diff --git a/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
index c59e91aa1e..b42f800734 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
@@ -831,6 +831,28 @@ async def health_readiness():
                     index_info = "index does not exist - error: " + str(e)
                 cache_type = {"type": cache_type, "index_info": index_info}
 
+        # build license metadata
+        try:
+            from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import _license_check  # type: ignore
+
+            license_available: bool = _license_check.is_premium() if _license_check else False
+            license_expiration: Optional[str] = None
+
+            if getattr(_license_check, "airgapped_license_data", None):
+                license_expiration = _license_check.airgapped_license_data.get(  # type: ignore[arg-type]
+                    "expiration_date"
+                )
+
+            license_metadata = {
+                "license": {
+                    "has_license": license_available,
+                    "expiration_date": license_expiration,
+                }
+            }
+        except Exception:
+            # fail closed: don't let license check break readiness
+            license_metadata = {"license": {"has_license": False, "expiration_date": None}}
+
         # check DB
         if prisma_client is not None:  # if db passed in, check if it's connected
             db_health_status = await _db_health_readiness_check()
@@ -841,6 +863,7 @@ async def health_readiness():
                 "litellm_version": version,
                 "success_callbacks": success_callback_names,
                 "use_aiohttp_transport": AsyncHTTPHandler._should_use_aiohttp_transport(),
+                **license_metadata,
                 **db_health_status,
             }
         else:
@@ -851,6 +874,7 @@ async def health_readiness():
                 "litellm_version": version,
                 "success_callbacks": success_callback_names,
                 "use_aiohttp_transport": AsyncHTTPHandler._should_use_aiohttp_transport(),
+                **license_metadata,
             }
     except Exception as e:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=503, detail=f"Service Unhealthy ({str(e)})")
diff --git a/tests/basic_proxy_startup_tests/test_basic_proxy_startup.py b/tests/basic_proxy_startup_tests/test_basic_proxy_startup.py
index db09e38ea9..ef6e337a7a 100644
--- a/tests/basic_proxy_startup_tests/test_basic_proxy_startup.py
+++ b/tests/basic_proxy_startup_tests/test_basic_proxy_startup.py
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ async def test_health_and_chat_completion():
             readiness_response = await response.json()
             assert readiness_response["status"] == "connected"
 
+            # New assertion: license metadata is present
+            assert "license" in readiness_response
+            assert "has_license" in readiness_response["license"]
+
         # Test liveness endpoint
         async with session.get("http://0.0.0.0:4000/health/liveness") as response:
             assert response.status == 200