Win the profile customization contest, and you get a free copy. http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?364383-Announcing-the-vB-Custom-Profile-Contest
vBulletin isn't a shareware or a freeware, you can any how look for out for any license give away contests or get a second hand license. @Shawn: The contest is open only for licensed vB customers, he has to submit his work via some one else to get it not directly though, if I read Steve's post right.
@digitalpoint : saw your first recent post since my registration . I think you mostly do Back End work ..
I have limited functionality in the vB forum.. although i have a vb 4 Suite license. Any thing i should do for verification?
vB isn't free as phbb or SMF, to use vB you need to buy vB license as well.go to Vb official site and buy it.
They'll C&D your site, then. Do you really want to risk it? Besides, all the free guys (especially MyBB) have really stepped up on their development, so why pirate when the free options are there?
Then save up. I highly doubt you would be able to get a free vBulletin license. Besides, MyBB has really evolved and is more than easily able to compete with the likes of IPB and vBulletin. And with such a high price for vBulletin, I'd honestly get either IPB or XenForo (which is by the vBulletin 3 coders before development changed hands, by the way) if it had to be payware.
I was in love with IPB over vBulletin but when I switched to a free forum software I found MyBB uses the best of such paid board. In fact recent versions of MyBB are very similar to vBulletin in fuctionality and it's even possible get a vBulletin-like skin for it, so I would definitely try this and never a nulled script indeed.