diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/customize.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/customize.tsx
index 622413b7cc..d9bb69be86 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/customize.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/customize.tsx
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ export interface CustomizeState {
   max_upgrades: TypedMap<Partial<Upgrades>>;
   nonfree_countries?: List<string>;
   limit_free_project_uptime: number; // minutes
+  require_license_to_create_project?: boolean;
   onprem_quota_heading: string;
   organization_email: string;
   organization_name: string;
diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx
index dee3ae9d4a..9727e8b0ef 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/projects/create-project.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ Create a new project
 
 import { Button, Card, Col, Form, Input, Row } from "antd";
 import { delay } from "awaiting";
-
+import { BuyLicenseForProject } from "@cocalc/frontend/site-licenses/purchase/buy-license-for-project";
 import { Alert, Well } from "@cocalc/frontend/antd-bootstrap";
 import {
   CSS,
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
   const [title_text, set_title_text] = useState<string>(default_value ?? "");
   const [error, set_error] = useState<string>("");
   const [show_advanced, set_show_advanced] = useState<boolean>(false);
-  const [show_add_license, set_show_add_license] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const [title_prefill, set_title_prefill] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const [license_id, set_license_id] = useState<string>("");
   const [warnBoost, setWarnBoost] = useState<boolean>(false);
@@ -73,6 +72,12 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
 
   const is_anonymous = useTypedRedux("account", "is_anonymous");
   const customize_kucalc = useTypedRedux("customize", "kucalc");
+  const requireLicense = !!useTypedRedux(
+    "customize",
+    "require_license_to_create_project",
+  );
+  const [show_add_license, set_show_add_license] =
+    useState<boolean>(requireLicense);
 
   // onprem and cocalc.com use licenses to adjust quota configs – but only cocalc.com has custom software images
   const show = useMemo(
@@ -80,8 +85,6 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
     [customize_kucalc],
   );
 
-  //const requireLicense = customize_kucalc == KUCALC_COCALC_COM;
-
   const [form] = Form.useForm();
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -113,7 +116,7 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
     set_error("");
     set_custom_software({});
     set_show_advanced(false);
-    set_show_add_license(false);
+    set_show_add_license(requireLicense);
     set_title_prefill(true);
     set_license_id("");
   }
@@ -227,7 +230,10 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
     );
   }
 
-  function create_disabled() {
+  function isDisabled() {
+    if (requireLicense && !license_id) {
+      return true;
+    }
     return (
       // no name of new project
       !title_text?.trim() ||
@@ -286,8 +292,20 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
   function render_add_license() {
     if (!show_add_license) return;
     return (
-      <Card size="small" title="Select license" style={CARD_STYLE}>
+      <Card
+        size="small"
+        title={
+          <>
+            <div style={{ float: "right" }}>
+              <BuyLicenseForProject size="small" />
+            </div>
+            <Icon name="key" /> Select License
+          </>
+        }
+        style={CARD_STYLE}
+      >
         <SiteLicenseInput
+          requireValid
           confirmLabel={"Add this license"}
           onChange={addSiteLicense}
         />
@@ -325,6 +343,7 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
     return (
       <div style={TOGGLE_STYLE}>
         <Button
+          disabled={requireLicense}
           onClick={() => set_show_add_license(true)}
           type="link"
           style={TOGGLE_BUTTON_STYLE}
@@ -348,7 +367,7 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
           >
             add/remove licenses
           </A>{" "}
-          in the project settings later on.
+          in project settings later.
         </div>
       );
     }
@@ -419,12 +438,12 @@ export const NewProjectCreator: React.FC<Props> = ({
               Cancel
             </Button>
             <Button
-              disabled={create_disabled()}
+              disabled={isDisabled()}
               onClick={() => create_project()}
               type="primary"
             >
               Create Project
-              {create_disabled() ? " (enter a title above!)" : ""}
+              {requireLicense && !license_id && <> (select license above)</>}
             </Button>
           </Col>
         </Row>
diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx
index 0d09534797..5fe352ff7b 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/input.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ interface Props {
   style?: CSS;
   extra?: React.ReactNode;
   extraButtons?: React.ReactNode;
+  requireValid?: boolean;
 }
 
