Every Mojang EULA Mods Rule for Players, Creators and Servers
Mojang’s EULA mods rules let you share Java mods but never sell them. Patreon and donations? Mojang’s documents don’t say, so we show what they do cover.
Table of Contents
đź“Ś Quick answer: Yes, mods are allowed on Minecraft: Java Edition. Mojang’s EULA lets owners of the game make, use and share mods, and you own mods you build from scratch. You may not sell them or try to make money from them, and you may not share the game bundled with your mods. Paid servers follow separate Usage Guidelines.
🕒 Verified against: the Minecraft EULA and Minecraft Usage Guidelines on minecraft.net, checked 21 Oct 2026 · Stability: Semi-stable.
Mojang EULA mods rules: the short answer
Mojang’s EULA allows mods on Minecraft: Java Edition for anyone who bought the game. Two documents set the rules, and most confusion comes from mixing them up.
Which document says what (EULA vs Usage Guidelines)
Mojang’s EULA is the license you accept to play, alongside the Microsoft Services Agreement. It defines mods, says who owns them and bans selling them. The Minecraft Usage Guidelines add conditions for sharing mods and running paid servers, and the EULA says Mojang can change or withdraw them.
Which situation are you in?
- Playing with mods: read the definitions next.
- Making a mod: see the rules table and the selling section.
- Running a server: jump to paid servers.
- Naming a mod or sharing a pack: see modpacks.
- Parent: see the last body section.
ℹ️ Before you continue: Anyone selling you a Java Edition mod, or charging to download one, is working outside Mojang’s EULA. Look-alike and paid mod sites are also a malware risk, so use the vetted hosts in our guide to where to download mods without malware. This page explains Mojang’s published rules; it isn’t legal advice.
What the EULA counts as a mod and a modded version
A mod is defined by what it leaves out: Mojang’s own code.
Mod vs modded version
The EULA treats mods, tools and plugins as “Mods”: original work without a substantial part of Mojang’s copyrightable code or content. Combine one with the game and you have a Modded Version. Mods are fine to distribute; Modded Versions are not, and Mojang has the final say on which is which.
Who owns your mod
Mods you build from scratch, including pre-run and in-memory mods, belong to you. Mojang still owns its code and content.
Can you be banned for using mods?
Not for using them on a copy you bought; the EULA permits that. Mojang can suspend or ban anyone who breaks the EULA or its Community Standards. Servers set their own mod rules; that is our explanation, not Mojang’s.
Minecraft mod rules at a glance: allowed, banned, unsettled
Every mod rule in both documents, with its source and tier.
The table (checked 21 Oct 2026)
| Action | Status | Tier | Source | Key detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make and use mods | Allowed | Confirmed | EULA | Java Edition you bought |
| Share the mod file | Allowed | Confirmed | Both | Mod only |
| Share the game with mods | Banned | Confirmed | Both | A Modded Version |
| Sell or profit from a mod | Banned | Confirmed | EULA | Mods you built |
| Play-to-earn mods | Banned | Confirmed | Guidelines | Cash-out currency |
| NFT or ownership checks | Banned | Confirmed | Guidelines | Out-of-game items |
| Look official | Banned | Confirmed | Both | No Mojang logos |
| Patreon, donations, ads | Unsettled | No Mojang statement | Neither | See selling section |
Version note: read on minecraft.net, 21 Oct 2026. Mojang may take down mods that break the guidelines.
The three Usage Guidelines conditions for mods
The Minecraft Usage Guidelines allow a mod on three conditions. You share the mod, not a modded game; it has no play-to-earn function; and it can’t check whether a player owns out-of-game content that unlocks gameplay.
Can you sell Minecraft mods or charge for them?
No, not Java Edition mods: Mojang’s EULA bars selling them or trying to make money from them.
What the EULA bans outright
The EULA lets you do anything with mods you built except sell them or try to profit from them. Some guides quote the Usage Guidelines as saying “mods must be free” or allowing Marketplace sales. Neither line is in the current guidelines (checked 21 Oct 2026); the ban lives in the EULA.
Patreon, donations and ads: what Mojang hasn’t said
Neither document mentions Patreon, early access, donations or ad-supported downloads for mods, and we found no Mojang statement as of 21 Oct 2026. Guides calling these “allowed” are giving their own reading.
Selling through the Marketplace (Bedrock only)
The Minecraft Partner Program lets approved creators sell skin packs, maps and textures on the Minecraft Marketplace for Minecoins. It doesn’t mention Java mods; here is how Bedrock add-ons differ from Java mods.
