Autodesk AutoCAD — 3-Year Licence
Full AutoCAD for 2D drafting, 3D modelling and documentation, supplied as a 3-year licence for Windows or Mac. Pick your release year, pay in GBP and receive your licence details and setup guidance by email.
Licence term: 3 years from activation.
Price range: £39.00 through £99.00
Fixed-term licence: one upfront payment, with no automatic renewal or recurring charge.
Know exactly what you are buying: clear licence terms, selected version and device compatibility are shown before payment.
Availability : Original licence
Multilingual : All languages
Support : Specialised and free
Payments : Secure SSL checkout
Shipping : Instant email delivery
Invoice : Available
Customer Reviews
Description
3-year licence. Valid for three full years from activation. Renew only if you want to keep using the software after the term ends. Digital delivery and activation guidance are included.
AutoCAD: the industry-standard CAD software, licensed for three years
AutoCAD is the drafting and design application that most UK architecture, engineering and manufacturing teams still measure everything else against. Buying an AutoCAD licence from AutoSoftKey gives you the full desktop application — 2D drafting, 3D modelling, annotation, sheet sets and DWG-native file exchange — on a 3-year term that removes the annual renewal cycle for the length of a typical project pipeline.
This page is for core AutoCAD (not AutoCAD LT). On Windows, an eligible AutoCAD entitlement also unlocks the seven specialised toolsets (Architecture, Mechanical, Electrical, MEP, Map 3D, Plant 3D and Raster Design); on Mac you get AutoCAD for Mac without the toolsets.
What you can do with AutoCAD
- Precise 2D drafting: produce plans, sections, schematics and fabrication drawings with object snaps, constraints, dynamic blocks and annotative scaling.
- 3D modelling and visualisation: build solids, surfaces and meshes, apply materials and render inside the application or through Autodesk cloud rendering.
- Documentation at scale: sheet sets, layouts, viewports, fields and tables keep drawing sets consistent across large projects.
- Automation: AutoLISP, the Action Recorder and the Express Tools cut repetitive work; full AutoCAD supports customisation that AutoCAD LT does not.
- Collaboration: DWG, DXF, DWF and PDF exchange, plus the AutoCAD web and mobile apps for site and client reviews.
Who buys full AutoCAD rather than LT
Choose full AutoCAD if you need 3D, LISP or API customisation, the specialised toolsets, or you work in a practice where drawings are exchanged with consultants who rely on those features. Sole traders drafting purely in 2D often find AutoCAD LT sufficient at a lower cost — our AutoCAD vs AutoCAD LT guide walks through the differences.
UK buyers typically come to this page from three situations: a subscription renewal quote that has jumped, a new hire who needs a seat quickly, or a freelancer moving from a student licence to a commercial one.
Choosing your operating system and release year
Select Windows or Mac, then the release year (2024, 2025, 2026 or 2027). The licence term is three years whichever release you pick. If you collaborate with a team that has standardised on a particular release, match it; otherwise the newest release you can run comfortably is the sensible default. Note that AutoCAD for Mac does not include the specialised toolsets and has a slightly different feature set from the Windows edition.
Need a specialised workflow? Each toolset has its own page — see the comparison below — and the AutoCAD including specialised toolsets page if you want all of them under one licence.
AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT and the toolsets compared
| AutoCAD LT | AutoCAD (this page) | AutoCAD with toolsets | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2D drafting and annotation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 3D modelling and rendering | No | Yes | Yes |
| LISP, .NET and API customisation | No | Yes | Yes |
| Specialised toolsets (Architecture, Electrical, MEP…) | No | Windows: included with an eligible entitlement | Yes, all seven |
| Platform | Windows, Mac | Windows, Mac | Windows |
| Typical buyer | 2D-only drafting | Design teams needing 3D and automation | Multi-discipline practices |
Toolset availability on Windows depends on the entitlement; see the individual toolset pages for workflow-specific content.