 export const SiteLicenseInput: React.FC<Props> = (props: Props) => {
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export const SiteLicenseInput: React.FC<Props> = (props: Props) => {
     confirmLabel = "Apply License",
     extra,
     extraButtons,
+    requireValid,
   } = props;
 
   const managedLicenses = useManagedLicenses();
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ export const SiteLicenseInput: React.FC<Props> = (props: Props) => {
       style={style}
       extra={extra}
       extraButtons={extraButtons}
+      requireValid={requireValid}
     />
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx
index f7cb0bd645..d90529c945 100644
--- a/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx
+++ b/src/packages/frontend/site-licenses/select-license.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ interface Props {
   style?: CSS;
   extra?: ReactNode; // plain-text node is ok
   extraButtons?: ReactNode;
+  requireValid?: boolean;
 }
 
 export default function SelectLicense(props: Props) {
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ export default function SelectLicense(props: Props) {
     style,
     extra,
     extraButtons,
+    requireValid,
   } = props;
   const isBlurredRef = useRef<boolean>(true);
   const [licenseId, setLicenseId] = useState<string>(defaultLicenseId ?? "");
@@ -154,24 +156,30 @@ export default function SelectLicense(props: Props) {
       style={{ width: "100%", ...style }}
     >
       <div>
-        {(showAll || licenseIds.length < len(managedLicenses)) && (
-          <Checkbox
-            style={{
-              flex: "1 0 0",
-              margin: "5px 0",
-              color: COLORS.GRAY_M,
-              whiteSpace: "nowrap",
-            }}
-            checked={showAll}
-            onChange={() => setShowAll(!showAll)}
-          >
-            Show expired
-          </Checkbox>
-        )}{" "}
+        {!requireValid &&
+          (showAll || licenseIds.length < len(managedLicenses)) && (
+            <Checkbox
+              style={{
+                flex: "1 0 0",
+                margin: "5px 0",
+                color: COLORS.GRAY_M,
+                whiteSpace: "nowrap",
+              }}
+              checked={showAll}
+              onChange={() => setShowAll(!showAll)}
+            >
+              Show expired
+            </Checkbox>
+          )}{" "}
         <Select
-          style={{ width: "100%", flex: "1 1 0", marginRight: "10px" }}
+          style={{
+            width: "100%",
+            height: licenseId ? "100px" : undefined,
+            flex: "1 1 0",
+            marginRight: "10px",
+          }}
           placeholder={
-            "Enter license code " +
+            `Enter${requireValid ? " valid " : " "}license code ` +
             (options.length > 0
               ? `or select from the ${options.length} licenses you manage`
               : "")
diff --git a/src/packages/util/db-schema/site-defaults.ts b/src/packages/util/db-schema/site-defaults.ts
index 186414e9d6..6b93f775b7 100644
--- a/src/packages/util/db-schema/site-defaults.ts
+++ b/src/packages/util/db-schema/site-defaults.ts
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ export type SiteSettingsKeys =
   | "max_trial_projects"
   | "nonfree_countries"
   | "limit_free_project_uptime"
+  | "require_license_to_create_project"
   | "google_analytics"
   | "kucalc"
   | "dns"
@@ -576,6 +577,14 @@ export const site_settings_conf: SiteSettings = {
     show: only_cocalc_com,
     to_display: (val) => `${val} minutes`,
   },
+  require_license_to_create_project: {
+    name: "Require License to Create Project",
+    desc: "If yes the 'New Project' creation form on the projects page requires the user to enter a valid license.  This has no other impact and only impacts the frontend UI.  Users can circumvent this via the API or a course.",
+    default: "no",
+    valid: only_booleans,
+    show: only_cocalc_com,
+    to_val: to_bool,
+  },
   datastore: {
     name: "Datastore",
     desc: `Show the '${DATASTORE_TITLE}' panel in the project settings`,