Zoom time-limit waiver ends with 2020; free accounts will have 40-minute limits in 2021

Zoom, the video conferencing tool, has announced that Purdue-affiliated users of its “Basic” plan – the plan that is free – will be limited to 40 minutes for meetings with more than three participants starting in January 2021. 

Faculty who use Zoom inside of Brightspace will be able to continue using a free license but will be subject to the 40-minute time limit. Meetings with only two or three participants can still be hosted for up to 24 hours.   

The change comes as Zoom has decided not to extend the time-limit and participant waiver that it granted educational institutions in March, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Anyone who wants to use Zoom to host a meeting (with three or more participants) lasting longer than 40 minutes should purchase a user license through Purdue before the end of the fall semester. Users who purchase a Zoom “educational” license will be able to host meetings for up to 24 hours.

Purdue has an agreement with Zoom that allows users on the West Lafayette, Northwest and Fort Wayne purchase individual licenses at a discounted rate. 

To learn more about purchasing a Zoom license: 

• West Lafayette and Northwest campuses can learn more about how to purchase a Zoom license by visiting pnw.edu/zoom. Staff at Purdue Northwest handles account information for the West Lafayette campus.  
  
  
• Faculty and staff at Purdue Fort Wayne should contact Shannon Sauro at sauros@pfw.eduto request a paid zoom license. 

Requests for new licenses should be made by Dec.5 to ensure that licenses are in place for the start of the spring semester. 

Last updated: Oct. 5, 2020