Title: GPL Question
Last modified: August 31, 2016

---

# GPL Question

 *  [Sven Lehnert](https://wordpress.org/support/users/svenl77/)
 * (@svenl77)
 * [10 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/gpl-question-3/)
 * I have build an extension for a premium WordPress plugin and want to release 
   it as free plugin on WordPress.org.
 * Thats why I checked the plugin license, but I could not find a license attached.
   There is no license in the readme or somewhere in the code.
 * I tried to contact the developer, but he not tell me the license. He did not 
   give me an answer if its ok for him, I release a free extension for his plugin.
   I ask him but no answer.
 * I checked his code and could see he use code from other GPL licensed plugins 
   in his plugin.
 * I have one question. If no license is added to a plugin. But the plugin is using
   other GPL licensed code. What are my rights? Can I release a free extension as
   plugin on WordPress.org using parts of the code?
 * Because there is no license added to the code for me it looks unlicensed. Can
   I use unlicensed code like GPL code.
 * Looking forward some clarification

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

 *  [Andrey “Rarst” Savchenko](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rarst/)
 * (@rarst)
 * [10 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/gpl-question-3/#post-6945964)
 * > If no license is added to a plugin. But the plugin is using other GPL licensed
   > code.
 * If plugin is reusing GPL code then it must to be under GPL to comply with GPL.
   Otherwise it is breaking the license of the code it’s reusing. It **does not 
   make it GPL**, at most in violation of.
 * > Can I release a free extension as plugin on WordPress.org using parts of the
   > code?
 * You cannot release non-GPL-compatible code in official repository. The situation
   with upstream plugin as described is unclear to claim its code can be used as
   such.
 * > Can I use unlicensed code like GPL code.
 * Absolutely not. Absence of license is “all rights reserved” situation.
 *  Thread Starter [Sven Lehnert](https://wordpress.org/support/users/svenl77/)
 * (@svenl77)
 * [10 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/gpl-question-3/#post-6945966)
 * thanks for the clarifying answer!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The topic ‘GPL Question’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [rights](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/rights/)

 * 2 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Sven Lehnert](https://wordpress.org/support/users/svenl77/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/gpl-question-3/#post-6945966)
 * Status: not resolved

## Topics

### Topics with no replies

### Non-support topics

### Resolved topics

### Unresolved topics

### All topics