diff --git a/inspec-bin/bin/inspec b/inspec-bin/bin/inspec
index 896b50e4f..c8c7ecaee 100755
--- a/inspec-bin/bin/inspec
+++ b/inspec-bin/bin/inspec
@@ -9,4 +9,4 @@ $LOAD_PATH.unshift(lib) unless $LOAD_PATH.include?(lib)
 
 require 'inspec'
 require 'inspec/cli'
-Inspec::InspecCLI.start(ARGV)
+Inspec::InspecCLI.start(ARGV, enforce_license: true)
diff --git a/lib/inspec/base_cli.rb b/lib/inspec/base_cli.rb
index f164cee93..5aeb1cdca 100644
--- a/lib/inspec/base_cli.rb
+++ b/lib/inspec/base_cli.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,32 @@ module Inspec
       attr_accessor :inspec_cli_command
     end
 
+    def self.start(given_args = ARGV, config = {})
+      check_license! if config[:enforce_license] || config[:enforce_license].nil?
+
+      super(given_args, config)
+    end
+
+    # EULA acceptance
+    def self.check_license!
+      allowed_commands = ['-h', '--help', 'help', '-v', '--version', 'version']
+
+      require 'license_acceptance/acceptor'
+      begin
+        if (allowed_commands & ARGV.map(&:downcase)).empty? && # Did they use a non-exempt command?
+           !ARGV.empty?                                        # Did they supply at least one command?
+          LicenseAcceptance::Acceptor.check_and_persist(
+            'inspec',
+            Inspec::VERSION,
+            logger: Inspec::Log,
+          )
+        end
+      rescue LicenseAcceptance::LicenseNotAcceptedError
+        Inspec::Log.error 'InSpec cannot execute without accepting the license'
+        Inspec::UI.new.exit(:license_not_accepted)
+      end
+    end
+
     # https://github.com/erikhuda/thor/issues/244
     def self.exit_on_failure?
       true
diff --git a/lib/inspec/cli.rb b/lib/inspec/cli.rb
index cdee8b028..fbc9241d3 100644
--- a/lib/inspec/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/inspec/cli.rb
@@ -387,26 +387,6 @@ end
 #=====================================================================#
 
 help_commands = ['-h', '--help', 'help']
-version_commands = ['-v', '--version', 'version']
-commands_exempt_from_license_check = help_commands + version_commands
-
-#---------------------------------------------------------------------#
-# EULA acceptance
-#---------------------------------------------------------------------#
-require 'license_acceptance/acceptor'
-begin
-  if (commands_exempt_from_license_check & ARGV.map(&:downcase)).empty? &&  # Did they use a non-exempt command?
-     !ARGV.empty?                                                           # Did they supply at least one command?
-    LicenseAcceptance::Acceptor.check_and_persist(
-      'inspec',
-      Inspec::VERSION,
-      logger: Inspec::Log,
-    )
-  end
-rescue LicenseAcceptance::LicenseNotAcceptedError
-  Inspec::Log.error 'InSpec cannot execute without accepting the license'
-  Inspec::UI.new.exit(:license_not_accepted)
-end
 
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------#
 # Adjustments for help handling