diff --git a/LICENSE b/constellation/LICENSE
similarity index 100%
rename from LICENSE
rename to constellation/LICENSE
diff --git a/constellation/LICENSE.future b/constellation/LICENSE.future
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c0f09f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/constellation/LICENSE.future
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+constellation's source code is currently only available under the AGPL license.
+
+it MAY be relicensed in the future to MIT and/or Apache 2.0, at the sole discretion of the microcosm organization, but is not available under these licenses today.
diff --git a/constellation/readme.md b/constellation/readme.md
index 6bb292d..d59b087 100644
--- a/constellation/readme.md
+++ b/constellation/readme.md
@@ -83,6 +83,15 @@ curl '<HOST>/links/all/count?target=did:plc:vc7f4oafdgxsihk4cry2xpze'
 ```
 
 
+## Contributions
+
+### Licensing
+
+Constellation's source code is currently available exclusively under the AGPL license (see [LICENSE](./LICENSE)).
+
+In the future, its code MAY become available under the MIT and/or Apache2.0 licenses, at the sole discretion of the microcosm organization. Contributing implies acceptance with this possible future licensing change. The change has not happed yet and is not guaranteed.
+
+
 some todos
 
 - [x] find links and write them to rocksdb