what I may not do. Quote the clause for each point.
[paste license]
I want to ship [product] that runs [model name] on customers' computers.
Which obligations from this license apply to me? Quote the relevant clauses.
[paste license]
Example
Plan: a small company wants to bundle the 70B distilled model in an on-premises tool for clients.
What to check: DeepSeek’s MIT terms, plus the Llama 3.3 license, because the R1 card says that model is derived from Llama 3.3-70B-Instruct. Both apply.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming every DeepSeek model has the same license. Check each one.
- Ignoring the base model’s license on distilled versions.
- Confusing the weights with the service. Running weights yourself doesn’t make DeepSeek’s app terms apply, and using the app doesn’t give you the weights’ license.
- Dropping the license file when you redistribute a model.
Good to know
The license covers your right to use the model, not whether it’s right for your data or your customers’ rules. See use DeepSeek safely at work. Our glossary explains what an open-weight model is and how it differs from open source.
Related: run DeepSeek locally and use DeepSeek safely at work.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use DeepSeek models in a commercial product?
For DeepSeek-R1, DeepSeek's model card says the series supports commercial use and allows modifications and derivative works, including distillation. Check the license of the specific model and, for distilled versions, the base model's license too.
Is the license for the app the same as for the open weights?
No. The open weights come with a license such as MIT. The chat app and API are services governed by DeepSeek's Terms of Use, which are governed by the laws of mainland China.
Do all DeepSeek models use MIT?
Not all. DeepSeek-V3, for example, has its code under MIT but its model weights under a separate DeepSeek Model License, which its model card says supports commercial use. Always read the card of the exact model you download.
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