licence

American  

[lahy-suhns] / ˈlaɪ səns /

noun

1. Chiefly British. a variant of license.

---

licence British  

/ ˈlaɪsəns /

noun

1. a certificate, tag, document, etc, giving official permission to do something

2. formal permission or exemption

3. liberty of action or thought; freedom

4. intentional disregard of or deviation from conventional rules to achieve a certain effect

   poetic licence

5. excessive freedom

6. licentiousness

---

Etymology

Origin of licence

C14: via Old French and Medieval Latin licentia permission, from Latin: freedom, from licet it is allowed

Explanation

A licence is a permit to do something. You need a licence to drive a car. If you spell it licence instead of license, then you’ll be driving on the left side of the road because the “c” ending is British. A licence, spelled with the “c,” is a noun — like that driver’s licence in your wallet that allows you to drive all over England. In British style, the word license (with an “s”) is only a verb and licence is a noun. So if you can put a/an/or the in front of it, it’s a licence. James Bond had a Licence to Kill in the movie of the same name. Don’t ask to see it!

Example Sentences

The emergency licence authorises the production, sale and delivery of Iranian crude and petrochemicals until 21 August.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

Festival organisers DF Concerts had secured a late licence for the night, and the company's event manager Katt Lingard told BBC Scotland News about 10,000 fans stayed on site to watch the game.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026

She will serve two-thirds of the 12-year prison sentence before she can be released on licence, the judge said.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

A passport, driving licence, bus pass, blue badge and a voter authority certificate are all accepted.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026

I know my date of birth: my parents told me, it is recorded on my birth certificate, my driving licence, my passport, and in all sorts of official records.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton