diff --git a/BUILD.bazel b/BUILD.bazel
index efd142c..cafd9c2 100644
--- a/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,22 +1,23 @@
-load("@rules_license//rules:license.bzl", "license")
 load(
     "@gz//bazel/skylark:build_defs.bzl",
     "GZ_FEATURES",
+    "GZ_ROOT",
     "GZ_VISIBILITY",
     "gz_configure_header",
     "gz_export_header",
     "gz_include_header",
 )
+load("@rules_license//rules:license.bzl", "license")
 
 package(
-    default_applicable_licenses = [":license"],
+    default_applicable_licenses = [GZ_ROOT + "utils:license"],
     default_visibility = GZ_VISIBILITY,
     features = GZ_FEATURES,
 )
 
 license(
-  name = "license",
-  package_name = "gz-utils"
+    name = "license",
+    package_name = "gz-utils",
 )
 
 licenses(["notice"])
@@ -46,8 +47,8 @@ gz_include_header(
     name = "utilshh_genrule",
     out = "include/gz/utils.hh",
     hdrs = public_headers_no_gen + [
-        "include/gz/utils/config.hh",
         "include/gz/utils/Export.hh",
+        "include/gz/utils/config.hh",
     ],
 )
 
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ cc_library(
     name = "utils",
     srcs = ["src/Environment.cc"],
     hdrs = public_headers,
+    copts = ["-fexceptions"],
     includes = ["include"],
 )
 
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ cc_test(
 cc_test(
     name = "NeverDestroyed_TEST",
     srcs = ["src/NeverDestroyed_TEST.cc"],
+    copts = ["-fexceptions"],
     deps = [
         ":utils",
         "@gtest",
diff --git a/cli/BUILD.bazel b/cli/BUILD.bazel
index 096f09e..04c7c71 100644
--- a/cli/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/cli/BUILD.bazel
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 load(
     "@gz//bazel/skylark:build_defs.bzl",
+    "GZ_ROOT",
     "GZ_VISIBILITY",
 )
 
+package(
+    default_applicable_licenses = [GZ_ROOT + "utils:license"],
+)
+
 public_headers = [
     "include/gz/utils/cli/GzFormatter.hpp",
 ] + glob([
@@ -12,6 +17,7 @@ public_headers = [
 cc_library(
     name = "cli",
     hdrs = public_headers,
+    copts = ["-fexceptions"],
     includes = [
         "include",
         "include/external-cli",