diff --git a/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.spec.ts b/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.spec.ts
index b30d1fd758a..bcef6df20a2 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.spec.ts
@@ -241,7 +241,8 @@ describe('SubmissionSectionCcLicensesComponent', () => {
     });
 
     it('should have section status incomplete', () => {
-      expect(component.getSectionStatus()).toBeObservable(cold('(a|)', { a: false }));
+      component.required$.next(true);
+      expect(component.getSectionStatus()).toBeObservable(cold('(a)', { a: false }));
     });
 
     describe('when all options have a value selected', () => {
@@ -271,7 +272,13 @@ describe('SubmissionSectionCcLicensesComponent', () => {
       });
 
       it('should have section status incomplete', () => {
-        expect(component.getSectionStatus()).toBeObservable(cold('(a|)', { a: false }));
+        component.required$.next(true);
+        expect(component.getSectionStatus()).toBeObservable(cold('(a)', { a: false }));
+      });
+
+      it('should have section status complete if not required', () => {
+        component.required$.next(false);
+        expect(component.getSectionStatus()).toBeObservable(cold('(a)', { a: true }));
       });
 
       describe('when the cc license is accepted', () => {
@@ -282,7 +289,8 @@ describe('SubmissionSectionCcLicensesComponent', () => {
         });
 
         it('should have section status complete', () => {
-          expect(component.getSectionStatus()).toBeObservable(cold('(a|)', { a: true }));
+          component.required$.next(false);
+          expect(component.getSectionStatus()).toBeObservable(cold('(a)', { a: true })); // first true is because the section is not required
         });
       });
     });
diff --git a/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.ts b/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.ts
index bc1a2f347a0..6ffa50b4f1e 100644
--- a/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/submission/sections/cc-license/submission-section-cc-licenses.component.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import {
 import { TranslateModule } from '@ngx-translate/core';
 import { InfiniteScrollModule } from 'ngx-infinite-scroll';
 import {
+  BehaviorSubject,
   Observable,
   of,
   Subscription,
@@ -155,6 +156,11 @@ export class SubmissionSectionCcLicensesComponent extends SectionModelComponent
 
   ccLicenseLink$: Observable<string>;
 
+  /**
+   * Is the section required
+   */
+  public required$ = new BehaviorSubject<boolean>(false);
+
   constructor(
     protected modalService: NgbModal,
     protected sectionService: SectionsService,
@@ -179,6 +185,7 @@ export class SubmissionSectionCcLicensesComponent extends SectionModelComponent
     if (hasNoValue(this.ccLicenseLink$)) {
       this.ccLicenseLink$ = this.getCcLicenseLink$();
     }
+    this.required$.next(this.sectionData.mandatory);
   }
 
   ngOnChanges(changes: SimpleChanges): void {
@@ -311,7 +318,10 @@ export class SubmissionSectionCcLicensesComponent extends SectionModelComponent
    *     the section status
    */
   getSectionStatus(): Observable<boolean> {
-    return of(this.accepted);
+    return this.required$.pipe(
+      map((required) => !required || this.accepted),
+      distinctUntilChanged(),
+    );
   }
 
   /**