diff --git a/devdocs/specs/core-license-key-system.txt b/devdocs/specs/core-license-key-system.txt
index 67a78048..3c3c4542 100644
--- a/devdocs/specs/core-license-key-system.txt
+++ b/devdocs/specs/core-license-key-system.txt
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ See below, basically raven will check with rockfish automatically and handle any
 
 
 
-"2018" KEY FORMAT
+"8" KEY FORMAT
 =================
 - JSON format
 - secured with hash signature, only we can issue valid keys
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ See below, basically raven will check with rockfish automatically and handle any
 	- Rockfish will issue a trial key upon first request from empty db
 	- An empty regto is an invalid key.
 - LicenseFormat
-	- there will be a LicenseFormat version field which will be initially "2018"
+	- there will be a LicenseFormat version field which will be initially "8"
 	- This is for future changes to how license is formatted to ease the code burden of detecting that
 	- Old future release versions should work with new licenses but not the reverse
 
diff --git a/server/AyaNova/util/License.cs b/server/AyaNova/util/License.cs
index d6134f5d..6af4cfdf 100644
--- a/server/AyaNova/util/License.cs
+++ b/server/AyaNova/util/License.cs
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ namespace AyaNova.Core
         //         private static string SAMPLE_KEY = @"[KEY
         // {
         //   ""Key"": { 
-        //     ""LicenseFormat"": ""2018"",       
+        //     ""LicenseFormat"": ""8"",       
         //     ""Id"": ""34-1516288681"", <----Customer id followed by key serial id
         //     ""RegisteredTo"": ""Super TestCo"", or "REVOKED" if revoked
         //     ""DBID"": ""df558559-7f8a-4c7b-955c-959ebcdf71f3"",
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ EQIDAQAB
                 Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JToken token = Newtonsoft.Json.Linq.JObject.Parse(keyNoWS);
 
                 key.LicenseFormat = (string)token.SelectToken("Key.LicenseFormat");
-                if (key.LicenseFormat != "2018")
+                if (key.LicenseFormat != "8")
                     throw new ApplicationException($"E1020 - License.Parse -> License key format {key.LicenseFormat} not recognized");
                 key.Id = (string)token.SelectToken("Key.Id");
                 key.RegisteredTo = (string)token.SelectToken("Key.RegisteredTo");