Oracle has begun sending Java audit letters to Fortune 200 companies for the first time, according to a licensing expert.

Big Red announced a new licensing system for the popular programming language and development environment in January 2023. It said the Java SE Universal Subscription would offer customers "a simple, low-cost monthly subscription that includes Java SE licensing and support for use on desktops, servers or cloud deployments." "

But industry experts have pointed out that companies with limited Java use would have to license the software on a per-employee basis under the latest model, a dramatic change from the one previously offered by Oracle. Gartner estimated that the per-employee subscription model was two to five times more expensive than the older version.

While smaller companies with as few as a hundred employees had received Oracle audit letters asking them to clarify their Java licensing position, they had so far held off on questioning the largest companies. But that has changed in recent months, according to Craig Guarente, founder and CEO of Palisade Compliance, an independent Oracle licensing consulting firm.