Paid servers with mods: what the guidelines allow
The Usage Guidelines let you charge for a server, with conditions that touch mods.
Charging for access when you run mods
- Charge everyone the same access price.
- Give every paying player all enabled mods, except admin tools.
- Admit only players who own Minecraft.
- Show all content and pricing before anyone joins.
What you can sell, and the cape exception
- Cosmetics, except capes or cape look-alikes.
- Gameplay items that give no competitive advantage.
- Donations without donor-only rewards.
- In-game currency with no cash-out and no resemblance to Minecoins.
One host’s guide bans anything affecting gameplay; the current wording is narrower. The EULA separately bars charging for Realm access; see what Realms accept by edition.
Mod names, modpacks and the not-official disclaimer
Three brand rules catch well-meaning creators.
Using “Minecraft” in a mod or server name
Use Minecraft only as a secondary name or description, never the main title, and keep Mojang’s logos out. Mojang approves “Kotoba Miners: A Minecraft server for Redstone builds” but not Minecraft as the lead word.
Sharing a modpack
Neither document names modpacks. A pack that ships game files is a Modded Version, so it’s banned. Re-sharing others’ mods depends on each mod’s license; that is our reading, not a Mojang ruling.
The disclaimer Mojang asks for
Show prominently a line similar to “NOT AN OFFICIAL MINECRAFT [PRODUCT]. NOT APPROVED BY OR ASSOCIATED WITH MOJANG OR MICROSOFT.”
What the rules leave open, and what changed in 2025-26
One recent change matters, and one myth needs correcting.
Removing obfuscation didn’t make Minecraft open source
âś… Confirmed: Mojang’s obfuscation announcement (29 Oct 2025) says the change doesn’t affect the EULA, and each game .jar gains a LICENSE file linking to it.
Readable code isn’t an open license, whatever some explainers say. See what deobfuscation changed for modders.
When Mojang can change the rules
The guidelines can change without notice; Mojang’s 2023 rewrite (2 Aug 2023) is the latest overhaul we found. Mojang won’t advise on individual projects and suggests an attorney.
If a child is modding
The EULA says a parent or guardian accepts its terms for a minor. Want an alert when these rules change? Join The Checkpoint Codex newsletter.
Minecraft EULA and mods: your questions answered
1. Are mods allowed under Mojang’s EULA?
Yes. Mojang’s EULA lets anyone who bought Minecraft: Java Edition make, use and share mods, as long as they don’t sell them.
2. Can you get banned for using Minecraft mods?
Mojang’s EULA permits mods on a copy you bought, but Mojang can suspend or ban players who break the EULA or Community Standards.
3. Can you sell Minecraft mods?
No. Mojang’s EULA says you may not sell Java Edition mods or try to make money from them. Read the EULA’s mods section before charging anything.
4. Is Patreon allowed for Minecraft mod makers?
Mojang’s EULA and Usage Guidelines don’t mention Patreon for mods, and we found no Mojang statement on it. Mojang suggests an attorney if you’re unsure.
5. Can Minecraft mods be sold on the Marketplace?
The Marketplace sells Partner Program content like skin packs, maps and textures. Mojang’s partner page doesn’t offer it as a route for Java mods.
6. Who owns a Minecraft mod you make?
Under Mojang’s EULA, you own mods you build from scratch. Mojang still owns its own code and content inside the game.
7. Can a paid Minecraft server run mods?
Yes, if everyone pays the same price and every paying player gets all enabled mods except admin tools. Check the guidelines’ servers section first.
8. Can I share a Minecraft modpack?
Sharing a pack that includes game files breaks Mojang’s EULA. Re-sharing other people’s mods depends on each mod’s own license.
9. Can I use “Minecraft” in my mod’s name?
Only as a secondary name or description. Mojang’s Usage Guidelines bar Minecraft as the main title and its logos in your branding.
10. Is Minecraft open source after removing obfuscation?
No. Mojang said removing obfuscation doesn’t affect the Minecraft EULA, and each game .jar now includes a LICENSE file linking to it.
What to check before you share or monetize a mod
Before you publish a mod under Mojang’s EULA, run three checks:
- Share the mod file only, never the game.
- Don’t charge for the mod itself.
- Name it as unofficial and add Mojang’s disclaimer.
Then confirm each mod you rely on has a build for the Java release you play.
