License means permission. The word license generally refers to a permit granted by a legal authority, often a government agency, that allows the recipient (person who receives the license) to engage in certain acts. Usually a person must pay a certain amount of money for a license.
A license may permit a person to operate a business or to practice a profession. The license implies that the recipient is qualified to do the work. For example, a physician in the United States must receive a state license to practice medicine legally. The license indicates that the state considers the doctor certified.
There are many other kinds of licenses. Local government authorities in many countries require people to have a driver’s license to operate a vehicle and a vehicle license to indicate and prove ownership. Revenue from these licenses is deposited into the government’s treasury. The vehicle license also helps to identify the car in case of an accident.
In most countries, a couple must have a marriage license to be considered legally married. Many local governments around the world require owners to purchase a license for their dogs. Some government districts require a person to have a license to fish or hunt.
A license also is used in law to indicate a qualified right to do something. A licensee is a person who has a right, generally, to enter a building or to be on someone else’s land for his or her own purposes. An inventor may grant a license for the use of a patented invention. Most computer software programs require consent to a license agreement, which restricts the use of the software. The license may be exclusive (restricted to one party) or nonexclusive (granted to more than one party).
