Resource licensing and escrow
Here's the deal: every FiveM script ships one of two ways, and knowing which is on you before money changes hands. Open means the code is readable and you can edit all of it. Escrowed means the core is locked and only a config file is exposed for you to change. Get this wrong and a buyer can't make the edit they paid for, or a seller hands away code they meant to protect.
What to understand before you transact
Know open vs escrowed
Open means readable Lua you can edit and copy in full. Escrowed means the core is locked: the buyer edits the exposed config and whatever files the author left open, but not the protected logic. Neither one is "better." They fit different products.
As a buyer, check editing rights before you buy
If you bought a script specifically to modify its core behavior, an escrowed version will block you. Read the listing: what is configurable, what is open, what is locked. Ask before buying, not after.
As a seller, decide what to protect
Expose a well-documented config so buyers rarely need the core. Protect the logic that is your actual product. Leaving everything open invites resale of your work; locking everything frustrates legitimate customization.
Respect licenses both ways
Do not resell, re-leak, or strip another author's escrow. On the buy side, a license is per the terms you agreed to (often per-server). Reselling someone else's work is the fast path to a marketplace ban.
Keep reading the full lesson
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- How to recognize escrow in the wild
- Common mistakes
- What you can do now
The remainder of Resource licensing and escrow is available to FiveM School members.