Compatibility and system requirements
AutoCAD 2026 and 2027 for Windows run on 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11; Autodesk recommends a multi-core processor, 16 GB of RAM, a DirectX 12-capable graphics card and around 10 GB of free disk space for a comfortable install. AutoCAD for Mac supports Apple silicon and Intel Macs on the macOS versions Autodesk currently lists as supported.
An Autodesk account is normally needed to download the installer and sign in, and an internet connection is required for installation and periodic licence validation.
Always check the current release against Autodesk’s published system requirements before you order, because minimum specifications move with each release.
Delivery and activation
Orders are fulfilled digitally — there is nothing to post. Once payment is confirmed, your licence details and step-by-step setup instructions go to the email address you entered at checkout. Most orders are processed promptly after payment confirmation; a small number are held briefly for a routine manual check. If you need a hand with installation or activation, our support team replies by email during published support hours.
- Licence details and installation guidance delivered by email
- 3-year licence term, counted from activation
- An Autodesk account and an internet connection may be required for download, installation and activation
- Secure checkout in GBP — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay or invoice/bank transfer
- Order confirmation and payment record for your accounts
Changed your mind on an unused, unactivated order? Contact us within 14 days. Suspected defect? Tell us within 30 days so we can investigate and replace or refund where required — see the Refund Policy and Delivery Policy.
AutoCAD licence FAQs
How much does an AutoCAD licence cost in the UK?
On this page an AutoCAD 3-year licence starts at £39 for a single user, depending on the release year and platform you select. Autodesk’s own UK subscription is priced per year; you can compare the two models in our AutoCAD price UK guide.
Is this the full version of AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT?
This is full AutoCAD, with 3D modelling, LISP and API support. If you only need 2D drafting, AutoCAD LT is listed separately and costs less.
Does the 3-year licence include the specialised toolsets?
On Windows, Autodesk supplies the Architecture, Mechanical, Electrical, MEP, Map 3D, Plant 3D and Raster Design toolsets with an eligible AutoCAD entitlement; each is installed separately. The Mac edition does not include toolsets.
Can I install AutoCAD on both my desktop and laptop?
Autodesk allows a single named user to install and sign in on more than one device, but only one session may be active at a time. Check the current Autodesk terms for the exact limits.
What do I receive after paying?
Your licence details and step-by-step installation guidance are emailed to your checkout address once payment is confirmed. The installer itself is downloaded from Autodesk.
What happens when the three years end?
The licence simply expires. You can renew through AutoSoftKey or Autodesk at that point; there is no automatic renewal or hidden fee.
Do you sell a lifetime or perpetual AutoCAD licence?
No. Autodesk retired perpetual AutoCAD licences years ago, and we do not describe our Autodesk products as lifetime, perpetual or pre-owned. This is a 3-year licence.
Ready to buy AutoCAD?
Select your operating system and release year above, then add to basket. Your licence details arrive by email after payment confirmation, with setup guidance included.
Still deciding?
3 reviews for Autodesk AutoCAD — 3-Year Licence
Typical hardware for the releases we sell (2024 - 2027). Exact requirements can vary slightly between release years.
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows 11 or Windows 10 (64-bit) | |
| Processor | 2.5 GHz Intel or AMD (x64) | 3 GHz or faster, multi-core |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB | 16 GB or more |
| Graphics | 1 GB GPU, DirectX 11 compatible | 4 GB GPU, DirectX 12 compatible |
| Display | 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) | 3840 x 2160 (4K) |
| Disk space | 10 GB free (SSD recommended) | |
| .NET Framework | Version 4.8 or later | |
| Internet | Required for licence activation and updates | |
Before you order: confirm the requirements for the exact release year you select against the official Autodesk page below.
View the official Autodesk system requirements for this product
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Marco P. (verified owner) –
Delivery was quick and the key activated without any issues. Setup guidance was clear and helpful.
Elena (verified owner) –
Received the license key after a small delay, but support was responsive. Software works as expected.
Hassan A. (verified owner) –
The AutoCAD license was delivered promptly and activated flawlessly. Instructions were straightforward, and the price was great.