Informix Error -755: Cannot access the license file to release license.

Reasons / Common Causes

-755 fires when the server can't access the license file at the point of releasing a license (on disconnect/shutdown) — per the official guidance, this generally points to a permissions problem on the license file.

1. Insufficient permission on the license file or its containing directory, per the official guidance — the specific, named likely cause.
2. The license file removed or relocated after the server started, so it's no longer where the server expects it at release time, even if it was accessible at connect time.
3. A permission change made to the file while sessions were active, affecting only the release path rather than the initial acquire.

Solutions / Resolution

1. Check with the system administrator, per the official guidance — this is the documented, primary resolution path, since it's framed as a permissions issue to be resolved administratively.
2. Check file and directory permissions on the license file, the same check as -754, applied here to the release path specifically:

   ls -l "$INFORMIXDIR/etc/"*.lic
   

3. Confirm the license file wasn't moved/removed after the server started, if permissions look correct.

Examples

Checking license-file permissions

$ ls -l "$INFORMIXDIR/etc/"*.lic

Confirm the server's OS user retains read/write access to the license file for the release operation, not just the initial connect-time check.

Diagnostic Checks

1. Check the license file's current permissions and presence, the same checks as -754.
2. Confirm nothing changed the file's location/permissions while sessions were active.

Related Errors / Related Topics

• -753 — "Access denied - Single user limit has been exceeded." A related licensing error, about the license's concurrency terms rather than file access.
• -754 — "Cannot access the license file." The equivalent access failure at connect/acquire time, rather than at release time.

The release-time counterpart to -754's access problem — check with the system administrator and verify file permissions.