diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dfa1370d4ef7bf2f4be4704be0b94e618ad8f3d5..6f162bd558baebbc8f43baa95aa2c4eca8d7d0bb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ Yahoo BOSS is **not a free service**. As of November 17, 2012 Yahoo no longer of
 
 #### Mapquest (`:mapquest`)
 
-* **API key**: required for the licensed API, do not use for open tier
+* **API key**: required
 * **Quota**: ?
 * **HTTP Headers**: in order to use the licensed API you can configure the http_headers to include a referer as so:
     `Geocoder.configure(:http_headers => { "Referer" => "http://foo.com" })`
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@ Yahoo BOSS is **not a free service**. As of November 17, 2012 Yahoo no longer of
 * **Documentation**: http://www.mapquestapi.com/geocoding/
 * **Terms of Service**: http://info.mapquest.com/terms-of-use/
 * **Limitations**: ?
+* **Notes**: You can specify the licensed API by setting: `Geocoder.configure(:mapquest => {:licensed => true})` (defaults to free "open" version)
 
 #### Ovi/Nokia (`:ovi`)
 
diff --git a/lib/geocoder/lookups/mapquest.rb b/lib/geocoder/lookups/mapquest.rb
index ce0c8ac02f4dda4d8c30eaf4bb7efb1cdf786b6b..e1b9c4d1974801574061010c0fa6a2079e0d96c7 100644
--- a/lib/geocoder/lookups/mapquest.rb
+++ b/lib/geocoder/lookups/mapquest.rb
@@ -10,12 +10,11 @@ module Geocoder::Lookup
     end
 
     def required_api_key_parts
-      []
+      ["key"]
     end
 
     def query_url(query)
-      key = configuration.api_key
-      domain = key ? "www" : "open"
+      domain = configuration[:licensed] ? "www" : "open"
       url = "#{protocol}://#{domain}.mapquestapi.com/geocoding/v1/#{search_type(query)}?"
       url + url_query_string(query)
     end
diff --git a/test/services_test.rb b/test/services_test.rb
index 022b42334940951666c89e037f4fa90f5f398fe1..c6ba1f91c61cdd42f6d6315418dbeef01662f398 100644
--- a/test/services_test.rb
+++ b/test/services_test.rb
@@ -276,6 +276,15 @@ class ServicesTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     lookup = Geocoder::Lookup::Mapquest.new
     query = Geocoder::Query.new("Bluffton, SC")
     res = lookup.query_url(query)
+    assert_equal "http://open.mapquestapi.com/geocoding/v1/address?key=abc123&location=Bluffton%2C+SC",
+      res
+  end
+
+  def test_api_route_licensed
+    Geocoder.configure(:lookup => :mapquest, :api_key => "abc123", :mapquest => {:licensed => true})
+    lookup = Geocoder::Lookup::Mapquest.new
+    query = Geocoder::Query.new("Bluffton, SC")
+    res = lookup.query_url(query)
     assert_equal "http://www.mapquestapi.com/geocoding/v1/address?key=abc123&location=Bluffton%2C+SC",
       res
   end